Defender for daily drive?

Defender for daily drive?

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Discussion

abbotsmike

1,033 posts

144 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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uk_vette said:
.
.
Jeeeezzzzzz

70 miles at 100 mph, and you have an empty tank ! ?

5 gallon tank ?

vette
Assuming they are the same across the range, tank is approaching 100l. From a guy I knew in the RAF, the V8's could get through fuel at a monstrous rate above 70!

billywhizzzzzz

1,989 posts

142 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
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I have a 300tdi I use most days (to keep mileage down on my thirsty V8 S4 - and adore it. Do some long journeys in it too. If I haven't used if for a few days, I get cravings. Polybushes make a difference, and on mine the transfer box has been changed to give higher gearing (better consumption too - 30 ish on a long run). Arm ache? Never had it...

Edited by billywhizzzzzz on Monday 6th August 20:05

Lefty

16,130 posts

201 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
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billywhizzzzzz said:
I have a 300tdi I use most days (to keep mileage down on my thirsty V8 S4 - and adore it. Do some long journeys in it too. If I haven't used if for a few days, I get cravings. Polybushes make a difference, and on mine the transfer box has been changed to give lower gearing (better consumption too - 30 ish on a long run). Arm ache? Never had it...
Higher gearing?

What kind of poly bushes did you go for? Fast road?

Psimpson7

1,071 posts

240 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
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abbotsmike said:
Assuming they are the same across the range, tank is approaching 100l. From a guy I knew in the RAF, the V8's could get through fuel at a monstrous rate above 70!
60l in all 90's I think. is in mine anyway. 75 in a 110.

billywhizzzzzz

1,989 posts

142 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Lefty said:
billywhizzzzzz said:
I have a 300tdi I use most days (to keep mileage down on my thirsty V8 S4 - and adore it. Do some long journeys in it too. If I haven't used if for a few days, I get cravings. Polybushes make a difference, and on mine the transfer box has been changed to give lower gearing (better consumption too - 30 ish on a long run). Arm ache? Never had it...
Higher gearing?

What kind of poly bushes did you go for? Fast road?
Sorry yes HIGHER gearing...
and yes fast road - handles amazingly (for a defender)

abbotsmike

1,033 posts

144 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
billywhizzzzzz said:
Sorry yes HIGHER gearing...
and yes fast road - handles amazingly (for a defender)
Having been driven round dartmoor at speed (Well, 40-60 most of the time) in a 110 with 7 people in it, I'm amazed at the level of road holding they have, even on big BFG Allterrains!

BLUETHUNDER

7,881 posts

259 months

Tuesday 7th August 2012
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uk_vette said:
.
.
Jeeeezzzzzz

70 miles at 100 mph, and you have an empty tank ! ?

5 gallon tank ?

vette
Once you get past 80. The V8,s really drink and as i was driving into a headwind all the way. It has even greater effect.

voltage_maxx

368 posts

208 months

Thursday 9th August 2012
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Ran Defenders as daily drivers for around 8 years.

I finally sold my last one (a Td5 110 CSW) last year, as there were certain things I found difficult to live with on a daily basis.
In traffic, the weight of the clutch and the heavy gearbox can get very tiring.
Also, on long runs I found the road and engine noise to be very exhausting.

Overall I realised that having a nice, clean shiny Defender and only using it on the road makes little sense. It was too nice to off-road, and yet its off-road abilities and leanings hindered it on-road.

I've now got an ex-MOD Series 3 109 for weekend fun and a Mk5 VW Golf GT as a daily driver.

Oh and FWIW, if you can live with the fuel consumption, the V8s are incredible, and a totally different kettle of fish. We have a factory V8 90 CSW which we've had in the family for 20 odd years.
Compared to the diesel's it's like night and day. Much easier to drive, lighter clutch, more powerful, quiter. Very easy to live with......IF you can stomach the fuel bills (enjoy it and you'll be seeing 15-16 MPG typically!).

Denis O

2,141 posts

242 months

Thursday 9th August 2012
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voltage_maxx said:
Ran Defenders as daily drivers for around 8 years.

Much easier to drive, lighter clutch, more powerful, quiter. Very easy to live with......IF you can stomach the fuel bills (enjoy it and you'll be seeing 15-16 MPG typically!).
And the heaters are actually quite efficient, unlike TD5's.

You obviously didn't push yours if you got as much as 16mpg. Mine used to average around 9 but it went like stink and "roared" everywhere.

voltage_maxx

368 posts

208 months

Thursday 9th August 2012
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Denis O said:
voltage_maxx said:
Ran Defenders as daily drivers for around 8 years.

Much easier to drive, lighter clutch, more powerful, quiter. Very easy to live with......IF you can stomach the fuel bills (enjoy it and you'll be seeing 15-16 MPG typically!).
And the heaters are actually quite efficient, unlike TD5's.

You obviously didn't push yours if you got as much as 16mpg. Mine used to average around 9 but it went like stink and "roared" everywhere.
Oh no, 15 is about as bad as it gets typically, even when towing flat out.
It's 'just' the baby 3.5 on carbs, but it's well set up and in good health.

I did once get a 4.0 auto P38 range rover averageing 9MPG around London though!

Denis O

2,141 posts

242 months

Friday 10th August 2012
quotequote all
voltage_maxx said:
Denis O said:
voltage_maxx said:
Ran Defenders as daily drivers for around 8 years.

Much easier to drive, lighter clutch, more powerful, quiter. Very easy to live with......IF you can stomach the fuel bills (enjoy it and you'll be seeing 15-16 MPG typically!).
And the heaters are actually quite efficient, unlike TD5's.

