2020 Defender

Lake_Bueller

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2004
2,105
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Beloit, WI
the new Defender can make the same journey just as smoothly in 10 or 15 years as it did in 2020.....Time will tell if the new Defender can take that 5-day pounding after years of use.

I seriously doubt many (or any) 10-15 yr old vehicles could make that just as smoothly and without incident.

And lets be honest with ourselves...how many of us actually abuse our vehicles on a regular basis? I'm guessing less that 10% of the Discoweb community does anything more than the occasional gravel road or greenlaning more than 3-4 times per year.
 
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ERover82

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Nov 26, 2011
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Darien Gap
I seriously doubt many (or any) 10-15 yr old vehicles could make that just as smoothly and without incident.

I doubt any 2005-2010 4x4s that would have any problem, except maybe Land Rovers with electronics and air suspension issues.

And lets be honest with ourselves...how many of us actually abuse our vehicles on a regular basis? I'm guessing less that 10% of the Discoweb community does anything more than the occasional gravel road or greenlaning more than 3-4 times per year.

And the rest of the time the classics still felt adventurous and fun. New LRs are just as boring driving a greenlane as driving a Camry to the DMV. They insulate the senses as mush as possible from the experience, to the point where.. there is no point. DiscoHasBeen was right, you might as well ride a kiddie coaster, stare at a nature screensaver, or Uber to the trailhead.
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Blueboy

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,205
459
Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
And lets be honest with ourselves...how many of us actually abuse our vehicles on a regular basis?
Not sure, however, I do know Bill Burke has used his ‘94D90 for many years over much more difficult terrain than that showed in the video. He also has a SWB RRC doing the same. And both are doing well. Drove the blue Rangie on one of trips with him.
 

Howski

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Oct 19, 2009
1,483
209
Alabama
And lets be honest with ourselves...how many of us actually abuse our vehicles on a regular basis? I'm guessing less that 10% of the Discoweb community does anything more than the occasional gravel road or greenlaning more than 3-4 times per year.
Probably not many trails a stock 4x4 couldn’t tackle either. Outside of the specific OHV areas or private off road parks there aren’t many (legal) trails that have real difficult terrain* here in the southeast. Unfortunately a lot of the good ones around here have been closed or graded to Camry rated
 
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Howski

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Oct 19, 2009
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Alabama
Have you been to Moab? Or Colorado?
Should’ve noted I was referring to trails in the southeast US and edited my post

Yes, took my stock LR3 to Utah last year and plan to go to CO in 21’. Was pleased with its performance and it was great cruising at 85 on the way out getting 19 mpg. Of course the driving experience is not nearly as fun as a solid axle truckFAD19796-406C-4737-8241-F96CB43DC5CE.jpeg
 

JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
675
69
Why does the lift gate keep closing on your head? I have a first gen Sequoia with a lift gate, and an Odyssey with one. Never hit my head on either nor had one close on me unexpectedly....
Its a motorized lift gate - sometimes you accidentally hit the close button on the key fob when you are reaching in to get something, or the foot activated sensor triggers it to close... or the wife hits the close button while you're still under it - all of the above have happened.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Have you been to Moab? Or Colorado?

I'd rather drive through Moab than back out of a few driveways around here after a rain.

Rocks are interesting. They're technical, potentially damaging, and can be a little worrisome given they are often piled up into mountains.

They aren't two feet of snotty mud, though; and that's a win.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
Its a motorized lift gate - sometimes you accidentally hit the close button on the key fob when you are reaching in to get something, or the foot activated sensor triggers it to close... or the wife hits the close button while you're still under it - all of the above have happened.

First world problems strike again.
 

ERover82

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Nov 26, 2011
3,899
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Darien Gap
I need to find that old film of groups driving the Rubicon back in the 1950s. A classic Defender would be downright luxury compared to what they were driving.

Just to be clear. What I'm saying is, you're all just a bunch of soft pussies complaining about NVH in your 4x4s. Luckily Land Rover makes about twenty nearly identical solutions for you guys.
 

simondewing

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2020
59
11
Texas
Given the choice I would rather drive my stock 51 80 inch on the trails and mud, then keep the disco as a tow car to get me there.
The 51 is simpler more economical and way more reliable (as there is virtually no "extra crap' to go wrong).
Downside is its max speed is about 50 MPH and you go deaf pretty quickly at that speed!.
No AC, little weather protection, uncomfortable driving position but its so nice when you stop and its impossible to wipe the stupid grin off your face!

Currently working on a Bosch engined V8 110 SW to see if we can manage both tasks in one vehicle!.

