Landrover or Landcruiser?

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Minotaur

Native
Apr 27, 2005
1,605
235
Birmingham
Ref the Mercedes, how popular are they else were, because I have seen the other three contenders today, but cannot remember the last time I saw a G Wagon.
 

DKW

Forager
Oct 6, 2008
195
0
Denmark
The ssangyong musso's are fitted with Mercedes 5 cylinder turbo engines and Mercedes gear box and 4x4 running gear and are 4x4 switch able in high/low on the move up to 40kph,

Bernie
Read my edit ;)

Ref the Mercedes, how popular are they else were, because I have seen the other three contenders today, but cannot remember the last time I saw a G Wagon.

Popular mainly amongst armys i guess. However we do have several toyota and LR clubs overhere, where the people that are fed up with both tend to go GD instead.

But it is an expensive road to start travelling, hence not many will have one running civvy.
A good piece of machinery though. I have tryed bashing a couple of them over the years. Never broke one though.

GD.JPG

GD240 SWB (Not my pic btw)
 
May 12, 2007
1,663
1
69
Derby, UK
www.berax.co.uk
Have checked it out, and they are the same engine box and running gear up to 2001 so a cheaper option than a merc,as said in my earlier thread its the best and most economical 4x4 iv'e run up to date on and off road:)

Bernie
 

DKW

Forager
Oct 6, 2008
195
0
Denmark
Have checked it out, and they are the same engine box and running gear up to 2001 so a cheaper option than a merc,as said in my earlier thread its the best and most economical 4x4 iv'e run up to date on and off road:)

Bernie
OK. As i wrote. Not to my knowledge.
My knowledge has now been updated :)

Question is still: what about the build quality of the whole car, aswell as engine and gearbox. (Not to forget: Diffs!!)

I only know the ssanyong of reputation and hear say from germany (familyrun mechanics workshop) but i have never laid hands on one myself, nor driven one.
How is the drive?
 
May 12, 2007
1,663
1
69
Derby, UK
www.berax.co.uk
OK. As i wrote. Not to my knowledge.
My knowledge has now been updated :)

Question is still: what about the build quality of the whole car, aswell as engine and gearbox. (Not to forget: Diffs!!)

I only know the ssanyong of reputation and hear say from germany (familyrun mechanics workshop) but i have never laid hands on one myself, nor driven one.
How is the drive?

All the running gear the only thing ssanyoung made is the body and trim,i'll take some pics tommorow,with bonnet open as well:)

Bernie
 

DKW

Forager
Oct 6, 2008
195
0
Denmark
All the running gear the only thing ssanyoung made is the body and trim,i'll take some pics tommorow,with bonnet open as well:)

Bernie
I'll look forward to that.
My old toyota could need either a massive overhaul or a replacement.
Ssanyong might be worth looking at, allthough i am fond of the GD, i'm not stupid enough to buy one if Ssanyong is near enough to equal to a GD.

:)
 
May 12, 2007
1,663
1
69
Derby, UK
www.berax.co.uk
I'll look forward to that.
My old toyota could need either a massive overhaul or a replacement.
Ssanyong might be worth looking at, allthough i am fond of the GD, i'm not stupid enough to buy one if Ssanyong is near enough to equal to a GD.

:)

I was a sceptic about them,but believe me you won't buy a better motor, and there as cheap as chips, coz they don't look the part for taking the kids to school,without a doubt its the best 4x4 I've owned, and as said I've had most l over the years,just google them for all the info:)

Bernie
 

EdS

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I wouldn't take either. (allthough an older cruiser, aussie/african-export version Diesel would be fav. amongst those two makes (build to be servicable with 3 main tools)

I would if my money would allow it, go for mercedes GD 270 or 300. There is a reason why the danish army has been forced to retract all other 4WD vehicles in their arsenal, and send the GD to afghanistan instead.
The reason is simple: The GD don't break, and even the most stupid of a footsoldier is able to service it and maintain it in the field using only vehiclekit of tools.

Not to mention that it is one of the only that are still being build to customer-specs, and not according to standard, this means, if you want full (allmost 100%) manually operated diff-lock on both ends and across that can be operated during driving, you can get it.
If you wan't full manually operated 4wd L-H - 2WD L-H that can be switched between during driving at speed, then you can get it.
etc.

If the money is at hand, i'd go mercedes GD instead of everything else.


Except the Canadians and Germans have had loads of trouble with sand/dust damaging the engines that can not then be field repaired.

Oh and the sink in deep mud fairly quickly as they are so heavy and the articulation is pretty limited = a lot 3 wheeling. Although the dow have front and rear lockers as standard.
 

