1993 Land Rover Defender from UK and Ireland - Comments

Replaced shocks at 100K.

Replaced front drive shaft at 150K.

Rear wiper motor at 120K.

It's loud and slow to warm up, a bit rattly and the seats are a joke.

There is a load of room to carry stuff and towing, although not quick, is always a pleasure. It has never failed to start and has always taken me home.

The handling is better than a Discovery in my opinion, but comfort is not an important factor in these cars. I've had it over 100,000 miles now and the best thing I can say is; someone will have to pry the keys from my dead hand!

I own a Red (really wanted Eastnor Green but beggars etc) 1993 Land Rover Defender CSW with the 200 Tdi engine. I have fitted a cubby box to replace the front middle 'killer' seat and have Trakkers in the middle row with the recliner kit (the kids still complain!). I purchased the vehicle in 1994 (25,000 miles) and have recently passed the 100K mile mark. I have loved every minute of owning this vehicle even when it nearly killed me a month ago when it fell off the jack! It has only let me down once when the battery failed. I live in England and drive to Scotland one or twice a year (over 400 miles- usually in one go). I always feel refreshed after the journey, without the backache that a lot of 'modern' cars have given me. It's used every day and I give it a full service every 5,000 miles using synthetic oil in the engine. I have recently added Micro Mu2 additive to the oils and have detected a noticeable difference in terms of quietness and performance improvement. I also use Millers Diesel Plus every fill-up.

I said when I got it that it would be the last vehicle I bought (I'm only 47 and don't intend popping my clogs for at least another 30 years and I expect to be buried or cremated in it). My son asked me 'if you had all the money in the world, what car would you buy?

I replied ' I've already bought it! '

I live in the very treacherous Silicon Valley in California and have owned my d-90 since new in 94. I bought the vehicle to end my old car problems and have had nothing but problems since.

The first major problem was with the parking brake catching on to the drive train when warm and causing vibrations and noise when stopping. Rover of San Jose fixed the problem in only three visits.

Between other little inconviences came the big one two years ago. In first gear going about five miles per hour on pavement, the whole transmission and transfer case broke and the bill for that was huge.

My d-90 has always leaked oil and one of the gaskets to the exhaust system has been replaced. I read all these stories of people who love their Rovers and after all this I do too, but I've had enough and it's for sale now.

I will never buy another Land Rover and live the Rover lifestyle the rest of my days.

I agree with the last persons comments. My friend has had two D90's in the past five years & every time we went off road the thing broke down & I had to tow him home with my Jeep that cost 1/3 that of his D90. The D90 is overweight, overpriced, and underpowered - 190hp from a V8? Piece of junk!!!

I've had my Landy defender 110 since 1997 and is still going strong after - wait for it - 286K on the clock. I have serviced this "Beast" every 2 months (It's off-road quite often) and the only faults that I've encountered are with the windscreen wipers (yes they're prehistoric), time taken to warm up, and I've upgraded the seating. at 280K miles I upgraded the suspension (which I admit could have found cheaper if I looked harder for the parts) and fitted a wrench for pulling me up those mountains when I need it! Also this is good for helping out fellow drivers whose inferior Shoguns and RAV4's can't handle the everyday pleasures of Defender territory. I'll be buying another when this one dies - EVENTUALLY.

Look after a Land Rover Defender and you can guarantee it will look after you. On the road, imagine it. some idiot in a Micra (not like I have anything against Micras) crashes into the back of you and writes it off. WOULD YOU EVEN FEEL THAT? One of the safest places to be, and excellent visibility. ("I can see my house from here"...)

Top speed isn't brilliant (I've had 85mph) and I've drove quieter vehicles out there, but this is in a league of its own. Buy one - especially if you want the guarantee that when you leave home - you'll return to it. Safely.

All you guys who hate Defenders are wrong!! I love my LR. Its everything you could ever ask for in a 4x4. Mine is a 94 and has clocked 117K miles, but it's running stronger than ever! Everyone who has a chance should pick up a D90 a.s.a.p! They are truly great 4x4's.

I have been thinking of getting a D90 or 110 for a while, but all these reports of breaking down all the time are starting to scare me. Especially since it's such an expensive car for what it is!

Should I spend my money elsewhere? I really love the defender, but I'm thinking that maybe I could just get an older Toyota 4runner and know in the back of my mind that it is a cheaper and more reliable car to drive.

I live in Melbourne, Australia and I'd only go 4WD about 2 or 3 times a month and an interstate trip about 2 times a year, most of my everyday driving would be on road.

What are your thoughts?

