Looking at them. Any horror stories I should hear before jumping on board?
For the record, leaning towards a Defender.
For the record, leaning towards a Defender.
Range Rover / Defender / Discovery
- Thread starter 57stratdawg
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I think since COVID Land Rover is fairing better. They have not really changed, it's just most other manufacturers have sunk closer to their level.**
It's fascinating to me that I never see Defenders. It might be a regional thing, but everyone has a 4wd of some sort where I live and lots of other off-road oriented SUVs. We have a dozen Cybertrucks and Rivians in town. A half dozen Ineos Grenadiers. A few Range Rovers and G-Wagons. A ton of Jeeps and Broncos. I can't remember the last time I saw a Defender.
I think it's cool, just buy a 100k bumper to bumper. My wife had a Volvo and I remember everything being higher than giraffe taint. The dealership also had Land Rover and the service guy once told me Volvo repairs were half the cost of Land Rover.
It's fascinating to me that I never see Defenders. It might be a regional thing, but everyone has a 4wd of some sort where I live and lots of other off-road oriented SUVs. We have a dozen Cybertrucks and Rivians in town. A half dozen Ineos Grenadiers. A few Range Rovers and G-Wagons. A ton of Jeeps and Broncos. I can't remember the last time I saw a Defender.
I think it's cool, just buy a 100k bumper to bumper. My wife had a Volvo and I remember everything being higher than giraffe taint. The dealership also had Land Rover and the service guy once told me Volvo repairs were half the cost of Land Rover.
The joke with Land Rovers is they’ll drive through a river in Africa but give them three humid days in a row in the south and you’ll be looking for whatever electrical connector isn’t making good contact.
That’s all I’ve ever heard about any issues typically are electrical/wiring. Don’t see many on the road around here.
That’s all I’ve ever heard about any issues typically are electrical/wiring. Don’t see many on the road around here.
So long as you are aware of the general unreliability and are ok with it, go for it.
The first few times I saw the new Hyundai Santa Fe's, I did a double-take, they look strikingly like a Land Rover to me.
Don't do it. Neighbor has a Defender Carpathian edition. Looks cool, but it's constantly in the shop. It's cool when it raises and lowers to get in it, but he's replaced the water pump twice and has constantly had electrical issues with the AC. The latest issue is that the heater is either on full blast or off. You can't adjust the fan speed. Not to mention the bluetooth module goes in and out.
Very capable, good looking and expensive to repair. There's a reason these things depreciate so much.
The back end of those is one of the worst things I’ve seen since some Pontiac atrocities.
One of my kids friends parents has the Santa Fe. I hate the exterior, but the interior is pimp. Said it gets 30 mph too. I'm a fan. Just need to see how they hold up.
I have never heard a positive thing about Range Rover.
If you're like me, your general attitude going back to the late 1900s is that a Hyundai is a real piece of shiit, and I'm not sure that's been a fair assessment in a long time.
Speaking from personal experience, do not waste money on a Hyundai or Kia--regardless of how pimp the ride may be inside--until it has been completely assured that they will not have engine failures/fires. My last Hyundai went up in a blaze of glory with my daughter driving it (she safely pulled over and got out). And this was the replacement engine, too. Engine defects affected all of their makes through the 2010's and some models into the 2020's. Buyer beware.
We were buying a few months ago. Had a friend who offered us a sweet deal on his Discovery with 35k miles. Our trusted mechanic red flagged it, although he put it above the new Dodge engines. Their recommendation was Toyota with Honda in close second. They said all the revamped engine designs of the higher-fuel-economy era are still having teething problems.
We went with a 4Runner. Got one of the last ones in town with their old V6 design.
We went with a 4Runner. Got one of the last ones in town with their old V6 design.
I had a friend at State go through 3 engines in a Hyundai in about a 4 year span. All covered by warranty.
That’s the thing. The Korean cars has some of the best warranties in the game. At least on paper.
Never owned one but everything I read tells me to expect to become familiar with the service side of the dealership. I would rather take my money to a Toyota dealer and purchase a 4 Runner. The older V6 is solid if you can find one.
Range Rover is the way. Avoid the Defender unless they've realllllllly improved the last 10 years. You could find them on the cheap used because of the problems.
Correct. Had a 2017 Santa Fe Sport back when they looked good. No trouble at all in ~100k miles. Sold it. People who have it now keep piling up the miles and love it.
Be a baller and get a jacked up, Platinum 4x4 F250 Powerstroke dually. Now you're going to reply, "but greenbean, the F250 doesn't come in a dually." That's simply means you're not a baller.
If you have disposable funds set aside for repairs, but want to look good while hemorrhaging money-go for it. Same for MB and BMW’s. LEASE a new one, look good, stroke your mid-life crisis ego, and turn the damn thing back in before it’s doctor bills eat you alive.
Have plenty of stories of people who ignore the facts because they came across a “great deal” on a used luxury euro suv, want to look cool for a bargain, only to be stuck with a suv that’s total worth is about what the mechanic’s estimate is to fix.
If you want to look good in a well built luxury suv, get a Land Cruiser, or the comparable Lexus model. They don’t break and strongly hold their value. The 1998-2007 J-100 series models (also the Lexus LX470) are my favorite. Have come across many with over 400k miles and going strong. Owners of these tend to maintain them well and are fiercely loyal to them.
Have plenty of stories of people who ignore the facts because they came across a “great deal” on a used luxury euro suv, want to look cool for a bargain, only to be stuck with a suv that’s total worth is about what the mechanic’s estimate is to fix.
