Thread: Fenda for every day?

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.

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

If only money wasn't an option!