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

Originally Posted by GlennWA

.......

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.

................

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


.... 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

Originally Posted by Ivan

Are the Patrol still 2 wheel drive on the highway?

Yes.

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

That's not rubbish, that's called fun

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 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.
.

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.