A comfortable Defender

**dmdigital** · 13th January 2009, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by one_iota

I've just done 4000 km over a 2 week period including two 10 hr 830 km stretches between Melbourne and Sydney.

Sure some of the driving was shared but I'd have to say that my Defender is more comfortable to tour in than the Discovery was.

The Puma Defender has advantages over the 300tdi Discovery being quieter and easier to drive at freeway speeds due to the 6 speed box well matched to a torquey motor. In fact it is too easy to exceed the speed limit so I'll be looking for a cruise control.

With 1200 litres of fuel on board over 1000 km on a tank is easily done removing one reason to stop for a break on a long run.

The comfort of the seats has surprised me as well.

The seat backs are much better in the Puma over the Tdi (I have both Defenders so its an easy comparison). Actually the most comfortable seats for me were in my D1, much better than the D2 or the Defenders I thought.

You WILL post information about a cruise control if you find one. I think we are all after that solution.

I think your Puma needs servicing

I only averaged 13.6L/100km towing a trailer 4,500km

Also 1200L of fuel would exceed the GVM as the Defender can only have a 1 tonne payload

**Chucaro** · 14th January 2009, 06:04 AM

"Rustic" is a 1994 Defe, I was considering fitting Disco bucket seats before the shopping trip, but now I believe that the seats on the Defe are as good as the ones on my Tisco tdi

**wally** · 14th January 2009, 09:24 AM

I've been driving Defenders now for fourteen years. There's nothing more comfortable as far as I'm concerned. More comfortable than our old D2. More comfortable than our current Forester.

The noise doesn't unduly concern me but I do need better speakers. I've blown up two sets of speakers in my current 130. At highway speeds with the music up loud enough to actually hear it, I can't actually hear the alarm on the engine watchdog if it goes off.

**BigJon** · 14th January 2009, 09:35 AM

I have heard a lot nof people say Defenders are comfortable and I won't argue with them.

I just find that for my body, a Defender is terrible. No leg room, no shoulder room. But I am a bit larger than average...

**wally** · 14th January 2009, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by BigJon

I have heard a lot nof people say Defenders are comfortable and I won't argue with them.

I just find that for my body, a Defender is terrible. No leg room, no shoulder room. But I am a bit larger than average...

I know. I saw you driving mine.

It helps if you're a little bloke like me.

**isuzurover** · 14th January 2009, 11:51 AM

I recently did 15000km in my 110 in 4 weeks. I am 6'3" and find the seats quite comfortable. The only things I would change would be to move the headrest 3" forward, and make the seat recline further than it does.

However there could be a bit more leg room. The PO spaced the driver's seat 1" higher and 2" further back, so that helps, but a bit more would be good.

Other than that, a hand throttle (poor man's cruise control) - so you can give your right foot a rest occasionally - would be good on long trips.

**George130** · 14th January 2009, 12:10 PM

Longest run I have done is 1000km over night. Arrived at destination 9am ready to meat up with the croud. Once camp was setup we then went out on the tracks. They are very comfy vehicles.

**Phantum** · 14th January 2009, 12:34 PM

I anyone thinks a defender is Uncomfortable,have a teaspoon of cement and harden up.

Phil

**ATH** · 14th January 2009, 02:49 PM

I find mine comfortable enough, maybe my strange shape helps

. As for listening to music, it's not even that noisy and we can listen at a reasonable sound level.
Anyway I'd rather listen to Ch 40 than half the garbage that passes for music these days

.
That dates me a bit I suppose

.
Happy motoring.
Alan.

**The ho har's** · 14th January 2009, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Today I drove “Rustic” (my Defender) for a short shopping trip 380 km down to Brisbane and returned doing some very short stops, one in Buderim and the other at Gympie.
I can telling you that after done the 760 km all up I arrived to the conclusion that any person that believe that the Defenders are uncomfortable are a wimp.

Of course I rate my Rangie Hiline as the best 4WD touring vehicle that I had including the Disco Tdi and the venerable 109 Stage 1, but the Defender to me is as good as the Disco for touring.
The only problem is that a very powerful sound system is required to be able to listen the music

we told you the seats were comfortable didn't you believe us

.........

anyway we found after over 12,000 of touring we had no issues with comfort or music actually....we don't listen to boof boof music though

Mrs ho har

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