Quick Survey - Bronco or Defender?

[XirallicBolts]

Just for giggles, we tried doing a build-and-price on a Discovery. The site had very little information and I couldn't even figure out what *colors* were available. I'm guessing you need to go to a dealer and I'm not the kind of person to deal with that level of pretension.

 

[John Auer]

I DID consider a new Defender. Then I thought about the maintenance cost, sticker price, depreciation and how bad they rank in the JD Powers report.

That being said, if I were to get a Defender and money wasn’t a huge deciding factor, it’d be this one. A 1990 110 V8.

Now that’s a Rover! All LR had to do was modernize the technology and keep that styling. They wouldn’t be able to keep pace with the demand.

 

[John Auer]

At 6’4” you can make just about anything seem small, lol

The Bronco sports an old school vibe, the styling is timeless. The Defender has morphed into something unrecognizable.

 

[mikeeshim]

I DID consider a new Defender. Then I thought about the maintenance cost, sticker price, depreciation and how bad they rank in the JD Powers report.

That being said, if I were to get a Defender and money wasn’t a huge deciding factor, it’d be this one. A 1990 110 V8.

You could get a Bentley or a Lambo for the price of this '90 Defender, and I'm with you. I'd go for the '90. The new Defender has nothing close to the original. I had both on order and after seeing the D90 in person, I walked away from it and couldn't be happier. I've never been happier driving a car than I am now in my 2D Bronco.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Here's an except from Motor Trends 20k mile wrap up on the Defender that should win a few over here .

"The most amazing thing, to me, is that it is so competent off-road and yet so good to drive on-road. Vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco feel clumsy on-road, yet the Defender is not just competent on curvy roads, it's really good."

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/...g-term-test-review-update-7-from-the-logbook/

 

[Newdoc]

Defender is not just competent on curvy roads, it's really good."

For a decent build running into the $80k range, it better be good. And reliable.

 

[George Ellis]

I get it, this is a Bronco forum so the responses will be bias. That being said, just wondering how many have considered the Defender and what your thoughts are comparing it to the Bronco.
Let the games begin!

Consumer Reports rates them about even with the Defender being a little more comfortable inside.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

For a decent build running into the $80k range, it better be good. And reliable.

Seems it was on both.

 

[604Bronco]

I considered a Defender while I was waiting for my Bronco. I do like the look of them and the styling inside and out, however I know long term I'd prefer the Bronco. I also think the Defender is a little too "luxurious" and I wanted the more utilitarian Bronco.

Plus I was reading far too much about issues with the Defender - But I know all makes and models have some issues.

 

[Norville]

I was all on board with the Bronco to start and their pricing strategy rubbed me the wrong way (just how it works these days with burying certain options behind $6k of stuff I don't want). I've looked at everything from the new Defender to a Cayenne, and other vehicles not in this segment (I kid you not, I've looked at over 40 makes and models). I'm now 100% in the Grenadier camp. I hope I can come up with a good down payment. Just waiting on the final pricing for the USA and keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[jbellousux]

Nice looking rig. Don’t see too many 2 doors.

 

[Fold]

To me the Defender looks most at home in a mall parking lot.

 

[bluesun68]

The Defender is great on the highway, and the sunroof makes it easy to get the open air feel. I doubt I'll ever take the top off the bronco. But they don't let you lock the diffs, as far as I'm aware. So you can see it in videos, the bronco reaches a shelf and just climbs right up. With the defender, you have to floor it to get the revs above 3k with only one wheel turning before the computer will lock the diff. Then if you let off the gas for even a second the diff lock goes away. In the video I saw, the defender is just banging against the shelf, over and over, before the computer locks the diff and climbs out. Or if you are in mud, it will dig a hole, one wheel at a time, and you will still be in it at the end. Other than that it sucks if you don't live in a big city as that is the only place they have dealers. So if you live in a big city and don't want to go off road, the defender is probably nicer on the highways. No wind noise even at 85, until you open the sun roof. And even then it wasn't bad.

 

[zombie]

If I could get a new defender with a stick shift, maybe...

 

[DryYourTears]

To me the Defender looks most at home in a mall parking lot.

I disagree. (don't recall if this is a re-post in this very old thread - I can dig up plenty of others, but this is one of my favorites)

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