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| alantd Member Since: 14 Dec 2008 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1513   
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I do quite a bit of travel with work. I aim to track down a LR (Defender or Series) in every city I visit. So far I'm doing pretty well, although I didn't find one in Atlanta. Have succeeded so far this year in: New York Amsterdam Berlin Cologne Gothenburg Copenhagen Stockholm Brussels Abu Dhabi Dubai Milton Keynes... One that started out as a 2.4 TDCi 110 XS + New Defender 110 First Edition |
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23rd Jul 2009 8:01am |
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| spudfan Member Since: 10 Sep 2007 Location: Co Donegal Posts: 4646 
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Have had more bother with the new Dell laptop than have had with the 08 Defender! Some small issues like a sensor being replaced, a headlight adjustment switch was replaced, a wire on the central locking got trapped and broke, and all were attended to. A common problem was a nut coming loose on the power steering reservoir and fluid leaking out. Happened to me which I fixed myself.
Talk to the service manager in the garage, as with your three year warranty he will be your most important contact-not the sales man. Tell him you are worried about certain things and listen to what he has to say. If he will not talk to you go somewhere else. Ask how long it will take to book it in if the need arises. He should be able to take you pretty quickly even if it is just to check it out. Get them to put the vehicle up on the ramps and check/tighten everything underneath. If this cannot be done walk away. Don;t listen to pre-delivery inspections having been done. Once again if they say no when you are about to spend money walk away. But talk to the service manager as he will be your most important contact when you buy the vehicle. Ours has been a joy to drive and we are currently on holidays in it at the moment. Have done over 19,000 kms so far. If you are currently driving a so called "normal" car the Defender will feel a little strange for a while but once you have settled in you should never feel like looking back! Incidentally I know someone who had so much bother with a new Mercedes that he got it changed for a Range Rover Sport which has been trouble free-unlike the Mercedes. Also I posted here about an 07 Suzuki Vitara which stopped and refused to move an inch. Would not even turn on. If you need more info you can PM me.Have had more bother with the new Dell laptop than have had with the 08 Defender! Some small issues like a sensor being replaced, a headlight adjustment switch was replaced, a wire on the central locking got trapped and broke, and all were attended to. A common problem was a nut coming loose on the power steering reservoir and fluid leaking out. Happened to me which I fixed myself. Talk to the service manager in the garage, as with your three year warranty he will be your most important contact-not the sales man. Tell him you are worried about certain things and listen to what he has to say. If he will not talk to you go somewhere else. Ask how long it will take to book it in if the need arises. He should be able to take you pretty quickly even if it is just to check it out. Ours has been a joy to drive and we are currently on holidays in it at the moment. Have done over 19,000 kms so far. If you are currently driving a so called "normal" car the Defender will feel a little strange for a while but once you have settled in you should never feel like looking back! Incidentally I know someone who had so much bother with a new Mercedes that he got it changed for a Range Rover Sport which has been trouble free-unlike the Mercedes. Also I posted here about an 07 Suzuki Vitara which stopped and refused to move an inch. Would not even turn on. If you need more info you can PM me. 1982 88" 2.25 diesel 1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali 2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu 2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai |
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17th Aug 2009 10:47am |
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| spudfan Member Since: 10 Sep 2007 Location: Co Donegal Posts: 4646
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The above post seems to have been messed up - there's Dell for you! Anyway hope you understood it. 1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali 2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu 2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai |
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17th Aug 2009 10:50am |
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| alantd Member Since: 14 Dec 2008 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1513
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So long as you get on with the dealer (talk to the service manager - not just the sales manager) and the car is under warranty for another 18 months, you'll be fine.
I love mine and wouldn't change it. It has had some minor faults but they've all been sorted. My previous BMW, in contrast, was a pig and very expensive to rectify. My folks bought a Mercedes and it still isn't right 3 years on. It seems like these things are riddled with problems because we all share our experiences (not so for the VW passat club?!). The real proof is that very few of us have tried it and hated it and never gone back (some - and we hear about it). Remember that these are the biggest Meccano sets out there. If something doesn't work, swap it out for another bit. There are loads of parts available (OEM and 3rd party) and any mechanic able to hold a socket set can work on a Land Rover and probably trained on one. That means parts and labour outside of the warranty are cheap as chips! Buy it. You won't look back.  One that started out as a 2.4 TDCi 110 XS
+ New Defender 110 First Edition |
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17th Aug 2009 12:22pm |
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| GR110P Member Since: 16 Aug 2009 Location: GR Posts: 15 
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yes I got it.Thanks.
