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The Vehicle Name:      Truckasaurus Colour:     Silver Year:        2003 Model:      Discovery Engine:    Td5 (133Kw, 390Nm) When we decided to do this trip we naturally knew that we would do it in a Land Rover. We knew that we didn’t want to get a Toyota as all our friends who have one always get bogged and we spend all our time recovering them. The question was only, which Land Rover would get the nod. Our research showed that most overlanders decide on the Defender 110 or similar due to its rugged toughness and cargo load. Wanting to be a bit different and having previously owned a Tdi Discovery, we naturally felt that the Disco II was tough enough to do the job and be a lot more comfortable to boot. The interesting angle that makes this trip different from a lot of others is seeing if the Disco can match it with the defenders through Africa. We think it can. Engine-wise diesel is the only way to go. Apart from engine breaking and reliability in water crossing, the substantial increase in fuel economy and the subsequent additional touring range that comes from this extra economy is important for overland touring. Basically getting a few hundred miles further per tank can be the difference between getting there and running out of fuel. Over the distance between Cape Town and London, this also equates to a considerable cost saving. The Discovery is a tough car. It has a great chassis, suspension and drive train. The Td5 is a great motor and if well serviced should prove very reliable. We went for the 2003 model given all the minor mods and fixes that went into this over early Disco II’s. While it does not have as much room in the rear as a Defender, the idea was to think outside the square a little, toughen it up and make sure we took only what is considered essential. This was the trade-off for the comfort differential. The Result We purchased a 2003 Td5 Auto with 47,000km on the clock. We began by upgrading the suspension to handle the increased load and providing additional protection with diff guards, steering guards and rock sliders. Add on bull bar and winch and it can handle most off road situations. Cooper STT Tyres give it bight off-road yet allows it to remain well-mannered on-road. The drawback with the Discovery is its more complicated electronics and its lack of Defender bolt on panels that are more easily replaced. The carpets are less durable than rubber and it lacks some of the cargo capacity of the Defender meaning we had to get a little smart about storage. The sway bars allow the Disco to handle better on road than the Defender, but the flip side to this is less articulation off road. Combined with the firmer touring suspension needed to carry a load, the Disco does not have the articulation that the Defender has. It is a compromise that can be rectified somewhat after the trip by fitting relocation cones, softer rear springs and possibly sway bar disconnects if needed. That said, our Disco handles quite well off road. It was important to end up with a tough but comfortable tourer, not a rock crawling competition truck. Only Africa will know if we have set it up right and produced a car to challenge the defender as the overland tourer of choice. See the Vehicle Mods page to see what was added for the trip.