UK to OZ - Vehicle Familiarisation

Know nothing mechanically about my first ever Landy vehicle CSW 110 300 TDi - of 4 months - - it makes me smile but I need to get to grips with it so not completly ignorant and need be knowledgeable and self-reliant to some degree while on our travels. Can anyone recommend the best way to get to grips with this non-electric grogeous beast. Plan to do off-roading session to learn more about capabilities but need much more savvy (I can't even change a tyre at the mo!). Am travelling with children so mindful of risk should we breakdown in any risky/exposed areas. Have plenty of time to learn (I think!!!!) as not planning to leave for a while. Any ideas?

How many adults going ? What route are you looking at?
You could start off by doing a course at FE centre .
Join a local Landrover Club, I am sure you will find suitable persons to give you more detail tuition re LR110 , and they might even let you help them do some of the repairs, of which there will probably be plenty of choice
Thre is a reason for the first two questions

2 adults and two children (girl and boy) who will be aged 9 and 6.5 at time of travel. Route we are planning includes Europe (we plan to include Norway and then 'Turn Right at St Peterburg' before coming back down again). Plan to travel right through to Singapore (will ship vehicle at this point) via Iran, Pakistan (like idea of China if change travel rules at time we leave if not we will omit). May possibly enter India but focus ultimately on Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam.
I take it you want to know in order to determine how much mechanical skill/vehicle prep expertise needed? Sorry for sounding dumb - what is FE centre??????????? Please see my other post re: children and security for more info. Good idea about joining local LR club - will look into. Many thanks.

Further Education , they run vehicle maintaince courses.
another idea personal DVD players (with headphones) for the kids as travel quite often loses the novelty pretty quickly I take it you already have the CSW.

Have already got the CSW. DVD with headphones - keep those tips coming!!! Much appreciated.

one of the landrover mags lro i think did a series of articals last year on similar trip they even went through china will find mag name/issues out and post here

as for the kids try to maintain similar routine to home life as regards meal times bed times etc and give them jobs to do each day along the trip ie dishes fill up water etc to keep them occupied

hi cassie i just read your post on offrd camper thread
im building a 110 camper which i intend to live in when working away from home and to take the wife and 2kids away camping in
ive decided after a lot of measuring and planning to go for a 110 h,top rather than a csw as it seems better suited to conversion and more secure

basically im putting 2 windows inthe back 2 foldling sheets f/ward facing and ive bout a tent that attachs to the rear and designed plywood storage for the rear load area with 2 folding beds for kids in the back one above the other and me and wife in tent as you have to go through the tent to get in

it should be starting this weekend and finished by the end of august im keeping a photo diaryu of it so you can have a look every so often and see what you think
i think the fact that due to my job most of the lads live in converted vans campers and 110s for 9 mths of the year
although as im a boos now i get a 90 and a hotel
id have a think about the vehicle that best suits your need youve got two years to prepare

goodluck

As DD says if you have got 2 years to get ready, might well be worth considering a vehicle change I would venture to suggest that a 130DC with a built on rear body might be better Idea. I dont know how handy you are with diy but what I have in mind would be a luton style rear body ,the children would then be able to sleep in the luton part, and the adults in the main part. The cab area would be smaller(i.e. only the two rows of seats would have to be cooled by the aircon. The 130 is a bit big for UK use but presents no difficulties in OZ (parking at malls etc) look at Foley vehicle site to get the sort of thing i have described.

