Land Rover's legendary build quality
Discussion
Had my first brush with this - went to open the drivers's door on my Defender and the outside handle came off in my hand!! The last time I had a handle break was on my granddad's Allegro back in the day.
For the first time I felt I was living the proper Land Rover dream.
And when did the door handle change from the clunky steel lever still used on the rear door to the plastic things that come off in your hand? Change them back!
What are your build quality tales?
For the first time I felt I was living the proper Land Rover dream.
And when did the door handle change from the clunky steel lever still used on the rear door to the plastic things that come off in your hand? Change them back!
What are your build quality tales?
The exterior door handles on Defenders are a weak point.
It's just my opinion, but I don't think that the vehicles were ever intended to be equipped with central locking, that the excessive force applied to the door handles when the central locking has not been activated correctly puts stress on the handles that wasn't ever planned for.
As a technician for Land Rover for over 6 months I've seen all sorts of things...I worked at Renault for 9 years and thought I'd seen it all.
I was wrong!
It's just my opinion, but I don't think that the vehicles were ever intended to be equipped with central locking, that the excessive force applied to the door handles when the central locking has not been activated correctly puts stress on the handles that wasn't ever planned for.
As a technician for Land Rover for over 6 months I've seen all sorts of things...I worked at Renault for 9 years and thought I'd seen it all.
I was wrong!
Land Rovers should be treated as classic cars irrespective of age.
They are well-designed but built down to a price and therefore quality is poor.
My local independent landy man has a fantastic 110 with the big wheels,all the toys, etc etc - and a Toyota Landcruiser around the back......................just in case.......................................
The ONLY reason I sold my TDV8 Range Rover was because I could not trust it - it let me down several times in the year I owned it and as a daily driver this is not acceptable.
I can accept this with my defender (a 3rd car) but I have returned an to Audi for daily transport.
They are well-designed but built down to a price and therefore quality is poor.
My local independent landy man has a fantastic 110 with the big wheels,all the toys, etc etc - and a Toyota Landcruiser around the back......................just in case.......................................
The ONLY reason I sold my TDV8 Range Rover was because I could not trust it - it let me down several times in the year I owned it and as a daily driver this is not acceptable.
I can accept this with my defender (a 3rd car) but I have returned an to Audi for daily transport.
MarsellusWallace said:
I bought my SVX brand new and have only been out in the wet in it about half a dozen times(chassis stickers still in place),yet some parts underneath are rusty as hell.
My windscreen wipers clank louder than any other vehicle ive ever known,on the odd occasion I use them.
You should send Vincent and Jools around to get your money back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!My windscreen wipers clank louder than any other vehicle ive ever known,on the odd occasion I use them.
' I will strike down with great vengeance and furious anger.......................................'
vjj said:
Land Rovers should be treated as classic cars irrespective of age.
They are well-designed but built down to a price and therefore quality is poor.
My local independent landy man has a fantastic 110 with the big wheels,all the toys, etc etc - and a Toyota Landcruiser around the back......................just in case.......................................
The ONLY reason I sold my TDV8 Range Rover was because I could not trust it - it let me down several times in the year I owned it and as a daily driver this is not acceptable.
I can accept this with my defender (a 3rd car) but I have returned an to Audi for daily transport.
DOWN..To a price.. Gods sake man. The 110 XS SW is pushing 40k..Have you seen what the rest of the world produces for that sort of money.. Sorry..love em but they are a bygone product that landrover forgot to stop making 25 years ago..My puma was the last one I will have..The memories will be tinged with joy..But never again!!They are well-designed but built down to a price and therefore quality is poor.
My local independent landy man has a fantastic 110 with the big wheels,all the toys, etc etc - and a Toyota Landcruiser around the back......................just in case.......................................
The ONLY reason I sold my TDV8 Range Rover was because I could not trust it - it let me down several times in the year I owned it and as a daily driver this is not acceptable.
I can accept this with my defender (a 3rd car) but I have returned an to Audi for daily transport.
Taken at 4 years old..I bet landrover have a paint technician calculating how thin a mist coat of chassis black they can get on to get it just beyond warranty..
in the 2.5 years I owned it it had..
2 diffs
1 rear axle re-build
new clutch
new sump
2 x u/j's
3 replacement gearstick assemblies
1 x brake vacuum pump
stratospheric milage covered..Sold with 50k miles on the clock and FSH...VERY VERY COMPREHENSIVE FSH
N
Edited by heightswitch on Tuesday 21st August 22:02
Most people buy Defenders to drive around the streets of London these days...
I took a Disco4 out on road test for the Pre-Delivery Inspection and the gearbox warning light came on. It had sprung a leak from the gearbox oil cooler - it had 8.9miles on the clock and it effectively broke down!
Amazing.
Yet, it's a "status car" and since rich people can still justify buying them, they're selling like hot cakes. Keeping up with the jones's etc
I took a Disco4 out on road test for the Pre-Delivery Inspection and the gearbox warning light came on. It had sprung a leak from the gearbox oil cooler - it had 8.9miles on the clock and it effectively broke down!
Amazing.
Yet, it's a "status car" and since rich people can still justify buying them, they're selling like hot cakes. Keeping up with the jones's etc
My freelander's had the following.
3 clutch master cylinders, 1 slave cylinder, 3 propshaft bearings, 2 propshafts, 1 IRD, 1 VCU, 3 rear diff mounts.
The sunroofs rattle, the dash rattles.
Still a great car though, but about to be sold as i have a Discovery 3 to buy, so entering a whole new level of possible borkness
3 clutch master cylinders, 1 slave cylinder, 3 propshaft bearings, 2 propshafts, 1 IRD, 1 VCU, 3 rear diff mounts.
The sunroofs rattle, the dash rattles.
Still a great car though, but about to be sold as i have a Discovery 3 to buy, so entering a whole new level of possible borkness
te cars.
Crossflow Kid said:
The headlights are standard Lucas 7" units used in all sorts of things, so calling them "Mini" headlights and thus crap is a bit misleading. Ditto the switchgear.
Of course Lucas headlights are renowned for their excellence, glow worms behind magnifying glasses & all that when you can buy excellent aftermarket 7' lights that work superbly but they are not the cheapest. Metro switchgear was rubbish in 1982!!!I run two landies, and one or other of them always seems to have some form of issue rendering it borked. The defender is currently laid up as the turbo/intecooler hoses have given up the ghost and I am waiting on the replacement turning up (the split is now beyond electric or duct tape repair), fortunately I spent the weekend sorting out the Series's oil pressure light issue so I can use that while the 90 doesn't work.
Would I swap them for a reliable eurobox - never!!!
Would I swap them for a reliable eurobox - never!!!
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