Navman
Adventurer
Because the English people are really short. Oh, wait...
That is the reason I switched from a D1 to LR3. I used to get cramps in my right leg and a stiff neck from always have to tilt my head to the left to see out the windshield.
Why I love my Land Rover
- Thread starter LtFuzz
- Start date
Because the English people are really short. Oh, wait...
That is the reason I switched from a D1 to LR3. I used to get cramps in my right leg and a stiff neck from always have to tilt my head to the left to see out the windshield.
Chazz Layne
Administrator
I wasn't going to buy one at first, I almost ended up in an F150. In fact, if the dealership in Mission Viejo, CA hadn't been on my daily commute I may never have had one. I'd been casually looking for a new vehicle for months, and stopped in for nothing but mere curiosity. The thing I remember most when I first sat in the driver's seat of a Discovery - it felt like the entire truck had been custom built just for me. The seat was just the right size, all the controls in just the right place, every button within effortless reach and logically laid out, and the "commanding" view was simply amazing compared to any previous vehicle I had owned.
I second most of the other responses, and couldn't see anything else as my primary vehicle (though I would drop my D2 in a heartbeat if it meant getting a 130 TDI crew cab).
DividingCreek
Explorer
Stick with the D2 unless you want to give up everything you just said you love about your Rover. This coming from someone who drives a tdi 130 as a dd.
I've heard that type of thing from a few Defender owners.
The best I heard was that headlights behind you are blinding through the windscreen. The light comes in the back windows, reflect off the flat windshield like a mirror, and then blind you.
A 130CC (and a D90 soft-top, and a D110 wagon) is on my lottery list. But I'd also snatch up a shedload of rust-free 2004 Discos and put them in a warehouse somewhere for future use.
DividingCreek
Explorer
I don't have any glare issues. I have a hoop set and canvas over the load bed so not much light coming in through the two plastic windows and then the window @ the back of the cab. That and I'm up above the majority of headlights. A tdi defender is noisy @ idle and the decibels go up signifigantly to the point that I rarely try to hear the 200 watt stereo with Boston speakers (that was a financial waste). Discoverys have carpet and sound insulation. In a defender if you pick up the rubber floor mat theres the thin aluminnum floor and lots of drive train noise. Mine is worse than most as I have very noisy 33inch km2's and I'm currently running a cone type K&N for max power and mpg (lots of intake noise and turbo scream). When running the stock filter and snorkle intake noise and turbo whistle are greatly reduced but the performance drop is noticeable. The ergonomics that Chas said he loved about the d2 were never a consideration in the spartan defender. Defender seats and disco 2 seats aren't much of a comparison either although like everything else about the defender they are easy to work on. I recently totally re-upholstered my front seats and added seat heaters in about 3hrs time total which included new foams and removing and re installing the seats in the truck. Disco's have a nice ride. 130's are sprung quite stiff being a 5/4 ton rated pickup. The soft bfg sidewalls help a bit there but its going to spill your coffee regularly.
All the above said, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Its just not the mythical beast some seem to yearn for. More of an acquired taste.
All the above said, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Its just not the mythical beast some seem to yearn for. More of an acquired taste.
timmy!!!!!!!
Explorer
I either want a 90 wagon or a 110 wagon. Someday... Maybe if I had one I would put my disco back to stock... Ok probably not.
Doug how much am I looking at buying a 90 or 110 and shipping it to new Orleans? That is something I have always wondered. You can pm if that is best.
Doug how much am I looking at buying a 90 or 110 and shipping it to new Orleans? That is something I have always wondered. You can pm if that is best.
DividingCreek
Explorer
Timmy- find the truck that interests you and tell me where it is and I'll back into an exact quote. The port of New Orleans isn't called on by most of the cheaper shiping lines. East coast or Galveston are better faster cheaper.
Don't you want to get out of college first ?
Doug, curious, what is the frame and axles like on that 130? Is the frame similar in construction to all the other trucks? I'm guessing you have Sals axles or something. What's the heaviest truck that ever came with Disco axles?
Just started thinking about that the other day, since my truck is getting heavier, GVWR is looming...
