 | Home > General & Technical (L663) > Fun to drive? |
 
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3507   
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lightning, I think you may be opening up a hornets nest
I don’t think you can compare the two trucks. They are years away from each other in terms of technology, engineering and also comfort. They are both what they are. |
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8th Nov 2022 9:05am |
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| kenzle8a Member Since: 12 Feb 2020 Location: None Posts: 1074 
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It would be more fair to compare it to a Discovery 3/4 or L322 as its an evolution of those platforms rather than the Defender. In the same way that the Discovery 2 is a more comparable to the Defender as they share components and construction, than it is to a Discovery 3
Its so far apart from the Defender you'll be closer to doing a comparison between a mini from the Leyland era and a MINI from the early BMW era as they were still at least both monocoque FWD hatchbacks. |
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8th Nov 2022 9:12am |
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| Farmerben Member Since: 16 Jan 2017 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 605 
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My shin doesn't burn from the transmission tunnel on long motorway journeys and I can have conversations with passengers without shouting. So yeah, boring. https://instagram.com/bentheoandrews
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8th Nov 2022 9:55am |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3507
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That is priceless FarmerBen That is so true  |
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8th Nov 2022 10:24am |
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| J77 Member Since: 04 Nov 2019 Location: Fife Posts: 3404 
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Having had a 90 on coils and now a 110 on air, as smooth as the 110 is, I prefer the 90 on coils. It has more character, more fun to drive. 24MY 90 D250 HSE, Tasman Blue
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8th Nov 2022 11:14am |
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| XplusYplusZ Member Since: 16 Aug 2021 Location: UK Posts: 489 |
This is an interesting one, which got me thinking - a lot. I look forward to reading other's thoughts on it.
Personally, I think we attribute character to cars and other complex machines over time and with experience in using them. It's a journey of understanding how they work, what their strengths and weaknesses are, how to master them and how they make you feel when operating them. So I don't think you can meaningfully comment on the character of a car without getting behind the wheel and using it for a while. I really loved the idea of an old defender, but when I actually got in one, I found it uncomfortable to the point of painful. I couldn't drive it more than 15 minutes before I needed to get out. So for me, the old defender simply didn't work. I really wanted it to, but it was flawed to the point of useless for me. For sure, operating the old one was a lot more work than the new one. But that didn't make it any better for me. I don't think the New Defender has to compete with the old one to win one's affection. I think it's clear the New Def is eminently capable, on and off-road. It's safe, secure, comfortable and will handle pretty much anything you throw at it. From jaunts to the Alps, to a muddy green-lane, splashing through floods, towing trailers or just sitting in traffic on the M25. It's very very good. I can see myself enjoying it a lot, and being inspired to use it more than I would a regular old saloon or estate. The design is great, the tech is entertaining, and the fact I can drive for 10-12 hours without surgery is a major win for me. |
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8th Nov 2022 11:16am |
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| J77 Member Since: 04 Nov 2019 Location: Fife Posts: 3404
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The old one for me is just a no go as a daily driver, I’d like one as a toy, take to Landy shows or whatever, but I’ve driven few old 110s and they are a torture chamber, especially my old man’s work 110 pick up. 24MY 90 D250 HSE, Tasman Blue
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8th Nov 2022 11:25am |
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| Tim in Scotland Member Since: 23 May 2007 Location: The Land that time forgot Posts: 3753
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After 21 years with a TDi300 that I loved to bits I’m now old enough to really appreciate bum roasting seat heaters, ventilation that doesn’t completely mist up the inside of the car, a sunroof that doesn’t give an icicle bath down the back of the neck on cold mornings and suspension that doesn’t jar my back on every pothole. Sure the new one hasn’t whatever character might be but it’s very very good at what it does both on and off road. I won’t be going back to the old style anytime soon. Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come
2020 D240 1st Edition in Pangea Green with Acorn interior. Now gone - old faithful, no mechanical issues whatsoever ever but the leaks and rattles all over the place won’t be missed! |
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8th Nov 2022 11:48am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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Yup. Fun to drive like an X5 or G-class.
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8th Nov 2022 12:41pm |
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| XplusYplusZ Member Since: 16 Aug 2021 Location: UK Posts: 489 |
A great point. The new one is absolutely both, a solid daily driver and will keep up with the old one on the hills and moors. And if you're of the ilk that 'easier' to drive = 'worse' to drive, then unless you're feeding it grass or shoveling coal into the thing, we've all embraced at least some technological advancements over the years.. |
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8th Nov 2022 12:45pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3507
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I am afraid, my issue with the new Defender (and Grenadier to add to that) is the auto box. That would stifle ‘fun’ for me. I may be in a minority, and I accept that, but I enjoy manual gear changing.
I’m not knocking automatic transmissions. I know a lot of people who love them, but they are not for me. First couple of hours, it’s a novelty, but then I get bored. It is inevitable with EV’s coming on board that I will end up driving an ‘automatic’ of some description at some point in the future. On a side to this, I know a fair few Lorry Drivers who are bored rigid these days driving trucks with automatic gearboxes. They have every conceivable driver aid, but they just don’t get any enjoyment from all the automation. Agreeably these are mostly older drivers  And I’m not sure if they would be so keen to go back to an old crash box |
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8th Nov 2022 1:18pm |
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| AMBxx Member Since: 24 Jul 2016 Location: York Posts: 1032 
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Do drivers of the new mini complain about the drivers of the old mini and vice versa?
Similarly drivers of the Beetle? Maybe it's the time between the end of the old and the start of the new that makes the difference. |
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8th Nov 2022 1:49pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2655
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It’s great fun to drive, I love it. Comfortable, capable, effortless, efficient.
But I’ll still keep my old one until the day I die, it’s unique. |
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8th Nov 2022 2:22pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3507
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I can understand the resentment of classic MG owners with regards to that name being used on a Chinese made eurobox
Apparently there was quite a lot of resentment by classic mini owners towards the BMW versioned owners at the time. Not sure whether things have calmed down with time? I learnt to drive in a classic mini but would not turn my nose up to a BMW one like I wouldn’t run my nose up to a new Defender. The discussion was about fun, and fun is very subjective. Most of my mates can’t see why anyone with any sense would put up with an old style Defender. They do have a point |
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8th Nov 2022 2:23pm |
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