 | Home > Land Rover Customer Relations > land rover improvement suggestions for Kelly |
 
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| farmer giles Member Since: 09 Feb 2011 Location: worcestershire Posts: 1299  
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As Kelly asked for Land Rover improvement suggestions from forum members here is the thread:
I am very happy with my defender(s) as a starting point and i like to modify it to suit my needs (part of the pleasure of owning it). However i would be keen for the following improvements: - better rustproofing to the chassis and components like mirror arms, headlight bezzels, rear tow step, front bumper - i would pay extra for a galvanized chassis option at point of manufacture. - bring back willow green as a colour. - tell dealers that defender customers need to feel loved when parting with +£25k when buying a new one, and that we are not just an inconvenience. nothing else ps if anyone mention carpets the default response on here is "defender is not a vehicle for you sir, can i interest you in a freelander"  |
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26th Mar 2013 2:31pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6295  
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FG
couldn't agree more on the rust proofing. the other thing(s) panel fit and leak prevention (especially around the bulkhead). I can't but think this is nothing more than paying a little more attention / spending a few seconds longer and perhaps a squirt of silicone in the build process. and for those with plenty of money I would have thought that introducing some 'special' options could be catered for quite easily considering how the defender is constructed. I do think that the chassis coating as absolutely essential !!! |
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26th Mar 2013 2:51pm |
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169 
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I think my main input would be
Keep the iconic Defender more or less as it is - its basic look and feel of how it is now, maintain it as a robust workhorse which can take a lot of knocks and dents without needing to go to the bodyshop, with its current capabilities of being taken apart and put back together like a kit, modified for a huge variety of purposes, will last for decades through multiple owners, the occasional refurb/rebuild and keep going and going with a modicum of good maintenance.... Long live the Defender. Our blog - http://landytravels.com/
Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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26th Mar 2013 3:15pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20291 
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Headlight bezels are a must and so cheap too to change to Stainless Steel. Even if powder coated black they would not rust then for a very very long time. As is the bezels can let down a Defender that's just 1 year old they go that quick. âï¸âï¸God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 âï¸âï¸
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26th Mar 2013 3:45pm |
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| bob neville Member Since: 30 Apr 2009 Location: Marbella Posts: 3248  
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Well less than two weeks old and the side steps are rusting
So at that rate, 3 years = 156 weeks. Divide by 2 = 78. So 78 replacements under warranty @ £100 ????? Grand total of £7,800 for replacement of side steps under warranty
Good job I am replacing them with runners, so as I have saved LR £7,800 what do I get in return ? 
Kelly, the Defender is a damn good vehicle, I am now on my second Puma, 110 in 2009 and now a 90, and also own a TD5 90. Why do land Rover continue to fit parts that rust as soon as you look at them ? I am sure the bean counters have saved pennies on parts that are not properly finished but surely the warranty replacement of such parts far out weighs the savings ? Four years ago various dealers tried to tell me I would hate the Defender and would only sell me a D4 - how wrong they were. I am a total convert from luxury euro boxes (apart from the Porsche which SWHMBO owns) and both of us love the Defender, just wish LR would sort their part suppliers out
I must agree with Steve as well, I already have the stainless headlamp bezels ready to fit before the factory fitted ones rust
Bob 2015 Jaguar XE240 R Sport - goes like ....... !! 2013 Defender 90 CSW - sold 2009 Defender 110 Double Cab - sold 2001 TD5 90 CSW - offroad project - sold to a forum member 2011 Porsche Boxster - for the sunny days ! |
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27th Mar 2013 7:04pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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NO CHANCE. The LR ENGINEERING department are too busy thinking up stupid questionnaires rather then sorting out real problems. Kelly, before you think I am anti Land Rover, anti Defender we have 3 Defenders that we use on a daily basis. Just wish LR would sort out some of their silly problems that have been around for decades. On second thought don't bother, we can make a business suppling solutions to issues that LR should have solved decades ago. Brendan |
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28th Mar 2013 10:24pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17327 
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One word....
SECURITY |
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28th Mar 2013 11:16pm |
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| cinstone Member Since: 29 Nov 2010 Location: Stourbridge Posts: 375 
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Agree with most of the above comments.
Another option, as well as the galvanised option would be to have wax oiling as an option to all the other "protection" offers you get at point of sale. There were several options for the paint and cover for this and that after I had just forked out the best part of £27k, none of which I had any thought of having done, but I did ask if they did or could arrange wax oiling of the chassis, which they didn't. It was the one "extra" that I would have readily handed over a few hundred more quid or so for. Chris. http://shropshirelandrovers.freeforums.org 2015 Defender 90 XS SW & Helen, 1964 IIa. Previously 2012 Defender 90 XS SW & 2008 90 XS SW. Previous LR's: Michael, my 2008 Defender 90 XS SW. Machinas oportet intrare non capsicum annuum faveo |
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29th Mar 2013 3:19pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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Bob, this suggestion probably does not suit your nice new red/black 90, but for others who are taking the side steps option I would suggest to consider the original SVX side steps, they are the same model as the original black ones, but with the big difference that I have never seen any of those (including mine) with a speckle of rust. I do agree, also here in Switzerland the black ones do all seem to rust easily and quickly. So some new owners ordering a Defender in a color which would allow the grey SVX side steps might want to insist on getting those fitted, and not the black ones, even if LR might charge a little premium. Just as a thought.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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29th Mar 2013 4:58pm |
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| tookaphotoof Member Since: 18 Mar 2013 Location: dordrecht Posts: 1279  
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You could ask the workers not to forget to install all the parts on a Defender, so that I wouldn't have the hose where the fuel goes in dropping down the hole while filling her up. I wasn't joking if you wondered.
I'm now wondering if there will be other bits missing or falling off, while enjoying my Defender. Yes, no matter what happens, this one will never leave. |
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29th Mar 2013 10:05pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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The modification which would cost peanuts. A mirror in the passenger sun visor. Ok lots of defender users don't want or need one but how much good karma would you get for doing it
Barbara |
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29th Mar 2013 10:14pm |
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| ken Member Since: 18 Aug 2009 Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !! Posts: 4328
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All I'd ask at this stage is that LR Dealers understand that owners will modify their units , this principle is NOT the work of the devil and not the route of all failures.
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30th Mar 2013 9:03am |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018 
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I think the same beancounters do the latter sum also, and so it's financially acceptable to leave the poor quality parts on. The answer lies in people like Kelly arguing the case for the customer and trying to make the beancounters put a financial value on the loss of customer goodwill. Personally, I'd like Kelly to get an an engineering answer to why they don't galvanise the chassis; or if they considered it, why they then rejected it? |
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30th Mar 2013 7:13pm |
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| bob neville Member Since: 30 Apr 2009 Location: Marbella Posts: 3248
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Hi Eric Guess what I fitted Friday, the clues are Fire and Ice and side steps 
Will post some pics up soon but there is a slight technical. The drivers side step sits a bit too far under the sill. After much head scratching the culprit was found. The drivers side sill is pointing out at the bottom due to the person who bolted it on missing most of the mounting holes in the sill and the bolt heads being trapped between the sill and rail
I will fix it at the weekend when I fit the CP sills
Bob 2015 Jaguar XE240 R Sport - goes like ....... !! 2013 Defender 90 CSW - sold 2009 Defender 110 Double Cab - sold 2001 TD5 90 CSW - offroad project - sold to a forum member 2011 Porsche Boxster - for the sunny days ! |
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2nd Apr 2013 5:15pm |
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