 | Home > My Defender > Review, summary and conclusion after 2,5 years of ownership |
 
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| Kraut Member Since: 28 Dec 2011 Location: Westphalia Posts: 336   
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A never ending story.....?!
Went to Munich yesterday for a 1200km ride there and back, but didn't make it in the first attempt. The intercooler hose slipped off with the result of a big loss of power. Managed to climb the hills on the Autobahn with 60 kmh max speed, very good feeling when the lorries try to push you uphill. Reached a resting spot and called road assistance ADAC. Since I knew what probably happened because of similar stories on here the mechanic fixed ist very rapidly and I was able to keep on travelling. So what's coming next?  Click image to enlarge While waiting for the ADAC a very nice and friendly guy came over to ask what happend. Came out he was british and promtly apologized for the bad quality of british cars, very very funny.  I wouldn't have expected that comment |
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10th Jul 2013 6:44am |
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| pjb Member Since: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Oxford Posts: 1244 |
I think we (In Britain) are all embarassed about Land Rover build quality & the lack of care & attention they seem to exhibit.
Glad you have a good supportive dealer  2020 P300 HSE |
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10th Jul 2013 7:29am |
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| Kitoper Member Since: 07 Dec 2012 Location: Geneva Posts: 204 
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Kraut, your stories are well written up and interesting and make me think of the problems I had in my first Golf/Rabbit in 1986  and subsequently similar issues with my 1993 Disco. I loved both cars and both cars were right for me at the time I had them. The issues they had are part of the reason I look back fondly on them. They were no nonsense and simply built cars which made me feel free and I did things with those two vehicles that I could almost write a book about. Some adventures include getting caught in a blizzard in my Rabbit and sinking my Disco.
Today I own a MY2013 Defender, and as I have mentioned elsewhere on this forum, I have bought it knowing that I will have issues, but that is part of the reason I bought it. I look forward to being able to do things myself, fix things my self, replace things myself and count on people on this forum and friends for advice. If I had a car that just worked, it would just be another consumer item to be bought and sold. I will have a relationship with my Defender, swear at it, kick its tires, pull my hair out, fix it and tell stories about it. I will enjoy going places I would not dare take any other Land Rover product or any other car for that matter today for fear of breaking something that would cost a fortune to fix. I don't think our friends in Britain should be embarrased about making such a vehicle and acknowledging that us Defender owners are a different breed, being more fault tolerant than most, slower paced, more pragmatic and generally a helpful and friendly bunch. I agree with PJB that a helpful dealer is a good thing. It probably means they are as interested in the Defender owners as the rest of the Land Rover product owners. Last edited by Kitoper on 10th Jul 2013 1:01pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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10th Jul 2013 10:49am |
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| pjb Member Since: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Oxford Posts: 1244 |
It should be that you fettle it because you want to not because you have too
 2020 P300 HSE |
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10th Jul 2013 11:23am |
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| Kitoper Member Since: 07 Dec 2012 Location: Geneva Posts: 204
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Doesn't it mean that you "want to" if you buy a Defender   |
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10th Jul 2013 1:01pm |
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| pjb Member Since: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Oxford Posts: 1244 |
probably
2020 P300 HSE |
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10th Jul 2013 2:47pm |
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| Kitoper Member Since: 07 Dec 2012 Location: Geneva Posts: 204
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10th Jul 2013 3:11pm |
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| pjb Member Since: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Oxford Posts: 1244 |
If only then at least I would get them for free not spend between £10k & £60k or poor build quality & still keep buying them
I think you will find very few of my posts moaning about my cars but I do sympathise with others that have spent hard earned money on Land Rovers that could be so much better if Land Rover could be arsed  2020 P300 HSE |
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10th Jul 2013 4:32pm |
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| Kraut Member Since: 28 Dec 2011 Location: Westphalia Posts: 336
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That have been mainly the same reasons like Kitoper why I bought her, but there have just been to many factory build in gimmicks and I definately don't have the time to cope with it. It's not my hobby (even I treat her and feel about her like that) but it's my daily driver for busininess. I really really wanted to make it work, but it came out it doesn't. Called my dealer yesterday what he would pay for it when giving it back and and asked for some offers for a FFRR and a D4 (please excuse my spelling or syntax this morning, but I had a business dinner yesterday at 7pm, managed to come home at 4:45 this morning and already in the office, though still very very
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11th Jul 2013 7:34am |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972 
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Good work! My days of rolling in to work straight from the night that never ends are sadly past. Disco 4 isn't without faults either unfortunately, but I suspect you know that?
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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11th Jul 2013 7:54am |
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| Kraut Member Since: 28 Dec 2011 Location: Westphalia Posts: 336
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Thanks, I know that because I had a D3 before the Defender, so I'm already used to these gimmicks. Strangely enough I still really fancy this comany, whatever the reason for this is. Maybe I just feal comfortable in these british forums? |
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11th Jul 2013 8:02am |
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| CR Member Since: 28 Jan 2010 Location: Ireland Posts: 947  
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very interesting....... most the problems you have had also appear on my black 2011 110 ! including flaking paint in gutters,windscreen surround, rusty bolts, window catches so on and so on..............
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11th Jul 2013 9:53am |
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| Kraut Member Since: 28 Dec 2011 Location: Westphalia Posts: 336
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Good to know I have a follow sufferer, makes me feel less alone!
Forgot to mention: third alternative is a Merc Stationwagon G350 CDI; start stoning me! |
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11th Jul 2013 10:22am |
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| pjb Member Since: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Oxford Posts: 1244 |
Very good car offroad ability excellent saying that from reading your post its not really going to be going offroad - Love the look of the G wagen but very pricey although probably not much different to D4 or RRS
Have an SL so a part Merc convert 2020 P300 HSE |
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11th Jul 2013 11:42am |
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