Thread: Defender Reliability

Thanks Rangieman and others, yes the vehicle certainly has had a hard time, but that doesn't explain why the speedo makes a screeching sound for the first 5 minutes of driving, one door can't be unlocked from the outside, etc (lots of really silly little things). There are lots of things that go wrong with this vehicle that generally don't go wrong with other vehicles. Yes I've seen speedos not work before, but on this vehicle, it's just another one of those typical things. Even the radio doesn't work. Or two of the three cigarette lighters.
And no the mechanic didn't stuff it in the first place. I don't think it's ever had the same problem twice. Each time it's something new. And for a vehicle that has only done 250000 (or is it 300000 since the odometer stopped working for a while) these things just shouldn't happen.
It seems from reading other posts to this forum, that these sort of things are fairly typical, but from the comments above, I'm lead to believe that they never happen.
Thanks George130 and Uninformed, your comments were very constructive. I had thought of the F250 but I don't think they would handle the work very well. I do a fair bit of bush work where there are no roads and driving a vehicle that is about 8' wide limits your options as to where you can drive (between trees). The Landrover has excellent ground clearance and a solid chasis so rocks don't worry it too much. I wouldn't be so confident with an F250.
I really would like to know if the interior layout has changed or are passengers still cramped?

Passengers in the back are still cramped.

I think you have already talked yourself out of the Defender by the sounds of it.

I have had two and they have been fantastic, except for niggling little things which you would not classfiy as reliability issues, rather build quality (or lack of).

If you consider the problem's Nissan have had with the 3.0litre and gearboxes, and Toyota have had with diffs, control arms and the earlier turbo diesel the Defenders looks good.

Just make sure it is well maintained by someone who knows what they are doing.

Where are you?
Good luck

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

LACKING POWER
Unless your cruiser has the twin cam turbo motor it wont even come close to the landy motor,in power or economy.
One of my best mates has an 80Ser tojo,nice vehicle goes well off road,but chews the diesel and cant keep up with my 2.5 diesel Disco.
All vehicles can be unreliable if not looked after and abused.
Get a troopy converted,you are still stuck with the asmatic 4.2,unless you cut a brand newie up,then you still have leaf springs.
I dont think any of us can talk you into the Landy,stick with your Toyotas and you should be happy.

Goodluck
Andrew

I find this particular post very interesting. My previous work vehicle, about 5 years ago was a 80 series landcruiser and I was quite happy with that. I drove it from 56000 through to 250000 and it let me down once. This was for a gearbox rebuild. It had the 4.2 straight six diesel.
Now the Landrover. Since I first drove it, it seemed so gutless that there just had to be something wrong, even for a 2.5 litre engine it is just extremely disappointing. So if this thing is supposed to be as fast or faster than the Landcruiser, then there is certainly something wrong. I would equate it's speed as similar to an old school bus......and that it certainly not an understatement. It has extremely poor acceleration although it will cruise easily at 110 on flat country, but it will usually end up back in third on any medium sized hill.
I have always suspected that the turbo wasn't working or something along that line. In colder weather it is so slow that it can't handle fourth until it's warmed up. I take off out the gate and slowly graduate into second gear and then sit on about 60 (flat out) in third for at least 2km and I might then be able to move to fourth, although if it hasn't warmed up enough it will die off and I'll be back to third again. It's quite pathetic really. So it seems this isn't normal. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what this may be, and what could be causing its sluggishness generally?
Don't get me wrong, LandyAndy, I do think Landcruisers are way ahead of Landrovers, but I'm not so narrow minded that I wouldn't consider another Landrover. What I would most like to hear (if it were true) is that the one I currently have is the exception, and I'm starting to think that this may be the case.

Sounds to me like this is the normal complaining of a Landrover that has gone far to long without "love"....

a lot of the problems are nigglers that sound like theyve been a minor fault thats been ignored for so long that Its gotten so bad It cant be ignored.

The engine sounds like its been thrashed hard and neglected. hot shut downs have all but killed the turbo... or its been left idling for yonks and glazed everything to death....

If everything after the clutch driveline wise is happy, Give it a birthday and it will seem like a new vehicle...

It sounds like some of the 6x6's the armys got.. some a great done a squillion K's and are still going strong (usually transport rovers) but some have barely been broken in and are starting to complain... (typically grunt stores vehicles)

And it simpley comes down to the use of the vehicle...

Grunts do a lot of gotta go right now be there yesterday and stop real quick when we get there, which doesnt do turbo'd engines any favors.

The transport ones have plenty of warning time to doing something so get a nice gentle warm up, dont get rallied on the way there and get a proper shutdown.

hope this is of some help.

Originally Posted by Tony647

Hi all,
I have recently acquired a 94 Landrover Defender 2.5 Turbo Diesel Wagon as part of a business purchase. I know this vehicle to be a very unreliable vehicle. I am told that it is no different to other Defenders in this regard. I would like to replace it with a twin cab ute, but unfortunately Landcruisers don't come in twin cabs. So if I want a twin cab that can handle heavy going I am stuck with a Defender. I don't consider Hilux, Courier, Bravo, Navara, Rodeo, etc to be strong enough for the type of work I do.
My question relates to the reliability of later model Defenders. Have they improved at all since 94 or are they just as unreliable? Externally, the design seems the same, which is a bit of a worry as some of the issues I have with the 94 model are faults by design - eg, lack of power, lack of passenger space, difficult servicing (have had two mechanics refuse to work on it), and the list goes on and on. My only other option really is to have a Toyota Troopy converted, which I guess would be quite expensive, but would certainly save on downtime. Any comments?
Thanks,
Tony

Where I work we have nothing but Hilux's & Land Cruisers and many of these have been made in to twin cab utes - think its a crowd in Perth does it. If you don't think a Hilux is up to it then forget a twin cab LC. Much, much worse! The hilux's get flogged to death and truely are unbreakable (well the older model, not the new ones!) but they are bloody uncomfortable and the cabin interior is definately not unbreakable, seems everything falls off.

I owned Subaru's for years pre Land Rover and had the same issue with Mechanics not understanding the vehicle. Frankly any vehicle if poorly maintained or badly serviced (especially by a mechanic who doesn't understand the vehicle) is going to have problems.

geez if I didn't know better I'd be screaming "TROLL!!!" about now...


Tony, if it is as bad as you say, stick it in the markets for $5k and I'm sure about 20 people will buy it from you - I'll join the queque myself...


it seems a bit like you are more keen on about town and traffic light performance verses bush capability - in this forum, I doubt you will find many interested in anything but bush performance. About town - yep it's a fruit truck - but then so are 70 series...

reliability of door locks, radios and the like is not something that concerns me - I'd rather a broken lock and a working motor out in the bush anyday

Tony, I'm guessing your a POM. FFS buy a screwdriver and fix the ciggy lighters - don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere without been able to light up. Buy a new radio - they're like 60 bucks. Fix the lock - not a big deal. Get the mtr looked at - I'll let you in on a secret - mechanical things don't last forever. (Not even cruiser gear boxes).

Are you for real or just taking the **** ?

[quote=crossy]Tony, I'm guessing your a POM. quote]

Now now - not all POM's winge - well not all the time anyway.

Oh yes I am also one