So I just bought a Defender 90 (1990), and have never owned such an awful vehicle before. It drives and rides like a tank, it has a max speed that rivals a turtle, it corners like an elephant, and how it's even road legal is beyond me; and I love it.
Oh wait, it's not....These are my first few days of ownership so far:
Hazard light switch is broken all to hell. Ordered a new part off eBay for £5, and it's fixed.
Spent hours this bank-holiday weekend going back and fourth to hardware store getting bits to seal up an exhaust leak. Finally got it done, started her up, yet still nothing coming out of the back tailpipe. Completely sheered off pipe tucked above second exhaust at the back. Ordered a complete new engine-back full exhaust new for £110 (sweet), putting it on this weekend.
Reverse light not working, checked bulb and filament OK. Fuses good, wiring "looks" okay, then WTF? Searched google, found this site, oh just pull up the center seat, remove a few screws and blam, there she is. Disconnected reverse switch was in clear sight. Still can't find the two wires it's supposed to go to, but quickly found in another thread where they're coming out from the fuse box and through the firewall through. Shouldn't be too hard to trace back, weekend job with the exhaust once the voltmeter arrives. I guess I'm showing my age if I admit I was looking for a test-lamp.
Took the family through a green lane boulder-infested ford/lake/river this past weekend, expecting to get some good 4x4 coverage that had me scared ****less previously in our Freelander (which we turned that around half-way). Got to the top of the decline, kicked the wife out with the video camera on the other side of the river, kids in the back, kicked it in low, and started off. First boulder, second boulder, third... expecting high degrees of articulation, high levels of boulder to frame slamming, serious levels of height and unimaginable challenges. Made it through, and onto the river where the deep currents were quite rapid. Got to the other side, up the bank and to the wife. Gave a deep satisfying "yeah" on camera, then reviewed the footage.
What I saw was a Defenders body simply gliding down the side of a small slightly-bumpy hill and through a tiny body of water, then some pratt acting like he thought he was cool. Seroiusly WTF, I'm so disappointed in this vehicle.
YankinUK
(not Yankin UK you perv, I'm an American who lives here that can take a joke -- I have to, I'm married to your bloody country afterall).
Cheers!
:beer2:
P.S. Couldn't be happier.
Oh wait, it's not....These are my first few days of ownership so far:
Hazard light switch is broken all to hell. Ordered a new part off eBay for £5, and it's fixed.
Spent hours this bank-holiday weekend going back and fourth to hardware store getting bits to seal up an exhaust leak. Finally got it done, started her up, yet still nothing coming out of the back tailpipe. Completely sheered off pipe tucked above second exhaust at the back. Ordered a complete new engine-back full exhaust new for £110 (sweet), putting it on this weekend.
Reverse light not working, checked bulb and filament OK. Fuses good, wiring "looks" okay, then WTF? Searched google, found this site, oh just pull up the center seat, remove a few screws and blam, there she is. Disconnected reverse switch was in clear sight. Still can't find the two wires it's supposed to go to, but quickly found in another thread where they're coming out from the fuse box and through the firewall through. Shouldn't be too hard to trace back, weekend job with the exhaust once the voltmeter arrives. I guess I'm showing my age if I admit I was looking for a test-lamp.
Took the family through a green lane boulder-infested ford/lake/river this past weekend, expecting to get some good 4x4 coverage that had me scared ****less previously in our Freelander (which we turned that around half-way). Got to the top of the decline, kicked the wife out with the video camera on the other side of the river, kids in the back, kicked it in low, and started off. First boulder, second boulder, third... expecting high degrees of articulation, high levels of boulder to frame slamming, serious levels of height and unimaginable challenges. Made it through, and onto the river where the deep currents were quite rapid. Got to the other side, up the bank and to the wife. Gave a deep satisfying "yeah" on camera, then reviewed the footage.
What I saw was a Defenders body simply gliding down the side of a small slightly-bumpy hill and through a tiny body of water, then some pratt acting like he thought he was cool. Seroiusly WTF, I'm so disappointed in this vehicle.
YankinUK
(not Yankin UK you perv, I'm an American who lives here that can take a joke -- I have to, I'm married to your bloody country afterall).
Cheers!
:beer2:
P.S. Couldn't be happier.
