Talk me into a Deefer vs a JK Unlimited

Hi Frank
I shall probably upset a few people now, but you pose an interesting question and I've enjoyed reading some of the insightful responses. I don't know that I can really contribute to your decision, but as n plus one said if load carrying capacity is an important concern, then there is no choice to make unless you are prepared to compromise that for other attributes and find a workaround.

That said, I currently have 2 Landys, the Disco and the 110 County. They are my 2nd and 6th Land Rovers respectively. During this time I have had 2 TJ Wranglers. One mostly stock, the other I modded into a rock crawler and I miss it every day.

The County is not a Puma Defender, the TJ not a JK Unlimited, but there are broad comparisons. The reason I had both is because I love them both for different reasons and for what they are. I understand the passion the drives the "if you have to ask/it chooses you" arguments, but you will find people of other persuasions saying the same thing on fora devoted to Commodores or Falcons et al and certainly over at Ausjeep (yes, I'm a member there too), so to a certain extent, they are irrelevant in your choice. I found the folks at Asujeep every bit as passionate, helpful and knowledgable as those on AULRO, and for the record, Jeep drivers wave quit a bit - usually to similar models, much like Landy owners - and so far with the County I haven't had a good "wave" rate apart from people I know...

I would have my TJ back in a heartbeat, and if I had the money I would have JK Unlimited. I like how they look, I like how a Defender looks but I would want each for differing reasons. I sold my Jeep because at the time something had to go and TJ wasn't the best for carting 2 adults and 2 kids around in and expecting to carry much else. But it had a soft top - and I love soft tops - and I don't understand why the JK drivers persist with the hardtop as most come with both.

The JK certainly will not give you the loadspace and capacity the Defender can. How regularly will you need that capacity? Can you trim your camping gear to suit the Jeep, given it might offer you all you're looking for the rest of the year (the auto trans if you want it, the fuel economy and so on). If not then your choice is the Deefer and the rewards of owning that will be similar, community, capability, individuality - at least in comparison to the Japanese offerings. Each will reward and disappoint for different reasons, at different times.

Each have there fortes and foibles, the same as any other car, my D2 is a prime example of (my) perseverance :p.

Decide what your "deciding factor" is, toss a coin and if you really wish it was "heads" not "tails", that's your heart telling you to tread the other path.

Cheers & good luck
Mike

Hi Frank,

Obviously a very emotive topic...

I actually very much disagree with some of the members about the stock ability of the 2 vehicles. Obviously wheel base differences will profoundly affect the application of the vehicle and if it's load carrying your after there is absolutely nothing that touches the 110 and 130. As Carlosbeldia wrote, there is actually no comparison in absorbing road abuse either.

I'm a 90 advocate as it says in my signature and with a very cheap option of bog standard HD springs in the rear I have toured on 10+ week expeditions carrying all the required gear for 2 people (younger people than these days I have to admit!). However...

Take all that gear out of the car you have by a country mile the best stock standard 4x4 under $60K available today. There is a saying in Land Rover circles that if a stock 90 can't go somewhere no stock vehicle would be able to get there. This have become doubly true with the advent of traction control on Defenders.

Cheers,

Lou

Really appreciate the input from all. I'm thinking a 110 will suit my needs most.

Here's a test of the Land Rover community. Are there any Deefa owners on the Gold Coast keen to let me come over and have sit in their car?

I'm keen to understand what the driving position will be like for the daily commute.

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Originally Posted by Frank_Grimes

Really appreciate the input from all. I'm thinking a 110 will suit my needs most.

Here's a test of the Land Rover community. Are there any Deefa owners on the Gold Coast keen to let me come over and have sit in their car?

I'm keen to understand what the driving position will be like for the daily commute.

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This will be interesting. Defenders are one of the most uncomfortable vehicles around for the first 10 seconds yet the most comfortable for 10 hours...

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Originally Posted by the_preacher1973

This will be interesting. Defenders are one of the most uncomfortable vehicles around for the first 10 seconds yet the most comfortable for 10 hours...

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I would agree with that, 2011 Christmas the wife and I traveled from Townsville to Frasier Island and back then Townsville to Sydney 4 days later and you just don't get sore in a defender.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

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Originally Posted by Frank_Grimes

it's just the sensible part of me (and my girlfriend) needs to be sure that I've ticked all the right boxes as far as functionality goes.

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Hmm...Sensible.
Whilst I don't own a Defender, I do own a nice D2 (no you can't have it, it's mine! :p )
My other car is a toyota echo.
Sensible option for me is to drive the echo to uni and back each day. Keeps the fuel costs low, it's comfortable, reasonably zippy, and it does the job admirably.
Today I stepped back into my D2 after a month off the road. I worked through the freezing rain to put it back together, killed my arms and froze my fingers filling it with fuel from a jerry can, packed the tools into it and some spare coolant just in case.
Got in, turned the key and let the engine warm up, remembered that it wallows a bit more, the ride is pretty harsh, the leather seats are like slabs of ice, and then hit the road.
And I loved every damn second of it, it truly is a pleasure to drive.
So while it's a very good idea to be sensible, if you're going to end up mucking around in the freezing cold rain just to get your fix to drive it, sensible don't enter into the equation :p
Sometimes, you just have to pick what you want :)
Best of luck with your choice, hopefully we'll see you in a 110 :cool:

For the love of god give it a rest, come over to the west sit in my 110 and we can talk it over a bottle of honest red, then rush out and buy anything.

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Originally Posted by Carlos

For the love of god give it a rest, come over to the west sit in my 110 and we can talk it over a bottle of honest red, then rush out and buy anything.

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Carlos, that's absolute gold! :D:D:D
Cheers
Mike

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Originally Posted by Frank_Grimes

This is something that I hadn't actually considered, but has probably been an issue in the past, as I'm pretty sure I've overloaded my XJ Cherokee with camping gear, in and on top.

The 110 Defender scores seriously there with it's payload.

On the offroad matter - what sort of manually activated lockers are available for the 110?

From what I've read there are the following:

• Ashcroft Air Lockers - are these the same type as ARB, with the (sometimes) dodgy actuator that involves pumping air into the housing?
• TJM Pro Locker - would be my preference, but I'm not sure if they make one specific to the 110 Defender
• ARB Air Lockers - everyone I know who has had these has had trouble. Relatively minor trouble, but trouble still.

Any other options?

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With the older defenders they had a rear Salisbury diff (metric dana 60)that you can fit hy-tuff axles and a Detroit locker( cheaper direct from u.s). Another option is jac McNamara lockers/diffs but can have limited supply.

Given the cumulative number of km over say 4 yrs, l'd buy a small 4 cyl auto for the commute and a 4wd for play... the increased running costs of ahigh mileage 4wd vs small 4 cyl commuter would make this a better proposition.... FWIW;)