Paul64

Great thanks. It has erdely mapping on this link, which is the Hungarian word for Transylvania. I take it these downloads are only of use to the GPS that you are downloading to. Tried to open one on the computer and just got a load of gobildy gook.

Good advice, and as always you guys save me money. It is very easy to get carried away with gadgets that can do this and that.

The GPS would be useful. You can drive all day through forest with few visual points of reference. The forest tracks are poorly mapped which doesn't help.

Thanks. The link gave a lot more detail on the 276c which was useful

I have been looking at some of the sat navs available. Several specify european cover, but not which countries exactly. I am sure most of them only cover western europe rather than countries like Romania? I have been looking at the Garmin 276c. Why the hell is it so expensive, or am I looking at the wrong sites? £489 inc VAT is the cheapest I have found. Are they that good? Paul

Thanks, but is the wheel off bit true?

Mine sticks as well. Bought a new unit, but haven't got round to changing it yet. Someone told me it is better to jack LR up and remove wheel to make it more accessible? Paul

If he needs a shave Ralph, tell him he can can plug his razor into my LR!

Basic design of what I plan to build

I have been looking at some of the sat navs available. Several specify european cover, but not which countries exactly. I am sure most of them only cover western europe rather than countries like Romania? I have been looking at the Garmin 276c. Why the hell is it so expensive, or am I looking at the wrong sites? £489 inc VAT is the cheapest I have found. Are they that good? Paul

I wish!

I think a lot of it depends on your age and what responsibilities you have back home. When I was young free and single, I felt a bit more invincible, and thought nothing of charging around the world even during conflicts. I spent some time in Ethiopia in the 80's during the war. I was further south but the conflict touched everyone. I still have fond memories of the place, especially days off charging around the bush in either a Daihatsu 4 track or a Toyota LandCruiser. I think that is where my desires started for a LR. Took me all the years to get round to it. Amazingly now I have got it, it has rekindled my spirit for that past life of adventure also. Bizarre!

They are aged 9 and 7 years. However, my wife has just got her degree and she has no interest in returning to Transylvania. She wants to start a career in teaching back in the UK. She grew up with communism in Romania, and has no romantic ideals about the place at all. I think it will take several years before the west take seriously the qualifications available in Romania. In fact I am amazed that they has been accepted into the EU so soon. The infrastructure is very poor, and they have many years of rebuilding to do. A bit like Spain when they joined which cost countries like the UK billions over the years. I was thinking more on the lines of 3 weeks on, 3 weeks off. My wife would be happy doing what she wants to do and vice versa. We shall see. A friend of mine is interested in looking at the idea, and a Dr colleague of mine is a bit of an expert in designing web sites. There are two further big hurdles, where to register the business, UK or Romania ( would need a lawyer for that one) and the fact I am no mechanic. The good thing about LR's is that they are pretty easy to maintain and parts are readily available. At a push as where I will be is very remote, I am sure I could find someone there that specialises in keeping anything going with home fabricated parts. A bit of a speciality from the communist days where initiative was evrything on the QT of course. I know what you mean about selling up and moving abroad. The only down side to that when your daughter settles down herself (if in the UK), you don't get the same exposure to Grandchildren etc. Some people would think that is a good thing, but not me. I suppose if my wife stays in the UK I always have a reason to go back. But you are right, distance does not always make the heart grow fonder!

Thanks Chris, Bizarly the area where my wife comes from is 90% Hungarian, due to previous border changes. You can get by with little to no Romanian. I worked there for more than one year, with little to no Hungarian too. Most people speak English which was lucky for me. My wife has even agreed to live in the UK with the kids and work, while I commute between the two countries. I even have her family to live with whilst I am over there. I wanted to build a garage and worshop on our land with a flat above it. I have costed it at between £15 to 20K. I have the land rover and the land plus the savings. What the hell is stopping me? I have been in Nursing for 22 years, and it is just a bit too comfortable. Hard work, but it is what I know, if that makes sense. I can't say I am happy in my career anymore though, and I know I will live with many regrets if I don't pull my finger out.

Have you heard of anyone organising tours within Transyvania by Landrover? I have seen this company that does so http://www.beyondtheforest.com/Pages/RR1.html I think this will be a great area to exploit as Romania will soon be joining the EU. There is a lot of British interest in property and holidays over there. Soon the flights will be down in price too. The huge forests have the highest population of bears in Europe and they still have a healthy wolf population too. It really is wild country with large areas to explore. I bought some land in Transylvania a few years ago with my wife in anticipation of this. However, not yet put the theory into practice. It will take a brave plunge into the unknown, which frightens me a bit with kids to bring up. A lot of people do take the plunge, but as I get older I find myself becoming more risk adverse.

Thanks Ralph

My LR did have a winch before I bought it. The previous owner removed it to put on his next buy. That probably explains what the sochet is for then. Thanks

I have been trying to work out what this plug socket is for on my dash. Can anyone help?

I have heard recently that sheds go for reasonable prices on the beaches of Goa

Just been out to check. It wasn't far off, fronts were 26 & 28, rears both 37. The only load in the back is Mr Garspar weighing in at 38kg. Thanks again.

Got it. Thanks Ralph

Thanks Ralph, Why is it less in the front, as the you are carrying the weight of the engine there? My ignorance is really showing now!

I have a set of Goodyear Wrangler radials on my LR 6PR tube type. 7.50R 16C 108/106N Steel belt. Max load 60PSI What would be a good road running PSI for around 60mph? Also are these tyres any good? Cheers, Paul.

I haven't bought anything for ages from e-bay. One fella sent some silicone in a flimsy envelope. Came stinking and broken. Asked for a replacement due to poor packaging. Promised to send new, which went on for weeks. He never bothered so I handed out my 1st neg feedback. So he threatened to do same to me, even though I paid on time and fulfilled my part of the deal in full. Reported this back to e-bay, and received nothing but flannel. When a seller abuses the e-bay spirit and system in this way, they should be removed. Afterall it is in e-bays interest otherwise they will loose customers, and word of mouth goes a long way. Saying that, they are so big now they probably don't really care about the odd disgruntled customer.

She wouldn't be coming with me! Come on get a grip. Me and Mr Garspar would be going as we always do. However, for longer more extended trips in colder climates this is a good idea. As I have no leaks in my LR, this device would not cause condensation either!