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Grumblings from the Land Rover "Defender" community, they want a Bronco

Studawg

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For what its worth, I was talking to a friend who has been a lifelong Land Rover fan. His father owned them, he owns a Defender 90, they've owned them for a long time, restored them, etc... He interacts with others in the LR community as well. We were talking about the Bronco, and how much we liked them. He said that LR had a great opportunity to bring back the Defender and they totally dropped the ball. Then he said a lot of people that had Defenders reserved, cancelled when the Bronco was launched, and reserved a Bronco. ?
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NCOBX

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I don’t get what they were thinking with the Defender. Yea I get it you want to have soft vehicles in off-road brands that are completely incapable but help pad the real deal.

Jeep was able to figure it out, they can add as many wannabe minivans to their lots as possible as long as there is at least one true body on frame off-road vehicle.

LR? What the hell man, they replaced the halo vehicle with a minivan, who’s idea was that? I’m not sure what LR is any more but they don’t have any real off-road vehicles available and without that the brand only has image to sell on.
How long does image last without anything to back it up?

I was actually pretty excited when I heard there was going to be a new defender because America would finally get it back, then it started to leak and I would have bet money it was a bad joke.
 
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Studawg

Studawg

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Agree 100%. I laughed when I first saw it. And Ive always liked Defenders. Never wanted to own one (because LRs really suck and Im a Land Cruiser guy) but I loved the look of Defender 90s and 110s.

When the new defender came out, I saw it and said, that's not a defender!

Then the Bronco came out and as soon as I saw the silver 4 dr with black top coming off the assembly line I thought, THAT looks like a Defender! Why didn't LR do what Ford did?
 

Goocci gang

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Well the new defender is a huge departure from the previous and basically looks like a overpriced Ford flex.

I can see ppl used to land rover flocking to Ford over wranglers as they are used to more options.
 

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vintage

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I owned two D-90's in the past. Really was excited when I heard they were bringing it back. Big disappointment when I saw the end result. To give you a example how they missed the mark, (my wife wants one for a mall cruiser). Looks like that might be their new target market, LOL
 

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I'd go for the new defender 110 in a heartbeat if it wasnt so expensive and likely to have problems. (to buy and own) I prefer how it looks and love the air suspension it has.
 

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Love the front camera system that allows you the view from under the vehicle to see the front tires. Love the top end motor.

Hate the price
Hate the looks

Clueless on the box hanging off the right quarter???
 

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I had 2004 Land Rover. Loved driving it, when it drove. Had to sell it because it was a pile of hot steamy poop. I lost all faith in the Land Rover brand. Plus now they only make mall crawlers...
 

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Love the front camera system that allows you the view from under the vehicle to see the front tires. Love the top end motor.

Hate the price
Hate the looks

Clueless on the box hanging off the right quarter???
It's an outdoor gear box. Basically to throw dirty stuff in to so you don't muck up the inside of your beautiful mall crawler! :ROFLMAO:
 

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I'd go for the new defender 110 in a heartbeat if it wasnt so expensive and likely to have problems. (to buy and own) I prefer how it looks and love the air suspension it has.
I literally went to dealership and did up close in vehicle check out of 4 door Defender. Yeah, it doesn't look like the ones we remember (does a 4 door wranger look like the original .. nah) The spec between a Bronco and Defender is so similar. Yeah, we can talk about IFS, and the ladder frame, axles etc, but the available water and on board air totally cool w/ Defender. And the engine and tow rating. wow.

But, I decided to reserve a Bronco and not buy the Defender. I don't trust the air suspension (std this year option next year) even though when it works it is so cool. But what about those really ugly boxes they are hanging off the side. And their factory roof rack & ladder set-up ugly and doesn't look all that functional. I really like the looks and the paint and the interior.

But the price, dealer add ons, my mis-trust of LR reliability in general & desire to buy American moved me to Bronco. As a current Jeep owner the capabilities of both the Bronco and Defender are more than I will ever use or have used in the past. I just hope the Bronco rides better than my Jeep and is a heck of a lot quieter which I know the Defender would have been. Reserving Bronco not a function of out of pocket $ money, but I believe the value proposition is in the Bronc's favor.
 

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“The spec between a Bronco and Defender is so similar.”

What specs? The Broncos specs include the Body on frame construction, D44 solid rear axle, crawl gear on the manual, cast iron front diff, ability to fit 37s right off the dealers lot with front/rear lockers.
How many of those boxes can the defender check?

No ones honestly going to be off-roading a Defender, other than the old XJ Jeeps, no one is taking a unibody vehicle off-roading. And even on the XJs half of those unibody frames are so twisted up they require weld on exo-frames and the doors don’t line up.

LR could have built a capable off-roader instead they introduced something no more capability than a Subaru, only with worse reliability.
 

jtzako

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I literally went to dealership and did up close in vehicle check out of 4 door Defender. Yeah, it doesn't look like the ones we remember (does a 4 door wranger look like the original .. nah) The spec between a Bronco and Defender is so similar. Yeah, we can talk about IFS, and the ladder frame, axles etc, but the available water and on board air totally cool w/ Defender. And the engine and tow rating. wow.

But, I decided to reserve a Bronco and not buy the Defender. I don't trust the air suspension (std this year option next year) even though when it works it is so cool. But what about those really ugly boxes they are hanging off the side. And their factory roof rack & ladder set-up ugly and doesn't look all that functional. I really like the looks and the paint and the interior.

But the price, dealer add ons, my mis-trust of LR reliability in general & desire to buy American moved me to Bronco. As a current Jeep owner the capabilities of both the Bronco and Defender are more than I will ever use or have used in the past. I just hope the Bronco rides better than my Jeep and is a heck of a lot quieter which I know the Defender would have been. Reserving Bronco not a function of out of pocket $ money, but I believe the value proposition is in the Bronc's favor.
The newer version of the air suspension (which the new defender has) isnt a main concern of mine, it supposedly is pretty reliable. (and has 'overflow' to push the opposite wheel down when one side is stuffed to improve traction)
As for the box, that is an accessory and you can take it off. You can also 'delete' the metal panel behind it if you get the 110. (I think it is permanent on the 90)
My main concern with the Defender is who makes it (not known for reliability and parts are expensive after warranty) and the cost to buy it.
 

BroncoChicken

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I’m lost on Land Rover. They build seven crossovers on 20” wheels with low profile tires. I can’t imagine there is much legitimate off-road capability In any of them. Reliability as a whole is terrible. They’ve completely lost sight of who they were.
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