RE: PH Fleet Update: Land Rover Defender

RE: PH Fleet Update: Land Rover Defender

Thursday 14th April 2011

PH Fleet Update: Land Rover Defender

Our Landie goes back. We shall miss the Defender's ability to tow infinitely - and beyond (groan)



A person or machine that works hard and reliably over a long period. That's what the compilers of the OED have decided defines a workhorse. And they really ought to pop in a picture of a Land Rover Defender just beneath the entry, because little else describes the venerable 4x4's nature more perfectly.

AK10VMU certainly saw its fair share of work during its 10 months or so with us. During that time we managed to rack up a fairly chunky 19,000 miles. We took it to Paris, (for the motor show rather than for a romantic weekend, and also to discover just how difficult it is to park a LWB Defender in the Latin Quarter), went for more than a few jaunts in the rough stuff (including one where editor Chris-R managed to nudge the Defender gently into a mudbank) and gave it more than its fair share of cargo to haul.


In fact, we really did give it a stunning variety of loads to haul, which included (variously in and behind the Landie):

  • Christmas trees
  • Plasterboard
  • An old Renault Master van
  • Dogs
  • Gerbils (not at the same time as the dogs)
  • Wardrobes (various)
  • Elderly relatives
  • Toddlers (who approved of 'the truck')
  • A Bailey Caravan (not belonging to PH)
  • A Suzuki SC100 'Whizzkid'

Of course, the Defender's main role was as tow car and race support vehicle for the trusty PH Caterham Academy racer, in which capacity it performed near-perfectly.


In order to hook up the small-but-perfectly-formed Mini SuperSport trailer that Cheshire-based PRG Trailers kindly lent us for the season, we had to have an extendable tow-hitch fitted, as the low-slung trailer and the departure-angle-friendly standard tow hitch literally didn't see eye to eye, but other than that it was hard to fault the Land Rover's towing ability.

It was steady, stable and barely seemed to notice the extra 700-ish kg of metal and fibreglass that it was hauling along - in fact more than once I had to stop myself from blithely sweeping into the verboten lane three of the UK's motorway network at the last second, having entirely forgotten I was towing.

If we're being picky, the poor turning circle - which is artificially docked to prevent extreme lane-change manoeuvres ending in disaster - means you have to plan your reversing antics very carefully indeed when fully trailered-up, but you'd be amazed at how a whacking-great Land Rover combined with a car on a trailer can get people to move out of the way for you when reversing.


But the other niggles of life with a Defender - the graunchy gearchange, the bouncy ride, the comparatively poor NVH levels - are far less of an issue at the significantly lower speeds of the trailer trundler than they are if you have any sort of obligation to keep up with faster-paced traffic.

The Defender's ability to swallow all the inevitable gubbins associated with going motor racing (tools, clothing, helmets, stocks of unhealthy cholesterol-heavy food, that sort of thing) and still provide plenty of room to act as an impromptu rain shelter or changing room is not to be sniffed at either.

As a commuting tool, however, the Landie's imperfections were thrown into sharp relief; getting into a genuine 'modern' car (i.e. one designed from scratch in this millennium) after a run into work in the Landie often felt like switching from a Mega Drive to an Xbox 360.


But there was always a sense of occasion to the Defender that modern cars so often lack. Just as no matter how good Forza Motorsport might be, there's just the odd occasion when you still want to go and play Out Run, so there's a kind of odd nostalgia associated with the Landie that you just don't get on more mainstream cars.

And besides, despite its imposing bulk the Defender is still a narrow car (slimmer than our old PH Fleet Nissan 370Z), so you have to balance its agricultural urban behaviour against the fact that it can squeeze through surprisingly narrow gaps and clearly terrifies a certain section of the roadgoing public into automatically moving out of your way anyway.

So. After 20k miles what do we think? Is it a perfect car? No. Is it objectively even any good? Not really, although its towing ability and off-road talents are beyond either doubt or dispute. Does it appeal despite (and perhaps because of) its myriad manifest flaws? You bet.

The Defender dies in 2013, and I feel privileged to have spent some time running one. Replacing it is going to be a hugely tall order for Land Rover.



Author
Discussion

Sarge 4x4

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

204 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
What about fuel ???????????????????????????

crmcatee

5,691 posts

226 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
It's the great PH fuel guessing competition.