Like this but double cab http://www.foleyspecialistvehicles.co.uk/gallery/28.jpg

Oh bugger - am feeling a bit sick/deflated - have just had a look at the double cab on Foleys and it looks much more geared for the task while at the same time dealing with much of the security issues I'm thinking about, especially where the children are concerned. Wouldn't mind but have just spent a pretty penny on a good specification, fairly low mileage CSW. Am going to have to have a bit of a re-think on this. One of the reasons for choosing CSW has been also due to working in the building trade - carry lots of materials and tools etc. Thought it could double up/convert back into a work-horse too whenever needd, especially with the roof rack. Vehicle for life type purchase also - not just for Christmas! Nothing to do with the fact that we have been salivating after one for years (all else fails we could do the dog, berber jacket and pipe once a year - just a joke!). The double cab would not enable that option but the workhorse bit is very much secondary - when I think about it now - more of a perk. Primary concern is long-term travel capability and comfort/security of family while on the move. Agggh - decisions, decisions. Am off to chew the cud on this one. Immediate observation though is that - wouldn't the kids be a bit confined - no windows to look out of and see all the world we are going to be viewing? Looks a bit as if it could be a bit of a prison camp for them while on the move - they'd never know or see the hot beautiful climates we're hoping to experience. Hmmmmmmm! Another thought though is that - driving is a means from getting from A to B - once we reach each destination - plan to be stationery quite a bit also (want to avoid shunting the kids around every 5 seconds) so in this vein double cab looks more favourable - decisions, decisions - why did you have to show me this to me??

DD - good point re: kids routine - their welfare very important to us . Had thought about this and had thought about self-educating while travelling also to ensure they keep to the curriculum and don't lose out as such. Have been looking at World service education website (bit costly) where they liaise with you while you are on the move and assist with portable education packs and provide assessments - so routine etc. will be a very important element. Due to cost am thinking about approaching their exisitng school also nearer the time to see if we can follow existing focus for school year however, education is not something we want to mess with - (and we are not professional teachers as such) so if it comes with a high cost but better educational protection/ensurance, we'll go for it. Envisage approx 11 months minimum on the road with children - quite a long time for them to be out of school - this has been major consideration for us. Once in OZ - we are hoping to school them there while we get work for a year before considering returning. While on the move, think we need to provide approx 3.5 hours daily to older daughter and a bit less to younger son - so this trip is going to have rigidity and routine built in to a fair degree. Gone are my dreams about being able to wake up late on some beach somewhere - sniff! - reality about the hard work ahead - but a bit of balance will make us all happy - routine probably means we'll get a heck of alot more out of the trip too! Thanks for info as am particularly interested in any tips re: children whilst on the move -anything at all - health/education/vehicle security/comfort.

Sorry to put the cat amongst the pigeons
Are you staying in OZ permanent when you get there?
The double cab option here pic http://www.bhrv.co.uk/images/1190921.jpg
would enable you to build a camper type back on with luton for kids sleeping, and raising roof. You could retain the rear tub to fit back on for work use Should not be that difficult to sort out
They were sought after by tradesmen in OZ due to load carrying ability and highest train weight limit of any 4WD 7400kg
The earlier pic was of a converted 110 not a 130 with the 130 double cab as you can see two rows of seats and four doors in the cab area
Hope that helps with your decision making
feel free to pm me if you want more detail

Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh - stop showing me these photos - the 130 looks G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. Addresses child friendly issue of being to see out. I want to cry. When you say sought after - does that mean can sell easily once in OZ?
Ideal plan for us is to apply for Australian skills based visa (we have just received application forms). Fly there and back to validate visa (a bit expensive I know) but this leaves us much more flexibility to enter Australia in our own time (within 5 years I think - but to be confirmed) rather than be too rushed along the route should we decide we want to stay somewhere longer/venture off track - don't want to be too rigid with the physical travel plan bit. Finance a consideration so don't think we can afford to veer to far off this timeframe either. Would like room for manouvre though. Once there - ideal then to stay minimum 1 year - option to sell/ship vehicle back/stay in Australia/move on/overland a different route back (except we'll definately be penniless at this stage). Definately would like flex - have never been to OZ and right now it serves as end destination point for us to regather ourselves and decide next move.

