Defender 130 Crew Cab Td5

[BlackAdder]

Ok all you Defender and Td5 owners! What can you tell me about them?

I am in the market for a new vehicle. I am very impressed with the Defender 130 Crew Cab Td5 and have already spoken to one owner (hijacked him in the car park of a fruit shop), he gave me some feedback, good and bad with the ultimate answer being "Yes" when I asked if he would buy another one.

I want to get away, you know the dream, Cape York, Simpson Desert, etc etc etc. I have a young family, wife and 3 kids, aged 9, 5 & 1 (that's not the wife of course) and for the wife, a 3 star hotel is slumming it, so I have to make the transition to camping gentle and enjoyable. I thought about doing up my Pajero NM so that the comfort level was there, but after investigating the possibilities found it would only be a weak compromise. Then I saw a Dual Cab HiLux which looked alright but the IFS put me off. After a bit of looking around the Defender 130 looks like the go. I see potential for a comfortable, versatile solution in the Dual Cab. I love fishing as does my eldest son and I would look at adding a 3.5m tinny to the roof, as well as a storage pod to the tray.

I suppose what I am after is everything and everybody's knowledge or experiences with Defender 130's, modifications, problems, good points, suggestions (keeping them clean of course), accessories, tyres, rims, diff locks, roof racks, bull bars, long range fuel tanks, suppliers, manufacturers, maintenance, anything. I am based in Sydney but that does not mean everything has to be in Sydney as I get about a fair bit.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.


Graham

[KEV0044]

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[BlackAdder]

Morning Kev,

Thanks for the reply and yes, I have already checked out Boiling Billy Publications, for any others that may be interested, the address is:

http://www.boilingbilly.com.au/exploreaust...y4wd/index.html

I found this when I started looking for info on the 130, but there is very little to be found out there (or maybe I am not looking well enough). I have tried Graeme Cooper Automotive but have not heard back yet. It seems that the owners are a pretty aloof lot or the total opposite, are no nonsense hard working people that don't have time to talk about their motors or hop on the internet.

The hunt will go on. Anything about them, from what "non standards" they have like the diff drain plug size (bush mechanic information) to you can use a ??? replacement part instead of genuine LR. These are only examples and it's the trivial little things that often get missed. For example, did you know the tail shaft on the NM Pajero is Carbon Fibre! Makes what you carry as spares and fencing wire a little different.

Who knows, when I get mine, I might have to dedicate some info to the site. When I get it, you can hold me to it.

[geneadam]

Based on 10,000 k's of mostly on-road but some off-road (but not bushwhacking) experience of the Defender 130, on a vehicle I bought used with 4,700 k's on the clock, I am quite pleased. This Defender starts instantly, as she did after 10 weeks of no usage whilst I was away from W.A. in Thailand working (dual batteries with isolator must be acknowledged). I took one trip offroad out to the Peron Peninsula, another to a little gem of a place called Long Point near Walpole in the south of W.A. The vehicle seemed very capable, but I must note here that I don't have that much experience offroad. I nabbed recent-year Land Rover drivers I came across and quizzed them before I bought this vehicle. I spoke with the wife of a man who drives offroad as a gas pipeline inspector in W.A. (she drives a Discovery, so I was asking her about that car). She told me that her husband will only use Defenders for his work, he has tried all the obvious other choices and only the Defender will get him through reliably. He gets a new one every year, she said. She also said that he takes every off-road driving course he can find.

People note that in the Defender noise levels at speed are high. I have to agree I'd like the vehicle to be a little more quiet. Fuel economy is excellent given the considerable size of this 4wd.

I have just put this vehicle into LR service a bit early for the 20,000 k service, and the aircon which was not putting out much cool has been regassed, and oil leaks detected by the service crew are being fixed, which process might included taking out the gearbox. All covered by warranty.

One can cover ground onroad nicely with the Defender td5 130. The seating position for the driver and front passenger is good, giving a good view of the road. Tall drivers and passengers may have other opinions.

When reversing, as with any ute or long, high vehicle, one has to watch out that there are not little kids up close to the back end, as you would not see them.

This is my take on the td5 130, after less than a year of driving around W.A. I've had other Defenders, but that (as the poet said) was a long time ago, and in another country.

[BlackAdder]

Hi there geneadam,

Thanks for the very informative and candid reply. It has reinforced my opinion of the vehicle. I am about 99% sold, all I need to do now is part with some hard earned cash. Then I can start, I estimate I will spend about another 30k on the mods I would like to do so I have got to put every penny away now.

I will also have to look into the "tall driver" situation as well, I'm 6'1" in the old measure or 185cm in the new and one of the mods I am thinking of is out with the original front seats and in with a set of suspension seats, no doubt they will be higher at the seat than the originals.

Again, thanks for the info.

[betty]

Kev

I have a defender 130.... and love it.... the best vehicle i have ever driven, it has evrything i want in a 4wd but have to say there are a few things in a defender owner that you have to be happy with live with..... the leaking roof.....the wind mirrors that shake so you can't use them, ... the lack of cabin space in a large 4wd..... the hard and sometimes uncomfortable seats.... this list can probably go on.... but at the end of the day if you love style looks, solid and go anywhere design of the worlds longest lasting 4WD then you can live with all of these without giving them a second thought.... if the wife is looking for 3 star comfort then you might have to look elsewhere.... but buy one anyway and live with its worth it.

[BlackAdder]

Music too my ears Betty, thanks for the reply.

[jaydafordman]

Blackadder, I am in a similar boat to you in regards to height. I'm 6'3" (189cm) in height and while you may just get away with raised seats, I won't. I like a little room around me, so going different seat arrangements may prove a nuisance in the Defender.

[KEV0044]

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[betty]

At the end of the day if you want comfort, buy a disco and not a defender, part of owning a defender is the uncomfortable ride the shaking mirrors,etc etc etc it is all part of driving a true classic vehicle that was design to with stand the bush for years and it has proved its point. You cant allways have your cake and eat it. and as i read somewhere else in one of the chats "Landrovers: When horsepower refers to Clydesdales, not Stallions" this expression suits the whole vehicle and not just the horse power.

Enjoy driving the defender and take it as it is.... solid, reliable and bloody uncomfortable but still the best