Friends of us just started their big trip through africa and reached Tarifa with mechanical problems.
They have to make major decisions about an engine-swop, revised or new, which model and all the pro's and con's and last but not least the amount off money involved with the different sollutions.
Anyone knows a good mechanic/workshop with the knowhow and facilties for such a major overhaul in this region in Spain (or even Portugal) who also can provide a new engine (2.5 N/A, 200tdi, 300tdi or 2.8 TGV)?

The Landrover, a 110 diesel, can ride but as it appears isn't up to the trip to South-Africa and beyond.

Thanks!

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bart & sophie

Contact these guys and they will let you know about a mechanic in Alicante. Long way but may be useful. he's British and ex army mechanic I believe. They themselves don't do repairs. When I spoke to them last year they spoke good english.

CIBEX 4x4 S.L.
Polígono Industrial Cabanillas 2 Parcela 3 Nave 1
Cabanillas del Campo
España
19171 Guadalajara
Phone: +34 949 20 10 04
Fax: +34 949 20 31 36
Email: info@tiendacibex.com
http://www.tiendacibex.com

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pigapitcha

http://www.jljphotography.co.uk

Researching Defender engine swaps at the moment. If your friends are considering a TGV they should be aware that the jumbo torque is known for punishing weak elements in the drive chain.

Prins Maasdijk in the Netherlands do good prices on brand new 300tdi's and TGV's. They could probably deliver almost as quickly as a Spanish supplier.

Good option if any of the ancillaries are looking tired as well.
http://www.prinsmaasdijk.nl/landrove...ame300tdi.html

Or, if they are looking for an economical option and have some extra time – I have a good 300tdi with all ancillaries which will be available at the end of the month (27th). :-)

Allow 2 full days labour for a straight swap, longer if any conversions are required.

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

Damn! if i had not got a puppy, i'd have been in Tarifa this week on holiday!

There are a couple of backstreet garages in Tarifa, that always seem busy whenever i'm there.

I don't know the names of them, but can give directions that you can pass on to your friends.

If you come down the steep hill into Tarifa (past the Lidl's supermarket) you hit the traffic lights. on your left, back up the hill by about 80 meters, is a "Taller" (workshop) and they quite often have 4x4's in there. the owner owns the 109" santana that is often parked across the road.

another one:

continue down this road,called Avenida de Andalucia, (towards the sea which you see in front of you), the "main" road take a 90 degree left turn towards the port, but if you continue straight on, then take the first side street on the right (there is a clothes shop and a shop that does paper/pens/office stuff on the RH corner) (and that building is called Andalucia plaza, thats where my flat is in!), down that street on the next LH corner (about 100 metres) is another workshop.

If your friends don't speak Spanish, i have a good friend there who may be able to locate a decent mechanic. His name is Hugo Komari, and he runs the local gym, go back out onto the Avenida de Andalucia, and carry on down the road as if you were doing to head towards the sea, there is a chinese restaurant on the LH side, and about 6 doors down is the "Fitness Estudio de Tarifa", Hugo is a Chillean chap, about 5'4" and musclebound! but he's really helpful.

Failing these options, there are two that i can think of, but involve a bit of travelling:

1) there is a Land Rover agent in Gibraltar. could be costly though

2) that garage that is on Sky TV, called "the garage", based just outside Malaga, all English speaking and english staff (run by a scottish chap).

never been there, only know it from TV: English Mobile Mechanics

Hope that helps!!!

Jamie.

I've only been in the Gibralter landrover to get spares and it was in late 2001 so could have improved but at the time they were next to useless. I only wanted service items like a spare air filter etc for a 300TDI and I had to get their computer system and find my way to the numbers because inspite of the vehicle, they didn't seem very switched on about find what I wanted. Other problem with Gibralter is accomodation is expensive, cheapest hotel that we could find was about £50 a night and there wasn't any camping. Also can't easily get back across the border as the Spanish make it difficult and keep you waiting for a couple of hours so not so easy to try and find accomodation in Spain and come backwards and forwards. Garage may have changed, improved by now.

Just remembered there was a big landrover garage in Jerez. Very helpful. We went in there to get some bits for another landrover we were travelling with in 2003. Quite a decented sized operation and seemed very helpful. Again just getting parts but seemed pretty good.