Thread: Picking up my 110 new Puma tomorrow excited!!!

Mine came with LR side rail steps, great for wifey to get in and to fend off car doors in shop car parks

I bought an ARB winch bar at the Sydney Caravan and Camping Show for about half what the Land Rover cost. Fitted it myself, but nearly did a back injury, so may not do that again. Also fitted more power sockets, never have too many.

I will be changing the steering wheel soon as I did in my TDi and it was great.

Jeff

Originally Posted by Jeff

Mine came with LR side rail steps, great for wifey to get in and to fend off car doors in shop car parks

I bought an ARB winch bar at the Sydney Caravan and Camping Show for about half what the Land Rover cost. Fitted it myself, but nearly did a back injury, so may not do that again. Also fitted more power sockets, never have too many.

I will be changing the steering wheel soon as I did in my TDi and it was great.

Jeff

I quite like the steering wheel in mine, mine has the leather seats so I am not sure the steering wheel is the same, is mine the same steering wheel as yours?
Chris

Originally Posted by cafe latte

I quite like the steering wheel in mine, mine has the leather seats so I am not sure the steering wheel is the same, is mine the same steering wheel as yours?
Chris

After using the small one I find it too large, my hands hit the dash and forearms hit the centre bit. I think your wheel covering is the only difference, but there is a different one I saw at the dealer.

Jeff

Originally Posted by cafe latte

Thanks guys, I am very happy with it, part of me wishes I had bought one years ago, but then I would not have this new one now
I am thinking of getting a factory bull bar at the first service unless you guys think there is a better option?
Anyone know how much the side steps are? The inlaws will have big problems getting in without them. Hmm now is that a bad thing or a good thing..
I need a draw set up for the back, not sure if I should buy something or build something, I am really good with wood, but I would rather something light, maybe aluminium.
Another bonus of getting the Land Rover is finding this great friendly forum such place are rare.
Cheers
Chris

Re. drawers, we considered making our own, but ended up buying the Off Road Systems aluminium ones, which are light but very strong. They have one specifically for Defenders and it can be had in a couple of configurations. Excellent quality. Quietened the rear down too.
http://www.offroadsystems.com.au/pri..._Defender.html


I strong recommend a rear wheel carrier for the back door ASAP as it will avoid the door rattling and eventually warping under the weight of the wheel. We chose Mantec but there are several around. We imported ours directly, but Mulgo and APT also have them. The Mantec one we got just bolts up to holes in the rear bar, plus you drill out some rivets and slide bolts through the body. It opens in one movement with the rear door.
We added a rear door stay at the same time, also Mantec, to keep it open on slopes.
Very happy with both.
http://www.mantec.co.uk/products.cfm...913F2CF6407969


Ours came with an ARB bulbar already fitted. Seems super strong. I banged a tree with it in the bush one day and nothing happened, except the tree was dented.

Re side runners. Fitted LR ones to mine. The next day a bloke trashed the front of his astra, backing out of the space next to me. Not a mark in my runners. I hadn't intended to fit them but wife insisted. Lucky she did.
On the seats. My back has injuries from top to bottom, but I drove it from Rainbow beach to home in 16 hours, with no ill effect, and my little bloke next to me didn't complain once.
On the steering wheel. I elbowed myself in the ribs a few times until I adjusted the way I use it.
I like my ARB Bar too. Others look better but don't offer as much protection.

Originally Posted by cafe latte

I was actually quite worried it would be a worse sitting position, just about my only worry related to the car, but as it turns out I had no need to worry it is a joy to drive. I have two discs low down that are very thin, that have collapsed straight and have not bulged out. Apart pain of a wrong sitting position due to the thin discs I get a numb area lower right back after maybe half an hour of driving that gets more and more annoying, then pain. Non of this happens in the Defender. I wonder how many people with good backs actually suffer back pain in the unnatural sitting position in normal cars?
Chris

Originally Posted by cafe latte

I was actually quite worried it would be a worse sitting position, just about my only worry related to the car, but as it turns out I had no need to worry it is a joy to drive. I have two discs low down that are very thin, that have collapsed straight and have not bulged out. Apart pain of a wrong sitting position due to the thin discs I get a numb area lower right back after maybe half an hour of driving that gets more and more annoying, then pain. Non of this happens in the Defender. I wonder how many people with good backs actually suffer back pain in the unnatural sitting position in normal cars?
Chris

Hi Chris, congrats and welcome to the Defender world. Last night i dropped some friends home and they all of course commented enthusiastically on my Defender...and how they love the seating position. I agreewith you, it is the best seating position!

...I've driven Toyotas for work for years across northern Australia and ALWAYS had a sore back at the end of a long drive! Also from other cars with slouching armchair type seats and no firm lumbar support. This is a hugely underrated design issue that Defender has had right for decades. I'm on track for 50,000 km per year in my Defender and i agree, never have a sore back after a long drive. The upright seating position is also the best for visibility.

Hope you enjoy many a trouble free journey in your new Defender! I like the keswick green too, but i still love the many moods of my Indus silver.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Hi Chris, congrats and welcome to the Defender world. Last night i dropped some friends home and they all of course commented enthusiastically on my Defender...and how they love the seating position. I agreewith you, it is the best seating position!

...I've driven Toyotas for work for years across northern Australia and ALWAYS had a sore back at the end of a long drive! Also from other cars with slouching armchair type seats and no firm lumbar support. This is a hugely underrated design issue that Defender has had right for decades. I'm on track for 50,000 km per year in my Defender and i agree, never have a sore back after a long drive. The upright seating position is also the best for visibility.

Hope you enjoy many a trouble free journey in your new Defender! I like the keswick green too, but i still love the many moods of my Indus silver.

Wow, 50,000 a year!! How many km do you have on your Puma now?
Is yours the 2.2 also?
Cheers
Chris

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Hi Chris, congrats and welcome to the Defender world. Last night i dropped some friends home and they all of course commented enthusiastically on my Defender...and how they love the seating position. I agreewith you, it is the best seating position!

...I've driven Toyotas for work for years across northern Australia and ALWAYS had a sore back at the end of a long drive! Also from other cars with slouching armchair type seats and no firm lumbar support. This is a hugely underrated design issue that Defender has had right for decades. I'm on track for 50,000 km per year in my Defender and i agree, never have a sore back after a long drive. The upright seating position is also the best for visibility.

Hope you enjoy many a trouble free journey in your new Defender! I like the keswick green too, but i still love the many moods of my Indus silver.

I agree, the seats are very supportive and I think their uprightedness is an advantage.
I find the same thing with beds - many mattresses are too soft and let the body bend excessively, causing aches.
We learnt this when living in Thailand where most beds are much firmer than we were used to here. At first we were a bit wary of them, but learned to prefer them to soft mattresses. Our camper trailer mattress is quite firm and I like it.


Incidentally, very sad to see one of the women injured in the explosion has died. Must be a really tough time in Ravenshoe right now. Thoughts and prayers to everyone concerned.