Basic Camping

[angetenar]

Good afternoon,
I would like to ask a favour of any current owners of an early Series II Discovery, say from about 1999-2000. Unfortunately I've never owned one before, I don't know anyone who has one!
I am considering purchasing the above vehicle for the purposes of a VERY lean expedition. There are 2 of us going, and we are travelling light.
We are planning to drive by day, and live in the back.
The question is, with the rear seats down is the load bay flat? Also can the boot take a double mattress lying on the floor?
Can someone provide me with the dimensions of the boot?
Particularly I'm after the shortest length of the boot space with the seats down and tailgate closed, and width at the narrowest point.
Also, is there a handle on the tailgate so it can be opened from the inside?
Thanks in advance.

[Cannonball Bob]

If you're travelling light, a Disco 2 seems an odd choice.
Not an ideal vehicle to live out of as a lot of the space/weight etc is wasted on a some of the luxury items. The rear load area, although flat enough, isn't great for laying down a mattress as the rear wheel arches intrude a bit in to the cabin area and the rear seats will get in the way even when folded (unless you remove them completely)
Better option might be a 110. Add a bit of board between the rear wheel arch benches and kerching! Full size double bed.

[mmgemini]

Like Bob I think the Discovery 2 is an unusual vehicle for basic camping.

However today I've met two people who are preparing one for trips.
Theirs is a van though. If you take the rear seats out there's a lot of room.

Why might I ask sleep in the vehicle. You are IMO much more comfortable in a tent with a proper bed on the ground.

[Snagger]

The D2 is also not the simplest of vehicles, and the air suspension at the rear is a potential problem area - one of the D2s on my trip around the Alps burst an air spring while driving on road, having achieved only one day of off roading. The owner was able to slowly limp on to the camp site while the rest of us climbed the Sommelier Glacier. His car was stranded for a futher two days while we all went on the mountain tracks, and he had to miss out on the Hannibal Trail and limp to the next camp site until we were able to fit his coul spring retro-fit kit.

A vehicle with coil springs is a more reliable bet, and I'd try to avoid a vehicle dependant on ECUs - you can't fix them in the field and some failures will leave you completely immobile.

[aclarke]

Hi. I can sort of answers but not really ;)

Like pretty much everyone else so far I'd question your choice of an early DII as an expedition vehicle. You can us any vehicle you want--I just read a book from a guy who drove from the Netherlands to Burkina Faso in a 20 year old Mercedes 190 successfully--but if you're buying a vehicle anyway I'd say there are better choices.

Much of it depends on where you live and where you're going. If you're in North America a DII might be an ok choice. In OZ or elsewhere you can get a diesel which will make it a lot more desireable than the petrol model imho.

I used to have a D1. I'm about 6'4 and the DII is longer but it was too short for me to sleep in unless I was diagonal. The seats do not fold flat. I have a 200tdi 110 now and other than being a lot less luxurious it is a better vehicle for me and for "expeditions" in almost every way. It is noisier than a v8 so more tiring for long drives unless you wear ear plugs which isn't very sociable.

Personally I'd say if you want a reliable but economical and luxurious Rover, buy a 300tdi RRC and spend the money you save over a DII getting it in top knotch mechanical shape and adding some amenities like a GPS and roof top tent. If you don't care about luxury, get a 110. I'd wager it will hold it's value better too.

Andrew.

[V8_Disco]

I have a 1999 Disco 2

The back seats Tumble when they are down, I.E. they fold once then you lift the seat base up at it tumbles into the pasenger footwell, there is not space for 1 person to sleep in the back with this argment let alown 2,

The load space is flat but the passenger seats still intrude, to sleep in the back you would have to remove them completely

Aidan

[Satancom]

I would go for a 110.. or even a series 109". I have a bed in mine.. Its damn comfy for two, is the size of a normal double bed in the back and has acres of storage between the wheel boxes!

Plan on taking mine t Iceland eventually!

[aclarke]

Also, is there a handle on the tailgate so it can be opened from the inside?

My D1 had a handle on the inside so I'm sure the DII does as well.

- Andrew.

