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Well, I reckon 95 300TDI 130 HCPU ticks all the right boxes.
But, my wife, and my kids refuse to drive it. It's a big step up from a car like a Mazda 2. It needs an awfull lot of reverse parking, watching out for height clearance (especially with one of those u-beaut rooftop tents!) and use of side mirrors.
If you don't mind that, then go for it!
Cheers,
Andy
Agreed on the parking, also visibility behind the tailgate. Surprisingly though I've parked mine next to GU Patrol wagons and they're about the same length if you include the spare tyre on the Nissan (and plenty of women drive them).
We have one, a 130 dual cab HCPU that is, it ticks all of our boxes, the egonomics fells bad bad when you start to drive it, but after a long trip I feel better getting out of it, than I did with the Commodore we had previously. My wife loves driving the 130, she reckons she is never getting rid of it, she uses it as her daily driver. We have a fibreglass canopy on the back of ours, shedloads of space in there.:)
Cheers, Mick.
SWMBO only drives mine very reluctantly, she really doesn't like it.
Her daily drive is a GU Patrol ute.
A Defender is much noisier than a Disco, (or a Patrol) its NVH levels are much higher and it will leak water and dust into the cab.
The turning circle of a 130 is also atrocious. This may be a large factor if you live and work in a city and is worse if you fit larger tyres (either wider or taller, unless you go to wider offset rims)
The heater and a/c aren't brilliant, although not too bad in the crew cab (less volume than a station wagon) but again a Nissan cremes a defender in these areas.
Ventilation is brilliant in a Defender, a Patrol is quite bad in this area.
The windscreen vents are fan-bloody-tastic IMO but the downside is the inevitable chilly draughts in winter.
I'd drive one first to see if you can get on with it.
Some of us will drive nothing else, I find the driving position supremely comfortable on a trip, to me it's much better than the Patrol and I climb out without the aches and pains and numbness I get when driving the Nissan (IMO Patrol seats are flat and shapeless with little support) but some just can't cope with the shortcomings of living with a Defender.
That isn't a criticism, just an acknowledgement that we are all different.
I love mine to bits! I dont think I would ever want anything different! I have found it to be great for camping and offroading, the turning circle can be a bit of a pain, as is parking at shopping centers. It is good on the fuel. I think the heater works great, but the air con!!!!!!!! I think the widows down and the window flaps open works much better! I find it to be very comfortable and easy to drive. I have noticed that going through deep water, the water comes in pretty quick, but on the upside it drains quick to even when I dont open the door to let it out :eek:
So far mine has taken anything thrown at it. My cruiser and pootrol owning mates used to hang it on me, but after awhile even they admit it a good 4x4.
As others have pointed out, If the in cab ergonomics, shear size and height don't bother you go for it. Make a great touring truck. We almost purchased the 130 twice now. The in cab ergonomics and size of the truck in a parking lot put my wife off a little as we frequently travel to Sydney.
On running gear, I recon the Td5,R380,LT230 & Sals rear end were the pick of the latter Landy's.
This would be the combo that I am looking at :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rangier Rover
Mate i love mine, but the missus hates it. but when we go on trips she always comes home saying we will never ever sell it, (she won't take her nice disco where we take the 130). They certainly are the best touring truck.
Was there any more problems with the TD5's from different years.. I am starting to see a few 2000-01 models for sale. For around the 20g mark. Look like they could be the go