New Member - Don't know anything about Defenders - Questions

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Originally Posted by ozscott

Am I right in saying that the 130 misses out on TCS? If so can understand it not making it given the axle twisters and no ability here for some momentum. But with lockers the 130 in those conditions would own that climb compared to d4/4. Cheers.

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Nope, It has traction control. The climb in question I may have made it up if I had been in second instead of low but the point is the discos on the trip and my previous D3 walked up there with no worries. As we were in a convoy and I was in the middle I didn't have a chance to try more than a couple of approaches and I have since learnt a bit more about how to drive the Defender 's traction control when we were at Solihull earlier this year. Showing the instructor that picture and asking how it could be done better resulted in a very educational couple of hours in a 110.

Regards,
Tote

Anyone on here will tell you that Defender is "special", very special. But YOU have to think it is.
As someone else has said, YOU need to drive both, then make up your own mind.
Personally, from the tone of your posts, I think you like the Jeep, you're a bit "sold" on it, & that's absolutely fair enough.
Have you driven a Defender?......It's a unique experience!!! Have you driven the Jeep model of your choice?
But anyway, I reckon that if you spend an hour or two in each, ya'll soon make up your own mind.
Pickles.

Sorry, I keep forgetting that the last few years had TC.

As mentioned, previous years of 130's couldn't even be optioned TC and ABS

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Originally Posted by rick130

Sorry, I keep forgetting that the last few years had TC.

As mentioned, previous years of 130's couldn't even be optioned TC and ABS

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My 2002 defender has TC and Electric windows but its a 110

YEp the early gen TC's were very good but needed to be driven and without knowing the methods they were lack lustre. Knowing the ins and outs meant they did very well especially combined with long travel suspension and beam axles. Cheers

I am not sold on Jeep. I am actually trying to work out why I would choose one over the other.

Uhm...

Luggage space wise, I assume if you took the rear seats out in a defender and a JKU 4 door wrangler... the defender will have more space (square like space too)

Only few things to ask based on a video I saw... YouTube

The guy testing the 2 cars out...

1: The Wrangler is much 'easier' to drive off-road. It has a much wider wheel track to the defender. - How does a wider wheel track make a car 'better' off-road? Or is this something where in one situation wider is better and in another narrower?

2: The Wrangler has much more wheel travel than the Defender giving it traction when wheels want to get up off the ground while the defender loses traction due to limited wheel travel. - Are there any upgrades one can do to give it more wheel travel/articulation?

3: It seems the Wrangler is more stable while the Defender bounces around a lot like a boat... is that just how that is, or things can be done to improve this so it does not feel like it is going to tip over?

4: The Defender lets dust etc inside as the doors do not seal properly? - Uhm?

5: The boot space is huge on a defender and nice and square, however, the door in the rear is narrow. - Is this going to pose a problem fitting things in like camping tables, fridges etc... or is this one of those quirks you either get used to or don't? - Hard to imagine a fridge with a sliding door... can't even be done when the rear is not fully open... any comments?

I am quite interested in the Defender as it looks like an armoured vehicle and you rarely see them around, just trying to do some homework on it :)

O and since people are saying I need to go sit in one etc, which makes sense... anyone around Sydney (castle hill, Dural Windsor, Blacktown, Richmond, that side of sydney) that has a few min for wife and I to come have a look? - You have us very interested. Send me a PM on that I suppose.

Look at legal weight carrying capacity too. The Defender 110 even is so far ahead of the Jeep in that criteria is not funny (towing, load in vehicle, load on roof). One is a very capable tourer and one is a weekend fun truck. That's the truth of it.

Cheers

As for wheel travel I believe only the Rubicion has more due solely to sway bar disconnects. Install those on a Deefer and its ahead again. Land Rover's offroad ride in its live axle vehicles is renound for comfort, stability and control. They have a low COG due to alloy or in D2 alloy inside steel and ruggedness. Cheers

I will be honest here.
Defenders look great.
For that, I have put up with many of her faults. this love is irrational...... Many of us name our defenders
Mine is named BenBen
Are you going to name your wrangler?....

Quality control is terrible on a defender. Mine leaked water bolts loose from factory. etc....
Zero cents spent on research and development as land Rover pretty much gave defender up. They have no intention to build defender better....

I like the latest wrangler LJ. Especially The full time 4wd version

I still remember when the 4 door wrangler first came out, the unlimited edition, some said they are the next gen defender.

Guess what they were right

Look they cant be a Defender when you cant legally load them up for proper touring. What they can legally carry is quite pathetic in my opinion. Cheers.