The obligatory "Show off your LR3' thread

[Houm_WA]

do you mean the Experience Driving School in Carmel? isn't that $720 for owners? it used to be...

 

[davidfkon]

bad info on my part . . . just checked - they show a two-hour hands-on lesson (PLAY IN THE MUD PACKAGE) starting @ $645
and a 2 hour Land Rover lesson with instructor in vehicle, plus 4 hours driving either the various off-road techniques, winch recovery techniques or advanced off-road techniques (LAND ROVER ADVENTURE PACKAGE
) starting @$1080. . . anyone done it? seems pretty spendy for 6 hrs . . .

 

[jesus_man]

getting off topic here, but being on the more experienced side of off-roading, I think that money is better spent putting fuel in your tank and going with others and gaining your own experience thru watching others and your own hands-on experience. I am sure you learn a LOT in that 6hrs and I am sure the LR puts on one heck of a class, but you could probably do 6 trips of your own, including a packed lunch, with that same money. The key is getting into a group that isn't going to peer pressure you into something you don't want to do and listening to those with more experience.

J.D.

 

[davidfkon]

my thoughts exactly . . . seems the SCLR group is pretty level headed (at least that's the idea I get from thier posts . . .)

 

[nwoods]

JD, I generally agree with you, but then again, I don't. The LR3 is a unique vehicle, and wheels completely differently than a traditional solid axle vehicle. There are many times when very experienced trail leaders would give spotting advice to me and others with these modern rovers that would be totally appropriate for an older truck, but completely wrong for the LR3. In some cases, that advice has been costly, resulting in punctured gas tanks, bent door sills, torn bumpers, etc..

So if you are going to go the amatuer route and try to learn by following along with buddies, make sure you include someone expereineced with the LR3/RRS or MkIII RR. Fortunately SCLR has plenty of experienced LR3 drivers who can give good advice. On this forum, I would highly recommend Scott (Tryian) as one such SCLR member.

As a practicle example, Over the past few years I have trained quite a few people through SCLR and OffRoving.com (probably about 150 people in various activities/events). Last year I accompanied a buddy (who was new to off roading) to a Bill Burke training session. I was surprised at how valuable I found the experience. I did not learn much by way of technique or skill, but I definitely gained a better understanding of the technical theory and principles behind what I already instinctively (or habitialy) knew. I also learned quite a bit about how to be a more effective trail leader by watching how Bill interacted with the others in the class. He makes it look easy, but I have been in his shoes and know that it is not.

I have received formal training from Bill Burke, Tom Collins, Tom Severin, and indirectly from Tom Shepperd via his excellent books (what's up with all the trainers named Tom?). Without exception, I have found this training to be highly valuable and worth the expense. I am saving my pennies now to learn from Graham Jackson & Scott Brady at Overland University to become Overland Certified.

Photos of my weekend with Bill Burke at the DirtyToySchool. Note Bill's position relative to the driver in each evolution.

getting off topic here, but being on the more experienced side of off-roading, I think that money is better spent putting fuel in your tank and going with others and gaining your own experience thru watching others and your own hands-on experience. I am sure you learn a LOT in that 6hrs and I am sure the LR puts on one heck of a class, but you could probably do 6 trips of your own, including a packed lunch, with that same money. The key is getting into a group that isn't going to peer pressure you into something you don't want to do and listening to those with more experience.

J.D.

 

[Bad Bonez BJ]

VERY nice . . . I'm thinking about the on up in Carmel . . . but it's like $900 or something like that . . .

As I understand it, the Lifestyle Events are put on by the local dealers, and they get funded by LRNA. The only cost to me was time & fuel (and hotel since we stayed over the night before).

The guys with us had lots of experience with LR3s and I got some attitude from some of the older (Range) Rover owners too. No longer top-of-the-heap? Maybe...?

I'll go to the next one planned for March and hope the weather cooperates for seeing the other trails.

BJ

 

[davidfkon]

those are life style events . . . this is a"course" given at only a few sites accross the nation:http://www.quaillodge.com/landrover.cfm

 

[jesus_man]

You have some valid point nwoods. I have not rec'd any training whatsoever and I look forward to learning the differences between my solid axle bronco and our LR3 in off-road situations. That beings said, I may not know what I am missing in the formal training aspect. I will likely go to one of the dealer sponsored trail rides, but will likely choose the easier routes simply because I don't want bent or even scratched body panels, or a punctured tank. If I want to get serious about my wheeling, I bring the bronco. I guess that's partly why I posted my response. I have had the luxury of learning how to wheel in a vehicle that doesn't have to get me to work the next day, and I am not overly concerned with scratched, dented, mangled body panels. It would certainly be a different story if the LR3 was my most capable vehicle and I was a newbie at wheelin'.

For those of you who are new to wheeling and want to take your LR3, my advice and buy armor now. When you crush that rocker panel, it'll be too late. It's the old adage of an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

J.D.

 

[Bad Bonez BJ]

those are life style events . . . this is a"course" given at only a few sites accross the nation:http://www.quaillodge.com/landrover.cfm

I'm familiar with the Driving Courses. There's one just south of me by about 3.5 hours at the Biltmore Estates in NC. And I know about the expeditions at Moab (last time I was there I was in a Hummer) with lodging at some Spa or Ranch or something. I'd like to someday do both but that is a lot of cash outlay for a retired/disabled old fart to part with when he has two teenage boys 15 & 17 still in high school. I've already seen my insurance cost triple when the oldest started driving, not to mention my food bill.

I've been off-roading since I was a kid in the '60s, in all kinds of vehicles. Even had some training to drive military vehicles like the Jeep Ambulance, a M-60 Tank once, and LAVs when they first came out to Camp Pendleton, CA.

I've been a loyal Toyota owner since the '80s and have done wheeling in lots of different Yota's. Still have a '93 Pickup in the drive. My '04 AWD Sienna Minivan came the closest to driving like the LR3 but it didn't have the locking center-transfer case, so it shifted power from front-to-rear or reverse away from the wheels that needed power the most.

I also agree that these LR3s need some under-body protection, but the cost is steep in comparison to any other vehicle. I bought it to drive it. I'll keep it polished up when it's in the driveway, but I'm not going to be afraid to take it some where. I just want to make sure I know what knob to turn- when to turn it- and when to press the skinny to the floor.

BJ

 

[Houm_WA]

... It would certainly be a different story if the LR3 was my most capable vehicle...

J.D.

Your LR3 IS your most capable vehicle! You just don't know it yet.