hilux or Dmax?

Author
Discussion

groundworker

19 posts

98 months

Tuesday 19th January 2016
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New member, couldn't post until now, just wanted to say that I got a new Dmax in October. This was to replace a Defender that I owned for 4 years. This is a work vehicle as I'm a builder, I tow a great deal of the time, I tow a 1.8 tonne digger plus buckets etc on a 3.5 tonne trailer, so all up around 2.8 tonne+.

Defender was a good vehicle bought mainly as it could tow 3.5 tonne, used to buy old Patrols, Shoguns, Discovery etc and run into ground, Defender was first 'proper' work vehicle (it was a commercial). Problem with the Defender was the cold in the winter (I work outside all day so having a heater to drive home, or sit in car at lunch is a nice luxury). It was starting to develop a few oil leaks, never great on customers drive, was blowing fuses on indicators, was worrying about reliability. Mileage was getting fairly high.

Decided to renew Defender, fancied a utility as had a need for rear seats. Looked at one in an independent dealer in Bedford, 5 years old with 25k miles off a farm, already looking a bit tired, surface rust around front bumper, slight oil weeps etc. for sale for £19k. Parked next to it were new Dmaxs', after a test drive opted for an Eiger, got it up for sale for £19650, got a good deal of a back and tow bar all in for £20k.
Was a no brainer really, 5 year warranty and no MOT for 3 yrs.

What I wanted to say was that the Dmax has so far done everything the Defender did and more, it tows much better with far more power, I know from roads that I drive frequently, it deals much better with hills powering up them where I was going down the box in the Defender. Biggest problem is making sure you're not speeding with trailer on! Just towed my digger, and then dumper, on my trailer out of a muddy farmers field where I was building stable base, did it no problem in low box.

Would have liked a Defender but I'm afraid they are out of the reach of a working man now, how can a new one be £30k+? Unfortunately the utility especially has been hijacked by the bolt on boys who like to fit all the toys on to go posing to Tesco in. Prices now are just ridiculous. Dealer where I got Dmax said a lot are being bought to replace Defenders, LR need to make a reasonably priced work vehicle to replace Defender, there cars won't always be trendy, they couldn't give them away 5 years ago, they are going to need the die hards then, I think they risk losing them soon.



PugwasHDJ80

7,522 posts

220 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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300bhp/ton said:
jason61c said:
I wouldn't want a land rover. Nothing but trouble, body corrosion, engine issues, rubbish on the motorway.

The hilux and dmax do hold money well without so many of the above issues.
Doesn't sound like you have any first hand experience with Land Rovers. Body is an aluminium alloy called Birmabright and doesn't really corrode. He'll there are still 1948 vehicles about with original bodies. Engines are fine. Even more so for Tdi and Td5 units. Both good enough for military use.

Motorway they are perfectly fine. I honestly don't believe any worse than any other UK market truck and probably better than most. Puma engine ones with the latest interior are as quiet and comfy as a hatchback and will sit at 80mph all day long.

And as for residuals. Well my uncle has a 3 year old Defender. Just been for its first MoT done by he dealer who sold it. They offered him more money for it now that what he paid new for it. Not sure any Jap truck can claim anything remotely similar.

Btw - we've had approx 50 Land Rovers over the years. All have been fine. I currently own 3, my uncle has 5, brother has 1, Mum has 1, both cousins have LR's.
Only just seen this

Are being positively sarcastic about the lack of rot?

Ali doesn't rot, unless you put it next to steel, in which case it roots very quickly (galvanic corrosion), I guess you've never reskinned defenders doors?

Bulkhead corner caps? Constantly rot.....

Chassis, two years after buying a new 90 the rear member started to rot.

I had 12 land rover vehicles in a row and rebuilt five of then. I had a range rover classic and an 80 series Landcruiser back to back of the same year. The cruiser had one seized bolt. I didn't find an unseizd bolt on the range rover.

Disco3Steve

21 posts

188 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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groundworker said:
New member, couldn't post until now, just wanted to say that I got a new Dmax in October. This was to replace a Defender that I owned for 4 years. This is a work vehicle as I'm a builder, I tow a great deal of the time, I tow a 1.8 tonne digger plus buckets etc on a 3.5 tonne trailer, so all up around 2.8 tonne+.

Defender was a good vehicle bought mainly as it could tow 3.5 tonne, used to buy old Patrols, Shoguns, Discovery etc and run into ground, Defender was first 'proper' work vehicle (it was a commercial). Problem with the Defender was the cold in the winter (I work outside all day so having a heater to drive home, or sit in car at lunch is a nice luxury). It was starting to develop a few oil leaks, never great on customers drive, was blowing fuses on indicators, was worrying about reliability. Mileage was getting fairly high.

Decided to renew Defender, fancied a utility as had a need for rear seats. Looked at one in an independent dealer in Bedford, 5 years old with 25k miles off a farm, already looking a bit tired, surface rust around front bumper, slight oil weeps etc. for sale for £19k. Parked next to it were new Dmaxs', after a test drive opted for an Eiger, got it up for sale for £19650, got a good deal of a back and tow bar all in for £20k.
Was a no brainer really, 5 year warranty and no MOT for 3 yrs.

What I wanted to say was that the Dmax has so far done everything the Defender did and more, it tows much better with far more power, I know from roads that I drive frequently, it deals much better with hills powering up them where I was going down the box in the Defender. Biggest problem is making sure you're not speeding with trailer on! Just towed my digger, and then dumper, on my trailer out of a muddy farmers field where I was building stable base, did it no problem in low box.

