defender tippers i want one

[geoff]

u will get 2 types of opinions on these.

Those that love them and those that hate them.

 

maybe a third actually. those that want to love them but cant bring themselves to as they have been let down by them so many times!

 

They r great off road with out a doubt ( tires permitting).

They project a good tree surgery image without a doubt. I had many people say 'got the right kit for the job there!'

but unless you really need 4x4 a transit or such is better in so many ways.

 

mine was the most unreliable vehicle i have ever had. U name it i changed it.

Everybody says easy and cheap to fit and change parts.

Maybe if your a seasoned mechanic who has a good knowledge of land rovers.

I lost count of the number of garages i went to for the countless repairs i needed.

 

Even went to a independent land rover specialist near me who would touch it (said its too much hassle and prefers Range rovers and discoveries).

 

if you look at the land rovers up for sale most will have a extensive list of parts they have recently changed. Dont be fooled thinking that its sorted for ages, guaranteed that that list will continue to grow and probably not to far into the distance will start all over again.

 

think wisely if you really need one or just want the look.

 

bring on the fire from the LR lover now

 

You probably had a 'lemon', they do happen due to abuse / lack of decent maintenance by previous owners.

The dealer who only wanted to work on the 'green wellie' versions was after yuppy money, some are.

You need to be careful what you buy, the ones that have had everything replaced are often the ones that have been abused at some time.

[jose]

people have said to me i must have had a bad one.

I wanted to love mine as i do think they look good and are great off road.

But mine constantly broke down and we never abused ours, it was our only vehicle so if it broke we couldnt work.

unfortunately it broke down so often we had to sell it as we were losing so many days which was equating to a serious amount of money!

mine was a 130 single cab and this made it seem like an un heard of machine to most of the garages i took it to.

 

I do sometime think about another one, but maybe if i could put a different engine and running gear in it to make it more reliable.

 

Fuel it seemed to do the the same mpg full or empty, though to be honest i am on my 3rd truck since then and i never really notice much difference. when you have a box on the back with weight its not really very aero dynamic anyway

[Hodge]

Mine has loads replaced as it has worn out due to the hard life it gets, this is because it is perfect for Arb work in MY situation. I had a transit before I switched to landrovers but the best thing I did was change.

 

 

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[treequip]

This reliability thing is, as Dean said, mostly down to maintenance.

 

Compared to the 2WD alternatives there is a bit more to go wrong with a land rover, and they do tend to get "used" a bit harder than a 2WD, driving a transit tends to be all tarmac and there isn't half as much scope for abuse as when you get in the mud particularly with inexperienced drivers.

 

Others take a used vehicle and put it to hard work and then are surprised when things break.

 

The long and short is work it hard and keep on top of the maintenance.

[Shane]

Lots of great input here, so here's my bit.

 

I love mine - but we pretty well always take the transit unless we are in a 'muddy' area.

If we need it for winching we take both.

 

I've replaced loads of bits on mine (usually as planned maintenance rather than failure repair) .

 

I think the question you must ask yourself AND ANSWER HONESTLY is..

 

Do I NEED one? not do I WANT one?

 

Only YOU can answer that

[Dean Lofthouse]

One massive advantage on the landrover is low box, a very useful tool

[Le Sanglier]

Mine has not broke down in 5 years, nor the ones before it, all second hand, just look after them.

I can get 4.5 to 5 m of chip on mine, but I doubt that would be legal, payload of 1.25 ton roughly.

The 130 single cab spreads the axle loading better than the 110.

I'm getting 25 ish mpg unless I tow a heavy load.

People that say they are cr*p just don't know what they are on about, listen to those who have used them over a long period of time, if they were a bad motor we wouldn't be using them.

 

I had a 130 and the weight distribution is surely worse than a 110 'cos there is more over the rear axel.

I have had 2 hiluxs a Navarra and a ranger, and they have all been brilliant and reliable, The LR was known as "the witch's curse" I spent fortunes on it but it was like painting the Forth Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Dean Lofthouse]

It's more what you can put "forward" of the rear axle than whats "over" the rear axle and you have more room forward of the rear axle with a 130 than you do with a 110

[Warners]

I get 28mpg out of mine. Yes you can't carry as much as a transit illegally but legal capacity is very similar. I've had 3 issues with mine the starter and alternator died and i killed a transfer box. Before anymore reliability claims its an h reg how many h reg transits are still going. It does 55mph regardless of being empty or full or towing.

 

Thats a good point... been a while since i saw a h reg anything never mind a tranny...

[Tom Hall]

hi guys thanks for all the info

 

you have all posed the same question do i want or need one?

 

A year ago i would just of said want, and been very happy just to get a transit, but since then i have discovered the the transit is hopeless on anything less than tarmac, they have no guts, get towing anything and your power is all gone!

 

i work in lincolnshire so it is crap roads and fields and the amount of times we have said we would be better with a 4x4.

 

is there a more viable 4x4 alternative to a defender that will still have a min of a 3 tonne towing capacity?