Has anyone tried Land Rover experience days?

Ricochet J

Ricochet J

Ricochet J

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Hi, I'm thinking of buying a half day Land Rover experience day as a birthday present.

Has anyone been to one of these? Did you like it?

The person who will be driving has never driven a proper 4x4 before (just hatchbacks), and has never done any off-roading - bar the odd dirt track leading to a glamping site :p
 

Greebo

Greebo

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Not been on the Land over one but went on a general 4x4 half day event and if it was anything like that then it will be amazing. Driving the land rovers up and down slopes and through stuff you would never dream of going anywhere near in your car. Plus you get taught how to properly drive off road and use engine breaking a lot more.
 

Maccapacca

Maccapacca

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We went on our complimentary half day after buying the Discovery, upgraded to a full day and made a weekend of it down the West Country.

Great day we picked the Discovery for the morning and Dedender for the afternoon. Great to see what they can do even with road tyres. Because of covid you now get a radio and the instructor follows in another vehicle which is great no pressure.

Don’t expect to be hammering around sliding and creating hell, it’s a very considered slow patient course.
 

Havana_UK

Havana_UK

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I've done three LR experience days now. One in Evoque, one in RR Sport (the original one) and one in a Freelander 2. I did all three at (I think) Rockingham Castle. Like @Maccapacca said it's not about sliding the car around on a muddy course, but showing you what it's capable of (and it's quite amazing considering they're all on road tyres). They'll teach you driving up and down very steep muddy inclines, driving across a gradient, wading, etc. It's a great day in my experience.
 

Simon

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Very good. I drove the defender then a RRS with the winter /off-road pack I think. Was a long time ago but was night and day as to how good the newer cars are.
 

Siliconslave

Siliconslave

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We went to the north yorkshire course a few years ago when my wife got her evoque - took their (newer) evoque out and its really impressive how capable it is off road.

Great fun to crawl and wade your way around their course - the only disappointment was you had to stick to one car, would loved to have taken a few more out!

Should expand on this a little more - the instructor was incredibly knowledgable, talked to us about my wife's car and its limits and performance off road as well as how to get the most out of it.
They obviously had a route planned out through their site that challenged the driver and car without making it dangerous. We were constantly driving towards the edge of the car's limits like struggle to get up slopes and through rock gardens, wading at the max depth as well as descending at as steep an angle as possible, even got to balance the car with a wheel off the ground :)
 
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Basher

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I've been on 3 (each half day) and I think they're brilliant. Did one in a Disco sport, 1 in a Defender and 1 in a Velar.

The instructors are brilliant - certainly don't need any experience, they tell you everything you need to know.
 

mikeh501

mikeh501

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Ive done 2 and both were plenty of fun. First one was in disco 4, and another in a RR. Im going to the next one in the new defender I think. You can choose the vehicle you want from the current lineup. During covid it looks like the instructor walking alongside with a walkie talkie.I think id wait until its properly open as depending on what you want then you can actually cover a bit of distance and I doubt youd get the same experience if the guy is walking with it. There are lots of sections with what feels like vertical downhils and uphills. Water splashes up to your door tops, side angles, stepping stones, mud etc etc. Its a fair representatino of 'proper' off roading just that all the sections are 'safe' as expected. Plenty of fun and would recommend. Last thing, i've been to eastnor twice which is the biggest and original centre from what i understand.
 
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