Sleeping in a Disco 1

[davidjmiller]

I have a 300tdi ES premium 1998 auto. How easy is it for 1 person to sleep in it for a couple of nights?? Do the seats go well down?? I don't want to take anything out. Or would I be better taking a small pop up tent? The car might be warmer?

I'm thinking of going for my first "expedition" (if you can call it that) by driving up the west coast of Scotland to the north west, across the top to John o' Groats back down through Northumberland to Cambridge.

I might follow that up by convincing the family they really want drive to the south of france for a holiday next year. Next step the Pyreneess or N Africa.

I'm thinking of doing this I October.

Thanks,

David

[lee celtic]

It's ok if you are a dwarf  ;)

I had one night in mine curled up on the back seat as this was the longest space after trying everything else :lol:

seats don't fold anywhere near enough  [-X

[davidjmiller]

Thanks. That what I feared.

David

[Range Rover Blues]

I suspect that with the engine off it will become just as cold as a tent, if not worse :(

[mobi]

i'd go for the tent 3 reasons,
1: even the smallest tent has more room the a disco.
2: tents are wind proof.
3: tents don't leek.

[Disco Matt]

I've done it, and with a decent sleeping bag to deal with the cold problem it'd be pretty comfy. The front seats don't fold flat but they will go back airline-style to a decent angle.

Unless you're 4ft tall the back seat is a non-starter! Front passenger seat is the way forward.

[simondarby]

I fitted a sleeping platform in my 300tdi Disco when I went to Iceland last Summer (07).  Worked a treat!  Mind you, I had taken the rear seats out to increase storage. Allowed two of us to sleep comfortably in the back with the fronts seats tilting forward as a support for our heads/pillows.

All fabricated out of MDF.  Simple really.  I still have it if you want it...  I now drive a SWB Toyota Land Cruiser so the platform just takes up room in my workshop...

I'll upload a picture to Photobucket so you can see it if you like...

Cheers

[muddyjames]

I have never done it but once looked in the boot and thought, wow I could sleep there!

I have 2 ammo boxes with tat in and a wooden board over the top for the dog and other tat to go on and still get to the ammo boxes.

This board also sits flat on the floor if needs be for extra room with large items etc.

However.

Fold both dickie seats open in the boot, fold the backs of the back seats to horizontal and hey presto, a kind of level surface to sleep on. Never tried it though.

I would go with caravan but if it is between disco and tent then I would do disco. At least if it gets cold in the night you can run the engine and get warm again where as in a tent there is no engine!!!

[mike142sl]

If you want a decent nights sleep then a pop up tent is the way to go. I've done the sleeping in the car routine and you spend most of the night awake and cold!.

If you time it well you can find a remote layby and chuck the pop up tent over the wall and kip in the farmers field (best done after dark). If you get up early enough you can have the tent down and no one will know you'd been there.

[gamekeeperjames]

ive slept in the back of my disco many times. fold the rear seats right up, clear your boot and as if by magic, its a bed. :D

[Chris Putt]

Have done it, Its not exactly mega comfortable but across the back seat with a strategically positioned rucsack works ok for me!

[bigwood]

Cars are meant to carry people , tents are meant for sleeping in. Yes I have tryed both and slept in some strange places but given the choice a tent is preferable. Unless you have curtains you will be awake at first light. Cars are naturally cold metal boxes if you have a decent bag and a sleep mat you should have a good kip. My worse  places for sleeping and not recommended are a cemetery in Osnabruck and the car park in Cochem on the mosel, I couldn't get in my MG so I slept on the car park. :oops:Neither are good for hang overs. :doh:

[Disco Matt]

Another point in favour of Hotel Disco: Snoring.

At the last event I went to the snoring from neighbouring tents was deafening outside, but pretty much inaudible from inside the car!  :lol:

I didn't spend half the night awake and frozen either, mind you I did stay up until the single figure hours both nights so could probably have slept standing up without much effort...

[redhand]

As mentioned earlier if you can get a strong box that is the same height as the folded down back passenger seat (not tipped over though) and you push the front passenger seat forwards. It is possible to lay a sheet of ply the same width as the seat across the box and seat back and you get approx 6' 6" between the back of the front seat and the back door. A single airbed will fit in the gap and with a good sleeping bag you'll get a good nights sleep. I wake up at first light in a tent anyway so the window/curtaains thing doesn't really figure into it. However if light is a problem, Just keep the parcel shelf closed and as you're head will be in the load bay that'll keep it much darker than a tent would be anyway.

