D2 driver falls in love with black SWB Defender Extreme - relationship ends badly

[feraldisco]

Hi - spotted a tasty looking black SWB Defender Extreme, placed seductively at the front of a caryard today. Was curious for a drive, mainly to see how the manual Td5 went - realising that it is a detuned version relative to my manual D2. To say the relationship soured quickly is an understatement. I couldn't believe how rough this thing was given that: it looked so good; it shares quite a few mechanicals with the Disco; and it was made in 2005 rather than 1955; had only 100K k on the clock. It reminded me very much of driving a Series III when I was in the Army...exhaust fumes in the cab, vague steering, lots of body roll, uncomfortable, dicky controls, rough ride (admittedly this was a SWB), coarse gutless motor. Now I realise some people actually like the fact that it's not too different to a SIII, and I admire their individuality...and durability. I really couldn't imagine touring in one of these things - getting back into my D2 felt like I'd instantly been upgraded to a D4. The interesting thing about this particular example is that some joker had fitted a 200-litre tank to the SWB, reducing it's cargo area even further! Presumably for Simpson crossing with a backpack in the back... Anyway, $38K seemed like a lot of money for a bit of skin deep 'character'. Bring on the hate mail (I do love the Defender-driving component of the LR brotherhood...really!) And to make you SWB Extreme drivers feel better, I actually got some chicks at the lights asking me about the car...haven't had that happen in the Disco before...or even in my old XB351 Coupe...;)

[LandyAndy]

Them Defender pilots will tell you that us D2 pilots should stick to our Toorak Tractors,just you wait and see:D:D:D
Shame it seemed so agricultural to a D2,I would have thought they would be a nice ride to own.
Andrew

[numpty]

As a 110 Td5 owner, I concur that the motor seems rough and breathless on occasions.....unrevy. (Ron) :angel: It would seem there are a few problems with that particular vehicle though.

[abaddonxi]

Better try yourself in a new one. When I had a drive of Scallops' I felt distinctly refined. Shouldn't be the case, but I was much relieved to get back into my agricultural implement.

[Blknight.aus]

big red has none of those issues...

must just be those SWB ones....

but not any of the ones Ive ridden in...

perhaps that was the ugly duckling one?

[spudboy]

How can a D2 driver understand a 90.....?

They are such different beasts.

I think this is in the category of "If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand" ;)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

and this from a guy that thinks minimalistic camping is a $30,000 bike with full pannier set.:p:p

[Scallops]

Better try yourself in a new one. When I had a drive of Scallops' I felt distinctly refined. Shouldn't be the case, but I was much relieved to get back into my agricultural implement.

And here I was thinking I'm a hard man. :D

[spudboy]

Hey Pedro! I like 5 star holidays as well. And I like my L322 RR as well, when I want some luxury and quiet and refinement etc.

But I still love "going basic" in the 90 as well.

They are different tools.....

[Redback]

I have driven Phils 90 (in stock and chipped form) and even when stock it was light years ahead in power than my D2.

When he chipped it, OMG:o:o

The ride was rough yes, but not rough enough that it would be unbearable, I actually like driving Defenders, but then I like driving, hence why I have a manual D2 and not an auto;)

I would say it probably was not looked after properly or was looked after by a non- LR mechanic and was in need of new shocks and springs AND some diagnostics to get the motor sorted.

Baz.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

but then I like driving, hence why I have a manual D2 and not an auto;)

Baz.


:soapbox::toilet:[FishSlap]

[Redback]

:soapbox::toilet:[FishSlap]

:spudnikhattip:

[Pedro_The_Swift]

:Rolling:

[5teve]

i know our new one is a 110... but i was surprised how well it rides... admittedly the motor is a bit laggy.. and sometimes a bit breathy.. and definitly rough compared to the auto disco td5 we have too.. but not too bad. not uncomfortable in the slightest in the 6 hours each way to Kalbarri with 4 of us and a boot full of unnecessary crap! :D

sounds like a dodgy one... could of also had oil in loom issue causing crappy running maybe?

just my 2 cents :)

Steve

[isuzurover]

...exhaust fumes in the cab,


vague steering,

Shouldn't be any exhaust fumes in the cam if all was as it should be.

The steering box and assembly is basically the same as your disco, so it must have had issues.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

YA BIG GIRL :) :wasntme:

My fender ROCKS :D :D

It's only the passengers that are breathless when pinned to the back of their seats in our car! :D

[dullbird]

i know our new one is a 110... but i was surprised how well it rides... admittedly the motor is a bit laggy.. and sometimes a bit breathy.. and definitly rough compared to the auto disco td5 we have too.. but not too bad. not uncomfortable in the slightest in the 6 hours each way to Kalbarri with 4 of us and a boot full of unnecessary crap! :D

sounds like a dodgy one... could of also had oil in loom issue causing crappy running maybe?

just my 2 cents :)

Steve

god I hope that new one isn't a Puma, if it is I would be taking it back to the dealer:D...shouldn't be laggy with a VVT.

[LandyAndy]

Hey Ben
I think you have sorted it.
Exhaust fumes getting to the cam!!!
The valves are there to keep the 2 apart!!!!
Motor is stuffed:p:p:p:p:p:p:p
Andrew

[dmdigital]

As said, sounds dodgy. Shouldn't have those symptoms:confused: Also the 200L fuel tank in the load space... is that legal?

As for $38,000 :eek2:

DB 5teve's is a Td5 going on his earlier posts

[dullbird]

As said, sounds dodgy. Shouldn't have those symptoms:confused: Also the 200L fuel tank in the load space... is that legal?

