[Closed] WHY? (Landrover content)

Great towing capabilities and a good work horse. And I drive a Mitsubishi L200 and it's a bag of shite give me a Landrover any day over that.

On my 9th defender in 13 years. (company vehicles). New ones are infinitely better. There are fora filled with people answering this question (or justifying themselves - whichever you like) so I'll not try here! I love em but they're not for everyone.

Slow, noisy, uncomfortable, cold, archaic, (alu)rusty

I know, they are ace 🙂

Great for carrying toys.

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had some limited experience with a Defender 110 TD5 a few years back....utterly horrible inside and out, uncomfortable, archaic, noisy and hilariously good fun 🙂

I love them. dazzlingboy, that is lovely.

OK, maybe I am being unfair - but why would anyone who does not go off road properly want any offroader then if a Landy is the 'best' of them>?

Because they put a smile on your face - but you have to want a Landy. Owned the same one from new for 22 years, a 90 2.5td. Not for everyone that's for sure, also have a Discovery, the last of the TD5's on a 54 plate. Both have been used off road many times, and if we have a winter like last years there will be many people wishing they owned a Landy of any type.

Not so much about best as that is a very subjective thing. It is all the things you say for sure (although as i say new ones are a big improvement but far from modern car standards). But it also has personality. Most Defender drivers wave to each other on the road. No other drivers (apart from VW campers!) do that afaik. Like singlespeed, or 29, or riding fully rigid. A lot of people say "why? Makes no sense" but for those who are into it, it is the way forward. There is more to them than "which is best" - they have some soul about them.

A 5 year old passat estate is cheaper, more reliable, carries nearly as much, is more comfortable, burns less diesel, holds its value better, doesn't rust, goes faster, is quieter etc etc. Would I swap my defender for one? Would I ****!

I'm not saying my L200 is sluggish but I actually opened the bonnet up the other day to make sure the engine was still in their and not been replaced by an elastic band. But I think the elastic band would have been an improvement.

Get a Discovery, same off-road capability and more comfortable although the TD5 engine is shite.

Edit - Beaten to it!

tis said - you either get 'it' with the LR - or you dont.

personally i have only had a half day experience in one -half on road, half off... and loved it - its seems for the exact same reasons as you hate it.

But then the car i drive at the moment, i bought because it was the exact opposite of the car i sold to get it. I like back to basics motoring.

Mines 20 year old,
Next year I'll drive it to south africa,
I'll still have it in another 20 years.

The best thing/item/car/bit of kit I've ever/will ever own. If you dont get it-I feel sorry for you.

cos when sum dick pulls out in front of you , there car get writen off , landrover gets a small dent on the bumper,TD5 Disco2 is my car , ive had a landrover for the past 20 years i would not be without one, i do not see me owning a euro crap box anytime soon.

OK, maybe I am being unfair - but why would anyone who does not go off road properly want any offroader then if a Landy is the 'best' of them>?

because - other 'offroaders' are not for offroading - hence why they are called often 'soft roaders' they give the driver teh same tall driving position... and eerrr...

the defender was designed to go off road - to get a ewe in the back, tow heavy farm machinery, and have power take offs. the fact it has all the necessary to be road legal is a side issue.

If you drive limited distances and aren't interested in going fast, I can see the attraction.

Also, with the exception of HGV's, other road users give you 'space'.

Best car I ever owned was a 1965 series 2a. Slow, thirsty, used to "wander" all over the road at more than 40mph. Windscreen wipers and heater that were marginally better than none at all.

Would I have another? Without hesitation if i did not drive 30k+ a year...

Great for carrying toys.

Having driven a friend's series 3 from Cambridge to the Brecon Beacons, I have to say it's not what I'd choose to do that in - though even at 25mpg that could carry enough people and stuff that it worked out cheaper per person than any other option we had at the time. Quite fun to drive around in on road for shorter trips, and whilst I'd not really want to own one I can see the attraction.

I drove a 110 for a few days not the best on the motorway but off road rough stuff awesome fun it's damn good for it's core design purpose

I used to have an old Series 2a, I now have a Freelander 1, but would love to get a Defender in the future.

As others have said, you either get them or you don't.

Dazling boy were you at gt on Thursday night. Saw a 110 very similar to that and loved it. I rebuilt a 1986 90 which I loved but eventually got sick of the up keep. Best off roaders by far but so uncomfortable!!

I used to a '62 series 2a. I fitted a Perkins 4203 3.3 litre tractor engine into it. I only overtook one other vehicle in it. A bus that was stopping at a bus stop. It was awesome though, it towed huge trailer loads of peat for winter fuel and would go almost anywhere. I once saw green water flowing over the wings and through the unbolted floor panels while off roading.

