Defender XS - any good?

My history with LR is 4 years of a 300 Tdi Disco, got bored with gear
changing at roundabouts and long journeys and then 3 years of a Disco V8 XS
Auto, which is amazing.

My circumstances are changing and the high annual mileage is coming down and
I fancy a change, back to a more basic vehicle, and one that doesnt eat fuel
quite so much.

So, to the LR website. Defender XS looks nice on paper, all the gizmos and
still a proper LR.

Does anyone have one of these, and what do you think of them ?

I will have a 24 hr test drive as soon as the dealer pulss his finger out,
but in the meantime, .... will I be dissapointed ?

Nigel

will I be dissapointed? ...depends what you are expecting.

I like mine - a lot. It is a long way from a Disco in quietness though, and
is very low geared, contributing to the noise on motorways.

When I get my remapped ECU/upgraded intercooler with the 200bhp/310ft lb,
plus the 15% disco QT transfer box ratios, I hope I will still get the 30mpg
I'm getting now!

The aircon is amazingly powerful, but is completely separate from the
(pathetic) heater. Can't stop the windows steaming up like in a car with
combined heater/aircon system. The heated seats keep me warm for the first
10 miles on days like today before heat starts dribbling out of the heater.

And the wipers are noisy, oh and XSs still leak water in to the front
footwells like any other defender...

Generally not a lot different to the '92 200Tdi efender 90 I had

But thats the attraction & what makes it a real Landrover.

When my annual mileage reduced & I was able to afford it I bought one (two
months old from a main dealer -someone had it for six weeks, didn't like
it, & lost a fortune finding out)

I have one because I reckon a Defender is the ultimate green vehicle to own,
given the virtually infinate life if pumped full of Waxoyl, with the easy
availability/interchangeability of all parts that can wear out which mainly
bolt on or are rivited. Depreciation over 20 years - negligable.

I hope to keep mine until I am too old to climb up into it and can no longer
press the apallingly heavy clutch - but an auto coversion will delay that
day when the time comes.


--
T

Defender XS90

"Nigel Roberson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My history with LR is 4 years of a 300 Tdi Disco, got bored with gear
> changing at roundabouts and long journeys and then 3 years of a Disco V8
> XS
> Auto, which is amazing.
>
> My circumstances are changing and the high annual mileage is coming down
> and
> I fancy a change, back to a more basic vehicle, and one that doesnt eat
> fuel
> quite so much.
>
> So, to the LR website. Defender XS looks nice on paper, all the gizmos and
> still a proper LR.
>
> Does anyone have one of these, and what do you think of them ?
>
> I will have a 24 hr test drive as soon as the dealer pulss his finger out,
> but in the meantime, .... will I be dissapointed ?
>
> Nigel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Hello

Thanks for your comments.

My last 90 experience was a passenger in a friends at a RTV. Wow I thought
we were going to die but of course we didnt and we never got stuck and we
never rolled over.

Ime sure a 90 XS will be noisy and not too bothered about that but a bit
dissaponted that they still leak.

The heater/aircon issues are interesting, although it does have a heater
front screnn so does that help with the demisting ?

When the test drive comes, I must make use of it to the full or I will be
another candidate to loose a furtune by owning a new car for 6 weeks.