One problem that magnifies my worries is that I live in an island and we dont have a Land Rover sales representative here or a technical dpt.So if something serious happens I ll have to load it on a ship and send it to Athens to the LR head office.I can fix things myself.And I dont mind if I ll have to pay even 200 Euros for something without using the warranty in order to fix it.What worries my is that if/when theres something I cannot fix ,for example something that has to do with diagnostics or complicated electrical,then I ll have again to send the truck to Athens.And again I dont mind the cost of sending it lets say twice or even 3 or 4 times a year.I ll have a problem though if I ll have to send it every now and then.And of course i would like to avoid issues like engine knock,completely defective gearbox,e.t.c So this is another reason I m a bit worried.... Just imagine doing the above in limp mode........ But still,I really like the truck,I really want to buy it but if (touch wood) it proves to be a completely defective one,cost will go very very very high..... If I was in Athens I wouldnt bother that much,at least I ll know that I can get it to the service the same day ,check it and maybe if lucky,get it back the same day. I dont know what are the possibilities of having even a very simple stupid electrical fault,but its a reality that even for such a stupid fault,I ll have to send the truck to Athens.....One way to go ,some to stay in for service,one to have it back. My current truck is a Suzuki Sidekick,modified by me,solid axle swap with Toyota diffs,locked,custom coil suspension (3link front w/panhard-4link triangulated rear,double t-cases,33s.You can understand that I m well trained as it concerns ,noises,clanks,vibrations,patience,regular checking if everything is tight,e.t.c here it is http://vitaraclub.gr/userpix/220__058_1.jpg http://vitaraclub.gr/userpix/220__060_1.jpg http://vitaraclub.gr/userpix/220__074_1.jpg You see,I know how to "read" sounds coming from a truck,modified or not.I think I ll be able to fix some things on the Landy if it needs something.But what makes me worry and angry somehow in this case is to have a problem and not to be able to do something about it (asap)......without messing with the warranty,cause it will be my only protection for 3 years without cost..... Thank you for your positive words.It helps. Do you think a JAN08 model will be ok with most of the serious problems mentioned around? What are my chances ? |
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17th Aug 2009 12:31pm |
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| BigGeorge Member Since: 08 Aug 2009 Location: Zurich Posts: 43  
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Life is like a box of chocolate... you never know what you're going to get!
From reading mainly german forums I have the impression that built quality can and will vary extremely. Some never report any issues and some (like me) are regular visitors at the LR service point/dealeships. Swapping mine (Jan 08 / built some time in November...07) with a new one coming in a few weeks. Hopefully this one is better pick... must be... I mean it can't get any worse. George btw... nice Vitara! The goons are trying to bring me down! Defender 110 SW MY10 useless piece of  ... but I like her
Defender 90 V8 50th Anniversary Series IIa 109 / 6 cyl. ex-fire truck |
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17th Aug 2009 2:20pm |
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| GR110P Member Since: 16 Aug 2009 Location: GR Posts: 15
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like a chocolate box heh....
I was told that the one I m (possibly) going to get ,came out of the production line JAN08,I dont know if that makes it a 07 model.VIN number says its a 08 model. I came to the same conclusion about the fact tha t built quality can vary from truck to truck....Cant understand it but .... I can order a new one ,that is a late 09 model but that is going to add aprox 6-7.000 EUR more to the cost ,due to a tax discount we had here the last 3 months.Its over now,so any new truck will be much more expensive....That means that new retail price here will be something around 45.000 Eur... too much for the Defender and having in mind all the mentioned problems....and the 50-50 % chances of getting a good or a bad one..... Well ,in this case ,we cant have all,can we.....(even though we should for a 40.000 buy) I just wonder how LR sales would be and build quality if it was aquired by TOYOTA instead of TATA or FORD some years ago......and how the LR fun club would have reacted in such a case.... very curious...... 
