Thread: New Landy - Disco or Defender

Both will do what you want but the Defender requires a bit of commitment. I think you need to be mad to consider a Defender as a daily driver - its slow, noisy, hot and cramped. I use mine as daily driver and love it though. I get withdrawal symptoms if a day goes past and I don't drive it.

My advice is to forget any serious comparisons, people will give you all sorts of sensible reasons for owning one or the other, or neither. Just drive both and buy the one you enjoy driving the most. The Disco is beautiful to drive and you'll love it, but if you enjoy driving the Defender (and you do actually have to drive it) you won't want to drive anything else.

Cheers,
Jon

A difference that I don't often see mentioned, but one that I believe is important, especially if you don't have an unlimited budget, is that it is possible for a Disco to require a lot more maintenance than a Defender.

The fact is that there as a lot more things that can go wrong with a Disco because they have things the Defender doesn't have.

I am not claiming they will go wrong, but remember parts that are not fitted to a vehicle weigh nothing and can't break.

With a Defender, you are never going to have to pay to have the electric window mechanism fixed. The electronic (insert appropriate acronym) won't fail because it doesn't have one. The cup holders can't break if they aren't fitted. The carpets won't need replacing. The hot and cold running blondes won't malfunction.

Thanks for the quick replies.

jon3950, The defenders have aircon right? So shouldn't be too hot, or is it pretty week aircon? I have driven the D4 (at a dealership), and a D3 (My mates) and I really wanna try a Defender but I don't want to waste a private sellers time just giving it a run round the block with no intention of buying it

vnx205, In terms of running costs, am I right in thinking fuel will be around 20% more? As for other running costs as a rule of thumb what sort of K's do both the D4 & Defenders start running into expensive repairs? (Maybe a conversation for another post & I will do some more searching n here to find that info)

A Defender is capable of using more fuel than a Disco. However a Defender driven at an appropriate speed would probably use the same amount of fuel as an enthusiastically driven Disco.

In Tasmania where quite a few of the roads don't encourage high speeds, I have used 9.5 litres/100k with the camper on board, which is about the same as I get on NSW highways without the camper.

Perhaps all those years of driving a Series III (it was my only vehicle for a couple of years) taught me to be patient. On the other hand, maybe it was using a Haflinger as my daily drive for a while that made me patient.

I think the consensus about maintenance costs is that they are as much affected by the regularity of the servicing as they are affected by the distance they have covered. So it's a bit hard to give a definitive answer.

MY 2 cents worth...

Assuming $$$ are not the biggest consideration at present, I'd suggest your drive both - if possible in a Daily-Driver traffic congestion... - and pick the one your instinct goes with.
We do things more on 'feeling' than 'Logic', and facts & figures are merely used to support what we've already done...

The Deafener may appreciate re-sale value, the Disco never will.

The Lady Sarah, '95 Classic with working air suspension (I think...) and stuffed Transfer Case...

They do have air-conditioning but perhaps not as you know it. At that age you are talking Td5. I have a Puma which has much better air but it still can't cope on a hot day. A big problem is the lack of insulation, which can be improved. Just don't expect it to work like your Freelander.

Maintenance costs are a bit difficult to predict in a vehicle that age as it really depends on the state of the individual vehicle. A Disco does have more stuff to go wrong, with a few big dollar items, but it is better built and newer.

I don't want to discourage you from a Defender, I think they're great but they are not for everyone. If its going to be your only vehicle you really need to drive one first to see if you could live with it. Maybe someone in Brisbane could give you a drive of theirs?

Cheers,
Jon

Originally Posted by jon3950

They do have air-conditioning but perhaps not as you know it. At that age you are talking Td5. I have a Puma which has much better air but it still can't cope on a hot day. A big problem is the lack of insulation, which can be improved. Just don't expect it to work like your Freelander.

Maintenance costs are a bit difficult to predict in a vehicle that age as it really depends on the state of the individual vehicle. A Disco does have more stuff to go wrong, with a few big dollar items, but it is better built and newer.

I don't want to discourage you from a Defender, I think they're great but they are not for everyone. If its going to be your only vehicle you really need to drive one first to see if you could live with it. Maybe someone in Brisbane could give you a drive of theirs?

Cheers,
Jon

Fair comment Jon,coming from one who has dabbled with the newer Discos.

I'm a D4 owner,love it.
Don't discount a last of the run D2 either.Player comfort level way beyond a Deefer,and a well sorted vehicle at that age.
Ive owned a TD5 Defender,not what I wanted in a 4x4.I also had a 99 TD5 D2 for quite some time,it really gave me confidence in MODERN Landys after owning a string of Series vehicles.I only sold the D2 to buy bits and pieces to kit the D4 out,else I would have kept it.
Love my MY14 D4,my first new vehicle.
Andrew

Originally Posted by superquag

MY 2 cents worth...

Assuming $$$ are not the biggest consideration at present, I'd suggest your drive both - if possible in a Daily-Driver traffic congestion... - and pick the one your instinct goes with.
We do things more on 'feeling' than 'Logic', and facts & figures are merely used to support what we've already done...

$$$ Is one of my main concerns yes, if I had $60k to spend I'm pretty sure I would go with a D4 as I would almost 'Have it all'. Or I may get one of each

Originally Posted by jon3950

They do have air-conditioning but perhaps not as you know it. At that age you are talking Td5. I have a Puma which has much better air but it still can't cope on a hot day. A big problem is the lack of insulation, which can be improved. Just don't expect it to work like your Freelander.

Maintenance costs are a bit difficult to predict in a vehicle that age as it really depends on the state of the individual vehicle. A Disco does have more stuff to go wrong, with a few big dollar items, but it is better built and newer.

I don't want to discourage you from a Defender, I think they're great but they are not for everyone. If its going to be your only vehicle you really need to drive one first to see if you could live with it. Maybe someone in Brisbane could give you a drive of theirs?

Cheers,
Jon

I've driven older crappy cars/vans before so I know what 'air-con' can be like in older cars....not great haha.

In the UK I drove an old VW Mark II Polo "Wagon" shape....cost me ?350 and was super fun to drive, I did a good bit of the East Coast here in a Mitsubishi l300 with a strange column shift gearbox (not up and down, it was like a normal 4-speed but on the side - weird), this had TERRIBLE air-con but again SUPER fun to drive. I guess what im trying to say is I have had fun in older cars without all the luxury (although I have obviously enjoyed having it in the FL2!!)

If someone would be kind enough to let me take theirs out around the block with them, I wouldn't be saying no!

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

Fair comment Jon,coming from one who has dabbled with the newer Discos.

I'm a D4 owner,love it.
Don't discount a last of the run D2 either.Player comfort level way beyond a Deefer,and a well sorted vehicle at that age.
Ive owned a TD5 Defender,not what I wanted in a 4x4.I also had a 99 TD5 D2 for quite some time,it really gave me confidence in MODERN Landys after owning a string of Series vehicles.I only sold the D2 to buy bits and pieces to kit the D4 out,else I would have kept it.
Love my MY14 D4,my first new vehicle.
Andrew

While the D2's are ok, they just don't have the same 'appeal' to me as the D4/Defender. I think ultimately my thinking is 'Go all out on luxury and pay the big $$ or save a little and go back to basics with a beast'