When you arrive in OZ you will need to discharge your carnet
You will then have to pay the import duty this is based on the original cost of the vehicle then reduced by the amount of time you have owned the vehicle at so much per cent a month. To extend this time you can tell them you intend to re export the vehicle and pay a duty deposit that will be returned on export or at the end of the allowed time for export taken as the duty. The reason for doing it the second way is that it makes the licencing for use in OZ easier to comply with I can give you more info later via pm if you like.
I take it then that you are not intending to emigrate to OZ ?
If you stay in OZ then you probably not want to sell as they are ideal for work and travel In OZ . I used one extensively when I lived there.
The visa thing IIRC 2 years might be wrong , might have changed.
Your destination in OZ ? dpends what you think of heat, work, children growing is priority ?

All those vehicles are good, but most people overload or spec up machines way beyond what they need.
Load up your tent and cooker, go camping in Scotland for a week and see what you missed, then you'll know what you REALLY need, probably less than half of what you thought.

in view of what is intended and the duration a week of monk like deprivation in scotland is probably not going to help much JMHO

They'll be fine

Cassie,
If you haven't already done so, log onto these sites - they are a mountain of info and will also give you an indication of what you might need to bring with you, plan your route, borders, visas, etc.
The Africa Overland Network
Horizons Unlimited - THE Motorcycle Travel site
Cheers Richard

busaboy said:

All those vehicles are good, but most people overload or spec up machines way beyond what they need.
Load up your tent and cooker, go camping in Scotland for a week and see what you missed, then you'll know what you REALLY need, probably less than half of what you thought.

Click to expand...

i agree when designing my 110 i wrote a list of everything i needed then crossed of every thing i wouldnt youse twice a day and then went an bought a laptop with a molile d,band on it to amuse myself in the evenings as my luxury item

ps will poat some of my interior sketchs 2moro for my 110 conersion
as 2 one of you earlier posts ive bought rear windows and am fitting them in t,top for kids for 250

RichardQ, thanks-have browsed loads for the past couple of years. Focus for me though remains vehicle A) I am not going to Africa - which tends to be where most of the overland prep info can be found. Very useful for all sorts incl. planning, visas etc. but would like to not overspec vehicle unnecessarily. And I am planning a slightly different trip where unlikely to be isolated/exposed for long periods such as I imagine Africa could be. B) Overlanding with children puts a slightly different spin on the vehicle for me. No matter how much I've looked - can never seem to find anything re: vehicle considerations where children concerned - hence fantastic input on Landyzone I'm receiving which is proving invaluable.
DD - would love to see your pics. Between yours and T2Man advice (Busaboy too!) - am still veering a preference to 110 300 tdi csw though. Roof rack provides ample for family size roof tent due to lwb, back area provides all the storage and vehicle overall seems for child friendly and flexible (with a bit of work of course). DD- you said your putting windows in - and maybe you can change my view once you post photos so I can see what yo mean better - look forward to seeing.
T2Man - well – In terms of floor space and storage and flexibility – I still feel the 110 csw if for us. As DD says - I think if I list what I think vehicle fit out and think about configuration in more detail - this might open my eyes a bit more clearly. Right now feel that the 110 csw is for us. Time will tell – (I did a while ago think a converted ambulance might be good fun!).
For now though "I'm keeping my baby", “my baby is staying” - added problem for me is that following years of dreaming and saving for my first Landy - 110 csw - and having scoured the UK for the best non-electric spec I could afford - and having now purchased 4 months ago - I have fallen madly in love - was in love before I bought - knew this was the one for us - and am emotionally attached. What your all saying is tantamount to suggest I seek a divorce? By the way Busaboy, we have loads of camping trips scheduled - many quick and short ones this year, then longer incl. abroad next year. Somehow wonder what they'll make of us in the fields complete with grills, roof tent and paraphenalia. Am just about to book level 1 for off-roading though beginning May for starters - feel we really need to get to know vehicle in more detail re: handling and capabilities and to make us think about and know our vehicle and certain situations which we might need to consider on our travels. More following on separate message.....