JeepColorado
Well-known member
The irony of you continuing to call people names such as "petty children" and "trolls" while at the same time complaining about the nature of the conversation is pretty comical.
New Defender Rage/Hate Thread
- Thread starter DieselRanger
- Start date
The irony of you continuing to call people names such as "petty children" and "trolls" while at the same time complaining about the nature of the conversation is pretty comical.
Blaise
Well-known member
For the 1000th time, the replacement is more capable than the old defender. It may not make sense to you, but as somebody who's done 35k miles around the PNW over the last 2 years (and 50k miles previously during a long-term trip across the entire country), I can't go back to a noisy uncomfortable truck which is better on hardcore 4x4 trails that I almost never encounter. Note: I don't avoid them, they just don't exist outside of a 4x4 park. I stupidly fell for the 'you need 33" E-rated tires and rock rails and a lift to travel' mentality which seems to be extremely popular around here. Now I'm on 31s and on air ride and I still never find the truck holding me back. So why would I compromise comfort to get 35s?
If you haven't tried air ride, I suggest you do. You'll see why folks are fussing over it.
PS: Haven't noticed anyone comment about how the new bronco has less suspension travel than the new Defender. Things that make you go HMMMMMMMM
JeepColorado
Well-known member
It's the nature of the internet. When you can hide behind a screen for some reason people instantly go to the lowest possible state of existence.
I HATE THIS AND IM RIGHT AND YOU'RE WRONG AND GRRRRRRRR I HAVE AN OPINION! Jeep means just empty every pocket! The JL had a statistically insignificant number of nonconforming welded components which were recalled SO ITS NOT WORTH BUYING RUN AWAY BAD QUALITY. Ford means FOUND ON ROAD DEAD! I know so bc my '99 expedition blew 3 headgaskets!
So glad that social media comments have zero impact into the R&D programs I work lol
I've really only seen a few people get "worked up" on here- at least so far as I'd use that term. @Victory_Overland challenging anyone who didn't agree that the Defender is amazing to a battle in the woods and @Corgi_express inability to write a single post without the word "troll" in it.......other than that I've seen a lot of people have very reasonable conversations about their observations of a key vehicle in a lifestyle they have passion for.....you know, kind of one of the main points of a forum like this.
It seems that some people on here seem to think that any negative opinion of a Defender is "trolling" and any comment about a vehicle that they like is going to the "lowest state of existence"
We've been having a great discussion about the Wrangler vs Bronco vs Defender numbers and styling- would love for you to join it!
Question and a bit of a rant... Who has thought "If only I could remove the doors and roof of my car before I go off-roading, I'd be a happy man...", lately? I have been wheeling for 15 years and that thought hasn't occurred to me once. Maybe if I was driving something with terrible visibility, but that's never been an issue on my Land Rovers. What's with this infatuation and excitement of all reviewers about doors and roof that can be removed "in less than an hour!!!"? Don't you guys hate dust, sand, mud, bugs, sunburns, heat, cold, spiny bushes and the occasional tree branch reaching out to you? Do you all wear a helmet off the pavement, like they do at King of Hammers?
Whenever I off-road here (deserts and mountains mostly), all my windows stay firmly shut, climate at a comfortable 72 and air recirculation button firmly pressed - unless I forget to press it. I hate dust. Removable doors?!? I wish Land Rover had a button that remembers I selected recirc. instead of forgetting every time I shut off the engine, I'd get super excited about that! If I must look outside, instead of removing the whole frigging door I may roll down the driver window and poke my head out (once the dust has settled, lol), that's about it. That's as much fresh air and visibility as I need.
And where would I leave doors and roof anyway? In the garage at home? At the trailhead? What if it rains? Oh look, amazingly the 4-door Bronco can store them all in the car. Jeeps can't do that, wow, what an increadible feat. Would they fit above my fridge, recovery gear, chairs, bags, and all the other crap I carry back there?
Rant over. Carry on.
Whenever I off-road here (deserts and mountains mostly), all my windows stay firmly shut, climate at a comfortable 72 and air recirculation button firmly pressed - unless I forget to press it. I hate dust. Removable doors?!? I wish Land Rover had a button that remembers I selected recirc. instead of forgetting every time I shut off the engine, I'd get super excited about that! If I must look outside, instead of removing the whole frigging door I may roll down the driver window and poke my head out (once the dust has settled, lol), that's about it. That's as much fresh air and visibility as I need.
And where would I leave doors and roof anyway? In the garage at home? At the trailhead? What if it rains? Oh look, amazingly the 4-door Bronco can store them all in the car. Jeeps can't do that, wow, what an increadible feat. Would they fit above my fridge, recovery gear, chairs, bags, and all the other crap I carry back there?
Rant over. Carry on.
85_Ranger4x4
Well-known member
For the 1000th time, the replacement is more capable than the old defender. It may not make sense to you, but as somebody who's done 35k miles around the PNW over the last 2 years (and 50k miles previously during a long-term trip across the entire country), I can't go back to a noisy uncomfortable truck which is better on hardcore 4x4 trails that I almost never encounter. Note: I don't avoid them, they just don't exist outside of a 4x4 park. I stupidly fell for the 'you need 33" E-rated tires and rock rails and a lift to travel' mentality which seems to be extremely popular around here. Now I'm on 31s and on air ride and I still never find the truck holding me back. So why would I compromise comfort to get 35s?