If you want to look good in a well built luxury suv, get a Land Cruiser, or the comparable Lexus model. They don’t break and strongly hold their value. The 1998-2007 J-100 series models (also the Lexus LX470) are my favorite. Have come across many with over 400k miles and going strong. Owners of these tend to maintain them well and are fiercely loyal to them.
Buy one. It'll supply things for SPS to discuss for years to come.
Had a mechanic tell me one time (about a Range Rover): "You will always know when it's time to change the oil. Change the oil when it stops leaking."
I have a 2020 Defender and love it.
- Never had any leaks or any issues.
- also the dealership is with the Porsche dealership, and if I need anything it is more of a concierge type service. I just text the person there and have immediate response. It is a different game of customer service than if you buy these other brands off the lot. Or at least my dealership operates that way.
To compare, I drove a Jeep Wrangler for 6 years prior.
The Defender to me is by far the superior off road, inclement weather, type vehicle and with a much better ride than all the competing models. I hike and trail run in the mountains in the eastern US, and it is the perfect vehicle.
I used to think like these other comments that Land Rover were nothing but an African tractor, but these new models changed my mind.
If you have some extra $$$, look up their "Bespoke" Land Rovers. Big money, but they buy the older models, and revamp and resell them. They are the coolest look.
- Never had any leaks or any issues.
- also the dealership is with the Porsche dealership, and if I need anything it is more of a concierge type service. I just text the person there and have immediate response. It is a different game of customer service than if you buy these other brands off the lot. Or at least my dealership operates that way.
To compare, I drove a Jeep Wrangler for 6 years prior.
The Defender to me is by far the superior off road, inclement weather, type vehicle and with a much better ride than all the competing models. I hike and trail run in the mountains in the eastern US, and it is the perfect vehicle.
I used to think like these other comments that Land Rover were nothing but an African tractor, but these new models changed my mind.
If you have some extra $$$, look up their "Bespoke" Land Rovers. Big money, but they buy the older models, and revamp and resell them. They are the coolest look.
Ironically, many of the oil leak issues are not due to the seals failing, it’s because the machining in the block is off center from the crank. No seal on earth can fix that. Many a dollar have been wasted on replacing seals only for it to solve nothing.
They have GDI engines and if you don’t do timely and proper maintenance it’s going to give you trouble. Oil changes every 3000 miles (even with synthetic oil) are an absolute must.
Don’t do it! Daughter in Law has/had one. Don’t know the exact model but it’s the big one, a 2016 I think. Motor is blown, new motor is over $20, 000 and the car isn’t worth repairing. I’m a fair mechanic so I thought I’d find an engine out of a wreck or something and fix it myself. Every Land Rover I find has a blown motor. You call a salvage yard and inquire about parts and they tell me what’s wrong with it before I tell them. I’ll admit they are good looking vehicles and if you feel the need to scratch that itch, lease one for no longer than the warranty. I checked it’s a 2016 LR4 with just over 100,000 miles.
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They improved tremendously. The new models are to me far and above the competing brands.
I am outdoors too much to pay for the Range Rover, so the Defender works for all my outdoor lifestyle in the mountains.
Bought daughter LR4 8 years ago. She wanted one and it was built like a tank structurally. But the mechanical side was the worst experience ever. Run away, don’t walk. From reliability to service it was horrible. Buy anything else.
You’re spending $30,000+ for a vehicle. Get a reliable one. So no on any of these. Or a jeep.
My first vehicle was a Jeep and my current vehicle is a Jeep. I’ve probably owned over a dozen in between and I’ve had one lemon out of the bunch. People buy Jeeps because of the looks and the perceived lifestyle and then use them in a way they aren’t designed for. They are designed for rugged off-road use, not racking up 200,000 miles hauling kids to soccer practice. Very few people actually use a Jeep for it’s designed use, me included most of the time, and then complain because it doesn’t ride as well as a unibody SUV. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.
A Jeep Patriot or a Jeep Liberty is not designed or made for rugged off-road use.
Add Jeep Compass in as well.
Oh, and add Jeep Cherokee too.
But besides those 4 models, your comment is probably spot on.
I’ll agree. I personally don’t consider those Jeeps, they are Renaults or Chryslers with a Jeep badge. Although the Cherokee Trailhawk was a very capable suv. It’s no longer made though.
Reliability is relative. If you're only driven the highway, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry is peak reliability. The defender is way more reliable than those two off-road.
You earlier stated you had a Wrangler and the defender is superior off road. But it's well behind the Bronco Sasquatch and Jeep Rubicon IMO.
I looked at the defender and really wanted one for my wife, but we want something built for off-road so she/we could take it wherever we want . The defender just didn't get there.
#1 Unibody design for the defender. If you are going off road in the mountains, you got to have body on frame. Unibody design is for cars. Body on frame is trucks. Wranglers and Broncos have solid ladder frames with bolted in bodies.
#2 Solid axles. Gots to have them on these back country roads where rock slides are real and new trails just off the side of the mountain forcing you into articulated driving.
#3 Sway bar disconnect and locking front differential. Again, when you're in a pinch, they're critical tools to help you self recover.
By all accounts the defender is very capable off-road. But you start and finish with the Bronco Sasquatch and Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in Tier 1 SUV off-roading. I'd probably look at the 4-Runner and Land Cruiser in the next tier, because they're body on frame. After those 4 your really just talking about something more focused on other things like everyday driving with off-road capabilities.
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