Thread: I am Complete

Originally Posted by Aaron

When you slap 50k on the table, you expect to get a good product I guess. Loose bolts in a car is not exactly a small issue :P Warranties are there to be used.

As for delivery. I guess talk to your dealer.

yes i appreciate that aaron.......lose bolts are an issuse.

i suppose all i'm trying to say is we have had our car probably a month now and yes we have similar things with the car like swarf etc
geez when we took it camping both the mirrors nearly fell off doing 110k on the motorway........but you know we kinda laughed pulled them in and then tightened them up!!!! we didn't make a list as we know thats what landrovers are all about character..
hey i'm not saying dont go making a list, if that really floats your boat then go do it!

i suppose i cant make out whether he is happy to have his car or not as he was so excited to have it but with in 5mins he's righting lists.....

not defending the dealer or anything as i know people have had issues with them, and i'm sure that we have got it to come.....but it sounded like his dealership busted a gut to get him his car....

i just know that i wouldn't be cheesing my dealer off over a some swarf and stuff as i want them on my side incase anything major goes wrong....

but i suppose thats my choice.......


anyway solmanic...............when are the accessories going onto your beautiful car and what you got planned to go on!!!

Unfortunately on-line posts usually fail to properly capture subtleties and my comment about loose screws should in no way imply that I am less than ecstatically happy with this vehicle. I only mentioned them as I am in the process of trimming the cargo area for dog transport and found all the screws holding the centre row seat floor mat are not tightening up - and it's not just a spanner job, for some reason they are loose but the nuts underneath are siezed. Definitely not a concern, but one that will be sorted at the first service I'm sure.

As far a Landrover and quality of fit and finish goes; yes, we all accept the Defender is a utility vehicle and due to the bolt-together nature things are far more casually assembled. I have visited the factory and seen how much they rely on rubber mallets to get these things together - amusing in the 21st century and one of the many indiosynchratic features that make the Defender so endearing.

But as Aaron points out, it is a $50K vehicle with a three year warranty and anything I find that cannot be sorted with a spanner or screwdriver will be handed to the dealer for their attention. No big deal.

---

Some background info about my journey - it was not just a five week wait...

Ever since our family got a Series III in the mid-70s for camping trips I have been a Landrover disciple. My dad test drove a V8 110 County in the late 80s and from that moment I knew I wanted one. I never really forgave him for then going and buying a Pajero .

When I bought the Series III off him during my uni days, I realised that even though they were designed for off-road use, I was using it 90% of the time on road. I still needed and wanted the basic level of ability when I did go on trips so it was never an option to just get a softer vehicle and I began making slight modifications to the interior to make it more habitable for day-to-day use.

Anyway due to life progressing, that car went, and several other non-Landrovers followed but I still wanted a 110 station wagon. I once managed to get my wife behind the wheel of a 300Tdi at a dealership but it was just a bit beyond her tolerance level for everyday driving.

Then the Td5 came along.

The Td5 was our daily driver for three years and whilst I loved it, my wife really only tolerated it. She understands the whole Landrover 'thing' and likes the confidence the Defender gives you when off-road but I was still very much aware though, that even this vehicle could be so much better for the 90% of on-road, everyday driving it had to do.

When I first saw the spy-shots of the 07MY Defender last November I immediately knew - 'this was it'! Finally Landrover have realised that they can put some of the refinement and regular creature comforts of their other models into the Defender whilst still making it a Defender. The quest began.

I was in the UK in March for, what I thought, would be the 07MY Defender model launch. I even had a Landrover Experience tour and test drive booked for the new vehicle. Then whilst we were elsewhere in Europe I learned that the launch had been pushed back until April and we were going to miss it by two weeks . At least I got a good look at them on the production line and had plenty of opportunity to have a stickybeak at some finished ones - but no chance to drive.