If you haven't tried air ride, I suggest you do. You'll see why folks are fussing over it.
PS: Haven't noticed anyone comment about how the new bronco has less suspension travel than the new Defender. Things that make you go HMMMMMMMM
I can see updating. But you pull the badges off the new Defender it could be mistaken for a Scion. Or a Hyundai. Or any other appliance SUV out there.
Unlike say the Jeep, Bronco, Mustang, Camaro, Porsche etc where they have a classic vehicle that has really deep roots... and the new version still kinda sorta looks like its ancestor.
It was a dark green Defender 90 that was parked in the executive parking at work that caught my eye and hooked me on them. Must have been a visitor because I only ever saw it there once.
I hate the internal rollcage in the Jeeps, at least Bronco kinda fixed it or at least made it better I think.
About climate controlled comfort:
My dd has air, I run it pretty much all summer like most everybody. Last year I drove my old Ranger from SW Iowa to eastern Ohio. Trip was a riot and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Anyway the ol' girl don't have A/C so it was windows down the whole way. It is amazing the smells you miss with the A/C on. Went thru a small town festival, smelling all the food as I drove down the main drag was really fun. Drove past a big tomato harvesting machine that was running. Who knew you could smell tomatoes as they are being picked? I didn't. Went thru another town that was having a special on fried chicken that smelled really good. Go thru a pine forest... that smelled good too. The weather was in the 80's so it wasn't bad.
It was kind of eye opening the things I didn't know I was missing with the windows up in my little bubble. If I had my '150 or pretty much anything else the windows would have been up and ignorance is bliss.
But yeah, I would rather have a hard top gladiator or Bronco.
Blaise
Well-known member
I'm gonna trigger some folks here - but the doors off, roof off thing is for on-road use. To be seen. To show off how COOL and DIFFERENT you are. Unless you catch a nice cool spring or fall day in Moab on the slickrock... hard pass. My neighbor takes his doors and roof off on his lifted Rubicon with 35"s. He's never even been down a dirt road with it. But he'll drive to work with mud terrains and no mirrors....
We spend a LOT of time off pavement and 99% of the time the windows are shut, as is the sunroof. For all the reasons you stated above. But the LR3 has a cabin filter so we dont use the recirculate.
T-Willy
Well-known member
I'm with you. I hate dust. I love doors--solid doors. I like solid roofs without seams, removable panels or sunroofs. Holes in roofs, sunroofs, will ultimately someday leak, thereby defeating the purpose of having a roof in the first place. Why bother? I want a tight, solid cabin that separates passengers from the elements. Period. I've got windows if I want to feel the wind in my hair. Okay, my rant over too.
Blaise
Well-known member
I guess I'm different. I care how it drives and how it performs. I don't care who mistakes it for what. If Hyundai came out with a better driving, capable SUV that hit all my needs, I'd buy it. Even if it looked like an Elantra. I've got nothing to prove to anyone.
JeepColorado
Well-known member
I agree--- I'd rather avoid the dust and the heat- occasionally, I've driven across a few fields with the top and doors off where it's dry and not dusty and that can be a lot of fun, but generally, I'd be fine to see the removable top and doors go.
JeepColorado
Well-known member
But then why not get the Land Cruiser 200? ...that's where I think the Defender misses the mark. It's not better at really anything. It's not as "fun" as a Jeep or Bronco...the design is a little boring. If rock-solid utility is more your thing- it looses out to the LC 200. Much more reliable, basically as capable and although dated- it's "luxurious" enough to be comfortable. If luxury is the most important factor, then there are Infinity's and Lexus and M-B.
It's like the modern Defender has an identity crisis- it doesn't know what it wants to be- it's multi-tasking so much it ends up not being great at any of them.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Beaches. The hwy bridge to Keys. Key Largo, Key West. Ocala national forest. Whatever that forest south of Tallahassee is. East Harbor State park (left my doors in my spare tent, the bike tent). Bass Island.
Those are all places where top down doors off, is absolutely priceless.
If it rains, you get wet. You're in a bathing suit anyways. Base camping? I often left my doors under someone else's TT.
I do see your point though. It's mostly a gimmick, until it's not. I just hate how Jeeps and convertibles have regular interiors. I wish they were more roadster-like.
Price would be my main reason for not getting one. They’re more expensive new and used than the equivalent Defender.
TexasTJ
Climbing Nerd
Dang Guys yall of soft. From 18 to 32 I only had my Doors and top on my Jeep if it was Raining or below 40 degrees outside. On the Trail Doors and Top off, Around the city Doors and top off, at the Lake on high way. One time I went form Austin to Ouray with the Doors on and only a Bikini top. But Everyone get to do what they want that's why Cars have options...
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JeepColorado
Well-known member
When I was in my 20s I drove a TJ on 35s from Mississippi to Arizona for Army training with the top and doors off-- it was incredible- crossing parts of Texas at night when it was a little cool out. Those moments are really cool to have the ability to take the top and doors off