You obviously didn't push yours if you got as much as 16mpg. Mine used to average around 9 but it went like stink and "roared" everywhere.
Oh no, 15 is about as bad as it gets typically, even when towing flat out.
It's 'just' the baby 3.5 on carbs, but it's well set up and in good health.

I did once get a 4.0 auto P38 range rover averageing 9MPG around London though!
My 1985 V8 CSW had been subjected to a significant amount of tinkering under the bonnet. The engine was a tuned 3.9 Disco lump and with a Weber 4 barrel and a nice chrome dustbin lid for an air cleaner. Some exhaust tinkering and I ended up with a quick, noisey and thirsty 90.

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

257 months

Sunday 12th August 2012
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Lefty said:
Nice one! TDCI?
The 60 plate 2010 one with 13,000 miles - in the faster black colour.

Hope to collect her this week.

Cheers all!

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

257 months

Sunday 9th September 2012
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Well it all started off pretty badly really.

Collected her and the very next day, on my way to the Classic Car Show at Tatton Park, the engine warning light came on.

Called at the dealer, who was nearby anyway. Nothing we can do as it's the weekend - call LR Assist. Rang them and they said limp home and we'll be there in three hours, so missed the show and went home.

Three hours later, they came out and said that it need to go to the dealer - where it was just three hours earlier.

Anyway, after three days at the dealer, engine sorted and an annoying rattle was also sorted, which has now come back. It's a high pitced squeak sound around the door pillar on the driver side.

It drives really well but the ratle is driving me insane, so back she'll have to go for a second attempt.

Nice But Dim

456 posts

206 months

Sunday 9th September 2012
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Get used to the rattles... They all do it. Mine has a resonation from front suspension..... Had it for years. All part of the rich tapestry of Defender ownership.... Enjoy?

uk_vette

3,336 posts

203 months

Monday 10th September 2012
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Davel said:
Well it all started off pretty badly really.

Collected her and the very next day, on my way to the Classic Car Show at Tatton Park, the engine warning light came on.

Called at the dealer, who was nearby anyway. Nothing we can do as it's the weekend - call LR Assist. Rang them and they said limp home and we'll be there in three hours, so missed the show and went home.

Three hours later, they came out and said that it need to go to the dealer - where it was just three hours earlier.

Anyway, after three days at the dealer, engine sorted and an annoying rattle was also sorted, which has now come back. It's a high pitced squeak sound around the door pillar on the driver side.

It drives really well but the ratle is driving me insane, so back she'll have to go for a second attempt.
.
Hi Davel,

May be yours is just having teething problems.
But 3 hours isn't really a good sign of things to come.
Incidentally, why did you opt for a Land Rover?
There seems to be many other more reliable 4x4 vehicles, ie Land Cruisers?

vette

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

257 months

Monday 10th September 2012
quotequote all
I had one about 25 years ago and loved it.

I've had various Discoverys, Range Rovers and now seem to be going backwards from a Range Rover Vogue (08), a Discovery 4 HSE (61) to this.

I bought my wife a Freelander as the family car and bought this as an inexpensive winter hack / commuter, so that I can buy a toy for the better weather.

I loved the Vogue but never really fell for the Discovery - great and sensible vehicle as it is.

I do like the Defender as it's a much less cosseted ride and basic drive - but this bloody rattle / sqeak is right close to my bloody ear!


uk_vette

3,336 posts

203 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
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Hi Davel,

I hope you find in the new Defender, the same affection you had for your old one.

However, it takes miles, and miles, and miles for the trust to build up, to the point that you know you can just jump into the Defender, and drive, without the background niggle thoughts, of "will it break down again"

Sadly, Land Rover have good days and bad days.

I really like the looks of a Defender, but would I buy one? well I had 2 of them.
They both broke down on occassions, nothing serious, unless you call needing a new injection pump serious, kinda' did blow a hole in my pocket at the time, but thats time gone by.

Now I drive Toyota Land Cruiser, (250,000 miles on an "05" )but let me say, when I had my Defenders, I swore blind, I would never ever, ever be seen dead in a Land Cruiser, I lived and breathed land Rovers.

Any way, a little off your point but any way.

vette

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

257 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
Thanks for that.

TBH I have few doubts about reliability. The engine warning light was just a sensor. The car starts and drives fine and the warning light probably didn't need the urgent attention that it got - it's just that the manual says seek urgent attention or something like that.

Driving it does make me smile, so we'll see if she's a keeper or not.

Just back from a 600 mile round trip up to Perth and back and she didn't miss a beat and mostly at 60 - 70'ish.

Really quite impresssed and a much more involving drive than doing it in a Disco. I think that the trip has loosened up the engine quite a bit too.

Edited by Davel on Friday 14th September 10:15

peatmoor

196 posts

144 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
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Hi, not sure how I've found myself on this thread (because I know nothing about LDs) but its interesting to hear of defender reliability issues. Is that just generally on all, or are later models better? Ex-MOD? I have this dream of living in the country, with a black lab, defender (poss ex-MOD) with tow-bar, trailer and trackday car on the back. Should I get real and replace Defender for landcruiser?

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
quotequote all
peatmoor said:
Hi, not sure how I've found myself on this thread (because I know nothing about LDs) but its interesting to hear of defender reliability issues. Is that just generally on all, or are later models better? Ex-MOD? I have this dream of living in the country, with a black lab, defender (poss ex-MOD) with tow-bar, trailer and trackday car on the back. Should I get real and replace Defender for landcruiser?
What reliability issues?

Land Rover like this in general are very robust and reliable. The often suffer squeaks and rattles and annoying little niggles. But they'll usually get you home and keep you mobile.

They do like TLC, this is mostly due to their construction and basic design using parts from long ago. But they are easy to work on and bits are cheap.

The newer they get the more electronics they have, so that can cause more potential issues, but in reality they are still pretty simple vehicles.