Really want a Land Rover, don't know if I should

[ConradJ]

I need to buy a 4WD vehicle. I'm a professional photographer heading out on a 3-month trip this summer to shoot Yellowstone National Park and areas around Yellowstone. I need a vehicle I can rely on to get me to some potentially difficult-to-reach spots so I can always get the best angle possible for my photos.

The thing is...I need to be able to rely on this vehicle. I have my eye on a 1973 Series III in good condition, and I like it for a lot of reasons -- some rational (it's a good vehicle to sleep in) and some not (it looks great). But after reading this forum and others it seems to me that buying a series Land Rover is basically committing to a vehicle that will constantly break down.

Being stranded in the middle of a national park with nobody around literally for miles is not a pleasant thought. Years ago I owned a 1970 VW Beetle on which I did all of my own repairs, so I can use a wrench. But learning how to fix a Land Rover alone in the field sounds like it may be a dumb move -- especially if breakdowns are not just likely, but virtually guaranteed.

Would I be foolish to buy a Series III, even one in good condition, to use as my primary vehicle for my trip?

If so, and I know this may be asking you to express heresy, what *would* be the right vehicle if my budget is $10K to $15K?

Thanks for any feedback.

[p76rangie]

Originally Posted by ConradJ

I need to buy a 4WD vehicle. I'm a professional photographer heading out on a 3-month trip this summer to shoot Yellowstone National Park and areas around Yellowstone. I need a vehicle I can rely on to get me to some potentially difficult-to-reach spots so I can always get the best angle possible for my photos.

The thing is...I need to be able to rely on this vehicle. I have my eye on a 1973 Series III in good condition, and I like it for a lot of reasons -- some rational (it's a good vehicle to sleep in) and some not (it looks great). But after reading this forum and others it seems to me that buying a series Land Rover is basically committing to a vehicle that will constantly break down.

Being stranded in the middle of a national park with nobody around literally for miles is not a pleasant thought. Years ago I owned a 1970 VW Beetle on which I did all of my own repairs, so I can use a wrench. But learning how to fix a Land Rover alone in the field sounds like it may be a dumb move -- especially if breakdowns are not just likely, but virtually guaranteed.

Would I be foolish to buy a Series III, even one in good condition, to use as my primary vehicle for my trip?

If so, and I know this may be asking you to express heresy, what *would* be the right vehicle if my budget is $10K to $15K?

Thanks for any feedback.

It is not that they are unreliable, it's that it is a 35 year old vehicle. With such an age, things are wearing out. Even if the vehicle has been well maintained, nothing will last forever.

They are a very basic vehicle and that makes it more reliable and fixable.

Not knowing the vehicle market in the states, I would assume that you could get a reasonably good 4WD "Pickup" for the money that you are wanting to spend. You could then put a canpoy over the tray area and have a good area to sleep, etc. If you want something reliable, stay with the basic models. Maybe something in the Toyota range of Tacoma, Pickup, T100, etc

[TerryS]

If you're willing to spend up to $15k, Do as Ian suggests, and get yourself a good pickup truck with cap, or even a camper. You will have more than enough spare change leftover to buy a series truck to play with.
Don't get me wrong, I like them (I've had way more than I can remember) but you definately don't go out into the bush in a vehicle that old, simply because you like them. Things happen daily, and many things happen, and then unhappen, just to make diagnosis difficult.

[XtremeMarine]

Or if you're set on a landy, buy a low mileage Disco Series I. It's well in you budget, has the lockable CDL, and you'll have enough reserve money to put a new suspension, good A/t or M/t's under it, and a full new maintenance regime.

Personally I'd look for a 98 or 99 DI, add an RTE 2" lift, pull the swaybars, and put on 31 or 32 M/T's. Then do all maintenace, buy spare fluids, filters, hoses, and belts. Add foglights, a cheap roofrack, and put all spares in pelican boxes. You'd still have enough in your budget for a roof top tent, or a nice basecamp tent that you could throw on the rack.