[angetenar]

Thanks for all your comments so far, I never actually considered a 110 so thanks for that. To those that have put a bed board in, have you removed the rear seats to do that?
If I get a discovery, I would take the rear seats out I think, as I don't have a need for them. I suppose the only concern I have about a 110 would be the comfort over a long trip. And, I have to say, the prices (in the UK) seem surprisingly high for old 110s, much higher than a similar age/condition disco. Still I suppose the 110 is a more serious vehicle.
I don't really want to get involved in roof tents on this trip, I'm looking to park up and have ready made quarters, solid and dry!

[aclarke]

When you're thinking of costs, think about the following:

- How much will it cost you to fix the vehicle in general and on your trip? If your vehicle requires specialized knowledge and equipment it could be very expensive to fix in the middle of nowhere.

- How much do you value reliability? I mean, if your trip is delayed for a week somewhere because of a mechanical failure that can't be fixed on-site, how does that make you feel? Keep in mind that "there" could be a village in Austria or the middle of the desert, for various values of "there". Fixing a broken down vehicle can be a lot more expensive than buying a reliable one up front when you count up all the costs.

- If you make a bed in the back of a DII, where are you going to put all your gear? You'll still need some sort of drawer system I guess. That's why I suggested a rooftop tent, although I respect that it might not be your cup of tea. I have a Hannibal tent and it's only about a 5 minute job to set up, maybe 10 to pack away. I don't need to dig around in the back of my truck to set anything up, which is nice.

- Think about resale value as well. You may pay more for a used 110 but it will likely also keep its value better. It's also simpler to fix "in the field".

- Again, you might consider a RRC. They are not very expensive and although they don't have as much room in the vehicle you can probably get one that will be more reliable than a DII for the same money or less. The problem is that you'd either need a roof rack for a lot of your gear or a roof top tent and I'm not sure you'd be able to sleep in the back of one unless you're fairly short. They are also comfortable and classy and don't really look out of place in any situation IMHO.

I've pimped my 110 with more comfy seats out of a Saab 9000, put in GPS, some soundproofing, etc., so you can make them more comfortable for long trips. The longest trip I've done in mine is 4500km over 9 days and my pregnant wife with morning sickness thought the truck was plenty comfortable for her.

- Andrew.

[AnalogKid]

If you have a commercial 3 door 110 it has no rear seats to remove (unless there are sideways benches in the back). This would be a better vehicle for 2 since they cost a little less than the 5-door station wagon to buy, there are 2 less doors to get broken into, and the load bay is flatter with a half height bulkhead to seperate the cab from the load area. Its a good idea extend this to the roof so what is in the back stays in the back when off-raod or in an emergency. Oh, and the rear door can be locked/unlocked and opened from inside.

The station wagon comes with particularly uncomfortable second-row seats which fold flat but impede on the load bay length. There's no rear bulkhead and nowhere to fit a temporary one really since the B-pillar is slighty ahead of the back of the front seats. On the upside, there's loads of glass making for a light interior and plenty of ventilation options and they hold there value very well, but all in all, a commercial 110 with 3 doors (possible to fit extra rear windows though) would seem to fit the bill better for you.

Have a search on this site, there's some excellenty prepped 110s with lots of pictures of peoples storage and sleeping arrangements.

[toppa]

Was one of the reaoson i bought another 3 door 110, with the intention of the new one being for travells, one of mine has windows in the back, and one dosnt, both three doors... althouhg there is as yet not alot going on inside themto show.

I have also installed mpre comfy aftermarket seats, some say the standard landy seat are fine for them, but i have to admit, in my newer one, the standard seat are just not growing on me, even after four months of having it..


Cheers

[mmgemini]

I run a Defender 110 station wagon. No second row seats. Margaret wouldn't be able to access the fridge in a three door. :D :D
Yes I agree another door for wrongful access. I'm more worried about that here in the Uk than when I'm abroard.

We all nedd different ways to access things.
That's why the forums are good with nearly everybody shewing different ideas.

I see now in ZA that more and more people are preparing and using the D3 for overlanding.

[PinkSeriesIII]

the standard seat are just not growing on me, even after four months of having it..


I'm sure there a shortass joke to be had in that somewhere but it just too early to figure it :D I like your seats but they might topple the balance to where my truck becomes yours (roofrack, bullbars, cargo net, touch screen, transfer box ;)