thanks for the comments on the Vit its unstoppable off road and reliable too but too small for a family (with a dog) ... |
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17th Aug 2009 2:47pm |
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| Eduardo Member Since: 28 Aug 2008 Location: Región Metropolitana Posts: 2109  
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GR110P
Maybe, one of the reason of this good/bad quality issue is that the Defender manufacturing depends heavily of manual tasks. Toyota and others production lines are almost 100% automatic, so every nut, welding point, etc are put at the same place, at the same pressure and quantity. Under this conditions, checking a car and detecting an error in the line is more easy than in a manual line like defenders have. Add to that that we have a new motor and the picture seems to be complete (just a thought). Well, You must be prepared to take the risk to have a bad or good car. Depends mostly to your risk adversion. Cheers Eduardo MY 2007 110 SW PUMA 2.4: Big Fog of 64' MY 1994 Jayco 1207 Folding camper: "El Tremendo"  Click image to enlarge |
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17th Aug 2009 3:21pm |
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| BigGeorge Member Since: 08 Aug 2009 Location: Zurich Posts: 43
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if the vitara doesn't fit family and dog, than you sould consider leaving the wife at home
 . My wife's choice is always not the Defender. But our boys outvote here regularyl by 3:1.
Model-Change: I was told the model change occures after summer vacation (about now). My current one was bulit in Nov. 07, delivered in Dec 07, registered in Jan08 and is an 08 model (even if VIN shows 07) Still don't know how this works, but it was confirmed independently by various sources. The new one which is about to be built in the next days / weeks will also be 2010 model. Considering the big gap in prices I'd probably go for the bargain: BUT not without bargaining harder (car sales in greece are down more than anything else) and show them list of all services / technical bulletins with all know bugs&fixes and have them fix everything (even if not broken). Check personally!!!! Take a long test drive. Spent a few days on the mainland before you're heading back to the island. For example, if the rear diff whines, make sure they ajdust the gears/pinion whatsoever... don't wait until it breaks down. And certainly don't let them fool you by saying this or that is normal or within tolerance. If they don't move, grab their "arxidia"! And mind you... delivery of some parts can take ages. (waited almost 3 month for a rear diff). So it wouln't be of any help if you were located in Athens.. you still got to wait. The goons are trying to bring me down! Defender 110 SW MY10 useless piece of ... but I like her
Defender 90 V8 50th Anniversary Series IIa 109 / 6 cyl. ex-fire truck |
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17th Aug 2009 3:22pm |
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| GR110P Member Since: 16 Aug 2009 Location: GR Posts: 15
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Thats what I realise day by day...... two days left to make my decision......the leasing company is waiting for me.... |
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17th Aug 2009 3:38pm |
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| GR110P Member Since: 16 Aug 2009 Location: GR Posts: 15
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The last VIN numbers are 8A753494 ,indicating a 08 model. Already done that with the service bulletins.Already asked them to check the truck and verify its status.I sent them all the relative service bulletins that are related with the VIN number and the major problems.I asked them to check the truck and verify which of the problems are already been sorted and which not.Also if they are going to fix them before the truck is delivered to me,a factor that will affect my decision as I told them.Waiting for their reply. Depending on their reply I ll go to the head office,test drive the truck and if I finally agree to buy it,I ll stay (as you propose) 2-3 days there to test it and see how it goes. Thanks for the help. ....grab their.... hehehe we ll see how cooperative they can be.As I told them,I would like all the defective parts to be replaced (as it goes for the 09 models) in order to start with minor problems or not at all,instead of just waititing for something to fail sometime ahead.
Bottom line, I can cancel everything anytime if I dont feel its going to be a secure buy ...and wait for something better...... |
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17th Aug 2009 3:43pm |
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| GR110P Member Since: 16 Aug 2009 Location: GR Posts: 15
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I talked to the dealer,we had a very productive conversation,agreed on some issues I was worrying about,and finally today .................I gave the order.....
So I  to the Godess of Luck to show mercy from now on .....
110 SW is on the way..... |
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19th Aug 2009 5:20pm |
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| BigGeorge Member Since: 08 Aug 2009 Location: Zurich Posts: 43
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Congratulations.... or "kalo riziko" as they say....
and don't forget to greet other defender drivers. Regards George The goons are trying to bring me down! Defender 110 SW MY10 useless piece of ... but I like her
Defender 90 V8 50th Anniversary Series IIa 109 / 6 cyl. ex-fire truck |
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19th Aug 2009 7:09pm |
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| alantd Member Since: 14 Dec 2008 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1513
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Woo Hoo!. Good choice. One that started out as a 2.4 TDCi 110 XS
+ New Defender 110 First Edition |
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20th Aug 2009 8:28am |
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