Thread: 2016 'Defender'

On our trip to the Cape yast year, I kept an eye out for Defenders everywhere we went and came across this fella trying his luck at Nolans.... He just didn't quite make it out the other side, but no damage done to my knowledge, just a swimming pool in the back of his Defender

Can't say the same for all those other cars that were parked on the northside of Nolans drying out....

Originally Posted by YOLO110

As a matter of interest, how much water came into the cabin during that crossing? If significant, was it over the seat base level?

Not really significant, maybe an inch or two. The flow rate of water that gets through the door seals mean you'd have to be in there for a fair while for it to get up to the seats. The battery box is another matter though, a small volume with big holes in it - it got very wet. Same with the engine bay.

Originally Posted by Dervish

Not really significant, maybe an inch or two. The flow rate of water that gets through the door seals mean you'd have to be in there for a fair while for it to get up to the seats. The battery box is another matter though, a small volume with big holes in it - it got very wet. Same with the engine bay.

Yeah in my little floodwater adventure water got into the battery box. water level mark still there today! But no issue!

Originally Posted by tact

Yeah in my little floodwater adventure water got into the battery box. water level mark still there today! But no issue!

I reckon you were pretty lucky tact. How about under drivers seat electrics?

Originally Posted by MrLandy

I reckon you were pretty lucky tact. How about under drivers seat electrics?

Luck had nothing to do with it.

Under driver seat barely a drop.

After working on Land Rover for what feels like two lifetimes....

New 2.4lt, 2.2lt Defender Puma models has made me come back to being a big Defender fan. Bluntly a Defender over the years has been a hodge-bodge of a vehicle, "oh we have a new engine, lets stick that in" "oh we have abs" etc etc. I find working on any Defender puma far better (read easier), doing a clutch on a puma is the easiest clutch to ever do on any Land Rover. Yet the clutch pedal assembly remains the same crap since the 60's.

Im in thought to either buy a Defender before the end of the year at around $53K drive away or a Wrangler Unlimited (Jeep word for 4 door wagon) diesel auto for round $42K drive away.... both great vehicles and Id prolly say a Defender is ........ more refined (yes two words never seen together (Defender, refined)).


or buy a Ford Ranger 3.2lt TDCi (puma) for round $43K drive away.... (ohhhhh I thought I would end with a joke and a laugh there).

Regards
Daz

P.S I do a lot of water proofing work to the Defender puma models, the electrics/electronics are far more reliable than any Disco 3/4, RRS, RR

With the Defender 200 tdi I kept a door key in the engine department and a spare ignition key hidden inside. With the Puma it's not as easy. On my hillwalking trips I leave the main ignition key and fob hidden in the Defender and close/open with a spare set.
The work vehicles my employer uses (Renault Kangoo) have a habit of self locking if the key is left in the ignition in the off position and the driver's door closed. I always remove it just to avoid this. There is nothing in the handbook about this.
Was speaking to a driver of a heavily laden 130 Puma. Said he was given a choice of vehicle to pick by his employer. Settled on the Puma 130 as it was the only vehicle available that could be legally loaded to the required weight. He would have loved a Toyota but it was not up the the Defender's load carrying ability.
I spoke to contractors who were using td5's, the then current Defender, who could not praise the vehicle highly enough for it's ability in the rough and how it could be pushed so hard and give so much day in day out.I could have grown spuds in the muck that had gathered in the footwells. Sadly people who want a tough hardworking no frills vehicle are a minority and probably do not feature highly on L'R's future clientele for the new Defender.
People have said to both my wife and I how that they would like a Defender but it would be too hard to drive and park etc. Once given a ride in the Defender they soon change their minds.
Defender has an image of being a tough vehicle that is tough on the driver.The Puma is a wonderfully drver friendly vehicle - compared to previous Defender incarnations. The Range Rover, Discovery, Freelander etc have an image of being designed to be driver/passenger friendly so sell to the average motorist wanting something different. The Defender sells to halfwits like me who would not drive or could not live with anything else.
I have a cubbybox with two fold away cupholders screwed to the back of it in the 2008 Puma and the wife and kids this is a great idea. Yep they are easily pleased too.
The next Defender will no doubt have built in cupholders and lots of other customer friendly stuff, which is the market where the money is.
There are just not enough halfwits like me around to justify a spartan Defender when the new model arrives. People expect their car to have lots of gadgets otherwise they feel cheated. I look at the interior of my Pumas and smile like the halfwit I am. Nothing there that doesn't need to be, well except for two screwed on cupholders. Now that's class. Land Rover take note.
DEFENDER2.NET - View topic - cupholders

Originally Posted by loneranger

I'd start with price for Wranglers. Just had a look the 2 door is under $40,000 driveaway. Personally I don't mind the look but I've never driven one and would never buy one.

The other reason is marketing. When was the last time you saw Land Rover advertising the Defender. I can't recall ever seeing a Defender add on TV. Even when they advertise their end of calendar year, financial year sales the Defender is never advertised. Whereas you'll see the Wrangler advertised all the time and its also used in ads for other companies generally with 4 young people in it, the top down and water in the back ground with the sun shining.

EXACTLY! When I first took mine for a test drive the salesman kept pointing out the negatives.Noise,gear change,Lack of power.I just kept on smiling and driving.My experience was love at first sight.I don't think Land rover(or at least their salespeople) think they're any good!You either love 'em or hate 'em