Interesting comments.

The reason I remember reading the Army went for a Landrover second to last time, and also considered Mercedes was allegedly their gearing was designed for lower ranges, and so better off road handling on rough and steep terrain, mud etc etc. And lesser road performance.

True? No idea. Also no idea while MB won the contract this time. Also not a mechanic, and far too little knowledge of that field.

BUT while Landrover forty years ago had dealers and parts available in the outback, I doubt anyone other than wreckers yards carries their stuff nowadays in most of the bush.

Unlike Toyota which as mentioned is everywhere. But as Curl and I discovered last year, not on the days you need them! During a flat tyre change I noticed what looked like a bolt missing off the suspension. Ended up driving to Ayers Rock without it, 300 to 400 kms driving at least. The mechanic there was closed on the day we were there. Might have been useful. Drive to Alice Prings, maybe 500 to 600 kms (?). All the dealers closed on Sunday. Hardware stores, bought some bolts as emergency parts if required. Ended up driving to Katherine. Dealer there, no help, need a BOLT from Singapore, several days ... Someone suggested a wreckers yard, and success, he relented off his busy timetable, and said tomorrow ... tomorrow morning we were there, but he couldn't fit it ... suggested somewhere else. That guy, also had a moan about a busy schedule, but after we explained we were heading on bumpy tracks i Kakadu etc, he also relented and did the ten minute job. Also checked the other suspension bolts, at least one of these were loose.

Now we could have fitted it ourselves but we told it was tricky. The mechanic guy also said it had to be tightened very tight, and used an extension on a very long wrench. Said if they were not extra tight would come loose, and a normal long wrench was inadequate. Obviously my mechanic at home hadn't done this with the service a couple of months earlier. A reason one bolt was missing.

As for the missing bolt, I had checked it regularly when stopping and nothing had sagged or dropped, yet anyway ... Didn't want to drive heavy corrugations or rough roads or tracks without it in place however.

Usually I have few or no problems with the vehicle, this time was different. AFTER major expenses to upgrade old components, fix up dents etc. Big cost for me last year. An old Series 80- from 1990, so 29 years old now. Still otherwise going well, and only say 250,000 kms for a diesel. The gearbox may be the next worry per one mechanic. Probably cost more than the vehicle is worth. But a "new" second hand is probably $60,000 plus ...

But Toyota parts are available. Some of these older vehicles not necessarily in dealers but almost certainly in wreckers.