Thread: Defender V's Hilux

Originally Posted by dullbird

I would have a D3/D4 in a heart beat.

They are great off road no doubt but from an outsiders view they look like a high maintenance vehicle. I'd only ever own one for the first 5 years, after that it would be someone else's problem. I'm getting sick of this expectation from the motoring world that I need a new car every 5 years though. I'm working on setting myself up for long term minimal vehicle turnover.

As for the Defender Vs Hilux question. Does a Hilux bring out this in you? If you don't care sell the Fender and get a Japanese truck.

Toyota's have no soul also.

I love that add and i couldnt agree more. I have no desire to own a tupperware 4wd like the current crop. The toyotas have no soul but they are at least reliable. I love my old landys but its a love / hate relationship at times. I need something reliable as a work truck.

Beware of the latest Hiluxes it doesn't take much to badly bend things in the front end.
On the Burrup Peninsula we have a ledge know as the jump up locally a lot of people think its an incredible obstacle.
I work with a friend sometimes in a wheel alignment shop and the number of Hiluxes that come in with bent up front ends (some costing over $2000 to fix) from just one trip up it is amazing.
The jump up is not an obstacle to a Land Rover nor do they bend on it

Originally Posted by Benz

what ever you do don't let him watch the Dakar Rally...

a hilux is doing very well at the moment (considering the car has a fraction of the funding of say the minis in the race)...

And which of the many vehicles in the Dakar Rally bears any resemblance to the vehicle you drive off the showroon floor?

The Bowler Wildcats (as seen on occasions on Top Gear)that compete on the Dakar use a combination of standard Defender and D2 parts. The chassis is a space frame but all the driveline is Landrover. I had one when I was living in the UK and the only breakage I had over 3 years of competition was a standard R380 gearbox. I did have a 5.2 John Eales Rover in front though!!
Some of the years the Bowlers had the highest percentage of any manufacturer of finishers in the Dakar.
They are no longer made by Bowler but now by QT Services. Have look at their website for some interesting stuff: http://www.qtwildcat.co.uk/
Drew Bowler now makes the Nemesis which is based Rangerover Sport. Check out their website Bowler Offroad Ltd

Originally Posted by discojools

....The chassis is a space frame but all the driveline is Landrover.


... standard R380 gearbox. I did have a 5.2 John Eales Rover in front though!!

Did you race the Dakar?

I would bet than none of the Dakar vehicles have standard rover components, apart from diff housings, LT230s and possibly gearboxes.

All the internals of the axle housings would be aftermarket. The engines would be non standard (e.g. 5.2). There is a company (Rakeway?) that makes custom gearboxes that look like an R380.

The only "race strength" component in a landie is the LT230, but even that needs the centre diff upgraded.

Our company has now made a permanent decision to move away from Toyota based on the perception that, while they've still got tough engines, they just can't deliver on their drive lines and suspension any more. Toyota screams abuse every time you have anything wrong with their new vehicles and their spares prices are starting to be exorbitant.

The simple commercial decision was that a mine-spec Holden Colorado will cost you so much less than the equivalent Hilux over an expected lifespan of 4 years that you can operate 1.6 Colorados over the period for the price of 1 Hilux. Our parent company being interested in the bottom line alone is not affected by opinion or loyalty, but purely in the best value for their money. This is obviously a bitter pill to swallow for the die-hard Toyota fans...