Thread: v8 Pros vs Cons or just pros...

Sat phones are still a bit uncommon here in part because normal cell phone service is generally sort of available, at least where there are people, and of course the Sat phones are a bit expensive to purchase and use.

There is a satellite locator device called SPOT that costs about $US150.00 and maybe a hundred dollars a year for a subscription to keep it working. It, or a personal 406 EPIRB both work well. Of the two, the SPOT is probably the more common here as it serves more than just emergency situations. Climbers tend to have them.

The reality is that those who slide off the edge are generally those least prepared; more often than not younger females, (and guys), or older couples.

Hi Mike - can't comment on the V8, but I'd say give the 3.0L BMW motored L322 Rangie a drive and see what you think. They go like stink for a big heavy car and on a long journey we get between 800 and 900Km from a tank. The trip computer once told us we had a range of 1050Kms after a refill, which was impressive (or brave).

I also have a Defender, and the difference is (insert cliche here - Chalk & Cheese, Night & Day, etc etc). Still - I never find the Defender uncomfortable on a long trip though.

Cheers
David

Hi bbyer,
I accept what you say that it is generally the unprepared that get into trouble. However, in your posts, you don't say whether you have a SPOT system or EPIRB in your car. Do you? If not, why not?

Best Wishes,
Peter

Originally Posted by Mikes defender

I was more worried about the range than the cost of fuel. I really want at least 400km out of a tank to get to the camping ground and back.

You will get 400+km from a std tank D3 or D4. In my experience with both V8's. (my D1 would get 350km's from a 110L tank. OMFG.)

I have my aircraft 121.5 ELT which is now sort of yesterday, and not exactly Land Rover either but 121.5 is still an easier to receive frequency, (more receivers around), than 406 here anyway.

The SPOT is probably the most practical these days, but I have just not got around to buying one.

I just got this post, as for some reason, I seem to have locked myself out of this particular thread - can't figure out what is wrong with my desktop but I seem to be able to get in on my laptop. Took me awhile to figure out that there is a problem.

As to being unprepared, yah, that is probably me - still do not have an exhaust jack - (that is on the way however), as that seems to me the best way to lift the rear to merely change a rear tyre in the winter here.

A flat tyre and then getting run into due to lack of visibility is still a bigger concern than going off the edge - at least for me. Yes, I have been in the ditch once in my 40 years of driving, and that was on a bright sunny winter day going around a curve on an oil patch road. I was not paying attention and instead of moving onto the wrong half of the road, I remained "ïn lane", and that meant I was on the wrong side of the crown. Since the sun was out, the ice surface was a bit slick and off I went. I got lucky and was able to pick where I would go off, sort of, so the landing was OK. I recall that I did have to crawl out the window of the Ford pickup as the snow was so deep I could not open the door.

Those were the days of metal grills and we had full skid plates etc so the radiator and engine remained where Ford put them so all I had to do was wait for a Kenworth to come by and I was soon out and on my way. I could not call up on the company VHF as then everyone would know.

Anyway, the idea of the 3 is for me to stay on the road - you have to pay me to go off road.

Own a 2005 HSE V8 - love it. Had plenty of diesels but the decision came down to the $25K difference in the buy price - over a 3 year period, I was not going to use an $25K less diesel based on the higher price of diesel. I get the added benefit of the HSE spec!

Around town I get 15 to 16lp 100K normal driving. (around 400km per tank) On the highway I will get 12.5 to 13.5 depending in the amount of kids and trailers you have on board and the weight of your right foot. 650km per tank. I have driven from Melbourne to Canberra on one tank with no load.

My understanding is this is not to much more that the diesels - but more fun?

Towing is a pleasure and the performance is noticeable - the 80 - 110 can be performed with confidence and you need to watch carefully to slow down before you hit 140 accidentally

Originally Posted by Colin Pedersen

Own a 2005 HSE V8 - love it. Had plenty of diesels but the decision came down to the $25K difference in the buy price - over a 3 year period, I was not going to use an $25K less diesel based on the higher price of diesel. I get the added benefit of the HSE spec!

Around town I get 15 to 16lp 100K normal driving. (around 400km per tank) On the highway I will get 12.5 to 13.5 depending in the amount of kids and trailers you have on board and the weight of your right foot. 650km per tank. I have driven from Melbourne to Canberra on one tank with no load.

My understanding is this is not to much more that the diesels - but more fun?

Towing is a pleasure and the performance is noticeable - the 80 - 110 can be performed with confidence and you need to watch carefully to slow down before you hit 140 accidentally

D4's 3.0L TD is an awesome drive....power from start to finish due the sequential turbos and 600nm of torque. I think in the D4 the V8 was the highest spec and actually made it the most expensive too. Don't know the rationale behind that decision...

On the cruise from Brisbane to Rainbow Beach, fully loaded for a week away (no trailer though) on Fraser Island....8.2L/100KM. Worst eco, funnily enough in low range in sand, 13L/100KM. Pretty impressive.

I've only towed a camper trailer a couple of times over any distance and didn't really watch the economy as I was hardly aware of the trailer being there but it certainly didn't register any distress in me by suddenly drinking fuel like a fish drinks water....

I believe the 2.7L while not as economic as the 3.0L, is not more worse at all.

Yes, I forgot about the fact that at times on the highway, my 3 feels more like a race car than a 4x4. On the highway, I am inclined to believe that the 4.4 V8 engine really does come off a Jaguar line rather than out of a Ford plant.

O, and a note regarding reliability - my service guy at Land Rover says he finds working at a Land Rover dealership to be a fun job compared to his previous service postition at a local BMW dealership. He says if you really want to find out about the cost and concerns of high end car ownership, buy a Beemer, (Bimmer?) and try to keep it on the road and out of the shop.

We have a six lane highway, (QEII highway, it is called), between the two major cities here, and at times, it seemed like a government operated race track, or "toll" road, is perhaps a better description.

The V8 has no problem keeping up with whatever may be in the fast lane and the ease of acceleration between 100 kph and 120 kph is really surprising - not quite motorcycle, but better than most cars and any truck.

I do not know how fast the 3 goes, but I know 130 kph just creeps up and one does not even notice it - and yes, per the previous post, 140 kph has been seen as well and it is no big deal - very stable etc.

I think that is where the 3 ton weight really is a benefit. Also, for being styled like a box, I notice that crosswinds do not seem to be a bother either - must be the weight, as I do find that most strange - or maybe the suspension - some combination of factors, (all wheel drive?), that are not common to normal off road vehicles.