Which Land Rover?

[Peter_t]

sorry i was under the impression that because they where now owned by tata motors they where now being made in india. although from what iv heard the quality has definatly not what it used to be.

i have sat in the middle seat and it may not be comfortable but a very usefull feature in a hi cap pickup. you would be a fool to think a defender is luxury as that is not what it is designed for. BS or not this standard has ruined the vehicle. when i was at college doing forestry the 110s we had could seat 12 instead of the new 7. our class had 23 of us, we would now need 4 vehicles.



pete

 

[pastymuncher]

. although from what iv heard the quality has definatly not what it used to be.





pete

And what quality are you referring to.

p.s I like land rovers (I own a Disco), but build quality has never been one of their strong points.

 

[Peter_t]

the chassis are made of poorer quality steel than they used to be. there was a thread on here somwhere that mentioned it.


pete

 

[lou1661]

Ps. I use a Defender 110 as my daily transport and have been driving Land Rovers and Defenders all my life, so i am biased when i say go Defender!

 

[Adze]

If you're using it in forestry and you don't need to carry multiple passengers a 90 will likely be more practical than a 110 or a Disco due to turning circle and size. A Disco is quite a bit wider than a defender and the mirrors cost a fair bit more to replace, should you bust one.

Since you're in Lancs and reasonably local, you're welcome to come and have a play in my 90 to see what a typical £3k to £4k Tdi is like in terms of day to day use. It's my daily driver and I've no complaints at lack of central locking or creature comforts like air-con. The driving position is a little sit up and beg compared with a car or even a disco, but you do get a pretty good view over hedges for all that.

Best bit is I can clean the boot out with a pressure washer if it needs it and not have to worry about 'ruining' the carpets

 

[bert333]

Simples!
If you want to 'go there' buy a landrover
But, if you want to come back, buy a HILUX !

 

[bert333]

Simples!
If you want to 'go there' buy a landrover
But, if you want to come back, buy a HILUX !

 

[EdS]

if you are seriously thinking of the price of new Discovery you can fget a new Defender for the same. If you can live the Puma engine etc.

If you are doing forestry have a serious think of what you might be doing. you might be bette off with a decent second hand estate car for long drives and <3000kg trailers and an old(ish) Unimog - ex utilities maybe or 4x4 tractor. Look for something like a U90/ 400 series (the smaller ones). You'll get a car and Mog for price of a new LR.

My mate looks after a lot of private woodland and make forest produces - he runs an old 300Tdi Disco for daily drive and hauling road trailers and a U90 (plus a Belrus 4x4 tractor) for work. He has had 4x4 - LR and Toyota - for use in the wood and neither are really suitable or "big" enough.

 

[Peter_t]

unimogs are about as good as it gets for a working vehicle but outside work they are very unpracticle. mate of mine has had 3 of them over the years and you can only cruse at around 35-40mph and they drink loads of fuel. the biggest problem is the cost of parts which was the reason for my mate getting rid of them.


pete

 

[Broch]

There is no such thing as a bad 4x4 - they are all made to fit a market sector with compromises. So, you have to analyse your needs vs the compromises.

The Defender 110 has a 1 ton load capacity and you can claim the VAT of it if you're registered. It's a great vehicle and on the right tyres (i.e. not too agressive so not muds) isn't too bad cruising on the motorway - I do hours in mine at 70. The 90 isn't a lot better off road (smaller turning circle and a little less overhang at the back) but just doesn't have the room in it for real work (IMHO).

Yes you hear a lot of stories about Land Rover but there is an order of magnitude more Land Rovers in the UK than any other 4x4 and a lot of those are very old so you're bound to have more tales of woe.

I love mine and wouldn't swap it for anything and I've been some pretty extreme places in it.

Cheers,

Broch

 

[Minotaur]

Simples!
If you want to 'go there' buy a landrover
But, if you want to come back, buy a HILUX !

LOL

I think Land rovers rock, and I want to own one.

The problem is you need Mud tires to spend anytime offroad. Mud Tires on the road will drive you nuts.

