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Range rover

4 (15.4%)

Omega

4 (15.4%)

Frontera lwb

4 (15.4%)

Discovery

9 (34.6%)

Panda 4x4

5 (19.2%)

Total Members Voted: 21

Voting closed: 22 February 2016, 22:47:32

[Viral_Jim]

The Aussies have a saying:

If you want to go into the outback, take a Land Rover. If you want to come back again, take a land cruiser.

I've genuinely never seen the point of defenders. Uncomfortable, slow and crap reliability. Even a Suzuki  vitara with some cheap mods will scare the bejesus out of most people off road. So no point on that score either.

For me, They're a status symbol, nothing more 

[05omegav6]

This per chance???

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/99-VAUXHALL-FRONTERA-3-2i-V6-24v-AUTO-LTD-43k-4WD-HTD-LHER-DEPOSIT-NOW-TAKEN-/151983443269?hash=item2362eb4d45:g:dxoAAOSwll1WwHxg

 

That wouldn't be the shed that EMD sold to some poor unsuspecting sod a while back? Complete with shagged box iirc

[Marks DTM Calib]

The Aussies have a saying:

If you want to go into the outback, take a Land Rover. If you want to come back again, take a land cruiser.

I've genuinely never seen the point of defenders. Uncomfortable, slow and crap reliability. Even a Suzuki  vitara with some cheap mods will scare the bejesus out of most people off road. So no point on that score either.

For me, They're a status symbol, nothing more 

That actually depends very much what you are using them for, I look after three and hate them with a passion however, there is no other vehicle which will do what they do and take the punishment they do.

One is a road rail conversion mind where the massive chassis is a must for mounting the rail gear on (plus the wheel track is exactly equal to rail spacing)

[Viral_Jim]

there is no other vehicle which will do what they do and take the punishment they do.

Really? My experience (admittedly only through friends and relatives - I need a defender like a hole in the head!) is they only take that punishment on a constant diet of fettling, maintenance and not a little welding  .

That actually depends very much what you are using them for

That is true, I was probably being a bit sweeping/keyboard warrior-ish in my assertions. I guess maybe 10-20% of users have them for their capabilities and actually make use of all those capabilities. The res, well....

If I were in the market for such a thing, my choices would be either Land Cruiser, Hilux or Lada Niva/Cossack, depending on what my requirements were. I have a real soft spot for the Niva. My parents had a Cossack, in "prosthetic limb" beige  .  When I was young I absolutely loved it, while simultaneously being embarrassed by being in a Lada .
 

[Marks DTM Calib]

there is no other vehicle which will do what they do and take the punishment they do.

Really? My experience (admittedly only through friends and relatives - I need a defender like a hole in the head!) is they only take that punishment on a constant diet of fettling, maintenance and not a little welding  .

That actually depends very much what you are using them for

That is true, I was probably being a bit sweeping/keyboard warrior-ish in my assertions. I guess maybe 10-20% of users have them for their capabilities and actually make use of all those capabilities. The res, well....

If I were in the market for such a thing, my choices would be either Land Cruiser, Hilux or Lada Niva/Cossack, depending on what my requirements were. I have a real soft spot for the Niva. My parents had a Cossack, in "prosthetic limb" beige  .  When I was young I absolutely loved it, while simultaneously being embarrassed by being in a Lada .
 

As they get older yes they do require more attention but reality is, the equivalent from ANOther supplier would be shot to pieces and pricey and complex to fix. 

[aaronjb]

In the two years I was with my ex all I remember her father doing to his Landy was sticking fuel in it.. admittedly regularly because there was no working fuel gauge 

[EMD]

Do not buy the 3.2 with auto box at any cost 

[TheBoy]

That is true, I was probably being a bit sweeping/keyboard warrior-ish in my assertions. I guess maybe 10-20% of users have them for their capabilities and actually make use of all those capabilities. The res, well....

Ignoring the "special" people with a strange love for Series Landrovers (but each to their own, and I ain't gonna knock it), most of the defenders I see around these parts are those needing genuine offroad capability, such as farmers and the utility companies having to get feed, personnel and equipment into otherwise unreachable areas.

For these sorts of uses, there absolutely is nothing better than a Defender. Nothing. Not even close. That's why the damn thing has been constantly on sale for over 60 years, and consistently sells. JLR could predict, with stonking accuracy, how many would be sold over the upcoming 3 year period.

If you think anything can rival its capabilities, you've not understood its capabilities.

As they get older, they need attention, but probably no more than my 1998 Omega . Remember its a 70yr old design, and anticorrosion techniques have come a long way in that time, not just in preparation and coatings, but in the design of vehicles. Yet an estimated 75% of all built are still out there.  I'd suggest that 75% of the 21yr old Omega have already been sent up to Mr Beanz and wrapped in a blue/green label.


