Defender 110 VS Toyota Land Cruuser?

Defender 110 VS Toyota Land Cruuser?

Author
Discussion

PugwasHDJ80

7,522 posts

220 months

Monday 17th April 2017
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Timbuktu said:
PugwasHDJ80 said:
There is a gulf of difference between an amazon and colorado.
What's the difference? Genuinely interested, I've always wondered.
The Colorado is a slightly larger freelander, the 80 series is a heavy duty range rover classic. [i can't talk about the new stuff as i know nothing about it- i'm willing to bet that the new Toyota stuff isn't as reliable though....]

key differences:

Colorado has IFS front end (weaker and not as good off road- better on road)
Colorado drivetrain significantly less strong (eg 80 series auto is from their truck line- its used in buses, in the colorado the auto is from the car range)
80 chassis significantly stronger
Colorado not as large
Colorade has significantly smaller and less powerful engines

Peopel do make colorados work off road, and they are good, but there is a very wide difference between an amazon and a colorado


KevinCamaroSS

11,553 posts

279 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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I have just bought a 55 plate Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD (108k miles) for less than £3.5K. Two new tyres and a major service (all fluids) later it is just the job.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
quotequote all
PugwasHDJ80 said:
The Colorado is a slightly larger freelander, the 80 series is a heavy duty range rover classic. [i can't talk about the new stuff as i know nothing about it- i'm willing to bet that the new Toyota stuff isn't as reliable though....]

key differences:

Colorado has IFS front end (weaker and not as good off road- better on road)
Colorado drivetrain significantly less strong (eg 80 series auto is from their truck line- its used in buses, in the colorado the auto is from the car range)
80 chassis significantly stronger
Colorado not as large
Colorade has significantly smaller and less powerful engines

Peopel do make colorados work off road, and they are good, but there is a very wide difference between an amazon and a colorado
Probably good to mention the types of off roading wanting to be done as well.

As I agree, the Amazon is an awesome capable vehicle and built tough. But it's massive too, and there are plenty of off roading examples in the UK where something like a Jimny or Land Rover 88 would be much more suitable.

For example, there are some green lanes in the Lake District that are restricted to vehicles of a 100" wheelbase or less. Which means no Amazon will legally be going on them.

Hainey

4,381 posts

199 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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I didn't know that about the Amazons and the restrictions on the green lanes, that's really interesting.

In fairness most Amazons I've seen have more of an affinity with tarmac, or the travelling nomadic owners who lay it for a living do hehe

Edited by Hainey on Tuesday 18th April 14:16

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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Hainey said:
I didn't know that about the Amazons and the restrictions on the green lanes, that's really interesting.

In fairness most Amazons I've seen have more of an affinity with tarmac, or the travelling nomadic owners who lay it for a living do hehe

Edited by Hainey on Tuesday 18th April 14:16
Just to clarify, that isn't all Green Lande, just some permit restricted ones in the Lakes. Motorbikes, horses and 4x4's of 100" wheelbase or less are permitted with said permit.

Was just trying to highlight a flip side of a big tough vehicle, although in fairness this thread was about an LC or 110, both long, although the 110 is fairly narrow.


PotHoleHater

Original Poster:

2,604 posts

224 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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In all honesty, I doubt I'll be doing much green laning or the like in France. The 4x4 will be a workhorse and tow vehicle and if it goes off piste, it'll be on the property.

Thanks for all the contributions though :-)

snowandrocks

1,054 posts

141 months

Thursday 20th April 2017
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Ayahuasca said:
Hainey said:
a quick look at parts prices for the Toyota put me right off.
My Land Cruiser's automatic transmission stopped working.

No, Sir, it is not repairable.

Guess how much a new auto box is?

$15.000 / £12,500 !!
That's a bit of a strange reason not to buy a 15+ year old workhorse!

Firstly, I'd be intrigued to know how much a Land Rover dealer would charge you to install a new gearbox in a Discovery or Range Rover? Surely you would just find one from a breaker/get it rebuilt?

Secondly, and more important, I prefer to buy vehicles that aren't likely to need a new gear box in the first place. My 1992 80 series is still running on all of it's original components and with the exception of a suspension refresh I haven't had to buy anything beyond routine service parts since 2006 when I fitted a new radiator!

Don't get me wrong, I've owned, and loved, (and broken!) a number of Defenders over the years but a proper* Land Cruiser really is in a completely different league.

