The Puma defender,my perspective

**PAT303** · 5th December 2011, 07:06 PM

I've just come back from 3 days away with the family in our first trip in the puma,it's the first long trip it's done since I bought it and I'm happy to say I'm not disappointed.The puma handled the long drive very well and it's quiet and not tiresome to drive and it's supprised me with how well it eats the miles.The engine punches well above it's wieght and at no time did I feel I needed more,it easily overtook road trains which are in abundance here and sitting on 100 in sixth it pulled out and pulled to the limiter very easily and at speed it's very stable.The seats aren't uncomfortable and all the kids crap fitted in the back with room to spare,it's no L322,IMHO the best touring vehicle ever sold in Oz but it's not 100grand either.I'm going to fit a small cooler/fridge behind the cubby box for the kids to put drinks/snacks in as keeping them happy stops me from strangling them as getting 10years and being a bed warmer for some big dude named bubba doesn't really do it for me.There are some bad points,it really needs seat rails and for the love of god I wish LR would give it a decent fuel tank,refueling after 500K's is plain stupid,the Td6 seemed to go forever using 9ltres per 100 and with a 100ltre tank were's the puma uses 11-12 and only has 75ltre's.It does use fuel but I found myself relaxing my right foot and it saw 130k's/hr quite a few times and it was windy also which didn't help.Out of the box for the money I can't think of any other vehicle that you could fuel up and drive,the deefer is not perfect but it's more perfect than any of the others and a second sub tank,Mulgo rails and a MP3 player is about all it needs.All up I think LR have done well with the puma,an auto option would be nice and for 60K an MP3 player should be standard but for me I think the TDCi if it's the last real defender more than deserves the defender name. Pat

**Chops** · 5th December 2011, 08:12 PM

G'day Pat,
I find my new Puma much the same as you. We did a trip from Melb to Albury the other weekend (about 400K's), and this last weekend we drove up to Seymour, and it seemed like we were there in no time at all. I towed a trailer to Albury which chewed the fuel, but it rides very nicely indeed. I'm happy with the Radio/CD player, so I'm not fussed about an MP# Player, although I guess it could be handy not having to store CD's in the car.
SWMBO sat in the rear for the trip to Albury, and was not ompressed with the back seat/comfort,, (however, she did share the seat with the dog

), but we seem to have a water issue when it rains, so it will be going back for ULR to fix. (I cant believe it leaks,, my old S3 was batterd and bruised and it never got a drop of water in it,,).
Took me a few times of missing gears etc to get used to the six speed,,

, but I seem to have a handle on that now,,

I'll have her for a long time, so with a few minor-ish mods I've got planned, I'll be a very happy boy for a long time to come,,

Roll on the miles,,

Chops

**cal415** · 6th December 2011, 08:44 AM

I thought the standard cd player did mp3 cd's? Pretty sure I had done this in mine before I swapped it for a memory stick/USB/iPod only deck with no moving parts.

I know what you mean about the 75l tank it really ****ed me off that a truck the size of my 130 only carried 75l, especially coming from a little prado with 180l on board as standard! But now I have a 132l long range automotive tank, I just need to learn its limits most I have put in is 110l and that was after driving over 100km with the fuel warning light on.

I don't mind the seats though the back seats in the 130 are very vertical, and the lack of seat tilt in the front ****es me off, as it's hard to sleep in as a passenger on long trips, but I am going to fix this with a bit of modding to the seat.

I find the ride a bit harsh at the moment but have some plans with the suspension that should solve that and my give me a better ride height.

Driveline wise I am happy with the motor but there is way to much slop in the driveline which I am getting land rover to sort out, I also have a bit of a vibration under heavy load and suspect it has something to do with one of the drive shafts not being balanced correctly.

I have plenty of plans for mods, but i would be happy with it standard + tank and decent stereo, if the little teething issues were all sorted out, i don't know why but I really love this vehicle, I have a very nice brand new Calais v redline edition 6l v8 with some mods(about 350hp at the wheel) and find myself finding excuses to take the defender instead

Only ever owned landys Ed · 8th December 2011, 04:26 PM

Can't agree with you more Pat. I do 50,000 km a year in my Puma and I love it.
I own five defenders including a 300tdi, a td5 and the puma is the best by a country mile (plus the bonnet hump looks cool).

**loanrangie** · 8th December 2011, 05:55 PM

Ok stop right now, i want a fender

.

**landychris** · 9th December 2011, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Only ever owned landys Ed

Can't agree with you more Pat. I do 50,000 km a year in my Puma and I love it.
I own five defenders including a 300tdi, a td5 and the puma is the best by a country mile (plus the bonnet hump looks cool).

I have a 300tdi and have had it since 1996 and really love it, no air though. But looking to update to a new Puma. Trouble is I don't want to part with it. I have a couple of 2A's and that's ok with my better half. But I need more ideas to convince SHWBO that I should keep the fender as well.
landychris

**PAT303** · 9th December 2011, 09:33 AM

I didn't part with my 98 Tdi but really I should have and kept the L322. Pat

**Mike_S** · 9th December 2011, 09:46 AM

Having had my very first go in a 4.2 Patrol last weekend, I now know for certain which car I'd rather go on tour with and it certainly ain't the Nissan. Jeeze a Defender knocks it into a cocked hat on every front except interior space (and I never thought I'd say that).

**landychris** · 9th December 2011, 10:44 AM

I had a go in a mates 2003 gxl diesel toymota 100 series recently. Auto, air, bags of power, and you can even hear the radio, however not as comfortable as I thought it would be, and no soul

landychris

**newhue** · 10th December 2011, 06:07 AM

I've had my 130 for a little over 12 months now, put 34K klm on it and would have to say I simply love it.
My mystery electrical problem initially had me wondering, but after that the vehicle has been faultless besides the water ingress which is now rectified.
I have added a few accessories and improved the sound system, but the vehicle as a whole is a good package as standard.
I do wonder if the kids will find the rear seats too upright as they grow. But I also wondered if the seating position for the wife and I would be a problem. But no, we just grew into it, the wife still sleeps and I like the upright position.
We have done some long journeys with 800kg of gear on board. On and off road I find the ride very good. However going a corner a bit hot gets interesting. It's no rocket or show pony but aren't sold a one either. A bigger tank size would be beneficial, and an east fix for LR. I do find driving it harder than 105klm eats the fuel, which perplexes me given it's a common rail with a 6 speed, but the answer there is simple really. Recovery points standard would also be fitting for the 4x4 it is.

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