Spare Dave’s Land Rover Experience
Having sat on the side lines for a while, Spare Dave finally starts to embrace his Land Rover Life.
Words / Pictures – Dave Forster
My name is Dave (AKA Spare Dave, AKA Admin Debs co-pilot/co-mechanic). I joined the Land Rover community about a year after Deb bought Larry and was welcomed with open arms by the members of LRL at Market Harborough and then at Malvern in 2024. I have always been interested in cars, having worked in the bars at Castle Combe race circuit for several years, and having a father who has always owned motorbikes and briefly worked as a mechanic. So, when Deb decided she would like a Land Rover, I was secretly very pleased!
After working together on Larry for the first few months, it was clear that Deb was committed to the Land Rover Life, but little did I know how far down this rabbit hole we would go!
So fast forward to late November, where as part of my job I had been invited to present at a workshop by one of our distribution partners. After a suggestion earlier this year, it was held at the Land Rover Experience Centre London!
Left – Spare Dave ready to take notes!
As I arrived onsite (sadly in my Volvo), I clocked a new Defender Octa in the fleet of vehicles we might be able to drive and made it my goal to drive it! We were greeted warmly with bacon rolls, coffee and completed various bits of paperwork (word of caution, if you have points on your licence, or accident claims in the last 5 years, they may not let you drive!). I immediately began the charm offensive and requested to drive the Octa if possible!
Above – Spare Dave makes the LRL team jealous by getting to drive the awesome OCTA and getting it muddy!
Following my presentation (which featured both Larry and Harriet) and a spot of lunch, we received the driving brief. We were to split into 2 groups, 1 group would take the Defenders for some green lane experience, and the others would take new Range Rovers on the technical course. Having always viewed new Range Rovers as a bit pretentious, I opted for the Octa first. It was a stunning machine, everything you would expect and sounded amazing, but sadly the route was very sedate, and we really didn’t test the Defenders at all, it did give me some good time with our driver who was another Land Rover enthusiast, we discussed the new vehicles, the classics and more. He was very knowledgeable and answered all my questions, no matter how off the wall!
Then we met up back at the centre to switch, and I jumped in the back of a Range Rover, letting my partner drive the technical course first. And my opinion on Range Rovers flipped a clear 180! To say it blew me away is an understatement, it proved every bit as capable as the Defenders and Discovery’s. With a plethora of driving modes, air suspension, traction and decent controls, it tackled offset concrete balls, near vertical drops, steep cambered turns, and deep wading with ease.
Below – Spare Dave’s work partner trying to avoid concreate balls, apparently.
During the late-night campfire talks at the LRM show in Malvern, where I was asked when I’d get my own Land Rover, I heard why people like what they like. Everyone Land Rovers in a different way, with different needs, and I swung from a Freelander 1, a modern Defender and more recently either a RRC or P38 with a V8 Petrol, some of those as a “weekend” vehicle rather than a daily. To say the Experience, I had that day may have long term consequences to those thoughts, and our growing Land Rover stable, is an understatement. But that will come in the next article…..