EdF

The Newcastle - Stavanger route isn't new, it's only new to DFDS, (the ferry calls at Stavanger, then Haugesund and ends in Bergen) Colour Line used to do it and we went on it once, the MS Jupiter, which left a red/black smoke screen right across the North Sea. And only pollution from vehicles ever gets talked about! Are you certain about the Grimsby - Kristiansand route as I've just done a pretty extensive web search and couldn't find it. However, freight routes are sometimes well hidden.. Do you know which company operate it? A few sites mention a Newcastle - Kristiansand route on the main page, but when I get into the sites for route dates, times and prices, it isn't mentioned again.

Yess..., so much for my last sentence!! It would probably cost as much as the ferry in diesel.. I could do a Clarkson, sell the house and buy a big Merc and go PHHHWWOARRR every time I put my foot down.. In fact, fuel prices are making me think twice about keeping the 90. I reckon it would cost me £500+ in fuel for a touring holiday of Switzerland (3k miles, 2.5k just there and back) which was the next plan.. Just bought a little runabout - a Fiat Grande Punto with a sewing machine 1.3 diesel lurking in a corner up front, it averages 64mpg! Road tax £35 a year, £125 insurance.. That's the way it's going, we'll all be driving around in 2 cylinder 500cc diesels in a few years time.. Just to cheer readers up, there's no shortage of fuel, the high prices have been caused by speculators, according to an American economist friend..

We've been contemplating going to either the Norwegian LR Club Rally or Sweden Offroad, both in July. Now DFDS no longer do the Newcastle - Gothenberg route, other options are limited. One option to Sweden was the DFDS Harwich to Esbjerg (in Denmark) ferry and drive east into Sweden, follow the rally north (it's a tour of Sweden starting in the far south and ending in the far north) and then returning either on the DFDS ferry from Bergen to Newcastle or the Smyril Line ferry from Bergen to Scrabster in the north of Scotland, as we live near Inverness. One small problem - the ferry costs. Harwich to Esbjerg is £444 and Bergen to Scrabster £588, (each obviously a single journey!) making a total of £1032.. What a rip-off! We can both go on a week-long cruise for that! I believe the longer Channel routes double in the height of the season as well. This makes taking a ferry ludicrously expensive in comparison to flying and hiring a car. Trouble is, you can't take a hire car to a 4x4 or Landy rally. Nuts to the ferry companies, I'm not paying that money.. I'm taking the other option, the near Continent and a Dover - Calais crossing. Please, no-one suggest driving around!

In mid-September the Swiss LR Club have their annual camping meet at Finsterhennen http://www.lros.ch/en/agenda/lros/swissnational Maybe this would be a better time? It's over the weekend of Sept 13/14 and we'd probably go there on the way or way back from the Jungfrau Region. I'll talk it over with SWMBO and maybe make a separate post.

Yes, I see that, but whilst you're in the rooftent knocking back tinnies, where do you cook a meal and eat?? I can see myself in my ground tent cooking a full meal, sitting down in my comfy folding seat to eat it, watching a DVD on the laptop.. The Oztent doesn't really erect in 30 seconds, either. It does if you want it to sail away in the wind, but that doesn't account for pegging it out and putting guyropes up and fitting any accessories, such as a flysheet or side panels. Jen: Yes, a big caravan preferably, with an oven, shower and loo.. These days the added fuel consumption makes it doubtful for a long trip, and I'd probably find Jeremy Clarkson setting fire to it in a motorway service area. He hates caravans, but doesn't say a word about artics... I'm mulling over the idea of trying to organise a camping trip to Switzerland this year, just trying to get a few interested people together, no 'leading', just a bit of a convoy... We've been to the same area skiing every year for 5 years and it's even better in the summer (apart from there being no skiing) at Camping Jungfrau, Lauterbrunnen, near Interlaken and the best scenery in Europe (Eiger, Munch, Jungfrau, Schilthorn mountains all in a row) and lots to do and a MUST for railway nuts as all the villages are connected by a mountain railway.. Fabulous campsite, all you need is a tent and a bed, everything else is provided, including a full kitchen/dining room. Probably in August. Anyone game? I have loads of website links to the campsite, railways etc. if anyone wants them..

I've changed two bulkheads on 90's and on a S3 and you have to remove virtually all the front end.. Look at everything that bolts on to or goes through the bulkhead, it's all got to come off. The doors, wings (inner and outer) floor plates and gearbox tunnel, windscreen, pedals, roof - bolts out at least, wipers, linkage and motor, manual aircon (vents), the sill ends (best fully removed, IMHO) the loom has to be totally disconnected from the dash and fed out, all the dash removed, heater, fuse board, brake and clutch cylinders and pipes, etc.. It's not particularly difficult but very time-consuming. Getting the floor bolts out can take time depending on rustiness. I labelled all the wiring loom connectors and took digital photos of everything complicated before it was stripped out. You may find other little jobs that need doing when it's all stripped out.. First, find your bulkhead, though there have been new ones advertised (Craddocks?) in the last few months. I used stainless bolts and big self tappers for the floor when rebuilding. Get caravan strip mastic to seal them back in, cheaper than LR stuff. Screwfix cheap for the stainless bolts. Easier than trying to put rusty ones back in and if you need to get them out again, no sweat. The last bulkhead I bought was found near the M25, and I live near Inverness, and I collected it...! Beware bulkheads offered by breakers, I was offered ones rustier than the one I was taking off! Be thorough and allow plenty of time. Don't forget that the new one will undoubtedly be either in primer or another colour so you'll need to get it sprayed.. Still keen?? Helpful if it's not your only vehicle.

