Defender TDi 1996, any good?

Not quite all Jap supporters.

Some lunatics even drive Korean 4by's.

yikes, Jimbo. A bit risky, what?;>)

English Dictionary translation for Landrover:
1. A large piece of metal that works well to allow a car trailer to ride smoothly and flex the suspension to its fullest capacity. ( see reaching your destination in a Landrover )
2. A well designed series of metal boxes that allow smaller pieces of metal to move freely without loosing them, like a babies rattle.
3. A shareholder in the NRMA road service

99% of land rovers ever sold are still on the road, 1% of them made it home........

We do plenty of rwc and being RACV 4wd specific pre purchase inspection station, we also do pre purchase inspections on all sorts of vehicles, and the LR family hold the record for make requiring more than one page most often.

Some common issues, door seals, abs warning lights, oil leaks, undersize rotors, heaqd gaskets, faulty warning lights, dash lights, electronics.

most of what we see is sub 100k also.

thanks for the link rosco, will check it out.

I see you drive a defender, one question if I can, I really like the defenders, but have not been on any long trips, so with my girlfriend in mind, how do they go for comfort and road noise on long trips?

regards

zach

G'day Zach

You'll find heaps of knockers here. I'm about 6' and weigh way too much ... >> 100kg .. :-(

Tripped up to the Cape last year, occasional big daily travels and I found the seats surprisingly comfortable over long distances. Unusual seating position, I'll grant you ... but it's a Landie thing.

Noise levels were a tad over the top, but bearable, just crank the sound up a notch.

Recently discovered a crowd that supply under bonnet sound deadening sticky foamy sheets stuff. After application I thought for a minute I was driving a Disco LOL. Made a hugh difference.

It's all horses for courses afterall. I'm happy ... the poor uneducated masses are happy ... everyone's happy.

Check out the above link for some in depth info before your decision.

Happy travels .... and carry a long rope to help the poor unfortunates .... :o)))

Cheers

so with my girlfriend in mind, how do they go for comfort and road noise on long trips?

Comfort *LOL* in a landy! :D

You want to keep the girlfreind?, don't get the defender!

*sarcasm off*

Great 4WDer though.

Take one on a test drive for 10 mins on a freeway to get an idea.

Discos are a lot better for longer drives!

I've never experienced a TD5 defender, that'd be interesting.

BTW how much for the '96?

Yep .... Disco's are much better ... had one ... but I broke it .. :-((

Hence the Fender ... :-))

Ahhhh ..................A Landrover thread......

Now where should I start??...................hahahahahahahaha

Rosco,

What is the soundproofing product & the supplier please? I'm in Brisbane as well, used a loaded vinyl before but can't remember the product or supplier's name :(

eng

Wok/eng ??

http://www.tru-fitcarpets.com.au/

Very happy with the results .. cost about 50 smackers.

Cheers

Thanks Rosco for the link.......one-stop shopping!

eng

Hi Rosco

Thanks for the link to the soundproofing stuff.

Where did you actually install it - Under the bonnet - on the firewall - or both?

Jeff

Jeff

Only under the bonnet. Thought about the firewwall ... still thinking about it ... the thought is most daunting ... :o(

What with all the plumbing bits.

Cheers

Yep

I'm still investigating my alternatives ... as soon as the water leaks are solved ... :-)))))))

Wouldnt say use in the armed forces is any selling point. armed forces round the world are known for developing ill concieved ideas and the soldiers dont get a choice. also landcruisers are not sold in many countries like America, Britain and Japan

Hey Davoe

Are you saying even the Japs won't buy them ?? .... ;o)

LOL

Cheers cob

I will just clarify that statement the 100s is sold world wide (I think) but it is the 79 that has more of a limited distrabution (i made the comment coz I reckon a 79 is a fenders compatition not the 100 which is a discos competitor). I found this out when looking for a part at the wreckers and asked why they dont bring 1/2 cuts in from japan with there being asuch a demand for 79 panels - reason japs dont have a use for tough work rigs

Fair enough Davoe

Point taken ... but at the end of the day .. I was just razzing ya ... :o)

Cheers

Having had contacts in the Aus purchasing dept for the armed forces, i can tell you Aus have been using land rovers because the RSL, and early buying policies saw japanese vehicles banned from purchase, and the cost of invantory, tooling, and spare parts, as wella s development see's the land rover still used by us.

Interesting the SAS have the same issues most people do with them also, not starting, bent steering arms, short component lifespans etc and have to also modify them to overcome some design shortfalls.

ats.....

