Disappointed in the D5 / waiting for the Defender

Tact I have witnessed both the new shape (well D3 and 4) and d2 both suffer from electronics issues post wading over the bonnet. Cheers

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Originally Posted by tact

I have waded to about 900+ mm (? something like that, tops of headlights were underwater) in my barge and I don't even have a snorkel! Having to hose all the twigs and mud from radiators later was the only consequence.


Sensors to give problems?
- It wasn't a long crossing so water inside the vehicle didn't make it to the throttle position sensor in the footwell. Or fuseboxes/relays etc. Though there is a high tide mud line inside both seat boxes (battery box etc) about 75mm above floor level.
- Fair enough I don't have ABS/TC so no wheel sensors for that.

Not sure what other sensors may give problems. (Not even sure if wheel sensors or throttle pot would suffer terribly....)?

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Originally Posted by rar110

I think a repair in the field simple vehicle is something like a 4DB1, 300tdi or earlier. Anything later you have an ecu and electronic fuel pump. Those days are long gone.

On the plus side Land Rover (Ford) electronics seem very reliable from about 2005.

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Even before that,for example with the D2,the electronics were very reliable.

But the owner was still kept busy with other things that didn't behave themselves,particularly with the TD5.[biggrin]

In fact the TD5 injectors were also extremely reliable,probably one of the most reliable injectors in its time.

I remember when the D2 first appeared,everyone said how all that electronics will make them unreliable,how wrong they were.

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Originally Posted by scarry

Even before that,for example with the D2,the electronics were very reliable.

But the owner was still kept busy with other things that didn't behave themselves,particularly with the TD5.[biggrin]

In fact the TD5 injectors were also extremely reliable,probably one of the most reliable injectors in its time.

I remember when the D2 first appeared,everyone said how all that electronics will make them unreliable,how wrong they were.

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I agree. The td5 is a very good motor, more so the 2nd editions. Pity there wasn’t enough room to make it a td6. And I think either way they could have gone a bit more cc. But possibly the best LR motor developed.

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Originally Posted by rar110

I agree. The td5 is a very good motor, more so the 2nd editions. Pity there wasn’t enough room to make it a td6. And I think either way they could have gone a bit more cc. But possibly the best LR motor developed.

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TD5 should have been 3ltr capacity right from the start.

Agree but let’s not forget their biggest market has a size cap. Hence the small capacity diesels in Europe.

Yet you can buy bigger in other vehicles.

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Originally Posted by loanrangie

Yet you can buy bigger in other vehicles.

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Correct. Comes down to vehicle classification, target audience and price point.

defenders are commercial.

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Originally Posted by Disco-tastic

I love how you can determine the capability and appeal of the new defender based on a few artistic lines. That's a skill I've not seen before.

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Thats ok, we’re not all designers / artists, just like we’re not all mechanics.

As I said, the line drawing looks to me like the previous Defender concept vehicle. Which has been widely panned including by Land Rover supposedly.

But then the line drawing of the D5 beside it is pretty accurate. So I remain concerned about how the new Defender will look, based on the line drawing.

To make it really clear, which seems to be necessary to avoid confusion, this is my opinion, IMO, IME etc. If it differs from yours that’s entirely ok by me. Each to their own, afterall aesthetics like many value judgements are entirely subjective. If everyone had the same opinion about everything there would be no need for forums like this.

Diversity is the spice of life IMO, IME, etc.

Cheers, Z

I really like small capacity diesels. Unless you’re towing something large they make more sense financially and environmentally IMO. The new D5 4 pot sounds brilliant. Perfect for the next Defender, unless it’s hybrid of course, which would be even better IMO.

Personally i think that the asthetics are not all that important as long as the new defender is as capable or more capable than the old one and also has a better safety rating and better reliability along with making it a true 1 tonner it will be a good vehicle.
It will also have to be competitively priced against it's Asian competitors offerings.
If however all the above is to be sacrificed for the sake of "Style" for the Yuppie market then I imagine that it will be an abject failure.