I'm not convinced about rooftents, and I'm currently trying to decide which type of tent to get. I've camped a lot in the past, on motorbikes and in cars, had caravans and a motorhome. I've got a 90 and if I was going on a trip of a week or more, the back would be pretty full of gear, clothes, outdoor equipment and clothing, cooking equipment, food, tools and spares. I just did a week in a youth hostel on my own and the back was full then. Imagine it packed up for two. Sure, a rooftent is okay for sleeping in, but what about 'living in', 'cooking in' and so on. I'm sure there wouldn't be enough room in the back of the 90 to sit and cook surrounded by everything. If you have a rooftent, putting an extra ground tent on the back or the side of the roofrack to give more room and to cover the ladder seems to defeat the purpose, as one may as well have a good size ground tent in the first place, and save a heck of a lot of money. Does anyone else think rooftents are overpriced? You can get ground tents which erect quickly, made by Khyam and Oztent, for instance. I'm inclined towards a strong weatherproof ground tent, something like a Tatonka (Tamarack website), but I respect the views of those going to Africa (where rooftents were invented, I believe) where there are nasties creeping or slithering about, or places where a quick getaway may be needed, or for those who just want a quick overnight stop and to press on again the next morning.. I just don't think they're my choice for Europe. It's all down to what you're going to do, I suppose. Another point that my wife and I find with our motorhome, is that when you go out for the day, you have to pack everything up and leave your site empty, which you may find occupied on your return. If you have a ground tent and are staying on a site for a few days, your site is occupied and you can leave your beds and cooking gear out ready for your return. I'm meaning on conventional, good European campsites where it's extremely unlikely anything will be nicked! There are also some good inflatable beds available for those of us who are getting creaky and I do like to stand up once in a while, can't do that with a rooftent and having to sit in the motor all the time would be a drag. I wouldn't have a good nights kip on 3 or 4 inches of foam with canvas flapping next to my ear! Fifty years ago, my parents had a large French frame tent, I had a small tent of my own and we were members of the Camping Club, going camping most weekends and for holidays. Very few folk had caravans or motorhomes then. We could have the tents up, beds out and dinner on in 20 minutes..

Finally did the bonnet job yesterday, it's been raining since January.... Fitted a couple of black plastic conical 'seals' for roofing nails with M6 countersunk stainless bolts under the back side edges of the bonnet. The 'seals' were a couple of mil larger than the gap but have a soft edge which compresses and they worked a treat. Miserableolgit (so, there are two of us!) I'd have to take you to task over the above as with the bonnet up and on it's prop, the 'tongue' on the offside bonnet half of the hinge (at least) would just lift out of it's plastic slot on the bulkhead. If a bit of a gust got under it, there would be nothing to stop it sailing away.. I'll be securing it with a bungee in future! Doesn't look distorted and I've pulled a few bonnets off in my time (I've owned about twelve 90's...) but I'd agree that you normally have to have them vertical before you can pull them off..

They only nick sheep around here... Thanks for all replies!!

Have a 2002 90 and I'm trying to slot in a new radio/CD player that I can play my iPod through. Thing is, I can't figure out how to remove the electrical connector from the back of the standard C42 radio/cassette, it's a bit weird compared to the norm. I worked out that the shroud around the connector levers up a bit, but it doesn't seem to help and there's nothing to get hold of.. I suppose it's easy when one knows how, but I don't! Thanks! Edited: Got the wretched thing off, just had to use brute strength (not much available) and ignorance (plenty), the 'shroud', when levered hard enough, pops out the multi-wire connector. The connector doesn't look like anything I've seen before and nothing like the standardised ICE connectors (surprise!). Is there an adaptor available?

There are a couple of similar threads on the D90 (US) site - http://www.d-90.com/ Click on 'Custom Mods' in the top panel then in the left-hand column look under 'Sleep & Store 1 & 2'. Have to say they do look a little crude in comparison to that above, but seem to work.. It's something I'd thought about myself, but wonder how I'd manage and where all the other stuff for a trip would go..

q-rover: Yes, the ferry prices do vary a lot by seasons, don't they? We went to Bergen in June two years ago without a vehicle on one of those cheap trips, 3 nights in a hotel and 2 on the ferry (£220 each, I think..) and did the 'Norway in a Nutshell' day trip from Bergen. Fabulous scenery, but it was a bit nippy around the nuptials..! I'm still trying to talk the wife into camping but I think doing it out of the summer heat may be pushing my luck a bit, especially at Easter! have you seen those Scandinavian teepees with the woodstoves in them? Think I know why... Mind you, there's always the campsite cabins.. We were hoping to meet up with Landy types, hence the desire to get to a few rallies. There's a Smyril Line ferry to and from Norway from Scrabster, not too far from where we live in the north of Scotland, but although it sails directly from Bergen to Scrabster on the return trip, on the way out it goes via Iceland and the Faeroes, you get to Bergen a week later!