I would refer you to the first response to this thread. It would appear you fit the bill quite comfortably.

Cheers

desighn shortfall what is that? no factory fitted 50 cal mounted machine gun? or perhaps no rocket powered grenade launch holder

Hey Davoe

You may have a point there. I'm about to head off on our annual shooting pilgrimage with a few of my mates. The usual shooting ute is shagged .. an old Ford Courier complete with .. dare I say Ttttoyata wheels, for elevation. Anyway, one of my better? mates reckons we should cut a few holes in the roof of the Fender .. so they can stand on the seats whilst I drive around the scrub. But he's a sook 'cause he wants me to cut up the garden hose to cover all the ragged bits, so he won't get scratched. The mongrels still call it the PT... named after it's forerunner .. my Disco aka poofter truck ... nasty blokes some mates can be.

I reckon they need a 50 cal to hit anything. Hmm now what about the grenade launcher ....

Shooting bus of choice when i was a kid wa a hg holden with the roof cut out and one of my mates had managed to fit a 245 valiant motor into it - It saw the end of many a stray roo

but at least Im working on facts with my comments in this thread rosco, regardless of wether you like to hear facts or not.....

I still have to meet a Landrover owner who isnt wonderfully eccentric :o)

Willem, have to agree with you there :) They have the same personality as their vehicles. I have a soft spot for the marque, but there's no way I'd ever actually own one again.

Willie my old mate, I don't think you ever will. We're an unusual bunch and that's for sure. I must say I don't know of any other marque where the drivers so regularly acknowledge their compatriots with a salute upon passing.

It goes with the vehicle .... ;o)

Cheers cob

you are only sort of right i was of course referring to the defenders Tojo eqivelent - the 79 series which are NOT available in the uk - us . I was reading a pommy mag once where they raved about the ultra tough vehicles they came accross in Africa used by the UN and lamented that there was nothing as good available in Blighty, The vehicle was of course a troopy

Just show her a picture of the equivalent toyota and she will come around!!

Hey Gazza

Have they made one ?? .... :o)

Not that I know

Hey Zach - If it was a toss up between the girlfriend and a defender - I know which one I would take

Gazzz

Hey! you should have shown her a piccie of a '57 staion wagon!
( They kinda haven't changed all that much ;)

And if you decide on a Defender, give your missus................... my phone number! :o

LOL!

ZTG,

I had the same problem several moons ago and its easy to get the right answer. It was actually very easy to persuade then g/f that Defenders are the way to go.

Firstly, if she likes such things, point out to her that the royals drive their estates in them and if she is the princess she claims to be, then driving in a Defender is de rigeur.

If that doesn't work, then point out that only engineers, miners and feral bush types drive Toyo 79s. (As opposed to the Landie drivers ?!)

Then point out that you're a great guy, but have to draw the line somewhere and a girl holding back your off-road enjoyment is a step too far.

Tim

ps - Does she like Bryan Adams? As he likes Land Rovers (woohoo!)

G'day Johnno

At least it's all in fun hey ..... :o)

Cheers

Good advice that ......... take everything you read here witha pinch of salt especially from those that make rude remarks about Landies!
I do it myself and have had 2 of the things but it doesn't stop me having a bitch when I come up against a peculiar bit of British engineering.

Anyway, I had a 96 Disco 300 Tdi and it was a good capable machine and didn't give me too many probs. Kept it serviced and sold it for a better price privately than the stealers would have given me. Now I've got a 2003 Td5 Defender 110 and the worst part is having the main stealer getting their hands on it for servicing!
Never again will they charge me $440 plus for changing the oil and doing nothing else to it.
The basta8ds overfill the engine, charge the top whack for the oil and then charge around $10 "environmental levy" to get rid of the old stuff!!
The Td5 is a good motor and with more power than the 300 Tdi, but the rest of the vehicle suffers from the same things which they have always suffered from ............. rain leaks in and so does dust but luckily the LR designers did it this way so the rain washed the dust out for you. How clever is that then?
It's proving to be a good reliable vehicle and we've just returned from 7 weeks in the back blocks of the Kimberley without any probs. at all apart from a not so smart "Smart solenoid which allowed the starting battery to be drained!
Noise levels aren't bad and if they stop me hearing the cook whingeing, that ain't a bad thing.
If your girlfriend doesn't like your choice ......... the answers simple, get a new girlfriend.
You won't have any time for girls anyway, you'll be busy fixing oil leaks etc. if a lot of the forumites here are to be believed (and they aren't )
Good luck with your purchase, your back will soon bend to fit the seats.
Alan H.