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Exactly Didge. If Land Rover had been less arrogant about quality control and customer service since the 80's, Defender would still be the vehicle of choice right across working Australia and a redesigned version would already be here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Didge
The grass is greener?
Land Rover is still the 'Toyota recovery vehicle' :D ...isn't it?
Neil, I love my old Defender that is still easily on its first set of all round mechanicals; no new gearboxes, transfer case, diffs, motor and its still relatively young at 250,000km. I just can't comprehend why some people think it is in any way acceptable to need a new diff is normal after 20,000km. Now, whilst the new car owner may not think its acceptable, the design and marketing boffins at LR obviously have in the past because they appear to have downgraded from the strength of the Salisbury and old LR diffs to the newer Ford designs (yes, I stand to be corrected on that one - all hearsay and from memory). If anything, they should have looked to improve on the Salisbury reputation and looked at adding in front and rear diff locks as standard instead of letting the Japs romp away with the lions share of the market.
After the WW2, a fellow by the name of Edwards Deming took the concept of total quality control/ management to the USA car industry. "We don't need it" they replied because "we've got the car market sown up here at home". So he took it to the Japs who embraced it with open arms and have since dominated the car and vehicle markets - yes others are starting to encroach with cheaper prices and long warranties. Obviously, LR, to their own demise, adopted the same attitude as the Yanks. If LR can produce body panels for Discos and RR's that actually match each other and are dimensionally consistent across thousands of products, why don't they do the same for the workhorse of their product line?
Because they haven't been seriously interested in the workhorse market for many years now. All focus has been on the luxury urban markets. ...which is why I remain unconvinced that a 'new' model defender will be a workhorse. I fear it will be an FJ cruiser type nostalgia vehicle.
Hey Didge,Quote:
Originally Posted by Didge
Thats a really good run you write up there about your vehicle. It goes against the "popular wisdom", right or wrong, that Landies are unreliable.
And I certainly don't disagree with you - people should not think it acceptable to need a new diff or gearbox after 20,000km.
Before I made my buying decision I did note there were examples just like your's, of people having good runs with new TDCi's. The belief that there would be no arguments about getting warranty work done, if it were needed, just made the risk acceptable (in my eyes). I'd still be pretty annoyed if I had to leave my vehicle with LR for several weeks because of some mechanical fail. So far, so good.
...I'll never part with my old Defender. 1998 Tdi 320,000 km, all original engine,gearbox,diffs, etc. despite years of hard work in remote central and northern Australia. The interior is perennially red dust in the corners, aircon gone long ago and all pretty rattly now and noisy for long runs, hence my 2014 Defender, which is just as awesome so far, touchwood. I wouldn't drive anything else.
I'm secretly plotting to maybe jump into a new (read current) Defender when some people jump into the new one - in whatever guise it comes. People will do that so I'm hoping to pounce :D
Haha that's probably the go! Let the first owner take it through any warranty pain, then when it's all sorted, just out of warranty, and the first owner wants to sell off to get the "new" 2018/19 defender.....scoop that low mileage 2014/15 model up!Quote:
Originally Posted by Didge
Not for me though. Am pretty much decided that my 2013 dual cab is the last vehicle I will ever buy (for myself)
Oh Didge, I like your confidence, but I would be a bit worried about prices of current model Defenders in 3 years time...already there are Defenders with 100,000K on the clock being advertised for $50,000+! I think your tactic might work if the new model is AWESOME, but if it's a nostalgia city vehicle they come up with I reckon current models will keep rising in price. I jumped for a 2014 model at a great price for this reason. ...Of course it's hard to know how long the price spike will last and I would be happy to be proven wrong!Quote:
Originally Posted by Didge