That would max your budget, but reliability would be ggo, and best of all, you'd still be in a Rover.

[antichrist]

On a side note, when I was in Yellowstone in '72, you could get in to serious trouble driving off-road there. Trouble with the authorities that is. Unless it's snow season, you don't need 4WD in Yellowstone. The areas around it, yeah.

[zed]

I had a 99 tacoma extended cab with a cap. I loved that truck.. I regret selling every vehicle i've ever owned.. but that one tops the list. Perfect combination of truck and modern convenience. Gigantic aftermarket... 4cyl is plenty the 6 cyl is powerful. The wife and I used to travel around the country in that sleeping in the back. With the dog. It did great in snow, overland... anything I wanted it to do was in its reach. It wasn't a rock crawler, but the IFS made the thing a great highway car. Great real world vehicle.

If you're going distances, don't go carbureted. Or very old.
If you like the rover.. might i suggest the first series montero or a later pre lexus cruiser.

I've not had the rover very long. But having experience with other vehicles of similar vintage.. you won't catch me traveling far in them. Not worth the hassle. Some like the challenge. Some are mislead into thinking "those were the good ol' days" or just nostalgic. They were the primitive old days with bad manufacturing techniques . But.. they were simple enough to fix by the side of the road. Fewer parts mean fewer spares to carry. But they also need to be carried.

I can't think of a single practical reason to own a rover over a jeep, or any carburetor vehicle over an EFI vehicle.
I use my 4x4s for "all road" cars. To include closed roads and "4x4" trails. Real world getting there stuff vs doing it to see if I can. Just to let you know where i'm coming from. My Tacoma had no real performance improvements. It was the TRD model, so it had a rear locker and some halfway decent AT tires. It'd follow anyone in anything anywhere I wanted to go. My dodge raider with the off road package never stopped either.
I've always thought the first series Montero was a good car. Head gasket every 100k. Body rust was a bit of an issue depending on where you live.

[Funrover]

I love the series, I want on but for a daily/wotk truck it might be a bit hard. Not to say it can't be done but if you have that kind of $$$ to spend I would look into a newer Rover or a Toyota.

[ConradJ]

Thanks very much to all for the advice.

I had series Land Rover fever (btw, this is one that I was looking at/salivating over), and it was cured by...series Land Rover fanatics!

That says a lot for the level-headedness of the people here.

The Toyota Tacoma indeed looks like a much better truck for my purpose. Consumer Reports highly recommends every year since 2001 for reliability. Boring but reliable...that does seem like the wiser combination for a mission-critical vehicle.

(Oh, and re: off-roading in Yellowstone. Indeed, I do not plan to break those rules within the boundaries of the park. It's the less accessible areas in the same general area -- including private property with vaguely defined dirt "roads" that I'll be getting access to -- that I need a little extra clearance and traction for. Many property owners considering granting access ask, "What do you drive?" And "Honda Civic hybrid!" is not the answer they want to hear, as they know who will be the first call this idiot photographer will make when he gets stuck.)

Thanks again to all for the generous advice.

[ArmyRover]

my dad had a saying about his MG that applies to old series trucks as well probably...


"Never drive it any further son then you wish to walk back from"

on a few long walks home I saw the infinite wisdom in my father's advice.....

[XtremeMarine]

Damn, that's funny. Your father is a wise man, indeed.

[ArmyRover]

he does have his moments lol

[zed]

Originally Posted by ArmyRover

.


"Never drive it any further son then you wish to walk back from"

good advise for anything that age.. rebuilt or not.

[antichrist]

Originally Posted by ArmyRover

my dad had a saying about his MG that applies to old series trucks as well probably...


"Never drive it any further son then you wish to walk back from"

on a few long walks home I saw the infinite wisdom in my father's advice.....

I hear that a lot, but I've driven my series all over eastern and central US and never had to walk.

[XtremeMarine]

Knock on your head, Anti!