Defender L663 review !
- Thread starter lightning
- Start date
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I’ve got the electronic locking rear differential fitted on mine.
It seems to work a lot of the time even in on road situations, also sometimes it doesn’t fully lock as the computer sees fit, in rock crawl and mud and ruts it fully locks.
It seems to work a lot of the time even in on road situations, also sometimes it doesn’t fully lock as the computer sees fit, in rock crawl and mud and ruts it fully locks.
l guess if you're using the vehicle off road it will be useful to have the advanced features.
I do go off road but only around farms and in that respect the vehicle has been faultless.
One thing l have noticed is, if you leave it in the default "comfort" mode it seems to be primarily RWD.
ln default mode l was struggling to get across a muddy field which was a surprise. l changed it to "mud & ruts" and it drove out with no further issues.
l never got stuck in my old Defender and it didn't have the traction control or anything, just the centre diff lock. And l only had to use the diff lock about half a dozen times in nine years.
I do go off road but only around farms and in that respect the vehicle has been faultless.
One thing l have noticed is, if you leave it in the default "comfort" mode it seems to be primarily RWD.
ln default mode l was struggling to get across a muddy field which was a surprise. l changed it to "mud & ruts" and it drove out with no further issues.
l never got stuck in my old Defender and it didn't have the traction control or anything, just the centre diff lock. And l only had to use the diff lock about half a dozen times in nine years.
MAY UPDATE, NEW DEFENDER
Well, the new Defender is still performing without issues.
Mileage is now 12,000. l still find myself looking at late model Puma 110XS for sale while sat in the bath, but at the moment l am sticking with the new one.
Looks like the Grenadier has finally been certified as a Commercial Vehicle by HMRC in two seat form, which makes it a viable contender for business use along with the Defender Commercial.
l've changed the tyres for Goodyear Wrangler ATE's as the standard tyres were hopeless in muddy conditions off road. Five new steel wheels with tyres for £550
Owners still don't want the steel wheels, they're all over Ebay at give away prices. l
was worried the Wranglers might be noisier but l can't tell any difference, possibly a bit on some surfaces but it's worth it for the extra capabilities.
There's not a lot to report on the new Defender really, it's a lot better off road in muddy fields with the Wranglers fitted, l've changed the oil a couple of times (LR say it's not necessary until 21,000 miles, l hope they have a stock of turbo's to fit when they start to fail after a few years)
The engine is very quiet, with no diesel clatter at all even when cold. A customer commented on how quiet it was yesterday, although he called it a "Jeep"
l'll update again if anything actually happens, such as something going wrong with the vehicle, or if l change it for an old model !!
(Prices seem to be falling, at least on Puma's.
110 Puma XS Utility on Auto Trader yesterday, looked well cared for and very nice, 71,000 miles and £21,995 ono.....)
Well, the new Defender is still performing without issues.
Mileage is now 12,000. l still find myself looking at late model Puma 110XS for sale while sat in the bath, but at the moment l am sticking with the new one.
Looks like the Grenadier has finally been certified as a Commercial Vehicle by HMRC in two seat form, which makes it a viable contender for business use along with the Defender Commercial.
l've changed the tyres for Goodyear Wrangler ATE's as the standard tyres were hopeless in muddy conditions off road. Five new steel wheels with tyres for £550
Owners still don't want the steel wheels, they're all over Ebay at give away prices. l
was worried the Wranglers might be noisier but l can't tell any difference, possibly a bit on some surfaces but it's worth it for the extra capabilities.
There's not a lot to report on the new Defender really, it's a lot better off road in muddy fields with the Wranglers fitted, l've changed the oil a couple of times (LR say it's not necessary until 21,000 miles, l hope they have a stock of turbo's to fit when they start to fail after a few years)
The engine is very quiet, with no diesel clatter at all even when cold. A customer commented on how quiet it was yesterday, although he called it a "Jeep"
l'll update again if anything actually happens, such as something going wrong with the vehicle, or if l change it for an old model !!
(Prices seem to be falling, at least on Puma's.
110 Puma XS Utility on Auto Trader yesterday, looked well cared for and very nice, 71,000 miles and £21,995 ono.....)
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SUPPLEMENTAL
WHAT IF ANYTHING DO I MISS ABOUT MY OLD DEFENDER?
Now l was thinking about this tonight while listening to my missus playing in a swing band.
l was reading about a woman who was a Leprosy Doctor in Vietnam in early 1962, and she was kidnapped with her Land Rover. The vehicle was found but she was never seen again.
And there was a girl in the 1990's who walked the length of Africa, her support vehicle was a 110 and later an old Series 90.
And l was thinking, there's a connection, these two women would have recognised a 2005 Defender as a Land Rover, l can imagine them opening the bulkhead vent flaps on theirs to try and get some air flow in the heat of Vietnam or Africa.
And going on holiday in our Defender there was the connection, although a caravan site in the Lake District isn't quite Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
And that's what's missing from the new one. The legacy. There's no connection with the people who lived (and died) in Land Rovers back in the days when they were supplied to missionaries, aid workers and other people in far flung places.
When you drive an old Land Rover you are following in the footsteps of these people, in some small way. But l don't feel it driving the new one.
WHAT IF ANYTHING DO I MISS ABOUT MY OLD DEFENDER?
Now l was thinking about this tonight while listening to my missus playing in a swing band.
l was reading about a woman who was a Leprosy Doctor in Vietnam in early 1962, and she was kidnapped with her Land Rover. The vehicle was found but she was never seen again.
And there was a girl in the 1990's who walked the length of Africa, her support vehicle was a 110 and later an old Series 90.
And l was thinking, there's a connection, these two women would have recognised a 2005 Defender as a Land Rover, l can imagine them opening the bulkhead vent flaps on theirs to try and get some air flow in the heat of Vietnam or Africa.
And going on holiday in our Defender there was the connection, although a caravan site in the Lake District isn't quite Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
And that's what's missing from the new one. The legacy. There's no connection with the people who lived (and died) in Land Rovers back in the days when they were supplied to missionaries, aid workers and other people in far flung places.
When you drive an old Land Rover you are following in the footsteps of these people, in some small way. But l don't feel it driving the new one.
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