No sense of achievement and no skill required if the car does it all for you.
 

Howski

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2009
1,483
209
Alabama
I'd rather drive through Moab than back out of a few driveways around here after a rain.

Rocks are interesting. They're technical, potentially damaging, and can be a little worrisome given they are often piled up into mountains.

They aren't two feet of snotty mud, though; and that's a win.
We had the luxury of rain every day out there along with some snow in the higher passes. It was a very unexpected wrinkle to the terrain
 

kennith

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Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
We had the luxury of rain every day out there along with some snow in the higher passes. It was a very unexpected wrinkle to the terrain

That must have been a fun time. Snowy trails are much better than non-snowy trails. Everything is more relaxed, somehow.

I'm just talking about a nibble of winter, mind you; not blizzards or arctic stuff. Fuck that.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

ERover82

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Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
Given the choice I would rather drive my stock 51 80 inch on the trails and mud, then keep the disco as a tow car to get me there.
The 51 is simpler more economical and way more reliable (as there is virtually no "extra crap' to go wrong).
Downside is its max speed is about 50 MPH and you go deaf pretty quickly at that speed!.
No AC, little weather protection, uncomfortable driving position but its so nice when you stop and its impossible to wipe the stupid grin off your face!

Currently working on a Bosch engined V8 110 SW to see if we can manage both tasks in one vehicle!.

No sense of achievement and no skill required if the car does it all for you.

I do the same, but towing a D90 with an F150. It comes down to two factors; I have no desire to waste wear and tear on my 4x4s with mindless road mileage, and the F150 is far more comfortable and safe and for my wife and kids who don't deserve to pay those penalties and risks.

I get it, many people want an all-in-one package. However, nearly any 90s 4x4 had all the weather protection, air-conditioning, and heating you'll ever need. We have the ability to produce (relatively) simple, livable, safe, durable, reliable, efficient, and engaging 4x4 vehicles, but we're too soft. Westerners, and their marketing departments, push the priority of comfort at the expense of every other aspect.
 
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Blueboy

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Apr 20, 2004
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Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
I get it, many people want an all-in-one package. However, nearly any 90s 4x4 had all the weather protection, air-conditioning, and heating you'll ever need
Yep and the concept behind the early Rovers especially the Rangie. Drive it wherever you want in comfort. For the most part still today yet just too much unnecessary stuff - just imho.
 
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kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
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North Carolina
Yep and the concept behind the early Rovers especially the Rangie. Drive it wherever you want in comfort. For the most part still today yet just too much unnecessary stuff - just imho.

A "first generation" Range Rover is still amazing. I'm not super enthusiastic about the '80s onward (I do like the viscous coupling and that magic piston underneath that load levels for 5,000 years without issue) but damn those old birds are comfortable in good condition and stock trim; incredibly capable, as well. A solid two-door with none of the later options is a breath of fresh air every time you hop in for a drive.

The A/C either sucks or fails to exist at all, but that can be sorted with an aftermarket system. That's a pretty sweet manual transmission, as well.

I think the last one I really liked was technically the second coming: The P38

Newer models ended up with shitty trim for a while. I can't count how many finishes I've seen worn off of interior parts on those things, and I just don't like the style. They're not holding up as well as the P38 over time physically or aesthetically. I don't know about the more recent models, but while they seem nicer and are very capable, I don't actually like the styling.

They just look plastic all over, to me; and that's purely a result of style. Every new Rover is starting to make the last model look tired, because they're on the cutting edge of industrial design now. That's a dangerous place to be for a company without a volume brand; and you can tell there's an issue when you type "Range Rover" into Google...

...and get one picture of a Range Rover, plus fifty thousand pictures of Range Rover Evoques, Range Rover Velars, and Range Rover Sports. Same thing's happening to the Discovery, and that's a bad thing. If you want a flagship in that environment, either the price climbs, or the model dies. They're in the wrong ballpark entirely right now.

That next Range Rover had better start at $120,000.

Cheers,

Kennith
 
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Blueboy

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Apr 20, 2004
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Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
I do like the viscous coupling and that magic piston underneath that load levels for 5,000 years without issue) but damnthose old birds are comfortable in good condition and stock trim;
Yep. Had a choice when the transfer box needed replaced. It was at the dealer in Liechtenstein and they were willing to install a LT 230 from a Defender if I wanted. Opted for the B-W box which was shipped from GB. It was great being so close for parts. Ours has HD OME springs and Bilstein shocks so a little firmer ride yet it brings a smile to my face every time I drive it.