Returning to the fold and seeking guidance on fitout for My25.5 Defender

[QUOTE=RobA;3238325] We will still be towing our AOR Matrix and still doing outback tracks but overall more sedately and without the needs for vastly increased range and/or carrying capacity.


Hi Rob.
I was very interested to read your post as I am in almost the same position. I've just revived my AULRO subscription after bumping around in a Ford Ranger since 2017. We have an X-Dynamic SE D350 on order, currently due for delivery in March, and we have a Series IV Matrix FH. We have a Series V Matrix on order which should arrive in June. My list of things to do / investigate is pretty much the same as yours, so I'll be following this thread with great interest!
All the best, John

[QUOTE=John58;3239737]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RobA

We will still be towing our AOR Matrix and still doing outback tracks but overall more sedately and without the needs for vastly increased range and/or carrying capacity.


Hi Rob.
I was very interested to read your post as I am in almost the same position. I've just revived my AULRO subscription after bumping around in a Ford Ranger since 2017. We have an X-Dynamic SE D350 on order, currently due for delivery in March, and we have a Series IV Matrix FH. We have a Series V Matrix on order which should arrive in June. My list of things to do / investigate is pretty much the same as yours, so I'll be following this thread with great interest!
All the best, John

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John hello one of the great things about this site is the calmness of experience rather than the shouting that goes in in some other places. It certainly builds a base of pragmatic, experienced feedback and thoughtful suggestions. Which goes a long way in the search for a good build you will be confident with. So, glad to be able to be gathering some helpful experiences into a single place.

We have just about run our race with the sort of seriously remote touring we have been doing for the last 20 odd years. Simply put we have too many damaged body bits to keep up endless corrugations and weeks in low range traversing rocky and rough country. The 200 was built specifically for this purpose and has done an excellent job towing M584 on our travels. But the time has come for a change and I am quietly confident the Defender will perform in the same robust, reliable and very fuel efficient way. But with far higher levels of comfort on and off road combined with excellent fuel economy.

As we enjoyed the D4, not without its issues but all fixed, and given our need for comfort over a nose bleed lift kit and GVM upgrade the Defender seems to be, for us at least, the most logical choice. With the added benefit of not having to spend a fortune to make it what it should have been from the factory.

Regards

Rob

Thanks Rob. I'll be following with very great interest. We are now in our mid-70's, and, while we are still reasonably fit, a bit more comfort won't go astray. The Ranger only has 165 000 on the clock, but is starting to sound and feel like a bag of bolts - it has done quite a bit of corrugated tracks, but our old D3 did an awful lot more and was in much better shape. I'm really glad/excited to be getting back into a LR!

Subscribed to this thread.

Getting close to placing our order. Been told it'll be a 6 month wait. Happy with that.

The only question we have is To Diesel or not to Diesel?

We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee TDV6 Summit. Sounds like a truck for the 60's, Wifee is totally against the sound, and TBH, I'm not enjoying the ADBlu and DPF. We do tow, but max weight is 2770 with a ball weight of 170. We probs only tow 10% of the time and 4WD 20%.

What was your thought process when getting the D350? Would love to know.

Just ironing out the extras and the trigger will be pulled.

Cheers all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John_char

Subscribed to this thread.

Getting close to placing our order. Been told it'll be a 6 month wait. Happy with that.

The only question we have is To Diesel or not to Diesel?

We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee TDV6 Summit. Sounds like a truck for the 60's, Wifee is totally against the sound, and TBH, I'm not enjoying the ADBlu and DPF. We do tow, but max weight is 2770 with a ball weight of 170. We probs only tow 10% of the time and 4WD 20%.

What was your thought process when getting the D350? Would love to know.

Just ironing out the extras and the trigger will be pulled.

Cheers all.

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To address your specific points. The D300 is dead quiet and smooth. I've added AdBlu once in a year and a half and it's no more difficult than filling the windscreen washers. Never seen the DPF symbol come up on the dash. We tow a 5m boat regularly which is no drama. I've always had diesels for the range when offroad touring and the economy overall. Just my 2c worth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John_char

Subscribed to this thread.

Getting close to placing our order. Been told it'll be a 6 month wait. Happy with that.

The only question we have is To Diesel or not to Diesel?

We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee TDV6 Summit. Sounds like a truck for the 60's, Wifee is totally against the sound, and TBH, I'm not enjoying the ADBlu and DPF. We do tow, but max weight is 2770 with a ball weight of 170. We probs only tow 10% of the time and 4WD 20%.

What was your thought process when getting the D350? Would love to know.

Just ironing out the extras and the trigger will be pulled.

Cheers all.

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What JWB said. Those with them we know and have seen towing remotely are not experiencing any issues with AdBlue. It really is as simple as topping up the washer tank. Just understand that AB consumption increases when you tow so carrying a bottle for top up purposes will be your answer to that small issue. There are settings to use so you can be aware of a DPF burn if you need to be.

Rob

Mate has the D300 in his Disco '5' whilst I have the P400 in my L663. He tows a 3.5t dual axle JB van and I a 2.7t single axle crusader van. He uses about 18/20l/100km and on the last trip to Broome had to fill AB tank twice. I have similar 'economy' on RON98 pulp and no need to use AB obviously. Towing performance is very similar, plenty of torque from both P and D variants. My only issue is the availability of 98RON in remote areas, but 95 is fine, or 91 with a bottle of RON booster would be a last resort, plus I can carry 4x20l Jerry cans.

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Originally Posted by John58

Thanks Rob. I'll be following with very great interest. We are now in our mid-70's, and, while we are still reasonably fit, a bit more comfort won't go astray. The Ranger only has 165 000 on the clock, but is starting to sound and feel like a bag of bolts - it has done quite a bit of corrugated tracks, but our old D3 did an awful lot more and was in much better shape. I'm really glad/excited to be getting back into a LR!

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Here's another Rob doing the same thing. Went from a D5 to an LC300, which my wife and I have hated ever since we got it. Just renewed my subscription and ordered a Defender 110 D350 SE which is arriving in December. Already got my Gap IID G4, bits from PowerfulUK, ordered an Offroad Animal Toro bar and Bravo snorkel and a few other bits and pieces. One drive of the 2025 Defender and I was hooked. Exactly what I am after, apart from the difficulty in managing the rear axle capacity when towing. I weighed a demo RRS and a 7 seater Defender before calculating that I can just make it work by removing the third row seats and adding the bull bar to get some weight off the rear axle. The GVM is not a problem. I wish you could upgrade the 110 to the 130 rear axle capacity for Australia. That would pretty much solve all difficulties with heavy towing in Australia. Just need to update my signature now! I would rather pay for repairs than drive a crappy Toyota that behaves more like a truck than a luxury car and still has reliability issues.