For the love of Larry

We may as well start with a little introduction. My name is Jubilee, but everyone calls me Jubes. I have a Land Rover called Larry, which I've owned for seven years now. I thought I'd talk a bit about my journey and some of the things I've learned along the way.

Back in 2018, I had the pleasure of driving a Camel Trophy 127 Workshop to a few Land Rover shows for my good friend George. The thing drove like a boat, but I absolutely loved it. Growing up around horses, I'd always known I wanted a Land Rover or some sort of 4x4. After driving the Camel , as well as a WIMIK 90, my mind was made up. I just had to have a Land Rover.

I spent a year working two jobs, saving every penny I could. Then, in January 2019, I found Larry. I was told by a mechanic to steer well clear and walk away. Naturally, I did the exact opposite. I'd already fallen in love with the quirkiness of this little (very big) 90.

Little did I know the pure chaos I was about to walk into.

The first six months of ownership were spent simply getting it through an MOT. A few months after finally getting it on the road, I started breaking down and breaking things. By March 2021, I'd completed a full chassis swap, killed an engine, two gearboxes and a transfer box, and that's not even including all the smaller issues along the way.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure that's a particularly good reflection of my driving skills...

Anyway, the list of repairs is massive, but like a true Land Rover owner, I powered on. Over time, I became less offended every time I broke down and learned how to carry out some roadside repairs just to get myself home. My favourite was probably driving home with no lights and an LED torch taped to the bumper. Before anyone asks, I was escorted home by another vehicle!

Let's fast forward to today. Seven and half years into ownership, I now own a second Land Rover. Clearly, I didn't have enough problems with the first one, so I decided to add another to the collection.

A few things I've learned over the years:

• Take everything that happens with a pinch of salt. You need a strong sense of humour to own one of these amazing vehicles.
• You don't always need the proper tools, although they definitely make life easier. Most of my toolbox consists of a set of spanners, a socket set, a breaker bar, a 9/16" spanner, a prop tool, and a 52mm socket.
• Cable ties and duct tape will become your best friends from time to time.
• Don't be afraid to get things wrong. The majority of us aren't trained mechanics, and we have every right to make mistakes. That's how we learn, and usually we get it right the second time around.
• And I guess this one is for the ladies. Before owning my Land Rover, I'd never even changed a wheel. Whether you've just bought your first Land Rover or you've owned one for years, don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something, because you absolutely can.

Keep on Land Rovering!