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Dazling boy were you at gt on Thursday night.

Twas I indeed!

Dazzling - very nice indeed.

Think we'll get one soon. They are very unrefined and break down a lot BUT they can tow a lot, they go anywhere and they are simply damn cool.

I drove a lot of mildly modded 110s for a Geotech Engineer job and they were almost unstoppable. They were also the only things that could properly tow a three tonne drilling rig.

dazzlingboy - Member
Dazling boy were you at gt on Thursday night.
Twas I indeed!

to get a ewe in the back

to get a ewe in the back

sheepdogging ?

Would not wish to be in an accident in one!!

They're lovely. But I will soon have to part with my Series 3 - will be a sad day.

Because they are the only thing that do the job. towing 3.5 tons and many trailers are plated as that which means a vehicle plated at 3 ons is not legal. The most capable off road with no competitors except a disco. the only one you can mend if you duff the body. the only one you can hose out. Even my 84 110 is perfectly acceptable at 70. any one who exceeds that in the Uk is a pillock and has shouldn't be driving. On country roads who needs 60 even. Jap stuff comes with alloys and big fat tyres. Pose value only. Landy's are cheap to insure. Cheap to mend and no worse that any others. Eco friendly. how many 30 year old Mitzis are still running. can you take the top off a shogun in 15 minutes? Even seen the mess it makes when you drive a Landcruiser through 3 foot of water.
Jap stuff might do a certain job but if you need 4wd then a Landy still is the best in the UK

Nasty vehicles that are more akin to tractors than proper road-going sensible motoring. Fine if you like agricultural levels of performance and comfort. Rabid owners who are convinced that they are the messiah of 4wd and nothing else does anything close.
Hated every one I've driven due to poor space, no comfort, terrible ergonomics, awful ride and shocking fuel consumption. Towing just means adding to the discomfort.

Would anyone, other than a farmer on 50% offroad, buy a landrover?

Because they are quite simply the best offroader in the world. Everything else is a pale imitation od a LandRover. I've driven dozens of them (at work) and probably done more off road miles than on road miles. Spookily I find them very comfortable, I like the upright driving position and they seem to fit me well.
Utter waste of time unless you're going to do a fair bit of proper off road driving though.
I worked on Limehouse Link in Docklands, and we had a 110 diesel (No turbo!) van. Unbeleivebly slow. But drive that into the city, covered in mud and dents, to drop the boss off at Tower Bridge tube, and watch the Mercs and BMWs keep out of your way! King of the [Off]Road!
Wonderful vehicles, full of character. Love 'em!

They are a bit niche aren't they?

I mean, rigid singlespeeds are crap aswell? non?

Some people like a boggo Eurobox, I like my pile of BL birmabrite.

When my van dies, I am def getting one. So handy for running events on the hill. I've gone right off cars.

Unless you live in the wilds, work in the wilds or use one for offroad driving its akin to a lifestyle vehicle choice. A sort of automotive Howies.

People who use them for work? You get to itch that scratch but then jump into your own car to go home/drive around in.

I drove one once and was utterly appalled at the seating position etc etc etc. How slow it was, the body roll, the noise.

I also have a open cab Landrover toy on my desk from 1976/my childhood. Shame as its one of those vehicles you always want to own.

I'd love a series 2 with canvass roof though.

In terms of if a 4x4 is required, i've found that an Subaru Impreza with H/L ratio gears and winter tyres will get you through most stuff apart from deep snow drifts or the deeper muddied fields or where more ground clearance is a real issue. Some of these life style 4x4's don't come even close to an Impreza let alone a landrover.

Thats a different argument. I doubt any Audi etc can get near a Impreza down the twisties in damp/wet weather etc etc. Phenomenal cars. Pity you have to wear a baseball cap whilst driving one 😉

I drove one once and was utterly appalled at the seating position etc etc etc. How slow it was, the body roll, the noise.

IT'S A FEKKING OFF ROADER! ITS NOT A CAR! YOU CAN'T COMPARE THEM!

It rolls becasue anti roll bars limit axle movement and therefore off raod capability.

Rabid owners who are convinced that they are the messiah of 4wd and nothing else does anything close.

That's because it TRUE. Back to back driving with a Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger shows how poor the competition is. Seriously, we used to send Landrovers to pull the Hilux out when it got stuck, when I worked on the A331!

Agree. Its a great tool for a specific role.

I only drove landrovers as
:1- I was on a farm up on top of that monster of a hill in Bolton, the one with the big white stick on top, and used to to drive to and from lots of unpaved farms.

