nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
Quite possibly the best Land Rover analogy ever. Great back in the day but now trading on peoples nostalgia and hopes and dreams that the new model will be better than the last.
The land rover defender probably the best 4x4 ever built
- Thread starter geoffrey
- Start date
Quite possibly the best Land Rover analogy ever. Great back in the day but now trading on peoples nostalgia and hopes and dreams that the new model will be better than the last.
bobjs
Well-Known Member
Over 2 million built through the impossible terrain of recessions, fuel crises, appalling reliability problems, the demise of the UK motor industry, an American buy-out and more recently an Indian takeover to emerge on the other side, still wearing the crown of the best 4x4 x far! I’m willing wager over half of the "Spanners" commenting on here wouldn’t know a Spanner from a Wrench
but we can tell the difference between and cart and a proper 4x4.
bob.
2130martin
Well-Known Member
most i'v seen have four hand prints on the back ?
I think they are built with them in place! just in case the owners need to know what place is best to push to get them off the road
The newer posher ones have heated rear screens to keep your hands warm!!!
bobjs
Well-Known Member
hold on Martin
you mean they have caught up to with SKODA'S build quality....I don't believe you
bob.
tackb
Well-Known Member
Over 2 million built through the impossible terrain of recessions, fuel crises, appalling reliability problems, the demise of the UK motor industry, an American buy-out and more recently an Indian takeover to emerge on the other side, still wearing the crown of the best 4x4 x far! I’m willing wager over half of the "Spanners" commenting on here wouldn’t know a Spanner from a Wrench
make my living with spanners , fixing off road systems landrover can only dream of ! electro hydraulic suspension , 10 wheel drive systems on 9 axle carriers , reduction hubs , long locks , cross locks , traction control systems , electro dynamic steering systems , 32 speed manual transmissions with torque converters and transmission brakes and eddy current brakes plus my personal favourite the auspuffklappenbremse ! blah blah blah , landrovers transmissions and running gear are page one systems yet they still manage to design in failures after 50 years or more of building them that in itself deserves praise , every other company I can think of have improved reliability yet LR resolutely stick to failing even after all this time
Having spent a fair bit of time in Africa over the last twenty years, and watching what vehicles people use, I've noted that for every working land rover (there are loads of non working land rovers lying in scrap piles) you'll see at least 100 Landcruisers and Hiluxes
My experience is that that the "easy to get bits and easy to repair mantra" is a myth.
Virtually all the Landrovers I see are rusting scrap heaps that nobody wants anything to do with.
You'll see plenty older Hiluxes and Landcrusiers being repaired by back street garages - so getting parts and being able to repair them easily seems to be true for Toyata.
Cheers
Bruce
My experience is that that the "easy to get bits and easy to repair mantra" is a myth.
Virtually all the Landrovers I see are rusting scrap heaps that nobody wants anything to do with.
You'll see plenty older Hiluxes and Landcrusiers being repaired by back street garages - so getting parts and being able to repair them easily seems to be true for Toyata.
Cheers
Bruce
TOMMO.B
Well-Known Member
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA BEST 4X4 HA HA HA HA HA HA AGAIN.Over 2 million built through the impossible terrain of recessions, fuel crises, appalling reliability problems, the demise of the UK motor industry, an American buy-out and more recently an Indian takeover to emerge on the other side, still wearing the crown of the best 4x4 x far! I’m willing wager over half of the "Spanners" commenting on here wouldn’t know a Spanner from a Wrench
Rusty piles of British / Then Indian crud. deigned for umpalumpas to drive. Properly the reason the Empire failed.
AN DU RU FOX
Well-Known Member
bobjs
Well-Known Member
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
I agree. I wanted a Defender for years. Until I drove one. It was one of the worst driving experiences of my life. I delivered a brand new 2014 truck to a customer on a damp day. It was draughty, skittish, rattly, tail-happy, and paradoxically-enough the under-steer was horrific, to boot. It was also gutless, noisy and the steering wheel may as well have been in the car behind me for all the good it did keeping the damn thing in a straight line. Do I ever want to drive another one? Not on your life.
