Hello all,

Been a while since I've been regularly on these forums as having not spent a lot of time in an FFRR (other than the one back home in Kenya occassionally).

The opportunity has arisen for me to go back to Kenya again for a few years and with that a car.

I'm wondering if anyone here has used their L460 for light offroading - thinking dirt tracks, some muddy / rutted lanes and hilly / stony paths?

I ask as I'm stuck between taking a landcruiser (LC300) or perhaps sticking to a newer FFRR to run alongside our aging L322 (think it has a few years left). They will both cost the same and head is telling me landcruiser but heart says FFRR.... !

For context, the car will be used for long journeys through all sorts of terrain, including dirt / gravel roads (that will not be smooth), muddy tracks (dry and wet) and the sort of terrain you see in the masaai mara / national parks (driving from gate to camp but not doing the actual game drives in).

I know they advertise the off-road capability, but has anyone reliably done this without it causing a lot of hassle and expense! MY11 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 - "African Queen"

Much as I love my L460, for that sort of very regular light off roading, I suspect I might go for a new Defender.... 2024 Range Rover P550e AB

Thanks and fair point, hadn't considered the defender as wanted a large barge.

Conscious the current defender is nothing like the original one so I'll go and have a nosey. MY11 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 - "African Queen"

I had a 90 for a while and they are superb cars. If I needed a large barge, I'd definitely consider the 130. The boot is seriously big. 2024 Range Rover P550e AB

The Full Fat will do this just as well as a Defender.
The old adage is if you want to go into the bush go in a Land Rover, if you want to come back go in a Toyota letters not necessarily in the right order

Yes, have heard that but I have to disagree

Our 2011 TDV8 has been reliable and we've taken it (without worry) across Kenya where recovery, etc is non-existent.

Sat in a Defender 130 yesterday, with the new captain seats, and I'm really leaning towards that.

Love the FFRR but I can't seem to make the man maths work to justify the extra cost, plus the 7 or 8 seats in the Defender will be really useful.

Decisions, decisions ....

I'm going to head to the defender forum but anyone have any stories / views on Defender reliability or known issues. Looking at MY22/23 130 HSE models likely. Diesel preferable but will take any given time constraints and no real reason to choose one over the other unless someone tells me otherwise. MY11 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 - "African Queen"

The RR has all the electronic gadgets and air suspension etc so will be just as capable as a Defender but it will also be slightly more susceptible to damage underneath (more exposed parts and little in the way of add on protection) but also costs a packet more to buy so it will all depend on how light you mean.

Obviously any scratches will probably effect the secondhand value of the RR more so than the Defender?

Finally you may wish to look at wheel/tyre sizes as there may be a limited number for the RR depending on the wheel size, i.e. the bigger the wheel the more likely the rim could be damaged when off road. "UNDERSTEER" ----is when you hit the fence with the front of the car.
"OVERSTEER" ------is when you hit the fence with the rear of the car.
"HORSEPOWER" ----is how fast you hit the fence.
"TORQUE" -----------is how far you take the fence with you.

100% agree with Dixy, we have family in Tanzania, close to the Kenya border, and are familar with the “roads” out there, so I’d go for the Landcruiser, which (like past generation Defenders), you can get fixed at any corner shop in TZ or Kenya, try doing that with the L460 or new Defender, they won’t even know what it is outside of a major city. Check parts/servicing availability before you (possibly literally) take the plunge. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Dixy wrote:

The Full Fat will do this just as well as a Defender.
The old adage is if you want to go into the bush go in a Land Rover, if you want to come back go in a Toyota

The trouble with this statement is that Toyota drivers say the exact same thing but in reverse  "UNDERSTEER" ----is when you hit the fence with the front of the car.
"OVERSTEER" ------is when you hit the fence with the rear of the car.
"HORSEPOWER" ----is how fast you hit the fence.
"TORQUE" -----------is how far you take the fence with you.