Thread: The "new" TD5

Originally Posted by one_iota

I don't wish to hijack the thread.

There is no doubt that the TD5 is a good motor conditional on what has been said above.

I think that the TDV6 is probably better so the D3 is is a good choice if the rest of the package is right.

The Puma engine has been much criticised (and with some justification) but my limited 6 month and 14,000km experience has been positive in performance, reliabilty and servicing. Out of the box it suits the Defender very well and over 12 months of beta testing in the real world has ironed out a lot of the initial bugs. No rocket but not a slug either. The Defender suits my needs well where as the D3 didn't.

Do I feel the need to tinker with it....no because I don't have the need, the time, the inclination or the expertise.

If I did I would be up to my weekend armpits in grease tinkering with the 300 Tdi Disco not seeing the country and gaining minimal return in performance for the effort.

I agree Mahn and I realy think the Fender is a more suitable vehicle for us, because of the space it has for gear, minimal modifications to be done to it for touring, It's a manual which we all love and I just like them, I realy feel that the D3 is only our choice because I'm not sure the Puma will tow our camper and all our gear in it's current form AND it's reliability issues it currently has, our Disco II only just tows our camper now and it's chipped, I wish I could see if it could though.

We will be keeping an eye on them for a while yet, so hopefully they do get better over time.

Baz.

you should talk to derek as the PUMA carried his camper with ease!!!!
and he has a Top of the range Kimberley which I believe is very heavy.......

I also dont think that the reliablity is an issue if you think a TD5 is reliable then there should be no reason why you shouldn't feel the same about a PUMA......yes we have had problems we were unlucky if you look at how many people have them on here that have had only the most minor of problems and you look at the ones that have had to have there car towed the minors out weigh the towed ones!! also I reckon if you look back the ones that have had the most probs have been the ones that were brought early to late07.
I think if you brought an 09 model you shouldn't really have any probs as most wrinkles would have been ironed out..

personally barry I dont think the PUMA would have any problem pulling your trailer but you will never know until you do it......so my advice to you would be bring it around and we will hook it up behind ours and lets take it for a drive and seee how it does!

only issue we have is we still got to get the trailer loom for our tow bar for the electrics....so you can either weight for that or we take it somewhere quiet where your happy to drive it without!

EDIT: oh dont forget the PUMA can also be chipped