A comfortable Defender

[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.:D
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 :(

[long stroke]

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.:D
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 :(


Thats where the ipod comes in:D

[numpty]

Thats where the ipod comes in:D

Yeah, but decent speakers are needed as well.

[87County]

Yeah, but decent speakers are needed as well.


Nooo!... noise cancelling headphones for the iPod :)

[TwoUp]

I usually only have the UHF on whilst driving and then listen to music when stopped. Its a noise thing.

Regards,
PeterW

[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.

[Bushie]

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.



120litres /100 :(:(:(:(:(


Martyn

:angel::angel:

[Disco_owner]

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.

Mahn , that's a lot of Fuel :D:p

[hoadie72]

Nooo!... noise cancelling headphones for the iPod :)

= dangerous!

[warren9981]

Is that the 2008/9 Defender you are comparing against a 1996 300 TDI Discovery. I should think they have made it more comfortable in the intervening 12 years.:angel:
Then again it is Landrover we are talking about here.;)

1200 litres? did they open the front windows and stick the fuel nozzle into the rear seats?:D

[dmdigital]

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

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

[Chucaro]

"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]

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.:D

[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...

[wally]

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]

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]

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]

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

Phil

[ATH]

I find mine comfortable enough, maybe my strange shape helps:twisted:. 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:o.
That dates me a bit I suppose:).
Happy motoring.
Alan.

[The ho har's]

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.:D
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:p.........

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:D


Mrs ho har:angel:

[Mrlandyman100]

I guess I probably should put in my two bob worths in! So I havent been on any "huge" trips in my defender yet... But so far I find it has reasonable ride and seating etc... But the one thing I don't like is how noisey it is. It's kinda going back to the old series Landy's!

But I guess I can't say the are really cofortable because I drove Citroen's for a couple of years and they are the best things to drive on the road I think:D

But maybe I should not say that here!:o

Cheers
Ben

[JDNSW]

I can't talk about Defenders, but the County has the same seats, and I drove it to Perth and back in 2007 without any complaints about comfort. A bit noisy, but then the Isuzu is, and getting to have a few rattles after 22 years and almost 500,000km. The cruise control does help though.

John

[Awest]

We drove our Defender back from Lions Den hotel to Brisbane a few years ago. Stopped in to see my mate who got eaten by a croc at Cairns hospital, decided to keep going all the way home. Long drive but I find the old girl very cumfy to do long distances in. My mate has a GU Patrol, I don't fit in it real well. Sold me 300tdi, now looking for a 130TD5. Wont buy any other car, I'm hooked.

[ashman]

I drove my 130 TD5 dual cab from Townsville to Brissy in 15 hours (1500kms) by myself and had a very comfortable trip (no sore back or legs) the seat was very comfortable, lot better than the old Land Cruiser and Hilux, am very happy with the Defender...

Ashley

[Tombie]

= dangerous!

= Actually against the law (at least in SA)

[stig0000]

well i guess i beta say somthing cos iv been thro the same thing,,, an i went thro with it an changed the front seats, to leather racing seats, an i love them soooo much,, it was well worth it, the seat is sooo much better offroad for they hold you in weil your getting thrown around, an you feel safer in it(yes i no its a defender), they are also very easy to clean, all you do it wipe it an your done, i have also done some long trips in it an the only complant i have is they are hard to strech in, but other then that there the best thing iv put in,

oh an i also have 2 600w amps in the back with one running a 12" 1300w:D sub, so it is VERY load an more then enof, yes i will sometimes tern it up an go down the street hering DOOF DOOF:D:wasntme:

[Huwmungus]

well i guess i beta say somthing cos iv been thro the same thing,,, an i went thro with it an changed the front seats, to leather racing seats, an i love them soooo much,, it was well worth it, the seat is sooo much better offroad for they hold you in weil your getting thrown around, an you feel safer in it(yes i no its a defender), they are also very easy to clean, all you do it wipe it an your done, i have also done some long trips in it an the only complant i have is they are hard to strech in, but other then that there the best thing iv put in,

oh an i also have 2 600w amps in the back with one running a 12" 1300w:D sub, so it is VERY load an more then enof, yes i will sometimes tern it up an go down the street hering DOOF DOOF:D:wasntme:


How do you get to your battery easily with diiferent seats?

The worst discomfort I get in my fender is how hot the floor gets. On a long trip I get very hot feet. I'm 6ft and have no problem with shoulder room. The handbrake is annoying when you want to stretch out but I can live with it. I like the upright position high off the floor. I actually have my work ute (falcon) seat set up high off the floor and not reclined far (not much headroom and gets some comments from workmates-how do you sit like that?)