Martin Hitge’s 1995 C130 Land Rover Defender

On the odometer? More than 320 000 km

How many owners? My father and I.

How much did it cost? I claimed it from my father 5 years ago. It was mostly used as a farm vehicle before as my dad didn’t have enough patience for its lack of speed. The top speed on a flat tar road was 100kmph! 

Why a Land Rover? It looks good wherever it is - in the city, on the farm or in the bush.

Where have you been in it? Wild Coast, Lesotho, Botswana and Mozambique

Your dream destination? Angola

Repairs? Only the motor was replaced (a 2.8 liter diesel Nissan straight-6); it still has the original gearbox and diffs. The original motor did well over 100 000 km.

Modifications? Coil springs all round, spotlights, jerry-can mounts on the tralies and two mounted spare-wheels. I am happy with all the modifications, including the engine that was replaced by a more reliable diesel one, even though there is a huge lack in power.

What do you like about it? It is a brilliant vehicle, if you have the patience.

And what not? It is very slow on the long road! And it is extremely heavy on fuel.

What would change on it? I would fit a more powerful diesel engine.

Your best memory? In 2007 I took it from Addo in the Eastern Cape, up the Wild Coast, through Lesotho and Botswana across the Makgadikgadi Pans, along the Limpopo River on the border of Zimbabwe, through the Kruger Park to Mozambique where we went along the beaches up the coast for a week.

Special packing for a long trip? Biltong (lots of it), a cool box full of refreshments for after a long day on the road or bush. Good company is a must as the Land Rover has no radio. Then the usual things such as a snatch rope, spade, puncture-repair kit, high-lift jack and fishing rods.

If it were a famous person? Sylvester Stallone, because it is always fighting through tough situations.