Reliable old 'uns

[Deermanagement]

Just watched a short video highlighting the effectiveness of Landrover/range rover off the tarmac. What came to mind was that they should be good off-road, they spend most of the time off-road, not because they are good but because they always break down.

With a quad left on site and an enclosed lightweight carcass trailer, I've managed for the last 18 moths without a 4x4, by using the old Volvo estate, but in anticipation of colder conditions later in winter, I put a battery on the old 2.2 Frontera yesterday, and turned it over. 3 seconds later it fired up as sweet as a nut after standing for more than a year. Had to put it in low box to break the stuck on brakes and have a couple of jobs to do before I take it for an MOT. Main job is to get a rear number plate fixed following removal of the rear bumper a couple of days ago to replace the bumper reinforcement after finding my brother (big lump), sat on the rear bumper one day, completely collapsing the rotted part. Obtained a new reinforcement bar from the US last year but had no time to fit hit, hence I'll leave it off for now.

It's been re-mapped, is good on diesel and can pull a 2 ton mini digger and plant trailer quite comfortably even though it shouldn't. I should let it go next year, after 15 years (well 13.5 years taking into account the last 18 months) of reliable service. Maybe a Ranger of similar but to find something as reliable I'm sure I'll struggle

 

[Husky]

" They always break down " I have been driving Land Rovers for about 37 years and never had one break down, so your statement is false.

 

[Mike L]

Yay, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the great escape on TV, and an argument on LR reliability on SD….. ho…..ho…….ho

 

[Deermanagement]

" They always break down " I have been driving Land Rovers for about 37 years and never had one break down, so your statement is false.

Landrover employee by any chance

 

[Deermanagement]

Mind you, I do like the look of the new 110, but definitely not the 90

Had a colleague with an issue with his new RR, see it returned to the stealer who couldn't find anywhere to park it as storage was taken up by all the others with the same issue

Should I win the lottery which is unlikely as I do not do it, I would go to see if I could purchase a 110

 

[Husky]

Landrover employee by any chance

No but I think I will buy a lottery ticket

 

[Beretta V]

" They always break down " I have been driving Land Rovers for about 37 years and never had one break down, so your statement is false.

We ran an old series 3 for about 10 years, all off road and wasn’t maintained at all. When it had a running problem we opened the bonnet and couldn’t see the engine for mud!
Washed it off and it was good again!
Bloody thing went in places the jap motors wouldn’t go.
On the road they are bloody horrible but for it’s purpose there it was good

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I found on the UK bay a 1978 I think Lightweight for a buddy of mine here in my village in Bavaria, we flew to Stansted then bused up to Sheffield, collected said LR drove it to Coventry, the next day into LR as I had some launch stuff to do with Disco Sport around 2004ish, I took the Lightweight with me and they ran it through the prototype build area for a check up and all fluids & filters were foc changed. Then we drove slowly back to Bavaria over 2 days. He found later the block had a split which seeped water. It appears to be an LDV motor in it. Anyway it is still being used 3-4 times a week around our village as his hunt wagon including the still seeping block.

 

[TheCornishman]

My experience is much the same….for sure a few bits let you down here and there but no worse than any other 4x4 facing proper use/work

Major difference being you can usually fix it yourself for a fraction of the cost of a jap vehicle with readily available parts. I spent 40yrs a Landy hater but am a true convert…+ they appreciate rather than depreciate