But the farm where i was based was always accessible in 2wd vehicles, unless it snowed, where as even the the land rover used to get left at the junction at Scout rd, and walk up.

2: I used to regularly tow trailers with up to 3 Tonne gross, and land rovers at the time were the only "car" rated to 5 tonne gross if fitted with tacho.

3: The Range Rover Tdi diesels and Disco Tdi's did 35 mpg.

So i had 1 vehicle that could get to most places i needed to get to, tow the same as a small HGV, seat all the family and do all the above relatively fuel efficiently.

Now i drive 2wd cars, as i dont need any of the above capability anymore.

Again, none of the naysayers have obviously driven a 2007 onwards vehicle like mine. Cruises at 75-80 no problem. Has pretty good mid range acceleration for overtaking. Noise levels are reasonable - can hold a conversation at speed which was not easy in a pre-07 vehicle. No rattles. Not a single issue at all in 3 years.

OK, it is not as comfortable as a nice new modern car, but they are not as compromised as they once were. Old ones have a lot of downsides for sure!

PS - can't wait for the new ones in 2012/13!

Vehicle of choice for third world countries without decent roads is either a Landy or a Toyota Landcruiser, isn't it?

I can see why a Landcruiser would be nice mind, even if it wasn't quite as good off-road. I can imagine it'd be plenty more comfortable on a 10 hour drive on bumpy tracks.

without decent roads

Again, none of the naysayers have obviously driven a 2007 onwards vehicle like min

If it drives anything like the 57 plate Transit I had last week it'd be ok- good gearchange location and keen/willing Ford diesel engine.

bought a 93 defender 4 weeks ago and it is mega fun, huge load carrying capacity for dogs/wood/guns/trips to tip and gets me across farm land effortlessly for my pest control work( rabbits foxes pigeons etc) and on the odd payn play day at the 4x4 centre is unstoppable on some pretty gnarly terrain! all for less than 4k with no depreciation and £100 year to insure

Dazzling - we had a 24hr test of a 90 XS with all the toys (still not many) and the new 2.4TD engine.

Our thoughts were mixed - the "proper" rear seats are great as is the ventilation system from this century. Engine sounded a bit lumpy (Transit engine!) but pulled well enough. It was a black one and did look DAMN cool though.

We were tempted but went for a smaller 4x4 in the end. However with a growing family and the need for more towing capacity, a Landy it may be - wife took her test in one (!) and I've driven 1000s miles in various ones,

Aware of the shortfalls but overall, I still love them.

How are you finding the new engine compared to the TD5? Seems to have mixed reviews.

Think we'd need a 110 too but I do love the look of the 90s.

Thing is, even if you need a real 4x4 for non-farm use, why would you go for a Defender over a Disco? (curious)

Hose pipe.

discos look pikey, defenders look cool, im my opinion, though I am sure they are as equally capable in the muck

Was in Inverie in Knoydart last week and virtually every vehicle was a Land Rover, with a couple of Jeeps about. Obviously the dogs up there, but why anyone would want one for just driving around on the tarmac in is beyond me.

Thing is, even if you need a real 4x4 for non-farm use, why would you go for a Defender over a Disco? (curious)

Defender is MUCH lighter, cheaper and has a hose down interior. It's also better off road.

No farmer is his right mind would use a Disco. They are now pretty much luxury vehicles. Very good off road but just not tough enough.

Mat, I said for NON farm use. So hosing down is unlikely to be an issue, as is top off-road capability.

If you just want to tow a horse, do farm tracks or forest access or whatever, would a Disco not be nicer and better for the rest of the miles?

mechanics on a disco is another issue they are massively unreliable and electrics are a mega expense to fix. defenders are basic bolt together and parts are cheap and mechanics are much simpler to fix.

Most Defender drivers wave to each other on the road. No other drivers (apart from VW campers!)

Oh dear how sad!

Someone just gave me an early eighties SWB Landy. 😀

We need one coz the private road to our house is almost 1 mile long and gets a lot of drifting snow. It's not Taxed/tested but it'll be perfect for winter.

Most Defender drivers wave to each other on the road. No other drivers (apart from VW campers!)

You're right VW Campers wave at eachother as do 2CV drivers (at other 2CV drivers - not at VW Camper drivers obviously!)

OK, so having driven the two 110's for 3 days....

Off road = super, and as said a toll for a job. We did a night evacuation of an ill child and a daytime, 'cos I can I will' drive up a couple of proper off road tracks and it was good.

On road - one refused to go in a straight line, both had electrical issues and both were massively uncomfortable.
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(did put a smile on my face though) SO, I am a convert, but would never own one...