Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2026 i Land Rover Monthly

AS you may have already seen on the LRM YouTube channel, Steve Miller, Neil Watterson and I have been working hard to reclaim parts of Newbury Showground’s on-site off-road course from nature – and add some new obstacles – ahead of The Big Land Rover Fest in July. It was a cracking couple of days and gave me a chance to really stretch the Series III’s legs in the mud, which it handled (mostly) very well. We can’t wait to share more about this exciting new event with you on the run-up to it, but for the moment, check out the off-road course build videos on YouTube if you haven’t already, and keep an eye on our socials and, of course, right here in Land Rover Monthly magazine. If July…

SPARE WHEEL LUGGAGE RACK £229.95 Website: terrafirmafactoryracing.com Turn your rear door-mounted spare wheel into a cargo carrier with this luggage rack. It’s made from aluminium and powder-coated, fits tyres from 28in to 35in and is supplied flat-packed for easy assembly. It’s attached using a pair of ratchet straps which are fed through the wheel and has a 850x310x75mm basket with plenty of lashing points. Its size means it will even work on classic Defenders without clashing with the bodywork. CARGO BAGS From £16.99 Website: flatdoguk.com Featuring a rugged 400gsm grey canvas outer, these cargo bags have quality YKK zips, transparent PVC lids and a PE foam/PVC interior liner making a durable, water-resistant and easy to clean bag. They range in size from 170x220x200mm to 450x340x200mm (£29.99) which fits inside a…

BUYING a 15-year-old Range Rover comes with a tacit understanding that, at some point, the vehicle will require money spending on it. Possibly quite a lot of money. Ideally not all at once. (Please…) Our honeymoon period lasted a respectable six months before we recently found ourselves parting with A$5000 to repair the air conditioning. It had been semi-functional, and I naïvely assumed it simply needed a quick re-gas. As it turns out, the dash needed to come out so various deeply buried and surprisingly expensive components could be replaced. Still, it had to be done. The Range Rover’s intended role is extended family trips, and when it’s 40 degrees in Queensland, air conditioning is no longer a luxury, it’s a survival mechanism. But wait, there’s more. Upon collecting the…

IF there’s one thing you’ll take away from a look around Jordan Bridges’ 2011 Range Rover Autobiography, it’s that nothing on it has been left to chance. Every bracket, every clearance, every relocated component, and every upgrade feels precisely engineered rather than simply fitted. That shouldn’t come as a surprise; Jordan has spent the last two decades maintaining and repairing advanced Apache helicopters for the British Army. When your day-to-day involves cutting-edge aircraft that fly into danger zones on the thinnest margins, mechanical precision becomes more than a skill – it’s instinct. “I’ve always tinkered,” he says, leaning on the wing of the giant L322 as though it’s an old friend. “But I especially like doing things other people haven’t tried. If someone online says something won’t work, that’s usually…

ON 8 August 2008, this Defender 110 became the first road-going vehicle to cross the Bering Strait, the 51-mile-wide channel between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans that separates the Chukchi Peninsula in Far Eastern Russia from the Seward Peninsula in Alaska, USA. On 18 October 2025 it was offered for sale by auctioneer Cheffins, on behalf of adventurer and cattle farmer Steve Burgess, the organiser and leader of the Cape to Cape Expedition for which the Bering Strait was the most significant obstacle. The upcoming auction was reported widely, including in the national press, and the catalogue estimate of £8000 to £10,000 was expected by many to be blown away. Before the sale, Cheffins director Tom Godsmark said: “Defenders are always popular with collectors, but this example is in a…

OVER the years I must have reviewed over 30 different scale/trail models. Built to give both fun performance and detailed looks, they are designed to fool the eye, and in a near photorealistic way mimic real vehicles. The ‘Real or RC?’ title in posts or hashtags on social media was born from this genre. My first ‘Scaler’ was in 2008, a SCX10 RTR from Axial, and I went on the win Class 2 at the 2014 Scale Nationals with a Dingo Kit Variant (unlicensed but very Defender 90-looking), that incidentally I built the night before. With its striking Camel Trophy livery, full-featured interior, and an array of advanced electronics and accessories, this FMS FCX10 aims to be the go-to option for those seeking both authenticity and capability, all at a…