But then the other day I was watching a show on armored vehicles, they were doing up a modern Range Rover. Added 2000lbs to the thing. They've got to be well over GVWR once they add 4 passengers.
It sort of reinforced my believe that GVWR isn't necessarily set by determining the maximum the vehicle can take. But rather set by marketting early on, and the engineering must meet or exceed that, and often exceeds it, but the rating stays with the original target.
Anyway, sort of off-topic, but I'm curious how the 130 compares to the smaller trucks since we're on that topic. I didn't know the 130 was rated at 5/4 ton. That's a hell of a lot for a "little" pickup.
Just started thinking about that the other day, since my truck is getting heavier, GVWR is looming...
But then the other day I was watching a show on armored vehicles, they were doing up a modern Range Rover. Added 2000lbs to the thing. They've got to be well over GVWR once they add 4 passengers.
It sort of reinforced my believe that GVWR isn't necessarily set by determining the maximum the vehicle can take. But rather set by marketting early on, and the engineering must meet or exceed that, and often exceeds it, but the rating stays with the original target.
Anyway, sort of off-topic, but I'm curious how the 130 compares to the smaller trucks since we're on that topic. I didn't know the 130 was rated at 5/4 ton. That's a hell of a lot for a "little" pickup.
DividingCreek
Explorer
Paladin,
The main frame rails are double thickness. The rear axle is a disc brake salisbury and the front is the normal rover 24 spline. Rover stopped using the salisbury on 110's back with the Td5 model and I'm not sure since I haven't seen any newer 130's but believe they also now run the normal Rover axle- a good place to check on that is The AULRO site-.http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/
I use the truck hard- regularly towing 7-8000 lbs. for a total of well over 12-13000. As a function of milage (254k)and wear and tear and some no doubt due to how I use it I have relaced the rear diff, both rear shafts (broken), both rear flanges with HD's (stripped one of the stock ones), all U joints, tcase, r380, engine, and short side front axle and both flanges. The truck has vented front and solid rear rotors. The rear setup is a dual spring one with a large soft outer spring and a stiff inner.
When I hook up my 2000lb car tariler and the pull a 5000lb 110 on it the rear compresses maybe an inch but the front usually comes up an inch and a half.
When winding the jack down to unhook its surprising how little the truck moves when the weight is removed.
The main frame rails are double thickness. The rear axle is a disc brake salisbury and the front is the normal rover 24 spline. Rover stopped using the salisbury on 110's back with the Td5 model and I'm not sure since I haven't seen any newer 130's but believe they also now run the normal Rover axle- a good place to check on that is The AULRO site-.http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/
I use the truck hard- regularly towing 7-8000 lbs. for a total of well over 12-13000. As a function of milage (254k)and wear and tear and some no doubt due to how I use it I have relaced the rear diff, both rear shafts (broken), both rear flanges with HD's (stripped one of the stock ones), all U joints, tcase, r380, engine, and short side front axle and both flanges. The truck has vented front and solid rear rotors. The rear setup is a dual spring one with a large soft outer spring and a stiff inner.
When I hook up my 2000lb car tariler and the pull a 5000lb 110 on it the rear compresses maybe an inch but the front usually comes up an inch and a half.
When winding the jack down to unhook its surprising how little the truck moves when the weight is removed.
Chazz Layne
Administrator
What if I'm bored with creature comforts and in the mood for an overlander that handles like a farm tractor?
DividingCreek
Explorer
What if I'm bored with creature comforts and in the mood for an overlander that handles like a farm tractor?
LOL -then its all good !
Snagger
Explorer
As said, the Salisbury rear axle was dropped at about the same time as the 300TDi was replaced by the TD5. Modern 110s and 130s use 4-pin Rover diffs with short pinions in the rear axle, as used on the P38 Range Rover. It's probably not as strong as the Salisbury, but is not far off it, and is cheaper for LR because it's a more widely used part that doesn't need a special axle casing.
greenmeanie
Adventurer
The TD5 Defender came in 1998. The 4 pin diff arrived in the rear axle of updated Defenders in 2002 along with revised dash, door structure, engine and a host of other tweaks.