Thread: can anyone tell me

Lots of reasons why you should not buy a New Defender,

But then theres this

stolen from a post somwhere else on AULRO

Overall: This car is cool....very cool. Cool people step out of defenders; farmers,soldiers,firefighters,aid workers, explorers, royalty, mountain rescuers, special forces. It's not a car for men who are so highly preened and plucked they look like women. It's not a car for men who have a need to be looked at or feel the need to have a highly tuned 'chick magnet' with a 'woofer' box the size of a small country in the boot to prove they are a man. Metro sexual males will wince at the thought of climbing into a Defender in case they dirty their Armani jeans.
The man who drives a Defender is a down to earth, practical, modest all round bloody good egg that has a million cool stories about his life. He has no need for a 'big fast red' accessory to feel like he's made it in the world. When Landcruiser drivers criticise Defenders, Defender drivers just smile wryly. If someone criticises a Toyota you can bet you will receive an hour long lecture on why Toyotas are so good. Good maybe....but definitely not cool. One could say almost like any type of whitegoods....useful, practical but definitely not cool.
So there you go, if you are considering buying a Defender you will be part of a unique group of individuals, how many times have you driven a Toyota and had other Toyota drivers give you a wave when passing? Drive a Defender and you automatically enter into a unique band of people.

well copied goingbush.

Have to say Defer drivers are different to most people I have met. Most, and I say most because I have not met the tosser yet, but there has to be one somewhere. All in all the ones I have met are good value people, bit odd some of them, but still good.
It seems odd that water will land on your foot in a new Defender, and though not great, it's not the end of the world either. I think you have to be a bit like that to accept a Defender.

Don't get hung up on the supposed unreliability of a Puma, there a hand made modern car built to a budget, with modern work ethic. Somethings will fail, or perhaps several things will fail, but overall they are a worthy purchase. Remember all manufacturers have product failure, but LR accept it as part of their day, where from what I hear others don't. You may just find a new Defender has very little wrong with it as well.

Not really sure what to advise except that from a personal point of view I like the older models.

I finally purchased a 98 300tdi 110 station wagon about three months ago after a 2 year hunt. Rust is a killer in the doors, people dont seem to want to clean out the drain holes to let them do there job, so they get rust. The one I bought still had rust and cost $1600 to have taken out. Still better then around $1200 per door to replace from oz suppliers, you can do better.

The reason for my purchase of an older one. I believe I can spend up big and get a very capable 4x4 with litle to no electrical/computer stuff (easy to fix on the run) and still not come near the cost of new one.

I'm talking, maxi drives, 2" lift, heavy duty or improved suspension, uprated intercooler/rad from UK, engine rebuild, whinch, navigation, heavy duty clutch, spots, water tank, extra fuel tank, compressor, uhf, wheels tyres.

I would like a new one for the wife as a town car, but personally would not take a car with computers/electronics across oz, which is our plan.

For a couple of examples, my wifes RAV accelorator sensor went, $450 second hand 2 day wait, or new $750 and 3 week wait. Work mates Nissan GU Patrol, exactley the same thing with similar results. Ok, so you get a limp mode to get you home, but try that on a sand hill.

Hope my opinion helps in some way.

Tony

Just go for it, they make the rest look like large land anchors.

Allan

Originally Posted by ade

why I wouldnt want to replace me always reliable ever faithful 95 300tdi discovery with a 2012 defender 110 SW

I can.................buy a D4. Another (say) 14k will get you a bottom of the range 2.7 D4. Reliability, comfort, capability, economy. A Defender is what....60k? IMHO I think you'll retain the additional cost in 2nd hand value down the track too, compared to the Defender.

I'm not sure I understand Tonic,,
you go on about reliable old defenders ,,


then you change (you would say upgrade) everything but the grill


as for electronics in cars,,,
how are those solid tyres going?

I also dunno why you'd want to lift a fender?

Originally Posted by WhiteD3

I can.................buy a D4. Another (say) 14k will get you a bottom of the range 2.7 D4. Reliability, comfort, capability, economy. A Defender is what....60k? IMHO I think you'll retain the additional cost in 2nd hand value down the track too, compared to the Defender.

I may be speaking out of turn here, but a Disco will never holds it's value like a Defender. A 300TDI can still fetch $16 000. I haven't checked of late but a Disco of the same vintage would maybe fetch $3000.

Don't get me wrong, I'd have a disco 3 or 4 if we could afford it as a second car. The Defender for me makes an OK town car, a great work car, and an awesome get away car.