Having said that, I do love the very clever maintenance features Landrover have managed to incorporate: If it's not leaking you know it's empty, and if something's not rattling you know it's either seized or fallen-off completely
AN DU RU FOX
Well-Known Member
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I read these threads . but rarely respond to them . I have many years (35+) repairing all types plant , machinery and vehicles of all description for a living , (I do now a spanner from a wrench ) I worked for a dealer selling and maintaining all types of 4wds for approx 14 yrs . Isuzu , suzuki etc where pretty good in terms of reliability , the Landrovers we sold always commanded a high price and sold well but reconditioning costs where very high and they always came back like the proverbial boomerang .The only 4wds that we sold and had no issues with where Toyota particularly the Landcruiser .I have owned many different 4wds over the last 25yrs and only 1 Landrover ( low millage 300tdi with full main dealer history ) , reasonable off road i wouldnt say it towed overly well compared to any thing else i have owned . reliability and build quality terrible , last time it broke down i had to turn down a days driven shooting and fix it , so it had to go .Would i own another NO .
sikamalc
Administrator
The estate next door to where I am now in Scotland bought a brand new long wheel base landy, crew cab type with a canvas back. This was a few years back mind. Result was in the end it broke down so many times it went back and they gave the estate another new one. That didn't last long either and they eventually got rid of it.
I hired a similar one hard top long wheel base about 2 years ago for one of the guides who works for me, and is also one of my best friends. This was a year old vehicle. It was a death trap, you couldn't hold the vehicle on the road, it was all over the place. That went back as well, never again.
Another friend in Africa who is a PH, bought a year old Landy......guess what he got rid of that and went back to Toyota Land cruiser. In my opinion one of these will out last a Landrover any day of the week and nearly all PH's in Africa use them. And they do get a real hammering out there.
I hired a similar one hard top long wheel base about 2 years ago for one of the guides who works for me, and is also one of my best friends. This was a year old vehicle. It was a death trap, you couldn't hold the vehicle on the road, it was all over the place. That went back as well, never again.
Another friend in Africa who is a PH, bought a year old Landy......guess what he got rid of that and went back to Toyota Land cruiser. In my opinion one of these will out last a Landrover any day of the week and nearly all PH's in Africa use them. And they do get a real hammering out there.
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As a boy I wanted a Land Rover, my father had 2 before I was born, and I used to buy the magazines and read the tales of winching, river crossings and travelling Africa and having adventures.
Then I took a job on a farm, and we needed a vehicle which could tow 3.5 tonnes for contracting work. A defender arrived, and many long trips to Scotland, and other parts of the country followed. I slowly learned to hate the thing, and came to dread the trips, the bad back, the freezing elbow.
i wouldn't buy one now, I can see the attraction in many respects, for those skilful souls who like to tinker, enjoy nostalgia and like to buy British. And it was very capable off road, but I suspect that many of them, like most 4x4 vehicles, rarely go off road to any degree. And I can't say that I ever feel cheated driving my ageing Hilux around, which as it happens, has been tremendously reliable throughout my long and neglectful ownership.
i agree with the comments about the 70 series Landcruiser, I used one extensively abroad and I wish they were sold here, true workhorses.
Then I took a job on a farm, and we needed a vehicle which could tow 3.5 tonnes for contracting work. A defender arrived, and many long trips to Scotland, and other parts of the country followed. I slowly learned to hate the thing, and came to dread the trips, the bad back, the freezing elbow.
i wouldn't buy one now, I can see the attraction in many respects, for those skilful souls who like to tinker, enjoy nostalgia and like to buy British. And it was very capable off road, but I suspect that many of them, like most 4x4 vehicles, rarely go off road to any degree. And I can't say that I ever feel cheated driving my ageing Hilux around, which as it happens, has been tremendously reliable throughout my long and neglectful ownership.
i agree with the comments about the 70 series Landcruiser, I used one extensively abroad and I wish they were sold here, true workhorses.
geoffrey
Well-Known Member
I suppose i have been very lucky because growing up in the sixties when our old vehicles broke down we did not have the funds for a garage to repair them so we had to learn or walk everywhere, I for one love the simplicity of the defender and enjoy maintaining and driving it,
But what i like most about the vehicle is that even if it is parked on my drive in pieces whilst awaiting spares from Paddocks to arrive, it is actually going up in value
show me another 4x4 that can do that,
But what i like most about the vehicle is that even if it is parked on my drive in pieces whilst awaiting spares from Paddocks to arrive, it is actually going up in value
show me another 4x4 that can do that,
tackb
Well-Known Member
austin champ
jeep
sierra XR4x4
escort cosworth
FJ toyotas
964/993 4wd Porsche's
shall i go on ?
sikamalc
Administrator
Ford Escort, MK1 and 2 Ford Cortina, especially with a Lotus engine. I was amazed to see a show room condition basic Ford Escort Mk1 a few months back with a price tag of £15,000.
tackb
Well-Known Member
whilst I agree with you the poster asked for another 4x4 that could equal the woeful landrover by appreciating , I gave him a few , there is more if he needs the point reinforcing ?
sikamalc
Administrator
Appreciate that. I was just pointing out that cars I used to own are now fetching silly money. As for 4x4 I will stick to my Isuzu.
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