DKW

Forager
Oct 6, 2008
195
0
Denmark
Except the Canadians and Germans have had loads of trouble with sand/dust damaging the engines that can not then be field repaired.
Problem solved. It was caused by a way to open airfilter. now they are larger and finer. (also made as upgrade for old vehicles.) And it can be field repaired, in the sense that they simply swap out the engine. (As you would do with a tank or anything else for that matter.)
But yes. They where designed for german terrain and environment, this means steep hills of either sand, mud or loose slate, aswell as regular flat terrain of the same, and not desert conditions. (BTW almost all vehicles suffer from this problem. Ths includes landies, battletanks, apc's helo's and whatnot. Even the israeli vehicles have that very same problem, when not fitted with an appropriate airfilter.

However it is that very same articulation that makes them so suited for the afghan deserts, and basically every where else where terrain properties are needed. 3wheeled i have never experienced as a problem with them, but then again, i haven't been rockclimbing with one so probably there? I don't know.

Oh and the sink in deep mud fairly quickly as they are so heavy. Although the dow have front and rear lockers as standard.
That they do. I can honestly say i have never been able to make one of them stay there though. Even when i have tried to do just that in order to produce a case-scenario.
We always had to dig in a big piece of concrete and let the vehicle rest on top of that, before we filled the hole with mud. That was the only way to keep the "haulers" from simply driving the thing out. :)
 

pothunter

Settler
Jun 6, 2006
510
4
Wyre Forest Worcestershire
LR if you want to stop every five miles to make codged repairs Nissan Patrol if you just want to sit behind the wheel. Fit ARB air lockers and a snorkel and you can pretty well sail it anywhere.

I get really hacked off with LR, I passed a transporter carrying I guess 6 new LR yesterday a nice sunny day and not two panels looked the same, spot welding bl**dy awful rear panels not one of them flat, over priced and under powered, makes me mad. Why wont they look at the opposition and make a solid, reliable, comfortable 4x4 workhorse and kick the Japs backsides and thats from a Navara driver who would love to fly the flag.

Pothunter.
 

mortalmerlin

Forager
Aug 6, 2008
246
0
Belgium (ex-pat)
Well I have had my disco 2 for over a year now, done about 40k miles without a single problem. It replaced my old tdi300 Disco which in turn replaced a tdi200.

They're cheaper to run than LC, can tow anything. The power is also absolutly fine.

I am looking forward to getting my new disco 3 next year (economy dependant).

I think the detractors of LR should maybe reserve comment unless they have actually owned one. Quoting lines from Top Gear or similar doesn't give you the whole picture.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,714
1,961
Mercia
How about people who've owned them right back to "Series" models - can we run them down? :D

I have, and I do. Build quality is woeful!

Red
 

mortalmerlin

Forager
Aug 6, 2008
246
0
Belgium (ex-pat)
How about people who've owned them right back to "Series" models - can we run them down? :D

I have, and I do. Build quality is woeful!

Red

People that have owned them at least have something to say.

But I have yet to see a toyota towing a LR, I have yet to see woeful build quality. And I have yet to experience ANY problem while driving the long distances I do in my past or current discos.
 

mortalmerlin

Forager
Aug 6, 2008
246
0
Belgium (ex-pat)
What does that prove? A good friend of mine is a honda master tech and drives a saab. It means nothing.

Seems this thread was started to bash land rover and from my experience there is no reason to do that. I have owned 3, used them everyday, totally happy with them and will buy another.
 
May 12, 2007
1,663
1
69
Derby, UK
www.berax.co.uk
What does that prove? A good friend of mine is a honda master tech and drives a saab. It means nothing.

Seems this thread was started to bash land rover and from my experience there is no reason to do that. I have owned 3, used them everyday, totally happy with them and will buy another.

Its the same as anything some love them some hate them,i personally don't rate them but thats me, you have obviously had good one's and love them, were all entitled to our opinions we don't want another flame war over motors:)

Bernie
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,714
1,961
Mercia
Curiously, I don't hate them - I have had series and up to a 110 200Tdi. They are the best off road cars ever made. Bar none. I am not blind to their faults either though - their reliability and build quality simply isn't as good as a lot of modern Japanese vehicles. I'm fairly sure there will be stats to back it up but certainly from my experience of having driven both for hundreds of thousands of miles.

I love the series / defender style Landies - a design classic. I would love to have another and when we get the small holding I might. But sadly I cannot compare them on reliability and may end up for practical rather than emotional reasons with a Hilux.

Not a bash at all - just my experience

Red
 
May 12, 2007
1,663
1
69
Derby, UK
www.berax.co.uk
Well this is what i run now, and iv'e run every 4x4 there is,there not very pretty and no good for collecting the kids from school as they don't look the part,but if you want an excellent motor on and off road this is it,Mercedes GD 5 cylinder engine returning over 30 mpg if driven lightly Mercedes gearbox 4x4 switchable on the dash, high and low up on the move up to 40kph plus Mercedes diffs and axles,plenty of room for servicing and no special tools required,iv'e put this in places were you'd need a specialist 4x4 to do it just wish i'd found out about them years ago:)
And fellas this is my personal view:D
Bernie

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