Yeah the puma engine/gearbox takes a bit of getting used to. It likes a relaxed driving style, but I've found I really like it.
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2nd seemed consistently notchy but that may have just been that example. Clutch took some getting used to in terms of bite point but I was reasonably impressed.
Rain and rocks in the wheel arches is very loud though!
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Yeah second in mine is notchy until it warms up. A brief pause in neutral and slow change makes all the difference. It becomes a habit. It's actually a very relaxed way to drive IME.
Agree wheel arch noise is a bit of an issue, but you get used to it. Rubber coatings sound like they can help, but I've never bothered. You dont hear it when loaded up of course.
I have a Puma and always wave. I to feel guilty if I happened to miss one because I was watching the road. When driving I even keep count of how many Defenders I see each day. On days when you don't see a fellow Defender driver on the road you feel as if you missed something.
Keep the wave going!:)
Cheers Brad
Agreed! I've been getting around in my series the last few days and I've gotten some good waves... missed getting a few returned too :(
To the comments about the puma g/box, yes i find 2nd a bit notchy until it warms up a little, but then again my R380 feels the same way. I really like the 6 speed, there is always the right gear for the job... although it's a pain around town sometimes.
Keep on waving!
My gear changes are all mechanically clunky sounding unless I'm ultra-careful, but the worst thing is if I'm rolling off from the lights or behind someone in a carpark, and they, being a hat driver, mobile phone user, person-next-to-them chatter etc, decide to accelerate at 10% of the normal speed.
I've gone through 1st gear and put it into 2nd, and then find myself not going anywhere thanks to them, and about 25% of the time end up bunnyhopping noisily.
I guess it's my own fault for not taking it out to its natural habitat more often - where there's no thoughtless drivers in front, behind, or anywhere for miles.
Have to admit though the first time we drove off the bitumen for the couple of kms to the farm my wife was way less than impressed that I had sold our Prado with all the gun shot sounds coming from under the brand new Defender.
As a result a week later I did get rhinoliner put under the wheel arches (as well as liberal coating of rust protection) and it made a difference.
But after a while even my wife got used to the noise. Drowns out the 8 and 6 yr olds fighting in the back!
Defenders everywhere :D we have just returned from the Sydney Land Rover Expo. May I say there were more defenders there than ever before.
Coming home was a different matter though:( we went past several defenders that I waved madly to with no waves back :mad: Maybe they can't see me from the passenger seat as HH leaves all the waving to me whilst driving. The nice stage 1 did look towards us though, maybe he was hanging on to the steering wheel to keep it straight :o had the defender beard as well :D
Mrs hh:angel:
We only spotted two on our return trip, one wave in return.....it was an ex-army TD5 Just like ours......although i doubt he would have known ours started out just like his.
Yes lots of defenders at Camden and a few waves when leaving.
Big wave from a white 110 Puma towing a trailer in Richmond this afternoon.
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