Help - Wife wants a Patrol, I am heart struck on Defender

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Originally Posted by scarry

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Visibility over the bonnet in the patrol is definitely worse than the Deefer.

the last one they had was recently involved in a massive head on accident with a Patrol of the same vintage,'06.

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I forgot about that one Paul, ours hasn't done any four wheel driving for so long you do forget little things like that.

The Patrol bonnet makes placing the vehicle a bit of a suck it and see exercise off road.
We only used ours off road years ago back on the farm and only because I knew what was where could I safely drop off into creeks or over the edges of seeming cliffs.

The other thing that surprised me and caught me out was the better ramp over angle of the Defender vs the Patrol, and I have a 130 which isn't great compared to a 110.

When traversing contour drains, large earth contour banks all over the hillsides of the farm to direct and channel water, I'd regularly get hung up with the Patrol in spots I'd walk the Defender clean over.

We only ever had one warranty problem with the GU, the fuel transfer pump for the second tank failed, which Nissan replaced promptly (after three hours of diagnosis, which was after I'd already metered the pump and told their auto eleccy it was open circuit and cactus :rolleyes:)
It has been a fantastic vehicle, even better than her previous GQ which was also bought new.

Having said that, I'll be driving the Defender forever I reckon, even if we end up having to repower it with a hybrid or hydrogen engine.

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Originally Posted by GlennWA

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My wife has fallen in love with the patrol. Comfort, car like seating, roomy driving position although she acknowledges the mirrors are better in Defender. Big point with the wife is that we both have to reach over to the gear stick whereas the nissan's is in a more natural position.

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I would imagine that you have answered the problem in this para yourself... :angel:


.... have you posed the same questions on a patrol site ?? :)

I went for a 200km trip in a GU Patrol 3.0 TD on Saturday. I was the rear seat passenger. Fortunately, we stopped often to take pics,

I'd have to say I'd I would absolutely hate to be a passenger in one on any sort of longish trip. With the front passenger seat forward to give me some legroom, the front passenger bashed his knees on the dash. With it back a bit I had to sit sideways to get room for my feet. Also there is no support under the thighs. All one gets is one's backside on the seat with one's knees in the air. I suspect the seats are designed for children.

I'm not tall, only 1.8m and only wear a size 10 shoe.

I was surprised how quickly it lost speed up hills. For those that know the Great Western Hwy at Emu Plains (Sydney), where I can be still powering up the 90km/h section at 110km/h in the P38A, the Patrol was down to 70 and slowing. My 300Tdi Disco used to do a lot better than that up the same hill.

Wait. I just remembered, the Patrol had bigger tyres so that would have altered the gearing.

Re front seating, my old County was quite comfortable on a trip - I could hop out after a few hundred km without a back problem - I can't on the Rangie. However, I could never get used to my arm being against the door frame. My arm would ache from the cold in winter.

Are the Patrol still 2 wheel drive on the highway? The 2001 GU I had (2 wheel drive on tarmac) was absolutely rubbish in the wet (had brand new BFG All Terrain Tyres fitted). I lost the back end a few times when gently accelerating in the wet. Much prefer my Disco with constant 4WD.


Ivan

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Originally Posted by Ivan

Are the Patrol still 2 wheel drive on the highway?

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Yes.

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Originally Posted by Ivan

Are the Patrol still 2 wheel drive on the highway? The 2001 GU I had (2 wheel drive on tarmac) was absolutely rubbish in the wet (had brand new BFG All Terrain Tyres fitted). I lost the back end a few times when gently accelerating in the wet. Much prefer my Disco with constant 4WD.


Ivan

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That's not rubbish, that's called fun :angel:

BTW, it's the same on dirt, the Deefer is much quicker/more sure footed on loose surfaces.
Part of that is due to the Patrol's excellent LSD in the rear which can provoke the back end, possibly the best factory fitted LSD in a 4WD.

Rick

Totally agree fun :p but needs to be in the right place, not trying to pull away from a roundabout in two lanes of traffic.


Ivan

Compared with the Patrols two wheel drive, Defender's strongest safety point is that it's all wheel drive with it's inherent road holding capabilities. :angel:
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Do what we did ... we have a family car that Mrs Rocker drives 80% of the time - a Subaru Liberty RX AWD wagon - and I drive a County as my daily driver. If you really want a Landy between the two of you - you'll have to make your sales pitch better than the other blokes. :)

P.S My wife won't drive the County ... freaks her out.

Tiki.

Just spoke to a mate who recently did an outback tour in his Land Cruiser and his FIL in a newish Patrol. The patrol did a fuel pump. Replacement cost was $4000 :eek:

Please tell me a Puma fuel pump isn't that much?!