WORK-LIFE balance… Few things are more important. A philosophy which I kept at the forefront of my spannering when I’ve been building my characterful yet mechanically brand-spanking-new 110. What started off as a quick chassis replacement job soon snowballed into an 11-month saga of ‘well I’m doing X so I may as well do Y’ purchases. While my bank account has yet to truly recover, I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent the money. I bought the old girl almost three years ago, when I was 20, from a country estate in Norfolk. With its last MoT more than a decade ago and its only use being a shooting wagon, it was looking ropey. My budget was low, and this one seemed to be calling my name;…

LAND Rover’s legendary 200Tdi engine has earned a reputation for durability, simplicity and ease of maintenance, making it a favourite among enthusiasts and professionals alike. However, like any diesel engine, its longevity depends heavily on correct servicing – particularly when it comes to the timing belt and water pump. Failure of either component can lead to severe engine damage, turning an otherwise robust power unit into a time-consuming and potentially expensive repair. Thankfully, replacing the timing belt and water pump on this engine is well within the scope of the competent DIY mechanic. The timing belt is responsible for synchronising the crankshaft, camshaft and fuel injection pump, while the water pump plays a vital role in maintaining good coolant circulation throughout the cooling system, helping to regulate running temperature. On…

DISCOVERY SPORT: CHAIN OR BELT DRIVE? I’m thinking of buying a Discovery Sport and have seen one advertised with a full Land Rover service history. It also says the cam belt has been replaced. I question this because Discovery Sports have a history of problems with rattling and stretched timing chains. Do you think the timing chain has been replaced and they’ve made a mistake on the receipt? I’ve phoned the garage and all they say is that they have a receipt for a cam belt change. Ryan Elliot ED EVANS REPLIES: The very earliest Discovery Sports have the 2.2-litre Ford Duratorq diesel engine which was fitted to the Freelander 2, and this engine does have a timing (or cam) belt. So, if the vehicle you’ve seen is a 2014 or…

HERE at LRM, we’re delighted to announce that our brand-new event for 2026, The Big Land Rover Fest (11-12 July), is to be headline-sponsored by suspension and steering specialist, ProEvo+. Supplying everything from complete replacement air struts for all Land Rover models to upper and lower suspensions arms, electronic air suspension components and individual ball joints, bushes and anti-roll bar links, ProEvo+ parts are backed by a two-year or 24,000-mile guarantee. So if your Land Rover’s handling is feeling a bit soggy, you know where to go for all your replacement suspension needs. Mark Soale, head of Sales and Marketing, had this to say about the partnership: “PROEVO+ is proud to be announced as the headline sponsor of The Big Land Rover Fest this July. We saw this as the…

I’M writing these words between Christmas and New Year (and I hope you enjoyed your festive season as much as I did mine) although you will be reading them in the March 2026 issue – such are the peculiarities of the magazine publishing business. It’s a significant moment for me, because it is the end of the Dunsfold Collection’s second full year since it opened its museum building to the public in late 2023. I’ve known Dunsfold’s Philip Bashall for well over 20 years, and I count him as one of my close friends. His now-closed Land Rover parts, servicing and restoration business, Dunsfold DLR, worked on all of my Land Rovers during that time, and restored several of them. And what a superb job Philip and his team did.…

WHEN I first started writing this column a few years ago, I observed an unusual trend which bucked the laws of the used car market. I call it the Last of the Line Factor. The last of the Discovery 2s were worth more than the early versions of the third generation. Then the same happened with the D4 and D5. Go back even further and the classic Range Rovers were worth more than a P38, even when they were both just a few years old. There are a number of reasons for this. Often it is simply because buyers prefer the styling of the older car, with the Discovery 5 and P38 especially taking their time to grow on buyers compared with the iconic shapes of their predecessors. Other more…

