Touring 4wd, what would you buy?

**willem** · 6th April 2009, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

and thats why in ten years countys will be selling for more than your D3. Some of us dont like a throw away society and want a vehicle that actually lasts. Not talking about 'reliability' all vehicles can and will break down. The simple truth is that a simple vehicle is much simpler (cheaper) to fix. I like electronics for purely comfort items but not for vital systems. Give me a simple engine, gearbox and live axles. Something that i can service at home and not void a warranty by touching something that isnt painted yellow.
And BTW i thought the whole idea of owning a land rover was 'nursing along an aging relic' perhaps you should have bought a Toyota.

I don't see owning a Land Rover being about nursing along and aging relic. I like Landrovers for what they can do! I love my P38 because its a great car that I love to drive. Learning about how it works so that I can keep it going without spending lots of money is the price I pay for owning one.

But others have their joy in the actual working on their cars. That's fine and a valid option. But that's not what we are talking about. We are talking about an ideal tourer, where money is no problem. And a modern 4WD lie the D3 that is just awesomely capable is an ideal tourer.

I know the Leyland brothers toured around Australia in a Land Rover with drum brakes and carburetors. But I don't want to put myself and my family through the pain. If I had the funds it would be D3 for me. As it is it will have to be the P38 - not that I'm complaining!

BTW, the comment about the Toyota was unkind.

Willem

**Chucaro** · 6th April 2009, 11:02 AM

There are 2 new 130 at the local dealer but........ after reading all the problems regarding quality control on them i keep my Tdi 300 even if I win lotto.
I am dreaming with a reliable Defender with a TDV6 fitted on it

**Ace** · 6th April 2009, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Chucaro

There are 2 new 130 at the local dealer but........ after reading all the problems regarding quality control on them i keep my Tdi 300 even if I win lotto.
I am dreaming with a reliable Defender with a TDV6 fitted on it

if you are going to dream scrap the TDV6 and dream about a new TDV8 instead

Now thats a dream

**Chucaro** · 6th April 2009, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Ace

if you are going to dream scrap the TDV6 and dream about a new TDV8 instead

Now thats a dream

Now seriously, do you think that the suspension of a Defender will be ok for a V8? If yes then that will be the "mother of all options"

**Mick-Kelly** · 6th April 2009, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by willem

BTW, the comment about the Toyota was unkind.

Willem

'The future is electronic. Get used to it or you will be stuck in a time warp nursing along an aging relic.'

Pot, Kettle...........

Given my choice and unlimited funds it would be a county V8 on gas with an updated interior. It comes down to what you like. I like camping and roughing it. I find enjoyment in the experience. My best memories come from these experiences. Some would prefer traveling from hotel room to hotel room but thats not for me.
I prefer well made and basic items. I prefer steam trains and Massey Ferguson tractors to John Deere and diesel / electric. Efficiency is not my thing, quality and doing something right the first time is. I am not a fan of change for the sake of change. Therefore if i had unlimited funds i would build the vehicle that makes me happy and will keep on making me happy.
A friend of ours is a mechanic at MR automotive which is a well know and reputable landy specialist here. We were talking about this a while ago. His ultimate choice of vehicle was a County with a turbo diesel isuzu. From someone who works on all types of landys all day, every day that says something.

**willem** · 6th April 2009, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

'The future is electronic. Get used to it or you will be stuck in a time warp nursing along an aging relic.'

Pot, Kettle...........

Fair comment. Sorry!

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

Given my choice and unlimited funds it would be a county V8 on gas with an updated interior. It comes down to what you like. I like camping and roughing it. I find enjoyment in the experience. My best memories come from these experiences. Some would prefer traveling from hotel room to hotel room but thats not for me.

I prefer camping to motels too!

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

I prefer well made and basic items. I prefer steam trains and Massey Ferguson tractors to John Deere and diesel / electric. Efficiency is not my thing, quality and doing something right the first time is. I am not a fan of change for the sake of change. Therefore if i had unlimited funds i would build the vehicle that makes me happy and will keep on making me happy.

Fair enough! To each his own.

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

A friend of ours is a mechanic at MR automotive which is a well know and reputable landy specialist here. We were talking about this a while ago. His ultimate choice of vehicle was a County with a turbo diesel isuzu. From someone who works on all types of landys all day, every day that says something.

It says more about his personal preferences than anything else.

We all pays our money and makes our choices. All are fair choices. But if we are talking about ideal tourers then the D3 is a valid choice, just as a Defender - or for that matter, a Toyota or a Nissan - is a fair choice.

And I will agree with the comment on the TDV8. That, in a D3, would be an awesome machine!

Willem

**Ace** · 6th April 2009, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Now seriously, do you think that the suspension of a Defender will be ok for a V8? If yes then that will be the "mother of all options"

Its a 3.6L V8 diesel, its some fancy smancy graphite carbon material so is lighter than a general cast iron block, i cant see it being that much heavier than a TDV6 Or a TD5 or a Tdi for that matter.

I reckon a defender 130, with all the bits and a TDV8, yes thats my option if money was no object

**Timj** · 6th April 2009, 11:39 AM

The whole problem with this thread is that it is impossible for us not to be biased as the original post asked. What we each would buy is what would suit us and is therefore biased. Don't let's start personal attacks based on the fact that my choice would be different from yours.

I have worked with computers my whole working life and that is now more than thirty years so I have seen many changes and have seen how much more reliable they have become. To the point now where hardware is almost bulletproof, and if you need it to be bulletproof you just spread the same software over multiple pieces of hardware. So for me electronics aren't scary and I have done all sorts of camping and travel with kids and now we are pretty much back to just two of us and I like a bit of comfort. I like a vehicle that doesn't leak and is quiet on the highway. I like to get out at the end of a long day and not fall over because my back and knees are too sore. That's just me though, you do what you like and I won't get upset, but the original post was asking what I would do.

And I reckon that in 50 years I will be able to just pull a D3 out of the shed and plug a new battery in and get it started (why bother pushing it?). What possible reason is there that it would not work? Clean fuel and injectors maybe but electronics don't fail when they are just sitting doing nothing.

Tim.

**V8Ian** · 6th April 2009, 11:46 AM

Just out of interest, can a 6' + person lie down in the back of a D3?

**Timj** · 6th April 2009, 11:55 AM

I'm 6'4" and I just fit. My daughter is 5'11" and slept quite comfortably in the back. That was without moving the front seats so if you move the seats forward and put your feet down that end it would be fine. Perfectly flat floor which is great.

Tim.

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