Life can be so empty

**Barra1** · 31st May 2009, 05:29 PM

It is a horrifying realisation that life can be so empty when the Defender is "off" the road

One does not realise this until the count-down begins to the day "one" will regain command of his Defender.

The Defender is out of warranty at the end of the month - and as "luck" (possibly bad luck) would have it, a couple of things needed fixing. Putting the Deefa in for warranty is no easy task. There is the 3 hour trip down the highway to Melbourne, but alas, Lance Dixon are in an ever-so-inconvenient location so the journey is 3 to 3 hours and 45 minutes and with the trip back that means a day off work.

Of course I also had to get a mate to follow me down to Melbourne in the wife's Subaru - browny points to be made up there for borrowing the Scooby-Do.

Anyways, the warranty work. A couple of leaks, both rear doors won't shut easily and a very loud whine coming from the transfer case.

And that worried me - a lot.

The Deefa has been there for two weeks.

Initially the Service Manager questioned whether the transfer case rebuild (yes rebuild) would be covered by warranty. I was looking at dollars, big dollars.

Took a step back and waited for the final answer from Land Rover as the Lance Dixon Service Bloke (Andrew) had called in the big guns of Land Rover to make the final decision.

A warranty job.

A good result for me and a good result for Land Rover because I don't know how I was going to fight it but damned if I was going to take it lying down. Anyway all is well and Andrew and I are best mates.

Jokes aside, on both occasions that I have taken the Deefa to the Service Department at Lance Dixon the blokes there have been terrific.

Now the good part, Ol' Barra1 gets the Deefa back on Thursday.

Bazza from the NEVLRC is giving me a ride to Lance Dixon - thanks Bazza.

A question to all and sundry - do you "suffer" when the trusty Land Rover is off the road? Do you feel as though you have lost a leg, eye or a part of your personality?

**Grumbles** · 31st May 2009, 05:49 PM

Oh yes - x2 x3 x4 adinfinitum. Am going to lose mine for supposedly three days this week starting tomorrow.

Wasn't happy removing all the recovery gear/chainsaw etc from the back this afternoon. And even though I am getting a loan car it is just not the same. Yes - I have wheels but they're not my wheels so I am terribly cautious and it's not a Landy. Roll on Wednesday.

**The ho har's** · 31st May 2009, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by cooper

That is why i always have more than one Landy.

That is my self justification anyway.

and we have more than one as well

well actually 6

well I feel for you barra but maybe you should buy another one for this reason

Mrs ho har

**SVX37** · 31st May 2009, 06:13 PM

Hi Barra1,

Just curious when you live in Albury why you don't go to Blacklocks for service and warranty work?

**PAT303** · 31st May 2009, 06:27 PM

Well just to rub it in my defender hasn't been off the road for years,can't remember the last time it's been away for more than a day,saying that I did miss it when I took the L322 down to Esperance for a few days a month back. Pat

**Barra1** · 31st May 2009, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by SVX37

Hi Barra1,

Just curious when you live in Albury why you don't go to Blacklocks for service and warranty work?

Good question.

And even better answer.

When I was looking to buy the new Deefa I rung the local Land Rover Dealer (as you named them) - the answer to my enquiry:

"Mate, they don't make Defenders anymore - they call it a Discovery now."

Further to that....

The rear diff was becoming increasingly loud - at 8,000 kms - the comment from the local Land Rover Dealer?:

"That's not the diff mate, that is wind noise from your roof-rack".

That comment came from their chief-mechanic.

Enough said.

**Barra1** · 31st May 2009, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by PAT303

Well just to rub it in my defender hasn't been off the road for years,can't remember the last time it's been away for more than a day,saying that I did miss it when I took the L322 down to Esperance for a few days a month back. Pat

That is just cruel, very cruel, Pat.

**Jock The Rock** · 31st May 2009, 07:12 PM

I know just how you feel

I made this thread a while ago when I was without my Defender for a while

How Attached are You?

But then it got worse

not long after that I killed the thing

**Grumbles** · 31st May 2009, 07:45 PM

Your better answer to a good question really intrigued me Barra1. I've been a customer of that dealer for over 10 years now and have never had a problem that their workshop could not and did not resolve. In fact it's actually been the opposite -can't speak highly enough of them. I'm heading in tomorrow to buy another car from them and their workshop is what helps tips the scales in their favour.

Just goes to show how we can experience things differently. One mans rubbish is another mans fortune sort of thing.

**PAT303** · 31st May 2009, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Barra1

That is just cruel, very cruel, Pat.

It's called correct service procedures. Pat

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