We arrived home and waiting for the Australian release commenced. I was not originally intending to get one in the first 12 months of manufacture since logic dictates that there would be all kinds of issues with such a new vehicle. No way was I going to slap down an order before actually driving one. The fact that I did buy so soon is a testament to how damn good the improvements are!

As soon as we test drove it my wife said simply that we had to get one. It obviously highlighted how much she barely tolerated the Td5 with it's truck-like gearchange. It was clear this is now pretty darn close to being the perfect Defender.

The dealership we took the test drive at said they actually had a few unallocated units coming in and they would 'get back to us' to confirm changeover price and delivery time. After a couple of days I contacted them and the guy apologised for not getting back to me and said that all the vehicles were now gone so I sought professional help and cast the net far afield in search for another.

Sure enough, we managed to find a dealer who was far more motivated to make a sale and they worked out how to secure a vehicle, in our preferred colour through a series of paper swaps with other dealerships. The deposit went down the instant we got the call that it could happen by Christmas.

As luck would have it we didn't have to wait that long. Like Spudboy in Adelaide one of the ships must have taken a shortcut and several cars arrived weeks early. It's now in my driveway and I'm at the computer wondering why I'm here instead of in it, up a mountain somewhere.

So from placing the order to delivery was five weeks, but the quest began decades ago.

well go on then,,, GIT!!

go find a mountain some where,,,


you know you want to

Originally Posted by solmanic

Unfortunately on-line posts usually fail to properly capture subtleties and my comment about loose screws should in no way imply that I am less than ecstatically happy with this vehicle. I only mentioned them as I am in the process of trimming the cargo area for dog transport and found all the screws holding the centre row seat floor mat are not tightening up - and it's not just a spanner job, for some reason they are loose but the nuts underneath are siezed. Definitely not a concern, but one that will be sorted at the first service I'm sure.

As far a Landrover and quality of fit and finish goes; yes, we all accept the Defender is a utility vehicle and due to the bolt-together nature things are far more casually assembled. I have visited the factory and seen how much they rely on rubber mallets to get these things together - amusing in the 21st century and one of the many indiosynchratic features that make the Defender so endearing.

But as Aaron points out, it is a $50K vehicle with a three year warranty and anything I find that cannot be sorted with a spanner or screwdriver will be handed to the dealer for their attention. No big deal.

---

Some background info about my journey - it was not just a five week wait...

Ever since our family got a Series III in the mid-70s for camping trips I have been a Landrover disciple. My dad test drove a V8 110 County in the late 80s and from that moment I knew I wanted one. I never really forgave him for then going and buying a Pajero .

When I bought the Series III off him during my uni days, I realised that even though they were designed for off-road use, I was using it 90% of the time on road. I still needed and wanted the basic level of ability when I did go on trips so it was never an option to just get a softer vehicle and I began making slight modifications to the interior to make it more habitable for day-to-day use.

Anyway due to life progressing, that car went, and several other non-Landrovers followed but I still wanted a 110 station wagon. I once managed to get my wife behind the wheel of a 300Tdi at a dealership but it was just a bit beyond her tolerance level for everyday driving.

Then the Td5 came along.

The Td5 was our daily driver for three years and whilst I loved it, my wife really only tolerated it. She understands the whole Landrover 'thing' and likes the confidence the Defender gives you when off-road but I was still very much aware though, that even this vehicle could be so much better for the 90% of on-road, everyday driving it had to do.

When I first saw the spy-shots of the 07MY Defender last November I immediately knew - 'this was it'! Finally Landrover have realised that they can put some of the refinement and regular creature comforts of their other models into the Defender whilst still making it a Defender. The quest began.

I was in the UK in March for, what I thought, would be the 07MY Defender model launch. I even had a Landrover Experience tour and test drive booked for the new vehicle. Then whilst we were elsewhere in Europe I learned that the launch had been pushed back until April and we were going to miss it by two weeks . At least I got a good look at them on the production line and had plenty of opportunity to have a stickybeak at some finished ones - but no chance to drive.