Megansfolly: I simply don't intend to reply to you. I am entitled to my opinion and you to yours.

Ah, that's why it's unintelligible! Being an old git with the memory of a goldfish, I stand no chance. Mind you, I was hopeless at French at school.. I'm still looking in the garden for my aunts pen..

Corrr, whoever wrote that lot swallowed a dictionary first!! Thanks, still trying to work it out!

Thanks for the replies, saw the article in the new, excellent online Difflock magazine. Looked at the prices for that tour, pretty steep to 'tag along' at £850 for a week! Our French is only a little better than our Portuguese, so we couldn't translate enough of the Landmania site to know what's what.. We'd already found the site on the Swiss Calendar. There's also the Dutch 20th Anniversary meet in May which I found on a listing of European LR Clubs at http://www.lrfaq.org/FAQ.5.clubs.europe.html That site could be really useful but seems very out of date. I have a pal who helps organise the 'Landy Rally' but it looks like a main road blast to the Pyrenees and back in a week. We like to see more than the roads! If only there was a weeks camping in the middle. Next job is to buy a decent tent..

We want to go on a few rallies this year in Europe, but can't find much information. I have the Swiss LR Clubs International Events calendar, http://www.lros.ch/en/agenda/europa and the new 4x4 calendar http://www.4x4calendar.co.uk/ which are good but don't mention so many rallies abroad. We're aware of the Luxembourg and Swiss rallies which look good, but does anyone know of another calendar or means of finding out? There are a couple in Portugal, but the web sites are all in Portuguese (naturally) so it's tough deciphering the detail! There are some interesting looking commercially run trips on the LRO calendar but the prices are pretty high just for following someone who is leading a group.. We had intended going to the Norwegian LR Club rally in July but the Newcastle - Bergen ferry is £820 return !! Sharp intake of breath... We'd be interested in hearing from anyone who is going to the Swiss meeting in September.

Many thanks Ivan, I have a local paintman.. It is a worn Warn..

The winch and fairlead on my 90 are a bit worse for wear after being stuck out there for 5 years. They work okay but need a tidy due to corrosion of the finish. Anyone any suggestions for paint, either spray or brush? And please don't suggest Hammerite... I may have a cover made for them when refitted. I was surprised how grotty the fairlead pins were inside the rollers, full of rusty goo..

Not often I reply to my own topic, but I just found this after a long search. At least it's a Rover part... Hmmm... http://www.apttony.co.uk/Servicing/screen_jets.html Just had a quick look at the PDF's and it looks model specific and a bit complex. I expect any system may require new jets in the bonnnet..

Sorry not to have acknowledged all the helpful replies but I've been away and the 'notify when there's a reply' hasn't worked (again).. The plastic thingie is still in the hinge and not worn. I thought initially that a tiewrap around the swivelling bit might hold it together but there's no room. I'll certainly try the rubber bush option and adjusting the 'bumpstops', also the vent seal. It is the later model with the foam seals. I think the vehicle hasn't been put together too well from new (I doubt it's had a prang) as when the bonnet is opened I have to be careful that the offending hinge doesn't come apart and the bonnet sail away, and the drivers door doesn't fit well. Something to be said for monocoque bodies, I suppose..

I recently had to make a long journey in my 90 in freezing conditions. On the A9 south of Inverness (high & very cold) I had to stop several times to clear the screen by hand, every 3 or 4 miles at one point, also calling in at Aviemore Tesco to get a squirty bottle of water (one of those used for ironing!) so I could open the window and squirt some water on the screen. The problem was that although there was a 50/50+ mixture of antifreeze/screenwash in the bottle, the windchill on the nozzles made them freeze. I understand that some vehicles have heated nozzles as a factory option, but I've never seen them advertised as an accessory, nor can I find them online. Anyone know where they can be obtained suitable for a 90/110? Thanks..

I've got an '02 90 and it has a couple of annoying problems I've never had on a previous 90. The drivers side bonnet hinge is 'loose', that is, at speed the rear of the bonnet bangs up and down quite often, but due to the 'quick release' nature of it, I can't see how to rectify it. The other problem is that the drivers side air vent makes a lot of wind noise as it's not closing fully. As I've changed bulkheads twice before (on other 90's) I know the mechanism is simple but a pig to get at. Short of putting tape or silicone sealant around it, I'm at a loss to know what to do. Anyone come across either of these traits before? Together they're a sodding nuisance. Thanks!

http://www.autoweek.com A friend in the States just sent me this link..