Thread: Defender Pros & Cons

Originally Posted by spudboy

move them back, ........... or you can buy pre-drilled rails with the longer bolts.

Any tips on where ???

Cheers

Comfort - I've got a mate with a 2000 Pajero, driving it gives him a sore back after two hours. He bought a '92 Defender ute and drove it down from Mt Isa to Melb without a sore back. We did a 6,000km 14 day drive (highway, corrugations, Simpson Desert....), driving 10 hour days. Neither he nor his passanger got a sore back. Neither did I or my passanger in a SIII with County (Defender) seats.

In the Defender one sits in a more upright position, with legs hanging down. This does not place the same stress on ones lumbar region as having ones legs stretched out (as in a sedan or Jap 4WD). The Pajero might seem "Plush" to sit into, but don't confuse plush with comfort, as it doesn't offer the same level of back support.

I've done the Simpson and the Gibb River Rd in the SIII and have driven Melb - the Kimberley several times, I've never had a sore back (ringing ears maybe, but not a sore back). So even without the coil springs, the seating position in the Land Rover is superior.

Otherwise - A month ago I bought a '97 Defender, the mirrors don't vibrate, the vents don't create a draft, there is no light visible through the door seals and the heater gets hot in 5min. (Yet to try the A/C). So whatever problems you hear, they are rectifiable. I'm thinking that in the summer I might put some clear flexible perspex over the cargo barrier to retain the A/C in the passanger rather than cargo compartment, but I'll wait and see how it copes.

The Defender is a much easier vehicle to live with in the bush as far as access, layout, dimensions, approach & departure angles ...... go. And as already stated, the brakes are better than the Classic Rangie.

You might find it seems a bit low geared coming from the Disco, just get used to it I suppose.

The kids LOVE it, but they always preffered the SIII to the Range Rover anyway.

You could consider a 200Tdi and not worry about timing belts. Apparently a turbo & intercooler upgrade makes the 200Tdi quite a performer.

It,s one of very few 4x4s that hasn,t yet gone down the road of the independent front end ( unlike the hilux ) .
standard important features like axl breathers right up high in the engine bay.and the other important thing
your driving a real 4x4 not toorak tractor so if your in the scub you can worry about having fun not the paint job.

Just seeing Noddys comment on Cruise Control, it's easy enough to fit on a Tdi engine, and cheaper than a TD5 unit, as it doesn't have to speak binary to the fuel pump. My 300Tdi has CC and it's very nice.

I'm so glad the previous owners adorned it with so many extras.

Originally Posted by barryj

After a Discovery you will have a lot to put up with.

Defenders are a very capable machine but they have inherited may Land Rover problems as mentioned by others.

I'm sure I will get howled down but I have owned a '62 series 2a Hard Top, '76 series 3 Wagon, '97 Defender Wagon and now a 2001 Discovery Td5 auto. The best one for what I use it for is the Discovery.

That's my 2 bobs worth, now I am a target for sure.
(sorry you die hard Defender drivers)

Not a target Barryj I own both mate, tis horses for courses and if you want the real hard course you take the defender, you want take the family in a bit more creature comfort take the Disco

Hey,lets remember,this was about a pajero,not a disco.If,for some ungodly reason I had to get a different vehicle,a disco would be on or very near the top of the list.A very comfortable,and capable vehicle,as is the rangie.Hmmm,I think I see a trend

You guys had been warned by Inc & others - yet you all continue to use inappropriate language, and discuss inappropriate subjects in the general area.

If this keeps up there will be bannings





















So, stop using words like "PAJERO" and "other models"

Originally Posted by boggo

Hmmm,is the question "should I replace my pajero with a defender?".Do I really have to answer that one?

I replaced a Pajero with a Defender. Best decision I ever made. They are two ends of the spectrum. The Pajero was comfortable around town, and quite capable off road. But it was a wuss of a car. It had carpets, and electrical things.

The Defender is ecentric, and an impracticle, noisy, uncomfortable b**ch to drive around town. But I don't have words to describe just how capable and practical it is in the dirt. Drive it a distance in slippy mud, then through snow, and then through deep river and you'll see what I mean. "Awesome" doesn't even get near.

And then dry your feet.