I'm guessing about 25MPG


Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Ah yes - on a long trip you could squeeze about 28mpg, but realistically you are looking at around a 25mpg average, depending on where and how you drive it, of coursesmile.

oilit

2,618 posts

177 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
hmm - I get 8mpg with the aircon on my V8 anniversary :-)

I would be amazed if it gets much above 20 when being used down the motorway -

Fish

3,975 posts

281 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
My brothers 110 puma is now getting near to 30mpg as it has a few miles on it..

BigTaf

46 posts

208 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
I love my 110(V8 and 8-10mpg) wouldn't be without a LR now and at 25 years old still going strong. I wonder howmany hiybrids will be going in 25 years time?

chazwozza

724 posts

185 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Cute dogs. oh and love the car, can't believe they are killing it

farmeryellow

378 posts

240 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
chazwozza said:
Cute dogs. oh and love the car, can't believe they are killing it
There not...the EU are doing it for Landrover frown

v8will

3,301 posts

195 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
The Defender itch is one I shall have to scratch over the next few years...

Quite fancy a 110 V8 with LPG

chazwozza

724 posts

185 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
farmeryellow said:
chazwozza said:
Cute dogs. oh and love the car, can't believe they are killing it
There not...the EU are doing it for Landrover frown
Why are they no longer able to make it? Emissions? Or the safety aspect for other road users maybe? We aren't even attached to europe.....but that is a whole different debate furious

Caulkhead

4,938 posts

156 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
I've been reading about the imminent demise of the Defender regularly since the mid eighties. I'll believe it's gone when it actually has.

louismchuge

1,628 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Am I the only one who had to google NVH levels?

AndytS6

18 posts

156 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
I should say that as I run censored a company that supplies parts and accessories for Defenders that i am biased but that aside, they are great to drive in a quirky way and when the weather turns bad will carry on regardless. I have used mine offroad and on to carry all manner of things and got 27mpg on a long motorway run at 70mph fully loaded with kids and luggage and bikes on the back.

Graham

16,368 posts

283 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
25-28mpg blimey my td5 disco only manages 20-24 although it does have the odd tweek to get it to 195bhp..evil

a V8 ninety is the best.. makes a cracking town car as well, fairly narrow short, good driving position, good brakes and everyone keeps out of the way...

over the years I've had


SIII SWB
S1 SWB
1971 Rangey
110 v8
90 petrol ( very early 2.25 county with all the trimings...)
Rangy Vouge
3.9 300 series Disco
current td5 disco commercial (03 reg from new)

I'll not mention the wifes gaylander... although it was actually very good on a track day..

Plus I've driven lots of Sii, Sii,lightweight, 90/110 & wolf

I've also driven plenty of Jap stuff but nothing else has quite the same appeal.


When the EU does finally kill off the old girl I for one would like to see it shipped off to India/africa, bung and old school ( peugot/merc or jap) basic motor in there, dump the modern electronics and build it for another 20 years.

telecat

8,528 posts

240 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Suzuki Whiz-Kid!!!!! I test drove one back in the eighties, never did get one to my regret.

Turbocharger

137 posts

198 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
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The width is an interesting point - my Ninety is shorter and narrower than a Clio, though you wouldn't think it to look at it.

f111lover

143 posts

192 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Good article, the Defender/S2a/S3 have always been my Land Rovers of choice, best looking 4x4 on the road.
As an aside, it's good to read that someone else towing a trailer avoids the 3rd lane, the number of Halfords specials doing 90 is truly scary.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
I think you have missed out the Defenders strongest point imo, which is its completely "classless" image. You can turn up anywhere in one and just fit in. I can't think of a single other car where you could meet the Queen in it at Buckingham Palace in the morning, then nip to Asda to get some Monster Munch for lunch, and finally end day parked outside you favourite pub or watering hole for a spot of light refreshment.
Along with the Spitfire, nothing sums up the "Best of British" quite as well as the Defender cool


(que the Elgar and drive off into the sunset........ ;-)

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
W123 etstate (in good order) does a good job of the classless role you describe.

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Garlick said:
W123 etstate (in good order) does a good job of the classless role you describe.
I'd like to see you take one through five feet of water though... wink