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groaner



Member Since: 20 Aug 2019
Location: Bondi Junction
Posts: 17

Australia 
Lurker questions
Hi guys, lurker here from Australia.

I've got a 2011 2.7 D4 and looking for a new car. Bought a Grenadier, but (long story) had to sell it. Have been looking at a 300 series, mainly due to perceived reliability (?) and space in the back - I prrobably need 6 or 7 seats, and the Defender was a bit tight in the boot.

It drives ok, but lately I have been thinking about the D350. It drives so much better than the 300 series, and I've seen a bunch of videos of the 300 series stuck in places the Disco4 would walk through easily.

So I am reconsidering the Defender, but have a bunch of questions. I've been trawling through this forum, but still have a few things on my mind:

- are oil and filter changes easy to do yourself? I do the D4 ones myself, they aren't too bad
-I assumes they are as good offroad as the Disco 4 (or better)
-has anyone got any comments on the 6th seat- I haven't sene one up close just yet.

Cheers
Lucas
Post #1050667 3rd Nov 2024 9:45pm
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A1C6



Member Since: 15 Oct 2024
Location: Australia
Posts: 32

Australia 
If you are going to be using the optional third row on a 110 I'd get a 130 instead, as it is pretty small and the 130 is massive.
On landroverforums.com, in the 2020 Defender section there is a sticky thread on how to replace the oil. Seems easy enough to me.
It is better at off-roading by a good amount than the D4, and quite literally floats across sand... somehow.
Finally, I wouldn't recommend the 6th seat as a daily, family option as it isn't the best. It sacrifices the centre storage area, the wireless charger, the centre console economics and the looks of the back of the centre console. However, take that with a grain of salt because I've never seen a 6th seat.
Post #1050668 3rd Nov 2024 10:36pm
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TexasRover



Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 1015

France 2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Chawton White
It's hard to beat the practicality of the D4, but I agree they are getting old now.
Post #1050675 4th Nov 2024 5:33am
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CincyRovers1



Member Since: 30 Nov 2023
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 54

United States 
Oil changes are super easy on the Defender. If you use the vacuum pump method on your D4, you can do the same on the Defender. Takes 20 minutes and you don't even get your hands dirty.

I had a 2011 LR4 HSE (D4) 5.0 and I replaced it with my Defender 110 S P300 that I currently have. The Defender is a lot better off-road than the old D4. More ground clearance (if you get the air suspension, which you should), larger tires and much better approach, departure and breakover angles (again, if you get the air suspension). Also, the electronic architecture is so much more advanced than the D4 - this allows the ABS, traction control and differentials to respond more quickly, thus making it better off-road.

Also, I cannot stress this enough: get the air suspension. Much better ride quality on-road and you have more ground clearance and suspension articulation when off-road with the air suspension. Plus, it is more comfortable on rough pavement, washboard dirt roads and gravel thanks to the adaptive dampers that adjust 500 times a second. The air suspension on the Defender is so much better than the air suspension on the D4, which was still pretty good. The fact that they made air suspension an option is beyond me. It should still be standard equipment.

The front jump seat is pretty useless. If you need seven seats, the third row in the 110 is also borderline useless. You're better off with the 130, or a Discovery 5, which has useable third row seats and I still think is better for families than both the 110 and 130. 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏𝟎 𝐒 𝐏𝟑𝟎𝟎 (Pangea Green over Acorn/Lunar)
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒 (Dolomite Silver over Black/Bordeaux Red)
𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐒𝐄 𝐋𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝟔 (Aintree Green over Vintage Tan/Ebony) - Gone
𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟏 𝐋𝐑𝟒 𝐇𝐒𝐄 𝟓.𝟎 (Ipanema Sand over Almond/Arabica) - Gone
Post #1050724 4th Nov 2024 2:48pm
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lightning



Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2703

United Kingdom 
"Also, I cannot stress this enough: get the air suspension. Much better ride quality on-road"

Have you driven the coil spring version on road? l've driven both and on road there's not much in it. The air suspension is a little smoother and more detached which l didn't actually like. lf l wanted that l would have gone for a Range Rover Sport.

Having said that, all the higher specification Defenders such as the D350 have the air suspension as standard anyway.
Post #1050733 4th Nov 2024 4:07pm
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CincyRovers1



Member Since: 30 Nov 2023
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 54

United States 
Yes, I've spent lots of time in service loaner Defenders with coil springs. The ride quality isn't bad, but the air is miles better, especially on the Censored roads where I live. The main reason why I prefer the air is because it is significantly better off-road than the coils. More ground clearance, a smoother ride thanks to the adaptive dampers (which aren't available with coil springs) and more importantly - a lot more axle articulation. You have 20" of articulation with the air vs about 10" with the coils. That is a HUGE difference. Coil-sprung cars are nerfed unless you do modifications. Air-sprung cars are just more capable out-of-the box.

If someone gave me a Defender with coil springs, I'd immediately take it to the dealership and order one with air. In fact, my dealer always orders the air suspension on Defenders for their inventory. Occasionally they get cars given to them from corporate that have coils and they usually put them in the loaner fleet because they are harder to sell. 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏𝟎 𝐒 𝐏𝟑𝟎𝟎 (Pangea Green over Acorn/Lunar)
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒 (Dolomite Silver over Black/Bordeaux Red)
𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐒𝐄 𝐋𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝟔 (Aintree Green over Vintage Tan/Ebony) - Gone
𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟏 𝐋𝐑𝟒 𝐇𝐒𝐄 𝟓.𝟎 (Ipanema Sand over Almond/Arabica) - Gone
Post #1050737 4th Nov 2024 4:36pm
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Tyrrell3



Member Since: 08 Oct 2024
Location: Poole
Posts: 13

United Kingdom 
In the UK air is still an option on a HSE D350 Thumbs Up
Post #1050738 4th Nov 2024 4:38pm
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Moo



Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 1336

Ukraine 
TexasRover wrote:
It's hard to beat the practicality of the D4, but I agree they are getting old now.


Oddly, I'm thinking of getting another D4 Confused . I really miss the practicality. Eiger Grey MY23 D250 SE with bits. Known as Noddy.
Post #1050739 4th Nov 2024 5:45pm
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