The Best 4x4xFar - My Land Rover Defender 110

[adishell]

Wasent quite sure what angle would suit her best....so just made her mount the kerb

[AVR]

Awesome pic Adi - Lucky guy....

Look forward to some offroading pics from your end.

Cheers,
AVR

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by sharanramesh

if you check the car prices section of the topgear india magazine, under land rover you will see defender listed with the price specified as NA. that is why i think the defender is sold in india?

are u sure they are gonna discontinue it in 2010, highly unlikely. they probably will introduce a new version, but i dont think they will discontinue it.

We bought our Range Rover from Navnit in Thane and when we asked them about the Defender they said that they did not import/deal in Defenders.

I think that is because the Defender is priced below 40,000 Dollars and that makes it ineligible to be imported without homolgation formalaties.

By the way, great Defender buddy..enjoy it! How did you come by it?

[Sawyer]

A very good friend of mine in Blr got himself an old Defender a few months ago. The police blue color. I drove it to the airport once, and it was an effort driving it. Got to get used to it, I guess. Do you know him - Prithvi?

[4X4er]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

A very good friend of mine in Blr got himself an old Defender a few months ago. The police blue color. I drove it to the airport once, and it was an effort driving it. Got to get used to it, I guess. Do you know him - Prithvi?

Sure I know Prithvi, we talk but havent seen his Landy yet.

[Sawyer]

You should, I spoke to him just yesterday after some time. He is getting himself a new used engine, and such stuff, so I am sure there is lot of common ground to cover!

[Stetson]

Hi ! Just joined the forum and the first thing I looked up was the trusty old Defender. Inspired by Adushell, I want to share some experiences of owning a Landrover, whom I christened the Camel, when in the Middle East.

The Camel was a 1990 model, naturally aspirated diesel and the output was about 85 HP. I considered a retrofit of an inter-cooler which would have boosted power to about 95 to 100 HP but didn't think all that extra pressure would be kind on the engine (the inter-cooled turbo diesel which was introduced later in 1990 out turned 107 HP). I bought him in Bahrain in 1993 from a Scot who was a Gulf Air pilot. The Camel served me for 6 years, both in Bahrain and in Dubai, before I reluctantly parted with him in 1999 when I returned home (as a leftie wouldn't do back here).

The Defender, or any older version of the original Landy such as a Series 3 etc, once you get used to driving one is the only auto which gives you the feeling of being totally in control while driving one. What do I mean by it? It is just that you have to work at driving the vehicle, downshifts of the gear have to be selected in the right order (no switching from OD to 2nd or 3rd, the Camel would judder!) and the permanent 4 wheel drive gives superb road holding and cornering in spite of aero dynamics which resemble a brick travelling through space. Steering and cornering are very effective and, if you work at it and handle him properly, you can have the vehicle responding to your every intent. In fact, I have seem several slightly built 70 + ladies driving a Landy effortlessly with one finger on the wheel.

I did a little, mild off-roading in Bahrain and in Dubai and the Pajero and the Wrangler paled by comparison.

Three notable things about the Camel, or indeed any Landy, are that :

1. Going up (or down) a slope or ramp, as in a multi level parking lot, you simply shift from idle to 1st (or with practice 2nd or 3rd as well) and take your foot off the pedal, the Landy will go smoothly up (or down) on engine torque in the selected gear, so torquey is the engine. In fact, this is the recommended off roading procedure when negotiating any steep slope up or down.

2. It is not only the oil spill which Adishell mentioned but, once a week or so, you must top up up clutch and brake cylinder cylinder fluids (as well as the power steering fluid once a month or so). It is this simplicity of 1940's and 50's design which makes the Landy the ubiquitous transport it is, even in sub Saharan Africa (I am told the clutch is now power assisted in post 2000 modles).

3. No bottoming out on any spead breaker or ruts off road, flooded roads never a problem, superb axle travel or articulation which makes off roading at least seem almost like a stroll in the park.

I don't understand why the Tatas don't commence local manufacture of the Landrover in India, homologation should be no problem, the new Defenders are Euro compliant for the last couple of years or more I think. It can really take off in this country and become both a peoples' transport as well as the ultimate off-roader (Hummers excepted). And the Landy can be made much cheaper here.

Have some photos of the Camel (which I preferrrred to my A 6 Quattro which was left to the wife anad the driver) which I will post as soon as possible.

P.S : Nearly forgot to mention the aluminium body, practically rust proof (except for the steel reinforcing sections).

Originally Posted by adishell

Thanks man, but I have had it for about 2 years now.Who else has a Defender on the forum?
o yeah sorry..i dont have the original manual, have a pdf from the net for a manual and there it was mentioned 130bhp(typo i guess), since you mentioned i checked around on the net through VIN(Vehicle Identification Number), its 85bhp to be precise.

As of now i am happy with Cent. Diff locks,ARB can wait till i have money to spare for those


Maybe the price was NA because,it works out very expensive because land Rovers come in India as CBU's and generally people prefer to go in for comfort as their top priority, hence i guess the price is on request types.

About discontinuing Defenders in 2010, i read it in Land Rover Owners(UK based Magzine), reason I dont remember, maybe its because a Defenders carbon footprint is very high(the Europeans are very much concerned about that).