We arrived home and waiting for the Australian release commenced. I was not originally intending to get one in the first 12 months of manufacture since logic dictates that there would be all kinds of issues with such a new vehicle. No way was I going to slap down an order before actually driving one. The fact that I did buy so soon is a testament to how damn good the improvements are!

As soon as we test drove it my wife said simply that we had to get one. It obviously highlighted how much she barely tolerated the Td5 with it's truck-like gearchange. It was clear this is now pretty darn close to being the perfect Defender.

The dealership we took the test drive at said they actually had a few unallocated units coming in and they would 'get back to us' to confirm changeover price and delivery time. After a couple of days I contacted them and the guy apologised for not getting back to me and said that all the vehicles were now gone so I sought professional help and cast the net far afield in search for another.

Sure enough, we managed to find a dealer who was far more motivated to make a sale and they worked out how to secure a vehicle, in our preferred colour through a series of paper swaps with other dealerships. The deposit went down the instant we got the call that it could happen by Christmas.

As luck would have it we didn't have to wait that long. Like Spudboy in Adelaide one of the ships must have taken a shortcut and several cars arrived weeks early. It's now in my driveway and I'm at the computer wondering why I'm here instead of in it, up a mountain somewhere.

So from placing the order to delivery was five weeks, but the quest began decades ago.

nice quest...............still you haven't answered my question

you got goodies lined up or not,

have you sourced a cargo barrier for yours for the dogs???? as we need one for ours but dont know where to start looking as milford is the only people i know here, and unless they have recently they didn't have one

We haven't found a need for the dog barrier. The dog's lead is just the right length that when he is tied off to the rear door handle he has just enough slack to get his head out the window sticking out no further than the side mirrors. Rubber matting is the top priority and I have it cut to size and loosly laid in but not fixed just yet - the humidity here sapped my motivation.

The vehicle is now definitely secondhand. The dark upholstery shows dog hair much more than the grey "techno". Also the back of the rear seats is now felt instead of vinyl so it looks like someone has fired a dog-hair-gun at them.

The modifications list goes like this:
Rubber lining to cargo area - mostly done.
Felt lining to inside cubby box (for iPod) - pending. This is a necessity and I have done it on my previous two Defenders.
Towbar - next week.
Rear seat canvas cover - the new back seats are just too nice to wreck with dog slobber.
iPod connected stereo & replacement rear speakers - over Christmas. It's a real "white mans' stereo" if you know what I mean - toally devoid of bass.
UHF - over Christmas.
Bullbar - not sure on this one yet - depends on the UHF aerial mount. As pretty as the silver detailed front is, it just looks a bit too posh. Also, after having not hit a 'roo over the past three years, the first trip without a bar will surely see that happen.

That's about it - only relatively minor stuff. The stock unit is capable enough for what we get up to. I'll have to post some pics of the journey up to the family retreat which will be the first real shakedown.

Originally Posted by dullbird

have you sourced a cargo barrier for yours for the dogs????

BTW - there's only one dog - but he's a big 'un

Originally Posted by solmanic

BTW - there's only one dog - but he's a big 'un

oh yeh i forgot you had that georgous rodie...........

you getting your towbar from land rover we were quoted just over 500 dollars........you putting a snorkle on??

There's a mob who will come to you and install a Hayman Reece (which is what LRA are offering anyway) for about $450. I enquired about the "genuine" Land Rover version which is supposed to enable you to keep the rear step but the guy at Austral parts knew nothing. Honestly, they have an entire glossy booklet of genuine accessories and I swear you can get hardly any of them here .

I don't think I will bother with the snorkel this time around. I am just not that hardcore. If we decide to do a big trip in this one it will probably happen, but in the meantime it would be just for show. I am a bit puzzled, however, to know why the existing Safari job doesn't just bolt on - the dealer told me it needed to be revised. The air inlet is piped out to the inlet grillle on the nearside guard so i don't see what change to the design would be required.