Nigel


"'T'" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> will I be dissapointed? ...depends what you are expecting.
>
> I like mine - a lot. It is a long way from a Disco in quietness though,
and
> is very low geared, contributing to the noise on motorways.
>
> When I get my remapped ECU/upgraded intercooler with the 200bhp/310ft lb,
> plus the 15% disco QT transfer box ratios, I hope I will still get the
30mpg
> I'm getting now!
>
> The aircon is amazingly powerful, but is completely separate from the
> (pathetic) heater. Can't stop the windows steaming up like in a car with
> combined heater/aircon system. The heated seats keep me warm for the
first
> 10 miles on days like today before heat starts dribbling out of the
heater.
>
> And the wipers are noisy, oh and XSs still leak water in to the front
> footwells like any other defender...
>
> Generally not a lot different to the '92 200Tdi efender 90 I had
>
> But thats the attraction & what makes it a real Landrover.
>
> When my annual mileage reduced & I was able to afford it I bought one (two
> months old from a main dealer -someone had it for six weeks, didn't like
> it, & lost a fortune finding out)
>
> I have one because I reckon a Defender is the ultimate green vehicle to
own,
> given the virtually infinate life if pumped full of Waxoyl, with the easy
> availability/interchangeability of all parts that can wear out which
mainly
> bolt on or are rivited. Depreciation over 20 years - negligable.
>
> I hope to keep mine until I am too old to climb up into it and can no
longer
> press the apallingly heavy clutch - but an auto coversion will delay that
> day when the time comes.
>
>
> --
> T
>
> Defender XS90
>
> "Nigel Roberson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > My history with LR is 4 years of a 300 Tdi Disco, got bored with gear
> > changing at roundabouts and long journeys and then 3 years of a Disco
V8
> > XS
> > Auto, which is amazing.
> >
> > My circumstances are changing and the high annual mileage is coming down
> > and
> > I fancy a change, back to a more basic vehicle, and one that doesnt eat
> > fuel
> > quite so much.
> >
> > So, to the LR website. Defender XS looks nice on paper, all the gizmos
and
> > still a proper LR.
> >
> > Does anyone have one of these, and what do you think of them ?
> >
> > I will have a 24 hr test drive as soon as the dealer pulss his finger
out,
> > but in the meantime, .... will I be dissapointed ?
> >
> > Nigel
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

You are doing well getting a 24 hour test drive. I could not get a drive in
any Defender when I was looking to buy mine, even though there was a few
used ones on the forcourt, but I was told I could test drive a Freelander
instead. If I had a test drive I probibly would have got a 110 and not a 90.

Regards JJ

"Nigel Roberson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My history with LR is 4 years of a 300 Tdi Disco, got bored with gear
> changing at roundabouts and long journeys and then 3 years of a Disco V8
> XS
> Auto, which is amazing.
>
> My circumstances are changing and the high annual mileage is coming down
> and
> I fancy a change, back to a more basic vehicle, and one that doesnt eat
> fuel
> quite so much.
>
> So, to the LR website. Defender XS looks nice on paper, all the gizmos and
> still a proper LR.
>
> Does anyone have one of these, and what do you think of them ?
>
> I will have a 24 hr test drive as soon as the dealer pulss his finger out,
> but in the meantime, .... will I be dissapointed ?
>
> Nigel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Its all a muddle at the moment. I live 2 miles from a MD, but LR say a
dealer 45 miles away will arrange it. Rang the local guys and they say, we
only have a standard 90, but try it, they are all the same !! mmm I wonder.

I have asked them to find one for me, but they didnt seem very optimistic,
saying they are rare. So is my money, and ime not prepared to spend on one
and then find I dont like it.

Why is it that every 4 years I have this run in with Main Dealers who seem
less than helpful.

Nigel


"JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> You are doing well getting a 24 hour test drive. I could not get a drive
in
> any Defender when I was looking to buy mine, even though there was a few
> used ones on the forcourt, but I was told I could test drive a Freelander
> instead. If I had a test drive I probibly would have got a 110 and not a
90.
>
> Regards JJ
>
> "Nigel Roberson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > My history with LR is 4 years of a 300 Tdi Disco, got bored with gear
> > changing at roundabouts and long journeys and then 3 years of a Disco
V8
> > XS
> > Auto, which is amazing.
> >
> > My circumstances are changing and the high annual mileage is coming down
> > and
> > I fancy a change, back to a more basic vehicle, and one that doesnt eat
> > fuel
> > quite so much.
> >
> > So, to the LR website. Defender XS looks nice on paper, all the gizmos
and
> > still a proper LR.
> >
> > Does anyone have one of these, and what do you think of them ?
> >
> > I will have a 24 hr test drive as soon as the dealer pulss his finger
out,
> > but in the meantime, .... will I be dissapointed ?
> >
> > Nigel
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>