Fenda for every day?

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Originally Posted by the_prof

If you get a company car (Novated or not), LR will give you free scheduled servecing for 3 years on top of the 3 year warranty. So your maintenance costs should be minimal!

If you don't like it after the 3 years, you can always sell it for a good price, as the Defender keeps a pretty good value after 3 years compared to most other 4WDs.

Cheers,
the_prof

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Free servicing is part of the corprate partner deal isn't it? I understand it as your employee needs to be a certain size (gross turnover in $) and someone in the finance dept needs to approve the partnership, same deal for Jags.

I have had my LE 90 for 3 weeks now, novated lease, and was pretty happy when the dealer said I was going to get free servicing. I live in Hawthorn and travel to Orbost every 2 weeks for work. I love the 90 its a ball to drive in and out of the city. I cant get the grin off my face whenever I'm in it. Cruise control would be nice but I can add that anytime. It didnt take long to get used to the increased turning circle, my last car was a WRX and I have only found a couple car parks i cant get into.

It'll be the best motoring choice you ever make.
Keep in mind most people here are slightly biased, I know I am now.

Every time I drive the SVX my state of mind improves no end. I love driving it.
However I work as a courier and my daily drive is a Hilux. There is no way I'd drive the Defender for the driving I often have to do. Very tight parking spaces, the odd sneaky u-turn etc.

That said though, ten hours in the Hilux leaves me buggared, I have never felt sore after long stretches in the Defender.

I have a 2002 disco but it's got air bags in the rear coils usually running 20+pound for towing so she's as stiff as a deefer, rides on31i Maxis at on 16s and is the poverty pack manual (albeit v8). I love driving in and out to brisbane. 60k round. It always lightens my mood. I love changing gears and sitting up high. I love people yielding right of way. I much rather driving it than my Honda Accord Euro 2010 which as sedan is more comfy than many 100k Germans I have been in. Cheers

I'm not sure you're really going to find many people on this forum who are going to give you a negative view as we all love our Defenders completely and almost unconditionally....and despite how hard we might try, we'll find it hard to remove all bias from our opinions!

I think the best course of action would be to find somebody with a Puma and swap cars with them for a couple of days. As you say, a test drive from a dealership on the weekend is going to give you no indication of whether you're going to enjoy the daily commute in it.

Many of the comments have been about using a manual in traffic - I've personally never minded this - keeps me engaged in driving, but I suspect this is just a personal thing as I've never owned an automatic.

We'd all love to see another Defender on the roads so if it's right for you then I say go for it....but make sure you give it a decent test. You wouldn't tackle a water crossing without properly testing the depth, right?

Bobby

I do around 650kms/ week in my 2001 Defender, if you look past the spartan interior it isn't all that different than driving a range rover classic or discovery. Of course the driving position is different but it isn't hard to get used to.

I probably shouldn't talk though, in the last 6 years i have used cars like a '73 Datto 240z and '74 Alfa 105 GTV as daily drivers, so i must be insane. :bangin:

Further to my earlier comments, the only problems I have with my Defender is parallel parking and clearance in multi story car parks.
Kind regards... David

Yes I've never seen a finer example of gilding the lily... But it's working.

Maybe by the time the one below comes out it will have an auto and tdv6 or tdv8 and then a decision would be a no brainer!


www.carsales.com.au/news/2011/commercial/land-rover/defender/aims-land-rover-commits-to-21st-century-defender-25523

Or if you don't want to wait, there is a UK mob that do a tidy TdV6 conversion

The JE TDV6 Saluki | Defender

Probably work out not too bad with the current exchange rate :angel:

If only money wasn't an option!

I use my svx every day and have 52k on it, there has been 100 times i have decided to get rid of it ........bad turning circle, low clearance, bits fallin off....etc etc, but she's still there, it's like the girlfriend you tell yourself to break up with but there's just something about her that you would miss, and in this world of bland same old, same old cars the defender just gets under your skin.