[Steve ray]

Do it!

Both Mick (my co-driver) and me have competed in the MAC4x4 Challenge for the last two years running and spending a Fri & Sat night asleep in the motor isn't too bad. - just use a decent sleeping bag!

[thermidorthelobster]

Hennessy Hammock?  All you need is a Land Rover and a tree.  Comfortable, waterproof, a lot cheaper than a roof tent!

[lurch_917]

high i think there is a law that says you cant sleep in your car on the grounds it dosent have a fitted bunk also if you do sleep in your car leave  a window or sunroof open a tuch to deal with the carbonmonoxide build up  just thought  you might check the legal side before going

[redhand]

high i think there is a law that says you cant sleep in your car on the grounds it dosent have a fitted bunk also if you do sleep in your car leave  a window or sunroof open a tuch to deal with the carbonmonoxide build up  just thought  you might check the legal side before going

Not sure where you heard that from but it so isn't true. and what carbon monoxide buildup??? if you mean carbon dioxide produced when breathing out? then the vehicle would have to be airtight for that to be a problem and believe me Disco's are not airtight..

[lurch_917]

on the legal side it is against the law for white van  man to sleep  in  his van if  it doesnt have a fitted bunk area a lorry driver cant legaly nightout  in a daycab for the same reason and trust me as you breath in and out in any comfind  area the carbonmonoxide % to breathable air climbs

[mike142sl]

and trust me as you breath in and out in any comfind  area the carbonmonoxide % to breathable air climbs

In theory you are right - BUT in practice the amount of gaps in the vehicle (air vents etc) mean that the levels never get high enough to be anywhere close to being a problem.

[muddyjames]

the car park in Cochem on the mosel,

Gorgeous place. Loved my trip there and the size of the barges that go up and down that river are mahooooosive. Far bigger than anything we have on our rivers.

I have slept in a tranist van with a 6ft something tall chap (obviously individual sleeping bags I would like to emphasise this point :lol: ) and a cement mixer! It wasn't too bad a nighs sleep except when I put the engine on for warmth the sucrity guard (we were meant to be there) came over and banged on the van and thought we were pinching it. He didnt realise we were asleep! The night after our accomodation (a marquee) was ready to sleep in. Well, it had doors anyway! :lol:

I can sleep any where luckily and snoring very rarely keeps me awake. I  have just learnt to tune out of it. Reguarly sleeping in the same room as 20 something other people does the trick!

[Disco Matt]

I think the legal thing is intended to stop people sleeping in the back of the van to avoid going over their hours. I haven't heard anything like this relating to private use (as opposed to business) anyway.

As for CO, if water can get into my Disco then carbon monoxide can get out!  :lol:

[thermidorthelobster]

We don't breathe out carbon monoxide.  We breathe out carbon dioxide.  Big difference.  Yes, it will suffocate you in large enough quantities, when you have no oxygen left, but it's not toxic in itself.  It's the lack of oxygen that would kill you.  But that's never going to happen in a car.  Diving bell maybe, but not a car.

There's no difference between sleeping in your LR and driving it from the point of view of carbon dioxide build up.  If you can drive the thing for several hours and not suffocate, then you can sleep in it.  I've not yet heard of anybody dying of lack of oxygen whilst driving, no matter how tight their panel gaps.

[redhand]

on the legal side it is against the law for white van  man to sleep  in  his van if  it doesnt have a fitted bunk area a lorry driver cant legaly nightout  in a daycab for the same reason and trust me as you breath in and out in any comfind  area the carbonmonoxide % to breathable air climbs

they are commercial vehicles not private ones. and you don't breathe out Carbon Monoxide. and as said by other posters. it's unheard of for anyone to suffocate whilst sleeping in a vehicle.  Perhaps they should have covered windows on all vehicle to reduce the chances of catching skin cancer whilst driving or better still ban daylight driving.. Oh but that would lead to vitamin B deficiency!!! Oh well it's a truely dangerous world..

[hobbit]

I have no problems :)

loads of room ;)

[mentalmoshio sophs V8i]

a tenner from halfords for a dome tent . flat roof rack covered in plywood . 2mattresses and hotel discover is open for its first bonk  :drool: it wouldnt be cold after that  :lol: