Thread: Which is better Off Road a D3/4 or a late model Defender? ... Puma 110

Originally Posted by dullbird

I love the defender, I love its look, i love its character, I love its interchangeability, I live its following I love the memories it has given me to date. The car just puts a smile on your face every time you drive it.

This.

There is no need to rationalise or justify with 'logic', Lou has honestly encapsulated what it means to be a 90/110/130 owner and driver.

Originally Posted by rick130

This.

There is no need to rationalise or justify with 'logic', Lou has honestly encapsulated what it means to be a 90/110/130 owner and driver.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Jimmy Salsa

For what it's worth, here's my take on the debate.

Defender
Rubbish on the sand
Untenably noisy, even on smooth roads
Worst dust sealing of any modern vehicle
Bone rattlingly uncomfortable in almost any off-road situation
Worst passenger viewing position of any car made since 1923
Only good for midgets under 5'8" who weigh less than 85kg's
Less creature comforts and features than a 1964 falcon
Stereo (what stereo)
Rubbish air con system
Turning circle of a small semi trailer
Side mirrors that should never have passed a road safety test - can't see out of them at speeds of more than 10kms per hour due to vibrations
Myriad water leaks that dealers will tell you is just par for the course with a Defender (I've seen the army's technical bulletin on how to remedy water leaks in the defender and it's 42 typed pages long #nobulls&%t.)

Worst of all though, LR have continued to promote the off-road heritage of the product whilst continually weakening the components and by definition, it's go anywhere capabilities.




If you want the best cross-ver vehicle for on-road, off-road, touring and serious stuff, you won't find a better vehicle than the RRS/D3/D4 (Sorry Stefan - the D2 is just too antiquated to rate a mention in this field)

Hm most things are spot on but I disagree with a couple of things:

Defender
Rubbish on the sand

not my experience at all, from all the trucks we had in our group or we meet on the Simpson Crossing my Defer did it the easiest....

Untenably noisy, even on smooth roads
yes
Worst dust sealing of any modern vehicle
what sealing???
Bone rattlingly uncomfortable in almost any off-road situation

would disagree with a recaro for a tall guy like me its a excellent seating position rather truck like rather then lying down low

Worst passenger viewing position of any car made since 1923
Only good for midgets under 5'8" who weigh less than 85kg's
Rather the opposite for me with a Recaro and spacers see above
Less creature comforts and features than a 1964 falcon
YEP
Stereo (what stereo)
YEP
Rubbish air con system
could be better I agree
Turning circle of a small semi trailer
Still better then a patrol with adjusted steering stops
Side mirrors that should never have passed a road safety test - can't see out of them at speeds of more than 10kms per hour due to vibrations
YEP
Myriad water leaks that dealers will tell you is just par for the course with a Defender (I've seen the army's technical bulletin on how to remedy water leaks in the defender and it's 42 typed pages long #nobulls&%t.)
YEP but can be fixed my one leaks rarely

I know would definitely prefer to be in the D4 on the long haul to those iconic tracks.

Some other interesting comparisons

In South Africa if we were to compare standard D4 with Defender then the D4 limitations have been removed.
17' wheels are available on SA Discoveries.
SA have started to specify D4's to cope with the loss of the Defender until the new one comes out i.e. 155 kw V6 diesel 8 speed, coil springs, 17 in wheels, matt black wheel arches etc.

It is Landrover Australia that has stuck us with the 19" wheel problem it how they specify what gets delivered into Australia.

I am amazed that Landrover Australia do not offer a more flexible ordering platform for example how any of you would have specified 17" wheels as an option if you could.

Different brake pack with 17 Inch?

Land Rover Defender loved by drivers from the Queen to James Bond ceases production | Daily Mail Online

Perhaps the Disco fraternity can educate us with some pictures similar to the attached, anything involving flood rescue, Marines, Afghanistan, Lions, etc, i think they all qualify as serious off road use Maccas drive thru does not count.

Andy G

I would suggest that most of those photos are not in the Defenders best interests.

The only exception would be the military vehicles and they are not Defenders per say.

Originally Posted by AndyG

Land Rover Defender loved by drivers from the Queen to James Bond ceases production | Daily Mail Online

Perhaps the Disco fraternity can educate us with some pictures similar to the attached, anything involving flood rescue, Marines, Afghanistan, Lions, etc, i think they all qualify as serious off road use Maccas drive thru does not count.

I love the misprint on one of the captions (or was it )

A 1950 Series 1 Land Rover on show at the Royal Horticultural Hall in central London - the Discovery will cease production on Friday