Now I know you only ever read bad stuff on these forums, and I know that we all come here to air our problems in the hope that we find a solution or at least some company in our misery.....

....but I thought it might be worth starting a Puma Appreciation thread! So here are the rules - no mention of issues or problems other than endearing idiosynchracies and the like. I want this to be a thread where we can simply say what we love about our new Defenders in the hope that we can restore the balance of good vs bad representation on the forum.

so here goes...

I BLOODY LOVE MY PUMA TDCi DEFENDER!!!!

Even with the ridiculous price of diesel I find I am still making excuses to get in it and drive across town or wherever just so I can be in it. The other day I did THREE trips to the SAME SUBURB just because it was a nice day for a drive in the Defender. And one of those trips was to another owner's place just to look at his all dirty from an epic trip around Australia.

Now, having seen his all covered in red dust, I just look at mine in the car port and have fantasies about where it can take me. But even just driving into town is fun enough.

The seats are comfortable, and I love the driving position. Yes, it's true, I get a warm feeling of superiority sitting up there looking over the roofs of most of the other "soft" SUVs in traffic. And not just because I'm higher up, it's because the very manual nature of the controls makes me feel that I'm somehow a more worthy, more capable driver than those people with automatic everything and air-bags all around.

I love the low down torque and the way I can leave it in third around most corners. I also love the way I can pootle around in sixth gear at 60kph with the engine just idling. Then I love the way I can slowly wind it all the way up to 110kph on the motorway (again in sixth gear) and cruise along without my ears bleeding.

I love the way the dog can ride in the back and stick his head out the windows so all I see are his ears flapping in the rear vision mirrors. And I love the way I don't have to care how dirty he is when he gets in because the rubber mats just wipe clean.

Off-road I love the fact that over just about any terrain it makes me feel so totally in control. I love that when I see ruts of any size I don't immediately feel nervous that I am going to rip the transmission out if I fall in one. I love that on steep pinches up the track to our property I can just let the gearing and engine do their thing while I enjoy the smells and the scenery. And I love just seeing it sitting out somewhere in the bush all covered in dirt and mud.

I love the way it still feels like every other Defender I've owned, but just a little bit better in every way. And most of all, I love the way that each time I get in I don't care where I'm going, just the fact that I get to spend some more time in my new Defender.


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2007 Defender 110
1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV

top man, it is amazing how a car can make you feel like that.
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it'll get up there

One of the best posts I've read in a long time

I suppose I had better write something positive as an offset.......

I love my Puma for the sound of that engine when you put down your right foot and rocket to 100+ and no black cloud at the back.

I love being in 1'st low up a steep hill and being able to just crawl up with your foot off all the pedals and looking out the windows at the view.


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Puma 110 - so far so quiet
Ser III 109" - seldom a problem

I'm running this thread topic on our local forum and it's refreshing to see the floodgates of appreciation for the new Defender opening. I think people are realising that you take the good with the bad, but no-one ever seems to write enough about the good.

So to keep the joy flowing...

I find that when ever I park it somewhere, if I see another Defender I always park next to it, or near by. That's because the only thing better than seeing one Defender in the car park, is seeing TWO! I also like to think that seeing both together may give the owner of the other one pleasure when they come back. There is also the possibility of bumping into them for a little on-the-spot Defender love-in.

I also like driving into town where I can only get street parks because of the height, and jamming it into a space with only a foot at either end just to prove I am the master of manoeuvrability.

And the joy of doing handbrake hill starts... without the handbrake. Just leave your foot on the brake, ease out the clutch and let anti-stall take care of the rest.
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2007 Defender 110
1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV

Brilliant idea and just in time (I'm expecting mine any day now)!
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2007 RRS TDV6
2008 Defender 110

^ I agree - and can relate to all that Solmanic says!

I've come from a 50th Ann. Defender to the Puma - and I actually prefer it in almost every way!
It would seem odd to most V8 fans, but I think the big diesel suits the car better - driving Defenders is all about the torque afterall, and I've actually grown to like the low rumble and whistling turbo noise too.
Last weekend I came to a complex roundabout and was so busy concentrating on which lane I should be in and all the traffic lights, I hadn't noticed I'd gone right around in sixth - sweet!

The dog's ears flapping makes me smile - all we see of our hound is her hind quarters once the sliding window is open - before then she's got her nose stuck to the glass waiting for us to open it. At higher speed even her eyelids are flapping - her eyes get bigger and bigger with speed! (She ought to have goggles / doggles?).

The fact that there are a few things on my list to sort out - repositioning the fuel breather, getting the seat extension rails sorted, waxoiling, greasing, and constantly listening to the gear box/clutch/turbo for imminent catastrophic failure is all part of the journey.

I love it - and wouldn't swap it for anything!

well to off set the moutain of bad stuff with my 2007 double cab

i love spashing through giant puddles so water goes up over the roof and the kids scream with joy
i love the new seats and interior lovely place to be
i love it when people come up and have a chat in a car park about land rovers never fails to annoy the wife
i love the fact its at feel at home any where from a posh hotel to asda car park class less
i love the ipod bit well cool

daniel

as ive said from day one - the best defender ever
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Mike
2.4TDCi 90CWS XS
300TDi Discovery

The best defender so far thats for sure, glad I swapped the D3 for one! Strange but true(now watch the flood gates).

markalpha wrote:

The best defender so far thats for sure, glad I swapped the D3 for one! Strange but true(now watch the flood gates).

Agreed !

Not enough is written about the good points !

The interior is such a different place to be compared to every other DEFENDER i have owned !
The Air Con is is a real treat and at the other end of the scale in freezing cold weather the heaters needed to be turned down it was that hot !
The engine and the 6 speed box, and as quite rightly stated above the class-less status that seems to spread across all classes and all age groups !

it is without doubt the best DEFENDER yet !

Lets see what the future brings !

By the way i,m off camping this weekend to the Dales ! in the DEFENDER ! i,m also going to do the real world challenge from the LRO mag being as i,m up that way !
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DEFENDER XS CSW 08 TONGA GREEN

I haven't driven mine for two days now and am trying to make up a reason to go out. Even a trip to the servo to top up on fuel may be worthwhile. I can just gaze at the vehicle instead of the numbers on the pump to keep my mind off that world of pain...
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2007 Defender 110
1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV

This weekend mine will be introduced to the wonderful dirt road country that lies just two hours drive west of Sydney....country that the Disco has done many times...country with stone-aged paintings sprayed on sandstone overhangs.

Photos to come
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Mahn
'95 Disco 300 Tdi
'08 Defender 110
www.aulro.com

Same here,, still happy with mine,

Drove a 2006 TD5 XS for a couple of days a week or so ago,, Then you really appreciate the 07 model !!!!
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RRS G4, V70R, 90 V8 Hybrid
www.wessex4x4response.org.uk