Thread: New Defender, any good?

Well, I was totally unimpressed but others here have found them good. I guess that's Land Rover in a nut shell. lol.

Xav

never owned one......but would buy one in a heart beat if i had the $$$, well i reckon i have the $$$ its just the accountant at home would object.

there are already a few stories of guys taking there puma defenders on extended outback touring trip with no dramas

scallops trip comes to mind, he reckons he will be buried in it........well something like that

Xavie can you expand on why you dislike the new Defenders please?

They are a really great car, they are much eaiser to live with now they have a decent A/C system and a bit of sound profing. As for relaibility my one hasn't been so great, but the majority of them are fine. The second row seats look comfy but are quite hard to sit on.
The engine has heaps of torque making the car great for towing, and with the 6th gear they cruise comfortably at 100km/h. As for the wading the ECU is now on the firewall so there is less danger of damaging it, however the alternator is quite low so there could be some problems there.

Cheers,

Tim

IMHO they're not up to what I expect from a shed on wheels...

IF the same design things were in something like a disco or a rangie (just to keep it in the marque) I wouldnt be upset as you generally dont expect them to be as capable as the deefers off road (they are in most cases when all is stock but well you just dont expect it from a luxo barge)

now Im just guessing here but I get the feeling after having looked at a few that Ford took hold of something good and decided "well what can we do to squeeze our gear into it without remaking the whole damn thing"

what its led to for me is a basically capable suspension and chassis package with a reasonable transmission and a stupid engine and emmisions layout. then theres the inside...

ford transit engine problems have the probablity of raising their heads and the general layout of some of the sub systems leaves a lot to be desired.

They are utter rubbish! Unreliable, thirsty, and slow


























Seriously they are great and you should get one!

I would get one but I've just got our td5 setup and it's only 3 years old. So, I have no conceivable excuse for getting another. They are quieter than the TD5, and the dash and ventilation is better. I would miss the vents though. If I really think hard about what I'd get for a trade the only real advantage to me is the 6th gear and being a bit quieter. There are some things I would miss on the current one like the vents and more rugged dash. Plus all our setup. I'll see what's happening when they finish building these in a few years time and asses things then. Also, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of discounts on them at the moment so they do work out to be LOTS more than we paid for ours.

You should get to a dealer and drive one.

I've got a Dec 2007 model. After 10 months:
- no oil leaks
- love the cruising quiteness compared to the TD5 (6th gear + more sound insulation)
- 1 dealer recall to fit a new sump (FOC)
- the stereo is less than average. I thought it was going to come with am MP3 plug, but that is UK models only.
- If you are tall you will need to shift the drivers seat back, which makes the rear seat behind the drive only suitable for the legless or kids up to 10-12.
- Fuel economy is slowly getting better for some reason. Started at 11.5/100 now it is more like 10.5/100
- Starts first click of the key - I LOVE that diesel. Big improvement over the TD5, but more electrics I guess. Heaps of grunt. You won't believe it is a 2.4L when you drive it.
- For more then 500mm of water I've got a Mantec snorkel from the UK (about $500).
- Wish it still had the old fashioned vents. You have to use the fan a lot on warm days, whereas the TD5 you could open the vents to get a bit of fresh air.

For me it is a keeper, so hoping to still be running around in it in 25 years time (If I live to be 75...).

Get your hands on one and take it for a decent test drive. If you ask nicely you can get them overnight.

Cheers
David

You would have to say " each to there own "
as i bought Xavie defender and after6 months I would say i love it.
I knew it was a truck and not a car so that hasnt bothered me , I do driver training in it and it is fantasic off road.
Its not a car for everyone as Xavie has shown but for some it is the perfect truck.
for me I love it
love to drive it
love to test how far it will go
brings a smile to my face every time i drive

cheers
Chaser
And yes Xavie I am looking after it .