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Namibia was staged. Scottsdale Fashion Square is the real test.

Cool. Did you have to modify the frame length or do the 55/80 wheelbases match?

Valid question -- would a high tech new Defender withstand the long-term beating that does an older and more mechanically-based domestic daily driver in Baja? If you are concerned about parading wealth and vehicle excess, a Defender would stand out but still be nothing compared to that shown...

Here are some photos of my Coconino Cycles touring bike. It's a decade or so old. Its configuration has evolved over the years as bikepacking bags have become available, but its bones -- wheels, frame, fork, front rack and drivetrain are bomber and remain unchanged. A Land Cruiser among...

Deal. I will be the first to toast Land Rover if they can exceed the standard for long-term rough-use reliability set by the 80.

Hear, hear. I would add that Land Rover deserves credit for pushing the market, or at least the North American market, with the Defender. I've been waiting years for a potential companion or replacement for our 80 series, which we've had since new and still use for remote tours. Until Defender...

Old thread, but Chuck, I'm wondering: Did you ever do the H55f / 3FE combo?

While researching the possibility of ordering a Defender, I reviewed publicly available analyses and reports about modern Land Rover reliability. They consistently conclude that Land Rover reliability is still poor, and that Land Rovers remain among the least reliable vehicles sold. I also found...

I don't think anyone has asserted that it's a widespread problem. It's too soon to know.

Yeah. I think he was just way too excited to not fiddle and not burn his arm.

I agree. This is the first video that I've seen that, with a proper driver, tires, and terrain, really shows Defender's off-road capability. It did really well. As expected, it's tippier and slipperier than a fully locked rigid axle vehicle. But still very capable (would be plenty capable...

The problem arose in its first 10 miles; the reasonable assumption is that it came off the delivery truck, and out of the factory, flawed. Even despite the problem, the dealership failure, and burning his own arm fixing it, the owner was nonetheless gushing with what was admittedly contagious...

@JeepColorado explains the problem above. And yes, I have no doubt that that process of designing and then bringing a vehicle to market is very, very complex. This particular problem--a hose clip burning and hose disconnecting--seems like it would have shown up in testing, so this was likely...

Being a consumer and not an engineer, I did not understand the distinction between quality control and production / assembly. I assumed the former was part of the latter. And so then, in that case, we have a triple failure: Production and assembly created the problem; quality control failed...

No, it would be true if "production/assembly yielded a configuration different than what was tested." I expect it was a production/assembly failure -- a failure to secure an engine hose and its clip, which in turn left both dangling in a novel configuration close to an engine heat source.

I had the same thought. They either did not test the production configuration or materials, or production/assembly yielded a configuration different than what was tested.

It's actually so true to form that I find it kind of endearing. Not something I want to deal with, but endearing.

Where have I read stories like this before? Ten miles from the dealer lot, new Defender throws error code, restricts performance. Dealer twice fails at remedy, refuses replacement. Guy burns his arm fixing a plastic clip melted by the motor (sounds like a design problem). Reattaches hose...

Amen. Discussion of Land Rover's legendary reliability showed the enthusiast community's spectacular capacity for intellectual freedom--rivaled only by the likes of, I'd say, the Flat Earth Society.

This took courage.