Would have liked a Defender but I'm afraid they are out of the reach of a working man now, how can a new one be £30k+? Unfortunately the utility especially has been hijacked by the bolt on boys who like to fit all the toys on to go posing to Tesco in. Prices now are just ridiculous. Dealer where I got Dmax said a lot are being bought to replace Defenders, LR need to make a reasonably priced work vehicle to replace Defender, there cars won't always be trendy, they couldn't give them away 5 years ago, they are going to need the die hards then, I think they risk losing them soon.


A Defender was originally my preferred (in price range) replacement for my about-to-go-bang Discovery 3 - and I got diverted by the DMAX too - whilst it'll never be worked like yours will be nor is it a comfort match for a new Discovery, saving 20 grand and gaining 2 extra years warranty does make up for it. I've had it nearly four weeks now and am loving it and so glad I didn't go for the Defender 110 route I was planning - I am seeing the Defender-to-DMAX story elsewhere, LR are really missing a trick

skyrover

12,668 posts

203 months

Monday 25th January 2016
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Land Rover are too arrogant these day's unfortunately.

They have abandoned their original audience for the Chelsea market and now indicate the new defender will not be a work oriented vehicle at all.

A great shame IMO

deltashad

6,731 posts

196 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
skyrover said:
Land Rover are too arrogant these day's unfortunately.

They have abandoned their original audience for the Chelsea market and now indicate the new defender will not be a work oriented vehicle at all.

A great shame IMO
Absolutely, I look at LR products in similar vein to the latest fashion accessories, unfortunately many vehicles have gone this way. Driven by 20 something year old girls with inflated lips talking on their iPhone 6s.

Back to topic I'm losing my hilux next month due to the downturn and it's leased. I've had it since nwe in 2012. I've thoroughly enjoyed it, it's been driven hard over fields and Well sites and never let me down. Now has 88k klms. Not one problem. My driving would put most teenagers to shame. A testament to the truck.

A bit of luck may come my way a company purchased landcruiser is going to be available and ear marked for me.... much better vehicle all round. The split cabin load area is rubbish for anything longer than around 4.5 ft

powerstroke

10,283 posts

159 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
skyrover said:
Land Rover are too arrogant these day's unfortunately.

They have abandoned their original audience for the Chelsea market and now indicate the new defender will not be a work oriented vehicle at all.

A great shame IMO

They have gone full circle , rover were a luxury car maker before and after the second world war,
making 4x4s was a stop gap! a poor copy of a jeep became the defender a also ran 4x4 on world markets,
if they can sell luxury soft roaders that's fine good for the economy
no one sensible who needs a working 4x4 will miss the defender esp members of the armed forces who will be
very pleased ,

adz9

136 posts

190 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Groundworker, what MPG are you seeing friends your Dmax?

Logbert

2,455 posts

143 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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33.7 it says on the computer thingy in mine

PugwasHDJ80

7,522 posts

220 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Logbert said:
33.7 it says on the computer thingy in mine
That is seriously impressive for a proper 4x4- modern tech really is amazing

normalbloke

7,401 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Has anyone actually done the maths properly though?

Logbert

2,455 posts

143 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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No not done the maths properly , will have to try it one day

powerstroke

10,283 posts

159 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
Has anyone actually done the maths properly though?
My hilux doesn't have a mpg thingy , but about 70 liters gets me 500 miles if you want to do some maths..

adz9

136 posts

190 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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powerstroke said:
My hilux doesn't have a mpg thingy , but about 70 liters gets me 500 miles if you want to do some maths..
About 32mpg. Thats pretty good! The official figures on the new Navara are 44.1mpg. I'm really unsure weather to go for a Navara or the Dmax.

powerstroke

10,283 posts

159 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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adz9 said:
powerstroke said:
My hilux doesn't have a mpg thingy , but about 70 liters gets me 500 miles if you want to do some maths..
About 32mpg. Thats pretty good! The official figures on the new Navara are 44.1mpg. I'm really unsure weather to go for a Navara or the Dmax.
I looked at the Dmax twice before buying another hilux apart from a better warranty and a little more power and tow capacity I really didn't like it they feel cheep somehow , friend had two d40 nissans both were troublesome , everything from minor paint faults to engine and axle failiiure think they are made in Spain !!!
The new hilux is out in the uk around may, been avalible in Oz since Christmas group tests put it ahead of all the others!
not surprising to me as I'm happy with the way the old one goes i do a fair bit of motorway and visit farms and other off road sites so it does a mix of conditions , I've also had rangers, L200 and the old shape isuzu in the past ...all very average IMHO

groundworker

19 posts

98 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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My Dmax gets about 28mpg working it out properly, do a fair bit of towing and a lot of short journeys. Hope this helps, I did read on t'internet that Isuzu won an award for the Dmax having fuel consumption nearest to it's computer MPG figures.

DefenderSteve

21 posts

188 months

Saturday 16th January 2021
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Epilog to my story. 5 years later I sold the 2.5 DMAX and have a new Defender 110 ordered. Financially an old 110 would have been the right choice but on everything else the DMAX was a winner!

Brett748

919 posts

165 months

Tuesday 19th January 2021
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The new defenders are epic. You will enjoy it.