Defender or Ford Ranger

[MaverickV12]

Hello Boys, just popping in from another part of Piston Heads.

I am after a towing vehicle and I have got it down to the Defender or Ranger. I love the Defender and have had a Disco and RR in the past. I'm after a work horse rather than a cover-all vehicle.

The Ranger has everything I want, Auto Box, 200bhp, beautiful driving position, as big as a tank.

But the Defender is just iconic and beautiful ........

I can live with a manual box and if push came to shove I could fork out and get an Auto box, I can upgrade the BHP .............. but the driving position !!!!!!!!

I had a drive in one for about 45 minutes, and I was devastated It was nothing but hard work, with no room for my shoulder, now I'm certain I am not the first nor will I be the last person to bring this matter up .....

Are there any modifications that can be done to the Defender to make the driving position better? I'd like to move the steering wheel and seat about a full 6 inches to the left, but I know that that will not happen.

What can be done .....?

Thanks

[mikeh501]

you can get these to give yourself more leg room and have the seat recline further
http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/products/rails-and-bars....

theres no way this turns it into a ranger tho lol. if i had to live with a vehicle day to day (not just a weekend toy like mine) then theres no way i could live with a defender. buy the ranger tbh.

[MaverickV12]

mikeh501 said:

if i had to live with a vehicle day to day (not just a weekend toy like mine) then theres no way i could live with a defender. buy the ranger tbh.

This is what I am thinking, I have 4 children and if I only wanted to use it as an Adventure Vehicle for trips to France, then great .... but I'm afraid I just don't have enough money for that.

I think I would have gone for the ranger straight away, but there is another factor as well ....... Depreciation ....... all cars fall in value, but compare the Defender to the Ranger and the Defender wins hands down, the Ranger falls like a Lemming off a cliff .....

Is moving the seat back (and not to the side) the only thing that can be done? After all these years of Defenders, has someone not introduced a, "kit", that addresses this?

[camel_landy]

Frankly, if you want a tow vehicle, get yourself a Disco 4.

M

[MaverickV12]

camel_landy said:

Frankly, if you want a tow vehicle, get yourself a Disco 4.

I did look at those, but the Defender is about £30k new, and the Ranger about £30k new, the Disco is about £55k, or if you go for £30k, its coming up for its first MOT. I had a Supercharged 400bhp RR before and it was the best towing vehicle I have ever ever used (although a bit thirsty).

I already have a nice car on a day by day basis, hence I'm after a more workhorse vehicle for towing at about half the costs of a nice RR or Disco .....

Thanks for you thoughts though ......

[camel_landy]

MaverickV12 said:

I already have a nice car on a day by day basis, hence I'm after a more workhorse vehicle for towing at about half the costs of a nice RR or Disco .....

Thanks for you thoughts though ......

Again... The D4 is much more of a workhorse than the Defender and a significantly better tug.

Another option would be to get a late TD6 or early TDV8 FFRR. The arse would have already been kicked out of the value and although out of warranty you could put the £10k saving (over buying a Defender) into any additional service bills.

M

[anonymous-user]

MaverickV12 said:

What can be done .....?

Thanks

Raise the seat by an inch. All will be well.

[agent006]

What are you going to be towing?

[MaverickV12]

agent006 said:

What are you going to be towing?

3.5 tonne trailers of builders materials and on days off 3.5 tonne trailers of cars. Nothing less than 3.5 tonnes.

The new Ranger has just been updated to take the 3.5 tonne towing ability (only just) otherwise it would not be on my, "consideration", list

[camel_landy]

MaverickV12 said:

3.5 tonne trailers of builders materials and on days off 3.5 tonne trailers of cars. Nothing less than 3.5 tonnes.

Definitely D4... (Commercial?)

Personally, I wouldn't even consider a Defender if you're towing that much.

However, I get the feeling that you'd already made up your mind before you started this thread.

M

[MaverickV12]

camel_landy said:

I get the feeling that you'd already made up your mind before you started this thread.

Thats the problem ...... the Ranger makes sense on so many levels ..

But the Defender, is just, well..... a Defender.

I've owned a lot of cars in my life, but never a Defender.

I want a Defender so bad, I can almost taste it, but boy oh boy, how do I live with it on a day by day basis?

Hence this thread, I was kinda hoping that someone somewhere was going to say, ".....well, its taken 60 years, but a kit is available that moves the streering wheel....", problem solved ...

Is anyone saying that ............. ?

[camel_landy]

MaverickV12 said:

I've owned a lot of cars in my life, but never a Defender.

I want a Defender so bad, I can almost taste it, but boy oh boy, how do I live with it on a day by day basis?

Hence this thread, I was kinda hoping that someone somewhere was going to say, ".....well, its taken 60 years, but a kit is available that moves the streering wheel....", problem solved ...

Is anyone saying that ............. ?

I love my Defender, it's part of the family and every time I take it for a drive it brings a smile to my face... It's like slipping on a pair of old slippers.

However, for you, I think it might be the wrong tool for the job... And the Ranger! IMO the D4 Commercial is what you need.

You can do things to the Defender to make it more comfortable and the 'mud rails' is one such thing. Raising the seat rails by 25mm means the seat can go back a lot further. It is a small bulkhead lip which prevents adjustment and the mud rails just lifts the seat enough for it to run over the top. Actually, a couple of lengths of 25mm box section & longer bolts will do the same job... Just bear in mind that this does not work in a 'Single Cab' arrangement.

Also, dragging 3.5t around... Compared to the 3.0TDV6, the 2.2TDCi WILL struggle!

If you seriously want a Defender to do what you're asking, you need to get yourself a 50th Anniversary edition 90. It has a 3.9V8, auto gearbox and is a great workhorse.

M

[custardkid]

if towing car trailers, or heavy stuff i'd recommend an air suspension vehicle.
much safer and more stable.
just look at the pickups etc on the motorway towing heavy trailers down at the back. part of this will bad loading, but with some loads you some times have little choice. also most trailers tow a bit better with a heavier nose vs level load.

a D4 is supposed to be the best tow vehicle available.

Other than that if its got to be a pickup, the Nivara looks much nicer than the Ranger

Custard

[300bhp/ton]

MaverickV12 said:

It was nothing but hard work, with no room for my shoulder, now I'm certain I am not the first nor will I be the last person to bring this matter up .....

I truly wish you'd be the last though, before some corporate idiots at LR HQ think of changing it.


- being close to the door means when off road you can lean and see out a million times better and see what the front wheel is doing and on and also see the rear wheel

-being close to the door means you can seat 3 across without needing a vehicle 1/4 of a mile wide


Land Rover did listen once.. a Defender with a more roomy and comfortable interior, well that'd be the a Discovery then.... shame most people missed the point.

[300bhp/ton]

MaverickV12 said:

Are there any modifications that can be done to the Defender to make the driving position better? I'd like to move the steering wheel and seat about a full 6 inches to the left, but I know that that will not happen.

What can be done .....?

Thanks

Why not buy one of these... you might even find an auto....



Like a Disco they are basically a Defender style chassis, axles, suspension with Defender abilities, but a more comfy roomy interior.