LR Defender to be resurrected?

[Spark plug]

I've got an old series III that I've had for years, IMO Land Rover lost their way after the 200/300 TDI era.

Land rovers where designed to be billy basic "tools" ment to do a job, basicly they where mini tractors not family cars. Something you just can't buy any more.

The probloem with most modern 4x4's from a working tool perspective is they are just too big to get through tight gaps and in amongst the trees etc. They (all but a few) can't tow 3500Kg's, have more electronics than the space shuttle and the lack of live axles makes them paticularly useless off road no matter how many diff locks you have.

 

[octo0072000]

Rannsachair said

My chassis and bulkhead are still good, but am contemplating a stripdown and getting them galvanised as surface rust is starting.

but remember the chassis and bulkhead rust as well from the inside out so the rust on the outside is well on it's way inside too

 

[Rannsachair]

Rannsachair said

My chassis and bulkhead are still good, but am contemplating a stripdown and getting them galvanised as surface rust is starting.

but remember the chassis and bulkhead rust as well from the inside out so the rust on the outside is well on it's way inside too

I am hoping not the case, no visible rust on the bulkhead. Chassis rust is only visible looking inside the rear crossmember, if its worse than it looks when apart will either repair or spend a little extra on a new galvanised chassis.

 

[octo0072000]

I am hoping not the case, no visible rust on the bulkhead. Chassis rust is only visible looking inside the rear crossmember, if its worse than it looks when apart will either repair or spend a little extra on a new galvanised chassis.

last one i repaired had 2 inch of wet silt in the bottom of the rails rotted the bottom out of it

 

[xmetal]

I've got an old series III that I've had for years, IMO Land Rover lost their way after the 200/300 TDI era.

Land rovers where designed to be billy basic "tools" ment to do a job, basicly they where mini tractors not family cars. Something you just can't buy any more.

I agree. I believe they still carried on production of the 300TDi engine for some markets when the TD5 came out. I don't know how long it went on for though.

 

[Rannsachair]

I agree. I believe they still carried on production of the 300TDi engine for some markets when the TD5 came out. I don't know how long it went on for though.

You are correct was an option for Rest of World exports (outwith EU). I have run a TD5 for just under 90,000 trouble free miles in my defender with nothing more than frequent oil and filter changes bar a new turbo at just under 80,000 miles. Lots seem to do big mileages. Electronics such as electronic accelerator and ECU were a concern for many folk, though concerns largely unfounded. I have worried when wading through water coming in the doors as the ECU is under the drivers seat ( you can get a kit to extend the wiring and move it higher up) but again not had a problem.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Not all modern driver aids are a waste of space, my business partners wife bought a new Freelander and included in the deal was a day on a LR 4X4 Experience Course.
I went along for the ride and most of what we did I could have tackled in my old Series 2 SWB with low tyre pressure but the one thing that did open my eyes was when the instructor took us out on the local dual carriageway in a Discovery, he got up to 70mph in the right hand lane and waited till we were almost past the entrance to a layby, slammed the brakes on full and turned hard into the layby!
Now in my old Series we would have never got to 70mph before the layby but even so slamming the brakes on full and locking the wheel over would have most probably ended up with my old landy flipping onto its side and sliding down the road.

 

[Shox Dr]

^^ That's not a driving aid.

Its for morons not looking where they are going.

Not to mension the poor bastard in the nearside lane you've just rammed into. Never mind eh, live another day to fart about, while you're supposed to be driving.

I'm waiting to read, where someone blames the auto braking for not stopping in traffic

 

[octo0072000]

you mean like this Dave

 

[Wendelspanswick]

^^ That's not a driving aid.

Its for morons not looking where they are going.

Or a child running out into the road, or would you rather plough into him/her?

 

[Shox Dr]

Or a child running out into the road, or would you rather plough into him/her?

No, I believe I have enough common sense, to drive to the conditions, Road type, and the likelyhood of such a thing to happen.

Slamming the anchors on at speed and then swerveing to god knows where, tells me you weren't in control nor concentrating on the job in hand, ie Driving.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

No, I believe I have enough common sense, to drive to the conditions, Road type, and the likelyhood of such a thing to happen.

Slamming the anchors on at speed and then swerveing to god knows where, tells me you weren't in control nor concentrating on the job in hand, ie Driving.

So your saying that in no situation would you need to swerve at speed under braking?
Are you telepathic?
A couple of years ago I had to swerve at speed to avoid slamming into a Red Deer that cleared a hedge on the A303, I could have slammed into it and written off my VW T4 and maybe had the remains of the deer in the cab along with the resultant injuries to me. As it was I swerved under braking to miss it, the van lurched badly and that was at about 55mph, I hate to think what would have happened at 70mph.
Around here at least 3 deaths in the past 10 years have been attributed to hitting Red Deer.
Having the confidence to know you have that option to avoid an impact is only a boon in my opinion.

 

[dobbslc]

Still, pulling that stunt on an open public road is stupid.
Maybe he used to work for BMW.......

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Still, pulling that stunt on an open public road is stupid.
Maybe he used to work for BMW.......

According to the instructor he had talked to the local plod who were happy for him to perform the maneuver so long as he was instructing. No different to a driving instructor getting a student to perform an emergency stop for tuition purposes. Bear in mind that this is a dual carriageway near Honiton in Devon where the traffic is minimal, when he performed the maneuver there was no other vehicle in sight on either carriageway.

 

[blenkie1]

Not all modern driver aids are a waste of space, my business partners wife bought a new Freelander and included in the deal was a day on a LR 4X4 Experience Course.

Got called out to do a repair on a forwarder the other day in the middle of a wood. Took some getting to I can tell you. Was amazed to see a LR 4x4 experience using the road I had just gone up in a transit as part of the 'experience'!

Was it not that long ago a 'LR off road instructor' swerved across a road chasing another car and ploughed into an innocent family paralysing the two young girls in the back of the car?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Got called out to do a repair on a forwarder the other day in the middle of a wood. Took some getting to I can tell you. Was amazed to see a LR 4x4 experience using the road I had just gone up in a transit as part of the 'experience'!

Was it not that long ago a 'LR off road instructor' swerved across a road chasing another car and ploughed into an innocent family paralysing the two young girls in the back of the car?

Idiot road rage, some people don't deserve a licence especially if you weaponize your vehicle.

 

[blenkie1]

best of it was he was classed as a professional driver in the court case and tried to contest it even though the family had a dash cam. Don't stand much of a chance when hit by a discovery at speed