Thread: Is it just me?

No, it's not just you. When I purchased my Defender, most people commented on not the looks, or the iconic history, but the reliability issues surrounding Land Rovers. Amazingly, not one of those who made these silly comments actually ever owned a Land Rover. Or worked on them. Or had anything to do with them.

And to top it off, I have had two years of problem-free motoring whilst some who purchased new Japanese, Korean and wherever the hell the other one is put together now-a-days after me have had their car off the road several times with various problems.

Go figure.

This old chest nut. Most will not admit it, but get them alone and they are interested in Land Rovers. Its like an unspoken " i wish i was brave enough to not follow the pack, but for now ill just ask" type of intetest. Dont want to be singled out or victimised.
Its also been bashed into them with marketing, that the product is unbreakable, class leading, most powerful, biggest payload, family escape machines. Which most of the punters accept. Then its hard to admit you bought a heap of junk, or just dont know they have.

Where Land Rover would do something like. Land Rover....only the brave. Then have it parked next to a lion in the middle of now where. Doesnt say much, but gets your imsgination going.

In the end, if you like them, thats all that matters.

I don't think in terms of whether the Land Rover is a better or worse vehicle than something else - I just love 'em. I cop it quite bad from my brother in law who drives a Jackaroo and a Pajero and my son in law who drives a Rotary Mazda (sic). I don't ever give them the slightest amount of grief over what they drive.
There was a thread somewhere abouts here not so long ago when a member parked up his Landy near a Jeep I think and walking off passed the owner and he said "nice Jeep Mate" and the bloke said - "yeah better than that pile of ****".
I'm not so sure its to do with the vehicle rather than the person?
Like Newhue said - in the end if you like them that's all that matters.
cheers,
D

Must be something about your choice of friends.

Not one of my immediate circle of friends where I live owns / drives a Land Rover. But not one of them has ever knocked me for my choice of vehicles, nor rubbished the brand. In fact, they all seem to like my car, and most are quite interested in it.

At the same time, I don't knock their choices of vehicles either, even though some of them own vehicles that would never make my personal short list.

And it's not just Land Rover that attracts the knockers. My young bloke has both a Land Rover and a Mazda Rotary. Some of his mates will try to wind him up about his vehicles - but the smile is often wiped off when he has to drag them out of the bog on a fishing trip, or if they think they have something fast - he blows their doors off with the Mazda.

The type of person who hangs crap on another's choice of vehicle is generally not the type of person I'd waste any effort on getting to know, much less include in my "circle of friends".

Originally Posted by BMKal

<snip>

The type of person who hangs crap on another's choice of vehicle is generally not the type of person I'd waste any effort on getting to know, much less include in my "circle of friends".

Exactly that^.

Not every car/bike/fourby I see is my scene but I can appreciate the effort the enthusiast has put into it.

Well said BM...

I drive Toyota's and Fords for work... They just plod along doing what they were meant to do...

Whilst they do nothing for me they get the job done..

I wouldn't own one, so I have my Land Rovers - and they bring a smile to my face... They also seem to have a kinship that the others lack which improves the ownership experience.

But I will happily go out with mates in other brands, and have seen the strengths and weaknesses and limitations of all marques over the years.

I have a mte who owns several Hilux's for his buisness, and a couple of the employees drive them too. I wander in there sometimes and if Toyotas are all lined up n a row I'll walk in and say 'Morning Sheep'

We all have a laugh and the ribbing that goes on about the Landies is in good fun as 2 of them have or do own LR's and quite like them.

I did cop it a bit when I had my L322 taken there on a tilt tray for some work though...

I've only had one guy at work who really had a crack at me about mine - he got pretty bloody grumpy about it too, but as mentioned previouosly, I wouldn't clasify him as a friend by any stretch.

Well said Tombie......

I always rode motorbike's never thought I'd ever enjoy a car but after my first Defender I was hooked. I hate to admit it but I even like driving my Discovery. Even though it makes me look like a mum doing the school run

Maybe we should fell sorry for these guys who cant quite understand that a vehicle can be special.