Member Since: 18 Mar 2025
Location: Malaga
Posts: 1
Car camping with Freelander 2 – Tips and advice please!
Hey everyone! 👋
I’m so grateful to have found this forum! Just signed up because I’m in the process of planning an epic road trip 🚗💨 around Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands. 🌍☀️
I’ve been saving up for a campervan, but it’s taking way too long… and I’ve got itchy feet! 🦶🔥 So, I’ve decided to hit the road with my Freelander 2 and a 2 minute tent and make it work. 🚙🏕️
I’m here to get tips on car camping, conversions, and the best supplies. Right now, I’m shopping for an anti theft roof rack and a strong storage box, but there are so many options and prices out there! 😵💫 I’m checking out AliExpress at the moment—has anyone tried it? Or do you have any recommendations?
Would love to hear from anyone who’s done car camping before—any must-have gear or tips? 🤔🔧
Looking forward to chatting with you all and sharing the adventure! 🚀
📸 Photos from top to bottom:
1️⃣ & 2️⃣ AI-generated images—my dream setup! ✨
3️⃣ My planning phase—figuring out space and design. 🛠️
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4️⃣ & 5️⃣ My Td4 beast! 💪
18th Mar 2025 3:07 am
Bobupndown
Member Since: 26 Dec 2014
Location: Upside down behind the TV!
Posts: 2891
Welcome to the forum.👍
This forum is actually for the Freelander 2, the next model on from yours but a few members have/had the original Freelander as well.
As far as camping in the car goes, the climate here in Northern Ireland isn't exactly tropical so I do my camping in the caravan I tow behind the Freelander!
If you check out posts by Lightwater on here, he's in Australia and does some serious travelling and camping in his.
Also posts by Largered, haven't seen him on here in some time but he was into his camping in a roof tent.
There is a dedicated section of the forum , caravaning camping and holidays, should find something of interest in there.
Interesting to hear how your trip goes.Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948
2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)
18th Mar 2025 7:28 am
Dartman the one
Member Since: 04 Apr 2013
Location: Seville, Spain
Posts: 1696
You appear to have one of the last Freelander1's probably a 2006 model, Freelander2's are in short supply in Spain and extremely expensive, I know I wanted one FL2 SD4 HSE are like hens teeth if they actually sold them here, as you have probably noticed people in Spain keep their cars a long time so the used car market is full of 200,000KM cars at compared to the UK. and as much as I wanted one a 150.000km 2.2TD4 SE 2013 at 15000€ didn't make my list.my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.
Last edited by Dartman the one on 18th Mar 2025 10:29 am. Edited 1 time in total
18th Mar 2025 8:05 am
Just a driver
Member Since: 29 Nov 2021
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 471
If you’re in to your gadgets like lap top’s and phones etc, it might be worth looking at a power bank for the boot. Fit a b2b battery charger to charge it whilst driving around.
18th Mar 2025 9:32 am
3landertwo
Member Since: 27 May 2020
Location: UK
Posts: 1141
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I have copied this photo from another posters thread.
Roof tent, side awning, side awning with tent and slide out kitchen, swing away spare wheel carrier.
Go to YouTube and look for Freelander 2 kitchen.
18th Mar 2025 9:50 am
Lightwater
Member Since: 21 Aug 2014
Location: Sydney Northern Beaches
Posts: 4952
That's our sleeping quarters... the one on the left!
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We mostly sleep in the car. Couldn't be bothered putting up the tent. If you push the front seats forward & tilt forward as well there is plenty of room in the back.
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Bracket for tent poles & sand flag etc in a gap behind water containers
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Water containers 8 x 5L + 2 x 10L. Also 3 x 1L bottles & a few 600ml bottles, & 2 thermos flasks (original glass type).
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Triple compressors with air gun in use!
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We grind our coffee beans.
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Rylstone NSW. I don't actually own a chainsaw.
50L of petrol on the roof.
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2 DC-DC chargers at bottom of photo, MPPT just above.
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2 Air compressors under driver's seat (a 120mm high volume fan to cool compressors (on right of photo)).
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Internal & external heatsink modifications
A
Third air compressor & air tank in boot.
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The aftercooler I have since upgraded with twin 120mm fans. In this photo the after cooler is placed in the fridge for refrigerated cooling.
The after cooler now has fan guards.
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We have a 175 amp Anderson plug for running our triple compressor setup, or jump starting ourselves, never had to, or others, many times.
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Auxiliary batteries, can be used for jump-starting via 4 x 26AH batteries.
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Alternative 26AH battery pack.
Properly set up, the free camping pays for the set up pretty quickly. James Price Point north of Broome, Western Australia.
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Sun screens for sun, & you will be surprised, yes ice on the car in Australia. Window socks for ventilation & keep mosquitoes & spiders out.
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A few spanners plus we have a few other tools.
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Be careful with your payload. We are right on the limit, & when you look at the car packed, it almost looks empty because it is packed efficiently.
Our 28L fridge sits on the passenger seat when we sleep in the car. It's the largest item in the car.
South Australia
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If travelling around NSW, Victoria or South Australia, about a 2000km radius from home, we don't need the second spare wheel & the rest of the junk on the roof.
The right type of folding chairs, we have 2 chairs & 2 stools, & custom built table, it will all fit in the car overnight while we sleep in the car.
We would be packing too much & or the wrong stuff if we needed a roof box.
Car cooling off (The car has been insulated since so heat is not an issue)
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Custom bracket to stop the fridge flying around. Only 6mm thick so it would not affect sleeping. Also so fridge would fit under the boot cover.
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Chucked everything in the front to sleep in the back
Bucket with lid for washing clothes.
I completely forgot to mention this, but acoustic insulation is the best thing to keep the car warmer in winter.
The added bonus is the foam not only makes the car much quieter with All Terrain tyres. The thermal properties stop condensation in the car.
The other benefit of the sun screens in all the windows is to reduce condensation. I have a double thickness on the windscreen. With ice on the outside of the car it is still bearable inside the car.
There is ice on the car.
Acoustic insulation thread: from a thermal point of view, from cold -°C outside temperatures to engine bay heat & exhaust heat barriers. It's worth every cent.
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic33026.htmlProcrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18
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18th Mar 2025 3:07 am
