Thread: Troglodytes

I guess I'll start this off...
My land rover is a vehicle that both gets me to places that are off the beaten track, and also is a vehicle through which I can learn new skills, and develop my own knowledge about the car, and modify it as a showcase of what I'm capable of.
While I don't flee to the hills (and my troglodite cave) whenever I get the chence, oftentimes I'm working on the car to make it more unique.

As far as the culture side of things, Its a good aspect of the brand, and one that I enjoy. It's different, definately quirky, and the owners tend to stick together. I like that I can spark a conversation with someone who has a defender, and throw a wave at them, and chances are they are on the sme page as myself.

As for the 'space ships' of other models, all I can say is would I drive one? Heck yes. Would I love it as much as the dirty old deefer, probably not. I guess I'm at the life stage where my idea of adventure is to get out there underprepared and have a blast from what I can discover and overcome, rather than just travel in the lap of luxury and not experience any kind of hardship. Ask me the same question in 30 years, and I'll probably be driving a 800 series landcruiser or Discovery 17- complete with 8G internet and holographic dash-mounted tour guide for a running commentary of the french line, which is a completely sealed road

Those with a series vehicle or a Defender certainly get back to nature owning one that's for sure! If it rains, nature pours into the foot wells or drips on your head. You also get the nature experience as you spend time fixing your vehicle on the roadside or backyard or waiting for the tow truck.

Please note the above comments are made purely in jest and the above mentioned vehicles to my knowledge, are totally reliable and watertight.

I own my Defender because I like Defenders. I try not to over think it too much otherwise I might cross over to the dark side and purchase a Discovery Sport!

The Defender. It's useful, which it what the Wilkes brothers planned it to be.

It will take me to and from more or less anywhere. It'll carry or tow pretty much anything I need to move. It'll do it in a style that is completely at home whether that be outside Buckingham Palace, in a farm yard or wading through water. Clean or filthy it's accepted everywhere.

Above all it's one of the very few vehicles (perhaps the VW camper does it too) that promotes friendship. Someone calculated, I know not how, that the first vehicle a third of the world's population see is a Land Rover Defender.

Mine has taken my wife and I all around Australia, and before that in the UK, it was used to help plant a forest, move everything from rocks to musical instruments, rescue people from floods, drag out bushes and climb mountains in Wales. The cherry on the cake was meeting new people who wanted to tell us their Land Rover stories.

A Defender opens doors! Try that in an anonymous jelly-mold.

I bought my Defender, my first 4wd, largely due to the Aulro comeradi, plus it's unparalleled capability, plan one was an Isuzu.

My first 4x4 was a series 3 swb.
Every time I went somewhere in it, someone spoke to me. Be it they were happy to see the car, or just trying to take the **** out of it,,, there was always chatter.
Then I owned two Toyo's. Nothing, nada, zip. No one wants to talk to you, unless they see a Landy somewhere near by and want to bag it to someone.
Bought a D1 then, V8 auto,, well, such bliss on the road, and in the bush. Total comfort
D2,,, same, only better again.
Now, the Puma. Hummm,
Ok, not as comfy, especially according to the wife , but I'm a happy camper . If it wasn't for the fact we want to do long term/time camping trips, and I didn't want to carry so much weight to deal with these trips, I'd probably be happier with a D.

I guess though, ultimately, with the D's, I'd be starting to get worried about the electric/comp parts and their longevity.

Just because I like visiting nature doesnt mean I necessarily want to interact with it on the trip

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

Just because I like visiting nature doesnt mean I necessarily want to interact with it on the trip

On that note, maybe 90/110/130 drivers are actually motorcyclists who can't balance, or just need some carrying capacity ?



Having spent a number of days traversing various tracks in the East and West MacDonnells riding shotgun in a D2 last week, yes it was quiet and relatively comfy and even environment proof, at least until I couldn't stand the hermetic environment any more and lowered the window.

Aaah.

The wind, the smells, the sounds.

Then I got in trouble at lunch time as in true Land Rover fashion it had dragged dust past the rear door seals.
Everything in the back was coated in that lovely, fine layer of red powder.

I felt quite at home......

The first four wheel drive I drove, was a series 2, courtesy of the Australian Army, in 1984.
Tjhe first four wheel drive I bought was a Toyota BJ40, in 1988. Nice car, went through the Grampians with it.
Lomg break to 2014, mt wife bought a 1991 Patrol for the eldest, I spent the summer gettinmg it road worthy, an endeavour that was both painful and enjoyable. The road worthy paper work was sent in on a Wednesday, The car was tolen the following Saturday and written off. I jhad taken pout 3rd party property, just in case. This included fire and theft. So I got a payout that just about covered the cost of the vehicle and the bits to get it to road worthy.
I did like the small bit of low range 4wd we did in the Brisbane Ranges. About 5 kms all up.
So I decided to buy a 4wd.
I wanted a 4 cylinder diesel for economy, the 6 cylinder patrols or cruisers were not an option.
I ended up looking at the Pajero (pronounced paherro, slang for ******) the rodeo or the Discovery.
Hmm, The Discovery looks the best. All the reports indicate that the Land Rover Discovery is a very capable 4wd. Not so for the ****** or the rowdayoh.
Besides, I'm English, I grew up in a city in England that was home to 22SAS. (Hereford)
After evaluating the options and taking into account the English bias, I decided on a Land Rover Discovery. The Defenders are just too expensive!
The phrase that resonated through my mind was the "very capable four wheel drive" I'd like to get into places, and more importantly, get out of them. A mate of mine who laughed at me for choosing a Land Rover Discovery pulled up a review page on the Disco. It shut him up.
I started the process of looking at LR Discos, I jpoined this forum and started reading. The 300tdi is better that the 200tdi. The Disco2 does not have CDL!.
I test drove more than several cars. One D1, near Ballarat, I could not get the transfer case to lock the diff, (rusty I guess). I drove one from Geelong, the coolant was plain water, car ran ok, but no CDL, and the coolant looked wrong. I flew to Adelaide to see one, took it to TR, it failed. Three amigos, leaking PAS, etc.
From what I have researched, it became apparent that a D2a would be the best car for me. Not the D3, too many coimputers between the driver and the wheels.
In late July I sold the family Tarago, so I had a few more dollars for the car.
I ended up buying a Landrover Discovery 2a.

Why the Land Rover? basically it is a "very capable four wheel drive" and I like that aspect. And it looks good. It looks classy.

Cheers Bo