Switzerland in a 1994 Feender?

Holiday with the kids in August.

Through France to Switzerland than back through Germany, Lux and Belgium. Some 2000 miles i think. Non stop on way there and three days on the way back.

So, doing this in a Defender is, A) Stupid, B) Expensive C) Should be a laugh or D) all of the above

p.s. Can't figure out a pole.

p.p.s. E) BoB is Gay

D ...

D - although i wouldnt fancy breaking down abroad with sprogs in the car

E) go for it, I drove my 110 CSW with 6 adults and our 1 1/2 year old little girl and snow board kit for all on the roof to les coches in the French alps last January. Defender never missed a beat saw at least 3 discovery3's broken down with UK plates on em as well as stacks of other cars. I was worried about an overseas breakdown so I paid £160 to the AA for euro breakdown that guaranteed repatriation in the event of a major mechanical failure. It does take a long time and the wife said she would leave me if I suggested it again but I kind of enjoyed it, although after 20 hours of driving split between 3 of us you do feel a bit done in. If you can plan some proper overnight stops in hotels to give you a proper break. Only thing I forgot to take is one of those portable jump start things, can be handy if you leave it parked up for a week at -20c

It'll be whatever you make it

D + E, Im assuming that if you could have sorted out a poll then it would have been mulit-choice

Speak to Vaggy, he is a poll eggspurt

Anything more than 200 miles without a rest will kill you...

Not the actual driving mind, it'll be the kids and wife that get so ****ed off with the noise and smell that they stone you and bury you in a forest. Your noise and smell.

I've been to France (the long bit being from Glasgow to Dover!) in my Defender with the wife, and 2 adults & a teenager in the back, with the luggage on the roof rack, and to Spain with just the two of us. We needed a new alternator in Spain, but so many cars use standard Lucas alternators that wasn't too difficult. Work out the mileage, and how much you'll spend on fuel, and add European breakdown cover. If you can still afford it, go for it!

Driven to the Alps twice in a with 5 people, plus camping kit, plus mountain bikes in/on a 110. It is tiresome, but there's no reason you should make it. Don't forget ear plugs

wattfield said:

Work out the mileage, and how much you'll spend on fuel, and add European breakdown cover. If you can still afford it, go for it!

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Ahh, now this is the sensible bit. I'll probably just go for it. But, if it's gonna cost 4 times the price of a hire car............... maybe just too stupid to follow through, as they say Now where did I put my calculator

I've done Surrey to the Scottish border and back in one weekend, but that's the longest I've gone in the 90. Not nearly as far as your proposed jaunt, but it wasn't too bad really.

Switzerland is a fair old way though, so you'll want to be sure the old crate is match fit. Maybe take a few commonly needed spares with you like a spare engine as Land Rover parts may be a bit thinner on the ground. You don't want to break down in France and get gobbled up by beastly Euro-savages.

Went to Naples towing a trailer in a 110V8 CSW non stop except for a 4 hour sleep break (and a few refueling stops) , but only had the G/F with me, wouldnt want to try with kids , but the landy never missed a beat slightly illegal cruise speed tho ! a good recovery insurance takes the worry out tho JMHO

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with the Defender for the way, the worse prob is Switzerland. Quite expensive place to be. Go to Austria if you want to see the alps and use the money for the fuel.

8 years ago I took my 110 with me and my friend and her sprog and my 5 kids to middle of France with 8 bikes strapped to the roofrack & the back and all the luggage.

Truely was a horendous journey .....2 hrs max is my kids captivity time before i go demented by the squabbling.

To put it in perspective some friends of mine took a defender to Australia with kids
Overland With Kids | Welcome to Our Adventure! so your journey is quite doable with a bit of prep

Southern Germany is very nice eg Neuschwanstein (the castle disney copied) and the Alps , "the eagles nest" (Hitlers mountain retreat)

tacr2man said:

To put it in perspective some friends of mine took a defender to Australia with kids
Overland With Kids | Welcome to Our Adventure! so your journey is quite doable with a bit of prep

Southern Germany is very nice eg Neuschwanstein (the castle disney copied) and the Alps , "the eagles nest" (Hitlers mountain retreat)

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That's awesome. What a trip!

I don't get all these expeditions with Stetford kids . Anyone know what drugs they use to sedate them for the journey.

In all of the blogs it never mentions squabbling, tormenting, hitting each other, i feel sick, i really need a wee , i'm bored, when are we stopping, can you turn up the cd more ( whilst my ears pour blood in the front ), i dont like this song skip it...no i like it...well i dont....aaaaaaaaahhhhhh

110woman said:

I don't get all these expeditions with Stetford kids . Anyone know what drugs they use to sedate them for the journey.

In all of the blogs it never mentions squabbling, tormenting, hitting each other, i feel sick, i really need a wee , i'm bored, when are we stopping, can you turn up the cd more ( whilst my ears pour blood in the front ), i dont like this song skip it...no i like it...well i dont....aaaaaaaaahhhhhh

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They probably just had a floor-to-ceiling sheet of bullet proof glass behind the front seats to block all the grizzling out. As for the 'needing a wee/I feel sick' thing, Fenders have rubber floors - perfect for hosing away any hideousness at rest stops.

How old are the kids? If they are between 0 and 16 I would put them on the roof rack and the luggage on the seats and then it should be a nice trip.

KSLB said:

How old are the kids? If they are between 0 and 16 I would put them on the roof rack and the luggage on the seats and then it should be a nice trip.

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Sound like a plan.

Ahh, no roof rack