LIKE many great adventures, it all started late one evening – and alcohol may or may not have been involved. A late-night eBay trawl (you know how it is) had uncovered a listing for a bright yellow Freelander three-door that was ending in six hours. I was working abroad at the time and the seven-hour time difference meant that the auction was due to finish at 4.00am local time. The vehicle had no MoT, it hadn’t run for two years and I was bidding sight unseen. With that in mind, I decided that £750 would be a sensible figure, and thinking that it was unlikely to go for less than £1000, I went to bed with little expectation of actually winning. The next morning, whilst switching off the phone alarm…

IT’S not every day that you see a privately-owned Defender 130 cherry-picker towering above all the other Land Rovers in the pub car park on a chilly winter’s morning, but the Rover Social is beginning to get a bit of a reputation for interesting Land Rovers. And this vehicle is certainly interesting, not least because it carries Seeboard colours. If that means nothing to you, it was the trading name of the South Eastern Electricity Board, which was set up in 1948 when the UK government nationalised the electricity supply industry in the UK. Regular readers will know that I have a soft-spot for a Land Rover wearing commercial livery and the 130 certainly piqued my curiosity. As you’d expect, I went in search of the owner, who turned out…

IT’S chucking it down with rain, the boiler can’t decide if it’s going to work properly or not, and it’s the time of year when the office light needs to be permanently on. Yet I’m just back from a pre-Christmas Tea on the Tailgate gathering and I can’t ignore the fact that the last few months have been pretty good as far as ‘Land Rovering’ is concerned. The Series II’s daily driver duties have been relatively uneventful; I’ve still managed to consistently ignore various jobs that I know I’ll need to get to some when, but the warmer months were punctuated with a number of longer trips, including journeys to both Le Mans and to Carmarthenshire – ironically, given that one is still in the British Isles, both are of…

Call for a free quote on 01480 484 803 Land Rover Monthly Live Malvern is back for the fourth year running on 16-17 May 2026, and it’s shaping up to be the ultimate Big Weekender for Land Rover fans of every stripe. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Three Counties Showground, this two-day celebration brings together everything that makes the Land Rover world tick – epic club displays, must-see trade stands, live arena action, autojumble treasures, expert insight from the Land Rover Monthly team and a buzzing atmosphere. Whether you’re running a concours-clean classic, a mud-plugging Defender, or just soaking up the scene, there’s something here for you and the whole family, with camping available for those who want the full weekend experience. Add in a lively beer tent…

THE first factory four-door Range Rover was launched in 1981 – any four-door vehicle appearing before this time was a conversion from a two-door. They represent a fascinating era of trial and error of various ideas that Land Rover experimented with, and today they are probably the most overlooked era of the original Range Rover. The early four-door models range from 1981 to 1986, and in between those years there was much development and change, as well as the In Vogue special editions. This series gives a brief insight into how to distinguish between the model years, and what to look for on the In Vogue models. The 1981 four-door was available only with a V8 engine driving through a manual four-speed gearbox (the LT95). The interiors were all in…

How long have you owned it? Ages! What made you want to buy this particular Land Rover? A neighbour owned it for a long time, and I kept hassling him to sell it. We lived on a terraced street, and in the summer, he’d take the truck cab off and tie it to a lamp-post as he had nowhere to keep it. Anyway, he did eventually sell it to me. I suppose I wanted it because I was young, and it was there. What’s the story so far? When I first got it all those years ago, it needed about six square feet of metal welding into the chassis, it was that rotten. I ended up replacing the chassis and it was my daily driver for a long while. But…

Multi-purpose vehicles Just thought I would drop you a line and share some pics from recent jobs done with our Defender which are a bit out of the norm. First up, I got asked to provide the 90 for a TV advert for Cherry Lane Garden Centre’s Christmas campaign. Father Christmas approves. And second, I was asked to provide it as a wedding wagon for a recent marriage in Northampton. The bride just happens to be a huge Defender fan and was thrilled to get the Landy-limo for her big day. Never expected any of this when entering into the world of Land Rovers but it has certainly been a very interesting couple of months packed with some unique experiences. I’m now thinking that the Defender may need to be…

