Expedition Vehicle -- Land Rover Defender vs TEV?

[TELOS]

The time has finally arrived when I can begin my expedition vehicle buy/build in earnest… a purchase in the next 6 months. Next summer, I'm taking my family (wife, daughter, and dog) on a trip into the Pacific Northwest and into Canada which will be the first of many expeditions, and I've narrowed down vehicle setups to two options:
1988+ Land Rover Defender 110 w/200tdi or 300tdi
2010+ Ram 2500/3500 (single rear wheel) w/Cummins and “TEV” expedition box

The attached design is what the final pickup setup would be (a personal design called the TEV). Conversely, the Defender setup would include a RTT and drawer system, onboard water, and some other “amenities” added to partially match an expedition pickup rig.

The dilemma… the pickup would be 2010 or newer, very reliable, likely under some sort of warranty, very safe, with a tremendous payload for gear and range (extra fuel). The TEV box on the pickup would be something I build myself, so there are always reliability risks there (haha&#8230 but the rig itself would be very mechanically sound with parts readily available since it's a new vehicle. The Defender would have FAR more character (a vehicle I have wanted for 10+ years), which obviously comes at the downside of reliability and safety. Given that it would be 25+ years old, I want to justify it over a (boring) pickup, but I'm struggling. Is it foolish to think a 25-year-old Defender is a better expedition vehicle than something like the TEV? If it's not foolish, is it going to require pretty extensive refurbishing/modernizing for that to be the case?

I should point out something about the TEV design. The kitchen, storage, and water equipment is accessible from outside and inside the camper. From the outside, you can just open the doors and access everything. From inside, the compartments are accessible from above and the kitchen parts are on rails which can be raised up into position to cook inside. The idea is that it can be used as a camper, with the top opened up, as well as quickly from the outside without having to open the top (cooking and using it while enroute, for example).

If I had the luxury of owning a brand new Defender, I wouldn't even consider anything else. Maybe I'm fooling myself to think a 25+ year old Defender would be a good way to go. I have considered Jeeps, Toyotas, Mercedes, Lexus… and it's out of my love for Defenders that none of the other vehicles are final options. There are obviously MANY great rigs, many of which would be better than either option I just mentioned, but for personal and emotional reasons it's down to these final two.

Budget: $40K-60K. Between these two options, what's the best way to go? If the Defender makes sense, what sort of work would you anticipate to overcome the 25+ year old limitations?

Thank you for your help!!

 

[Maninga]

I would go with the newer vehicle given the choice, the TEV idea is well established and very functional (I've been through these a few times). Check out http://www.wedgetailcampers.com.au/ for a very well thought out example.

 

[TELOS]

I would go with the newer vehicle given the choice, the TEV idea is well established and very functional (I've been through these a few times). Check out http://www.wedgetailcampers.com.au/ for a very well thought out example.

The wedgetail campers are exactly what inspired my design. It's very much the same, just homemade with a few modifications to fit the larger pickup platform. Thanks for your input!! Although, you're not helping my emotional case to justify a Defender

 

[Maninga]

I thought about getting a Defender a few years ago before going down custom camper path. They can be reliable with some care, but I had a bigger problem with them. Have heard that often you'll see guys driving them with the window down, arm out the window, not because it looks cool but it's the only way they'll comfortably fit. I found exactly that when I drove one, great aspiration vehicle but after driving I'd find it hard to live with.

Test one out if you can. There's no reason too why you couldn't combine the two ideas, get a dual cab Defender 110/130 tray and put the TEV on it. But highly suggest you drive one before going down that path to see if works for you.

I'm thinking of going to caravan show this weekend, let me know if there's any specific photos you'd like of the Wedgetail

 

[TELOS]

I thought about getting a Defender a few years ago before going down custom camper path. They can be reliable with some care, but I had a bigger problem with them. Have heard that often you'll see guys driving them with the window down, arm out the window, not because it looks cool but it's the only way they'll comfortably fit. I found exactly that when I drove one, great aspiration vehicle but after driving I'd find it hard to live with.