If you are going to do a lot of road driving a defender is a little basic.

I would be tempted to do what you said, and buy a tiny motor for the road. Then have a kitted up defender for offroad. The reason this tends to make sense is at the moment the little car would pay for itself in fuel alone.

All of that said I would look long and hard at a HiLux. There are a lot of them about, and they are bombproof.

Owning a Land Rover is a labour of love. It has to be a calling, or you will come to hate it.

 

[bilmo-p5]

The problem is you need Mud tires to spend anytime offroad. Mud Tires on the road will drive you nuts.

A good set of ATs will do you for any number of road miles and spur-of-the -moment off-roading. Have a spare set of rims with MTs at home for dedicated O/R days. It doesn't take long to change a set of wheels.

 

[Grayfox]

Thanks guys, this is all really useful and helpful stuff. I'm still no nearer a decision but then I don't have to make a decision yet. Keep it coming.

I'm reluctant to use a defender as my sole vehicle.

 

[Broch]

The problem is you need Mud tires to spend anytime offroad.

Sorry, I disagree. A good set of All Terrains (preferably BF Goodrich) will get you 99% of the places the muds will (I know, I go out off road with guys with big agressive tyres on and never get left behind). Also, bare in mind that no tyre will stop as well onwet tarmac as a road tyre so even an AT is a compromise.

If you get a good Defender and look after it there is no reason why it will be any less reliable or more expensive to keep on the road than any other 4x4 - it's just that people tend to abuse them a bit

Cheers,

Broch

 

[pastymuncher]

Of course if want to help the Unimog boys when they get stuck you could get a Gaz 66, they go a bit faster as well.

 

[garethw]

Hi there
I've often considered a Land Rover as I've had a number of 4x4's. They have a huge loyal fan base like VW's and other iconic cars. They are though often labours of love and costly to maintain.
There was a time when they were "Kings of the 'off ' Road". check out any 60's 70's or ever 80's movie with off road driving in Africa or whatever and they invariably drove a Landy. Unfortunately not so today, they are more likley to be in a Toyota Hilux or Land Cruiser. The French army even chose the G Wagen over the Land Rover.
With a 110 you really are driving a truck, and not a car... they are very able off road, but not great on road, compared to other more civilised 4x4's. Because of their iconic status they have totally unrealistic second hand prices. New (if I could afford one) I'd only really consider the Defender as I don't class any of the latest Discoverys as proper 4x4's, despite Jeremy Clarkson's Scottish stunt.
A lot really depends on what you want a 4x4 for...so to speak. Any decent model with low range will go virtually anywhere you need it to with decent AT or MT tyres ... I've had 2 Nissan Patrol's and with BFG Tracedge and AT tyres have never been stuck off road and I do about 40% of my driving on mud or dirt roads here in France. Great and robust cars, but a bit too thirsty....My last one took me over the top of the Pyrennes for 800 miles of pistes, upto 2600m....
I now have a Terrano and it too is surprisingly agile off the tarmac.
If I could have found a 110 for the same money and mileage I got the 2001 Terrano for Yes I'd have got one, but they were all at least double, often for cars with huge mileage or too many years.
There are though today very few proper 4x4's left on the market.. They have all become luxury vehicles. Many wanabee 4x4's are just plain crap off road...
This would be my top ten 4x4 for both on and off roading...
80; 90; 100 series Toyota Land Cruiser; Pajero; Nissan Patrol, Land Rover 110; Upto series 3 Discovery; Mercedes G Wagen; Nissan Terrano; or a pickup...Hilux, Navara, or L200....
Cheers
Gareth

 

[celestialspore]

Discovery 1 with the 300tdi for me! Had it seven years and it's never let me down, or had me stuck (once I'd free'd off the diff-lock lever)! Cheap to buy and reliable if looked after too.

 

[nuggets]

Also the road tax on my defender is classed as a commercial LGV = £200 a year

 

[cletus]

110 county every time with a set of bfg at kos had it 6 years never let me down and the parts are cheep and diy friendly.had jap crap knot going back.

 

[cletus]

And its 21 years old and still going strong.