DURING the onslaught of what turned into one of England’s finest multi-day winter deluges, the Lightweight has been parked on a steep hill, facing up. Opening it, I discover it is at its least watertight at that angle as there has been considerable water ingress, including several puddles on the driver’s seat. A quick wipe with a grubby old hat streaks mud across the vinyl, which has that ominous baggy feel, indicating inherent dampness within. I lay my raincoat on the seat and settle in to find the leather of the steering wheel cold, buckled with damp where the stitching (including my attempts at restitching a few years back) is deteriorating, and particularly unpleasant to the touch. Setting off, there is such an overwhelming sense of damp in the air,…

Shudder fixed IT seems like a very long time now since I was frantically cleaning and painting my old Norfolk workshop ready to hand back to Dave the landlord, while at the same time trying to shift endless heavy trailer loads of parts and equipment 150 miles north to be stacked up in a barn while I fitted out my new mini-workshop behind the house. I was only able to get the job done thanks to the help of my good friends Mark and James, to whom I will be forever grateful. Even then, I don’t think I would have managed to clear the place without the Moose, the Discovery 3 which I bought for a three-figure sum and dragged a heavy trailer over the Lincolnshire Wolds six times without…

Packed with greenlaning adventures, expert reviews, restorations, buying guides and unbeatable technical advice – all in one place. Start your subscription today bit.ly/lrmadventure26 or call 01778 392 033 quoting LRM/ADVENTURE26 Subscription offer is £20 a quarter after your first three issues. Offer open to UK residents for a limited time. SCAN ME…

I hate being late, so an overhead sign reading ‘M6 J19-J21 severe delays’ is not what I want to see on a Monday morning. Eventually the traffic clears and I pull into Optimill’s yard in Kelbrook, Lancashire, rather later than planned. Being mid-morning, the machine shop is busy with a forklift unloading material and staff working on large machines. One of the team takes me up to the offices, where I meet Steve Coates, who is reviewing some CAD on his computer. Kath – fellow director and Steve’s wife – gives me a wave as she finishes her discussion with a colleague. As I look out of an enormous window down onto the machine shop, I ask how much of the business is Land Rover-focused. “It’s 95 per cent now,”…

THE Discovery has always held a special place in my heart. I owned my first one when I was 21 years old, after a succession of three Defenders. It was an 80,000-mile 300Tdi that I bought off a lovely old couple who wanted to get £2000 for it by trading it in under the infamous scrappage scheme. It was a fantastic Land Rover, and I’ve since owned another few Discoverys, all brilliant in their own ways. But what of the current model? The future of the Discovery is always on my mind (how many current Defenders do you see out on the road compared with contemporary Discos?), so when an email from my pals at JLR dropped into my inbox offering the loan of a top-spec D350 XXXV over Christmas,…

WITH premium brand engine oil now costing up to five times more than a budget brand, it’s reasonable to ask whether the extra cost is worth it, or even necessary. Oil lubricates every moving part in the engine, and it’s an essential cooling agent, removing heat as it flows through the bearings and releasing the heat to the air through the thin walls of the sump. If an oil is too thick at a given temperature, it flows more slowly through the bearings, taking away less heat. Conversely, if too thin, it can be squeezed out from between bearing surfaces, providing less lubrication. Oil for diesel engines needs to withstand greater bearing loads, and turbocharged engines need oil that retains sufficient viscosity at the high temperatures inside the turbocharger’s bearings.…

WHEN a Discovery 3 or 4 or a Range Rover Sport 1 fails the MoT test on the front suspension lower arms, it’s usually because of wear in the ball joint or a split gaiter on the joint which allows water and grit to enter. The joint will wear and become loose due to normal use, but if the gaiter is split, that water and grit will substantially increase the wear rate. So, if you see a split gaiter before the MoT, prepare for repair. The ball joint is the link between the lower suspension arm and the hub knuckle which supports the wheel hub. And it gets a lot of hammering on rough roads and when hitting potholes, especially at speed. It’s possible to replace just the ball joint,…