However, I agree, you'd have to have an absolute passion for Defenders to use one for a "normal" commute...  ...although I know Hotel21 has driven one from Scotland to Essex (IIRC), and survived

[TheBoy]

And the damn thing would still be produced and on sale in the UK if it wasn't for the do-gooders and eurobuearucrats.

There was talk of JLR shifting production abroad for non euro markets, but not sure if that'll happen...

[Lazydocker]

That is true, I was probably being a bit sweeping/keyboard warrior-ish in my assertions. I guess maybe 10-20% of users have them for their capabilities and actually make use of all those capabilities. The res, well....

Ignoring the "special" people with a strange love for Series Landrovers (but each to their own, and I ain't gonna knock it), most of the defenders I see around these parts are those needing genuine offroad capability, such as farmers and the utility companies having to get feed, personnel and equipment into otherwise unreachable areas.

For these sorts of uses, there absolutely is nothing better than a Defender. Nothing. Not even close. That's why the damn thing has been constantly on sale for over 60 years, and consistently sells. JLR could predict, with stonking accuracy, how many would be sold over the upcoming 3 year period.

If you think anything can rival its capabilities, you've not understood its capabilities.

As they get older, they need attention, but probably no more than my 1998 Omega . Remember its a 70yr old design, and anticorrosion techniques have come a long way in that time, not just in preparation and coatings, but in the design of vehicles. Yet an estimated 75% of all built are still out there.  I'd suggest that 75% of the 21yr old Omega have already been sent up to Mr Beanz and wrapped in a blue/green label.


However, I agree, you'd have to have an absolute passion for Defenders to use one for a "normal" commute...  ...although I know Hotel21 has driven one from Scotland to Essex (IIRC), and survived

There was talk of one being delivered to Hong Kong (iirc) by road. H21 and I were looking at options in one of those conversations you have

To be fair, the newer, modern ones are quite comfortable when compared to the 60 year old design! I still wouldn't want it for long use every day though

[Varche]

The Aussies have a saying:

If you want to go into the outback, take a Land Rover. If you want to come back again, take a land cruiser.

I've genuinely never seen the point of defenders. Uncomfortable, slow and crap reliability. Even a Suzuki  vitara with some cheap mods will scare the bejesus out of most people off road. So no point on that score either.

For me, They're a status symbol, nothing more 

In four years I have only had one scare in my Vitara. I was traversing a familiar track , a few days ago, across a steep hillside after several days of rain. Hardly any grip due to the tyres having 3 inches of clay on them. Foot on brake just sliding, only way was to drive it.

[Viral_Jim]

Ignoring the "special" people with a strange love for Series Landrovers (but each to their own, and I ain't gonna knock it), most of the defenders I see around these parts are those needing genuine offroad capability, such as farmers and the utility companies having to get feed, personnel and equipment into otherwise unreachable areas.

For these sorts of uses, there absolutely is nothing better than a Defender. Nothing. Not even close. That's why the damn thing has been constantly on sale for over 60 years, and consistently sells. JLR could predict, with stonking accuracy, how many would be sold over the upcoming 3 year period.

You think so? Personally I have my doubts. If they were that good then surely they would be the default choice throughout the globe? They aren't, Toyotas are. Wherther it's the UN, Medcin Sans Frontiere, or some bearded nut job with an anti aircraft gun, if you want the job done in the harshest of environments (and outside the reach of an AA truck) you take a Toyota.

No doubt they have sold very well for decades, probably largely on the back of status, royal patronage, British obsession and a reputation (deserved or not is debatable I think) for rugged reliability. a whole generation grew up seeing them do amazing things and going places no-one had been before, that's bound to leave an impression. In today's world (and the world of the last 10-15 years) I remain to be convinced that reputation is deserved.

[TheBoy]

That's why the damn thing has been constantly on sale for over 60 years, and consistently sells. JLR could predict, with stonking accuracy, how many would be sold over the upcoming 3 year period in each territory.

Clarified for accuracy for the doubters.

If you think anything road going can rival its capabilities, you've not understood its capabilities.

Reiterated (and clarified), again for the doubters.

[2boxerdogs]

Always had Japanese 4x4 s now a Korean Hyundai never had a problem with any of them, nothing would to persuade me to buy a Land Rover unreliable & outdated .

[Lazydocker]

I had a Range Rover, G plate 3.5 V8 on LPG, before my first Omega. I used it to go all sorts of places and it frequently went off road, properly! Never got stuck and towed many other brands out of the smelly stuff. All on road tyres

It was also highly reliable... Sure, I maintained it but it was all routine, apart from the welding. It took me all over the country in comfort, with heavy trailers, even on the hottest and coldest days when many newer marques were falling by the wayside!