Test one out if you can. There's no reason too why you couldn't combine the two ideas, get a dual cab Defender 110/130 tray and put the TEV on it. But highly suggest you drive one before going down that path to see if works for you.

I'm thinking of going to caravan show this weekend, let me know if there's any specific photos you'd like of the Wedgetail

Good suggestions - thanks! I'll see if I can get some time behind the wheel before deciding. All of my Defender time has been in the passenger seats. It certainly doesn't have the comfort nor refinement of a new full-size pickup, but it makes up for that with character in spades.

I'll look over my TEV plans and see if there are any parts of a Wedgetail it'd be helpful to see - thank you so much for offering! It looks like such a functional design and something like that is make or break in the smaller details and assembly.

 

[D110]

I am a Defender owner and live in the PNW - even though I personally wouldn't want to use anything but a Defender, I would have a hard time arguing against the Dodge being the better vehicle for traveling the vast majority of the region... unless you are dead set on finding the absolute toughest trails or going rock crawling. The fact is that you will spend much of your time on pavement or well kept dirt roads and for these the dodge is faster, quieter and more comfortable. Parts for the dodge are readily available in any town or city, and if you need a mechanic he's not going to stare at you and say he doesn't work on Toyota Land Rovers (someone actually said that to me the other day...) Not to mention you will have way more room in the Dodge.

The flip side is the Defender will put a smile on your face every time you get in it, people will want to talk to you everywhere you go, if you have mechanical skills it is easier to repair yourself (a well setup Defender is actually very reliable), and if you want to explore the 2% of the toughest trails it will go places the Dodge can't if for no other reason than it is a smaller vehicle.... Using a Defender for 99% of North American travel is about passion for the breed, not logical thinking.

 

[Haf-E]

Technically, the Land Rover Defender didn't go into production until 1990 - so a 1988 model would be a "110". I think you would use up most of your budget just getting a nice, rust free, reliable Land Rover "Defender" that was up to the requirements - a US pick-up truck with flat bed would be much cheaper. Your description of the two vehicles is very apples and oranges - perhaps you should think more of how you want to travel (particularly in the wet PNW and possibly buggy Alaska) and then determine which vehicle would fit better. Roof top tents in the rain are not much fun (from experience).

 

[TELOS]

I am a Defender owner and live in the PNW - even though I personally wouldn't want to use anything but a Defender, I would have a hard time arguing against the Dodge being the better vehicle for traveling the vast majority of the region... unless you are dead set on finding the absolute toughest trails or going rock crawling. The fact is that you will spend much of your time on pavement or well kept dirt roads and for these the dodge is faster, quieter and more comfortable. Parts for the dodge are readily available in any town or city, and if you need a mechanic he's not going to stare at you and say he doesn't work on Toyota Land Rovers (someone actually said that to me the other day...) Not to mention you will have way more room in the Dodge.

The flip side is the Defender will put a smile on your face every time you get in it, people will want to talk to you everywhere you go, if you have mechanical skills it is easier to repair yourself (a well setup Defender is actually very reliable), and if you want to explore the 2% of the toughest trails it will go places the Dodge can't if for no other reason than it is a smaller vehicle.... Using a Defender for 99% of North American travel is about passion for the breed, not logical thinking.

I think you said it perfectly. Yesterday, I was running some errands around town and working on some small projects around the house (fixing a retaining wall outside, installing a new window...) and had to make a few trips to the small hardware store and lumbar yard in town. No matter how many trips I want to go on, days like that are very common and I couldn't help but think: which would I rather live with when not on expedition?

A 1990 Defender or 1988-1989 110 with a 200tdi or 300tdi swap would just be a dream come true for the 90% of times when I'm not traveling. I don't need anything fancy, don't need all the bells and whistles of a new vehicle, and just want something with a lot of character that will make me smile every time I go somewhere in it.

Thanks, everyone, for your help!


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