Thread: Thinking of getting a current Defender - honest feedback / advice needed

Great car for touring but I would be inclined to wait for the newer defender due out with the improved traction control.

Otherwise get an 10/11 model year and most quirks should be ironed out.

it will be a big improvement on your TD5 fender that you had but I'm not sure you will enjoy it over the comfort of your disco...I guess it will depend on whether you ultimately prefer a fender over a disco anyway.

As DB says, a great tourer but I have several customers who have expressed annoyance over build quality and niggling faults that they are frustrated with after shelling out $60k. Door leaks, roof leaks, rust on bulkhead INSIDE, poor paint finish, leaks into rear of cab in a 130, loose suspension components and even a loose (Dangerously so) wheel bearing that on a 200km old vehicle failed a roadworthy Agreed some of the above are responsibility of pre delivery etc, but nonetheless frustrating. This includes '08 and '09/'10 models.

I love driving them, and overall they are an improvement in the previous model.

Just don't expect a quantum leap in finish and fit.


I don't own one, but work on them, drive them, and talk to the owners a fair bit. Some have had LR's all their adult life.


JC

I have been lucky (?) with mine and not had any issues, unlike a few others. But, mine has been left bog standard, the only addition being a Mantec Snorkel. No suspension mods, no lifts, no fat tyres, nothing.

LR replaced the rear diff as it was a general recall item on the 07 models I believe, and my CD player kept skipping tracks so they gave me a new one.

HUGE improvement in drivability over my TD5. 6 speed box is excellent. Much quieter. Engine is like a chipped TD5

Fit and finish are no better/worse then TD5. Up the usual Defender standard, or lack thereof.

HTH
David

would not buy one, i couldn't trust it out west, i no people have taken them out there, but when we have pumas come in for service, there isent just a straight service, there is a list of complaints,

more have a list then ones that dont buy far

wev had one customer trade a sorted td5 in on a puma, hes now asking for the td5 back,

I drive one in a remote region, I've driven it around Australia.
Would I do it again? Most definitely!
Are there problems? Yes, but talk to people with new Toyotas, Nissans, Jeeps,...
Have I had any major faults? No.
Have others had problems? Yes.

Swapping from a Tdi Defender to the Puma every day or so is a big difference in driving. The Puma is a great touring vehicle and much better as a daily drive than the Tdi.

I have a 110HCPU MY10 with just on 18,000kms on it. I have taken it to remote areas. Longest road trip has been Adelaide - Brisbane - Adelaide. I have not had any problem whatsoever with the vehicle (no squeaks, rattles, untoward behaviour - nothing). I had Sovereign Motors in Adelaide go over it when they seviced it at 12,000kms and they could find no issues. It had used about 3/4ltr of oil at that stage.
I LIKE my Landy a lot!!

My son has one,& it has never had an issue.Fit & finish is poor,but that's a defender

What i notice when driving it is how much smoother the engine is than the TD5 D2
It is also surprisingly comfortable.

Umm,also get lots of waves from other defender drivers wherever you go

Don't do it for a number of reasons.

I'll share my experiences:

• I have had to see the dealer every six months or 12,000 kms whichever comes first for the last two and a bit years......nasty.
• Furthermore I've had to be careful not to suffer from hypothermia with the temperature dial set in the blue area.
• The worst part is that I can hear myself thinking at 110km.....and what I am thinking is: "I must not exceed the speed limit".
• Off road l forget to use the accelerator and the CDL and still seem to go forwards. I miss getting stuck.

Sure there have been a couple of things go amiss but I come from a low base: I used to own an Alfa Romeo.