“Bought the Wrong Parts”: Couple Driving From Scotland to SA Hits Major Setback on Day 317
Ken and Rose, the overlanding duo behind @overlandy_ on Instagram, shared a day 317 update on 11 May 2026 from Keetmanshoop, Namibia. The couple has been living full-time inside their Land Rover while driving the length of the world from Scotland to South Africa.
Source: Instagram
The couple's latest clip showed what life on the road actually looks like when things go wrong.
The back door of their Land Rover had stopped latching completely. Weeks of brutal corrugated gravel roads across Namibia had been slowly breaking it down. One big bump on a sandy track at Sossusvlei finally finished the job.
When a 350km detour goes sideways
The pair drove 350 kilometres back to Windhoek specifically to buy a replacement part. They stripped the door, fitted the new barrel, and then discovered they had bought the wrong one entirely. Starting over with a new key was not something they wanted to do.
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Fortunately, the latch mechanism itself was not rusted or beyond saving. It was buried in dust from the Namibian terrain. Careful stripping and cleaning, plus a generous application of lubricant, got everything moving again. The door closed better than it had in months.
Ken and Rose are now deep in southern Namibia and closing in on the South African border. Cape Town is getting closer by the day.
Ken and Rose speak to Briefly News
Ken and Rose told Briefly News that buying the wrong part stung, but it was far from their lowest moment on the road.
"The disappointment really wasn't bad. It's all relative after so many challenges. Luckily we were in a great workshop, and they knew how to refurbish the existing latch," they wrote.
The couple also explained what made Namibia's roads particularly punishing.
"The corrugated gravel roads have actually caused more wear and tear to the Landy than all of West Africa's pothole roads. On the corrugations the vibrations are worse at slow speeds, not to mention the vast distances in Namibia."
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As for the dust that buried the latch, they said it came down to a simple design flaw.
"We all know Land Rover doors are not famed for their tight seals."
Watch the clip below:
Social media reacts
glenverran commented:
“I’m almost 100% sure that once you get to Cape Town, you guys are going to stop by Pon Steyn in Somerset West for all your Landy parts. 🤣”
mattallen_uk said:
“Utterly fabulous.”
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Source: Briefly News