As for $38,000 :eek2:

DB 5teve's is a Td5 going on his earlier posts

He has only posted once In this thread. And I can only see new, no suggestion of td5.

[scarry]

Don't know anything about the SWB 90,but i find my son's Puma surprisingly comfortable.
As for the D2,it's a completely different animal,can't be compared to a Defender.

[MickS]

Much better one here...

http://www.aulro.com/apc/showproduct.php/product/2163/cat/4 (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/../apc/showproduct.php/product/2163/cat/4)

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

YA BIG GIRL :) :wasntme:

My fender ROCKS :D :D

It's only the passengers that are breathless when pinned to the back of their seats in our car! :D

Are they pinned to stop their faces hitting the windscreen or the back of the front seats when under full acceleration????? :p:p

Its the one thing that turned me off a fender. I took a really top notch example for a drive, the one 5teve got diddled on, with full accessories all setup to hit the road and go travelling, even included a kitchen sink that hooked to the side with running water, but even with all of this removed, it was an absolute slug to drive and just not enough gears to get it going to what I am used to, so Feral, I know exactly what you mean.
I love the look, the space, the capability but it just doesnt deliver the driveability that I am used to/want/need.

So I got a D2a instead! Just couldnt for love nor money find a manual. But then SWMBO needs to drive it sometimes :mad: too and she hasnt driven a manual since she got her licence 20 something years ago.
And an auto is much better in sand as this is probably 80% of my offroading due to the fact I live in the biggest sandpit in the country!

Cheers

Andrew

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Are they pinned to stop their faces hitting the windscreen or the back of the front seats when under full acceleration????? :p:p

Its the one thing that turned me off a fender. I took a really top notch example for a drive, the one 5teve got diddled on, with full accessories all setup to hit the road and go travelling, even included a kitchen sink that hooked to the side with running water, but even with all of this removed, it was an absolute slug to drive and just not enough gears to get it going to what I am used to, so Feral, I know exactly what you mean.
I love the look, the space, the capability but it just doesnt deliver the driveability that I am used to/want/need.

So I got a D2a instead! Just couldnt for love nor money find a manual. But then SWMBO needs to drive it sometimes :mad: too and she hasnt driven a manual since she got her licence 20 something years ago.
And an auto is much better in sand as this is probably 80% of my offroading due to the fact I live in the biggest sandpit in the country!

Cheers

Andrew

Hey... you probably got the right car for you. When we got our defender it was a slug too (as they were from standard). It was a battle to drive in traffic... yes it could be done but it was hard work. However after a few relatively inexpensive mods it is now a pleasure to drive. It really is easy, and the wife doesn't mind it now. Before she felt as though it was just a constant battle to keep up in traffic ... and tiring when you have to manage the constant stream of people overtaking.

Anyway, IMHO autos suit diesels such as the TD5 really well so I'm sure it's a joy to drive. You don't seem to hear about problems with them very much or at all either.

I'm sure the Disco will be a joy around town and off road it will be ace too.

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

For what I could of picked it up for compared to what I paid for the D2, I probably could have done a full D2 auto conversion to the Fender and it DID play on my mind so much I actually started looking for trannies, but at the end of the day it just didn't fulfill all the criteria set out. I did consider just the D2 transfer to bring the ratio up but then Simone has to drive it too.
Shame cause it would be a good combination.
Still want one though....... :BigThumb:

Cheers

Andrew

[slug_burner]

He has only posted once In this thread. And I can only see new, no suggestion of td5.



Hi - spotted a tasty looking black SWB Defender Extreme, placed seductively at the front of a caryard today. Was curious for a drive, mainly to see how the manual Td5 went - realising that it is a detuned version relative to my manual D2. To say the relationship soured quickly is an understatement. I couldn't believe how rough this thing was given that: it looked so good; it shares quite a few mechanicals with the Disco; and it was made in 2005 rather than 1955; had only 100K k on the clock. It reminded me very much of driving a Series III when I was in the Army...exhaust fumes in the cab, vague steering, lots of body roll, uncomfortable, dicky controls, rough ride (admittedly this was a SWB), coarse gutless motor. Now I realise some people actually like the fact that it's not too different to a SIII, and I admire their individuality...and durability. I really couldn't imagine touring in one of these things - getting back into my D2 felt like I'd instantly been upgraded to a D4. The interesting thing about this particular example is that some joker had fitted a 200-litre tank to the SWB, reducing it's cargo area even further! Presumably for Simpson crossing with a backpack in the back... Anyway, $38K seemed like a lot of money for a bit of skin deep 'character'. Bring on the hate mail (I do love the Defender-driving component of the LR brotherhood...really!) And to make you SWB Extreme drivers feel better, I actually got some chicks at the lights asking me about the car...haven't had that happen in the Disco before...or even in my old XB351 Coupe...;)....

[5teve]

He has only posted once In this thread. And I can only see new, no suggestion of td5.

I think he was refering to other posts in other threads DB.. :) the one about waves being dissapointing! people were dissapointed that the defender was so clean... they dont beleive was dirty!

Yes its a td5 and its all about my driving style i guess, we have a d2 auto also, and the auto holds the engine in peak power range etc so its very different to drive. The other thing is is that the deefer is only 90kw whereas the disco had some tombie magic applied.. and is running quite a bit more... the turbo lag on the defender isnt too bad... its just there... rather than not there on the auto...

some more tombie magic will be heading the defenders way soon so that should stop that!

Thanks

Steve