  • As mentioned above - Colorados/120 series are pretty reliable especially with the later d4d diesel but not nearly as heavy duty as the 6/8 cylinder models.
Edited by snowandrocks on Thursday 20th April 15:47

Timbuktu

1,953 posts

154 months

Thursday 20th April 2017
quotequote all
PugwasHDJ80 said:
Timbuktu said:
PugwasHDJ80 said:
There is a gulf of difference between an amazon and colorado.
What's the difference? Genuinely interested, I've always wondered.
The Colorado is a slightly larger freelander, the 80 series is a heavy duty range rover classic. [i can't talk about the new stuff as i know nothing about it- i'm willing to bet that the new Toyota stuff isn't as reliable though....]

key differences:

Colorado has IFS front end (weaker and not as good off road- better on road)
Colorado drivetrain significantly less strong (eg 80 series auto is from their truck line- its used in buses, in the colorado the auto is from the car range)
80 chassis significantly stronger
Colorado not as large
Colorade has significantly smaller and less powerful engines

Peopel do make colorados work off road, and they are good, but there is a very wide difference between an amazon and a colorado
Thanks, that's interesting - does that apply to the 90 series? Or just 80?

I was going to buy a 2005-2007 Amazon but they're holding their money so well that after driving one I went for a much newer range rover in the end as it's a nicer place to sit and less tractor like.

snowandrocks

1,054 posts

141 months

Friday 21st April 2017
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The 90/120/150 (Prado/Colorado etc) all have their roots in the "light duty" version of the 70 series and continue in the same tradition - well built, reliable and good off road but designed primarily as a comfortable family type vehicle.

The "heavy duty" 70 series continues in updated form today and is clearly and obviously designed for prolonged hard use - everything is heavily built with basic but powerful 6 cylinder or V8 diesel engines and simple but comfortable interiors - sadly not sold in the UK for many years.

The 60/80/100/200 "station wagon" models are in effect the flagship of the range - just as strong as the heavy duty 70 series but with comfortable interiors, good road manners and large capacity, powerful 6 or 8 cylinder engines.

They do hold their value but there's a reason - there's no other vehicle that comes close to offering the same breadth of capabilities with bulletproof reliability. A Discovery 3/4 comes close in terms of ability but is about as far from a solid working vehicle as it's possible to get and UK market Nissan Patrols were unfortunately never sold with a big turbo diesel.



PotHoleHater

Original Poster:

2,604 posts

224 months

Saturday 6th May 2017
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Update time...

To be honest, it's doing my head in.

I've seen a few crappy cars, from both badges.

The budget has stretched to 3.5k and so have the wishes of the Mrs..."Heated seats and a sunroof would be nice (nice = would prefer to have).

I don't give a monkeys whether it's a Toyota Prado/Colorado or a TD5, but it needs to be in good condition with service history backing up any claims and not falling to pieces.

The off road element is not going to feature a great deal, but there will be a trailer behind (2000kg to 2500kg in total) it and it will off the tarmac occasionally due to work. I'll probably look for places to drive in the countryside (here and in France) though. It's been a while since I have green laned and I look forward to a little here in Devon.

I'd like achieve mpg in the 30's. I'm probably insane!

Any further words of wisdom or pointers to good steers?

Thanks, guys!

Hainey

4,381 posts

199 months

Saturday 6th May 2017
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Three and a half gets you a really nice td5 es model with heated leather etc. That I do know.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Saturday 6th May 2017
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30+mpg from a proper 4x4 is unlikely. Not as a real world varied road type average at any rate.

Why not look at some p38 Range Rovers. Your budget should get you a nice on. A V8 on lpg maybe or a diesel.

PotHoleHater

Original Poster:

2,604 posts

224 months

Saturday 6th May 2017
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
30+mpg from a proper 4x4 is unlikely. Not as a real world varied road type average at any rate.

Why not look at some p38 Range Rovers. Your budget should get you a nice on. A V8 on lpg maybe or a diesel.
Thankfully, I can (and often) drive like a saint. I have managed to extract 900 miles out of our 2004 V70 D5 manual's tank (brim to brim).

As for a P38? I'm not sure by balls are big enough to take such a chance! Joking aside, like many, I've read too many horror stories about P38's. Some must be true.


Edited by PotHoleHater on Saturday 6th May 22:37

PotHoleHater

Original Poster:

2,604 posts

224 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
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300bhp...you've sown a seed that may well turn into something P38 shaped! Damn you! :-D

leoparker990

15 posts

82 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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For off-road, Defender 110 is the best option and For comfortable drive and ease of parking then Land cruiser is best.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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PotHoleHater said:
300bhp...you've sown a seed that may well turn into something P38 shaped! Damn you! :-D
Compared to a D2 they seem to represent good value for money.

The 2.5 BMW diesel is ok, bit sluggish with an auto but the 5 speed manual goes ok and will offer the best mpg. And you can chip them.

There is even a plug n play wiring kit if you want to swap in the later 3.0 litre BMW diesel engine.

V8's are essentially the same as those in the D2, although the 4.6 wasn't fitted to the D2 for the UK market (it was for the US market).

Many diesels are low spec, so shop around. Might as well get one with all the goodies on it. Most 4.6's are good spec.

And as an oddball there is a 4.0 V8 with the 5 speed manual, all 4.6's are auto's.