Another Defender!

**ATH** · 8th January 2007, 03:00 PM

I must be mad but I've just bought another Defender but this time no damn computer to stuff up and spoil holidays.
It's a late '97 300 Tdi with very low klms on the clock, full service history and a few extras, one of which is a long range tank which should come as standard for Australia as with our distances, we need them.
Now I'm in a quandary as to whether to keep the Td5 or flog it or maybe just use it for those not so far away trips where it won't matter if we suffer from computer glitches which bring us to a halt.
What I really like about it is the extra power from the same size motor and the eaze with which it pulls our camper.
Of course I can be influenced by heaps of readies but haven't got quite that far yet.
I'll take some small bits off it like our GME radio and transfer them but it'll still be as it was when purchased new nearly 4 years ago. Actually it'll be even better cos it's been run in.
Alan H.

**Greylandy** · 8th January 2007, 03:45 PM

There is no shame in owning more than one Defender ... actually .. it's recommended!

Having said that, I don't think you really gave the TD5 a fair chance .. unless it left you stranded on a few occasions. You very seldom hear of TD5 defenders with reliability issues .. certainly no more than Tdi's. I've just done 4000km's in two weeks and I would happily venture to any remote part of AU in mine. BUT .. if you feel more comfortable with the tdi just flog the TD5 and use the cash to "fruit up" the tdi, no point having to spend dosh on both to get them kitted out.

**stusgonesailing** · 8th January 2007, 04:05 PM

Alan,
Does that mean your game enough to venture up to the Gibb River Road with me this year.

You dont have a vehicle to blame now

**LandyAndy** · 8th January 2007, 04:09 PM

His and Hers Defenders

Well done Alan
Andrew

**noddy** · 8th January 2007, 06:07 PM

Howdy Alan!

1. Get a spare TD5 ECU from the UK
2. Get it coded to your injectors
3. Wrap in bubble wrap, place in dust-proof box
4. Sell other Defender
4 Head off into the sunset...

Fortunately there is only one ECU with the Defender to worry about!

**ATH** · 9th January 2007, 10:22 AM

Hi everyone.
Lots of suggestions but after having been stranded in Newman which is a fair sized town by WA standards without even being able to get the thing diagnosed let alone fixed, doesn’t do much for your confidence.
Then 3 weeks to get it back to Perth!
At least with a non-computer controlled vehicle a reasonable mechanic has some chance of fixing it.
Stu, we may be going with the LROCWA up there around June this year. The cook and I went on our own about 18 months ago. Went to Broome and did the usual things then parked the van up and went to the Bungle Bungles to Kunanurra, Wyndham via Ivanhoe Crossing, then the King River Road to Diggers Rest, Old Karunjie Trail round the Cockburn Ranges to the Pentecost River and the GRR, Home Valley, Drysdale River, Bell Gorge etc. and then back to Broome.
No problems at all except for the failure in Bell Gorge of the Smart Solenoid to protect the starting battery so it went flat. That wasn’t the fault of the vehicle but ARB who wrongly wired it in the first place, but they did redo it and replaced the battery.
Worst thing was having to get a jump from a passing Tojo (Oh the shame of it!) but I ain’t proud in that type of situation.

Love the Td5 but if we go over a bump in the road now the cook wants to know if it’s the TP or the road surface, so she’s very wary as well.
When we’re away from home I want to be reasonably sure some stupid electrical bit isn’t going to fail and strand us.
Pity but there it is.

Alan.

JamesH · 9th January 2007, 11:17 AM

Hi Alan congratulations on your purchase. I think I saw that one in Sunday's paper and it seemed impressive.

You know from other posts here that with the Tdis that you need to be certain in your mind from looking at receipts when the timing belt was last done. They need doing every 80000 km.

Sorry that you lost faith in your TD5 though. It makes me realise how lucky my mate was when his clutch fork went out the back of Mt Augustus and he had to drive 250 km along a dirt road through some ranges with no clutch to get to Paraburdoo. He got very smooth at clutchless changes I must say. He made it and it just so happened that his daughter was flying in the next day to join us and she stopped off and get the parts which happened to be in stock on the way to the airport and it just happened that there was a tiny window available for the Paraburdoo mechanics to pull it all down and install it because a mining company had cancelled a booking on one of their buses. He was back on the road in two days after a major mechanical failure out the back of whoop whoop. Miracle when you think about it. It could have ended like your trip so easily. Sure he was two grand lighter in the pocket ...

Good luck on your next trip. might see you on the road sometime.

**ATH** · 9th January 2007, 11:31 AM

Hi James.
Yes I know about the belt as I had a 300Tdi Disco a few years back before the Defender and that'll be the first thing I check.
Your mate was very lucky with that clutch part, it certainly saved the trip for him.
I intend to spend a bit to make absolutely sure that anything I can do to make sure on the vehicle is done so if anything does go wrong it won't be me to blame. But the cook will blame me anyway!

I hope to catch up with other WA members sometime in the future.
Alan.

**DirtyDawg** · 10th January 2007, 05:53 AM

AlanH , The same sentiments I have all along about technology and remote areas.....Keep both though as I'm looking at buying an older county for a spare vehicle

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