In relation to buying a Landy Defender or a 4Runner. It really depends on what you are doing. The Landy is noisy and uncomfortable, but it is rugged and capable. My father ran a series II for 20 years before upgrading to a TDi Defender which I have since inherited. (No, I would not let him be buried in it).

Off road it is brilliant. With very few modifications it constantly amazes other 4x4 drivers who have done the full makeover.

On road it is noisy and a tad slow. It is a bit awkward in the city (Sydney, Australia) - Definitely NOT a family sedan. I forgive its rough edges because I know it will bring me back from the next off road adventure.

Finally as for breakdowns. I have never had to have it towed (On road or off). It has suffered a similar level of failures to other vehicles. None have been particularly major. It is cheaper than I would have expected to repair. A previous comment was keep an eye on fluid levels and I can attest to this- If oil or water can leak from a Landy then it will leak!

Have had a couple of Land Rovers including an SIII and a model unique to Australia and I believe the pinnacle of Land Rover reliability, a 4 speed County with the 3.9 Isuzu Diesel.

I spent 10 years of a longish time as a mechanic in a coastal town working on many four wheel drives, including all the usual suspects from Japan, Landies and the occasional Jeep. The reality is that Land Rover build vehicles that are less than perfect, especially when viewed in the light of Japanese build quality.

If you are willing to live with the build quality, service costs ($1k to do the timing belt properly!!), semi regular manufacturing failures (ie; timing case castings on Tdi) they reward with off road perfomance that is unrivaled.

Finally, as with all British cars of the sixties, if it stops leaking - it's empty!

For those who have had nothing, but problems, we must be referring to a different truck. The Land Rovers Defender is, without question, the longest lived, most reliable, off road vehicle in existence. I've had my D-90 across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. I have literally pulled nearly ever imaginable truck out of the mud. These trucks are common fodder in the most difficult places on earth, and for good reason. They will literally go anywhere, and do not rust. I have been on safari with Defenders with over 300,000 miles, and have never seen a paved road. Try that in a Jeep Wrangler. However, they are quite noisy on highways. Most people in America buy truck to look cool in. They are almost never taken off road, certainly anywhere remotely challenging. If you want to look cool, this is not your truck. The Defender is a simple purpose vehicle, not for the highway and grocery runs. If you want to cross Namibia, this is the only option.

I live in Dublin Ireland the roads are pothole marked about every 10meters. I have to do something as in the past 4 years my shocks on my Opel Astra have had to be changed 2 times, note it is only a 5 year old car! Could it be the Jeep for me? What will the wife say?

The wife will say: "Why did I marry someone with no grasp of punctuation?"

Sure the Defender 90 is a great vehicle, but not everybody has the $75,000 to ante up. Hence, the $25,000 Wrangler begins to look pretty attractive at 1/3 the price, and with most people never realizing a significant difference in performance. I'm not convinced that a Wrangler couldn't perform just as well in the Namibian deserts, but how many American cars of any kind do you really see in Africa to begin with? it maybe an import issue rather than a vehicle capability issue.

Actually I've spent a lot of time in Africa - I was born there and lived there until not very long ago, and the reason there are no American cars cruising around the velt is because we've been using Land Rovers for so long and we know that they are the best at what they do. As a child, my mom used to drive a Series III which she drove from London, via Europe and the Middle East, before having it shipped to Tanzania and driving it the rest of the way home to South Africa. She refused to part with it and it never really gave many problems either. My dad tried a Pajero once, but we ended up towing it out with the SIII every time it got stuck. My dad now owns a Jeep, and it is a maintenance nightmare. I don't drive a 4X4 at the moment, but I'm in the search for one, and there's only one I'm going to buy.

Hi, I am disgusted at all the bad press the Defender is getting.

Let's start with driving. Sure, it's a little noisy (I own a 1983 110 Hi-Cap pick up), but it's not that bad, and could even have a radio.

To drive, I prefer the Defender above all else. It is high off the ground and you get excellent vision all round. The handling is good, and the engine is powerful.

Off road there is nothing like it. The combination of great suspension, good handling, a great engine (the standard 2.5) and the solid feel of the car makes the best car there is for off roading.

I have had no serious problems (the only one being the battery doesn't hold charge), and I think the Defender is a great car. 10/10!

Totally agree with the above comment.

The Land rover Defender does what is says on the tin, ie : it is a workhorse, not a modern comfortable tin box.

This is a marmite car, love it or hate it.

If you buy a Land rover of any sort you must be ready to get your hands dirty, if you have a bit of common sense and a few tools it is very easy and inexpensive to fix.

Just good old school mechanics with all inherited design faults from the 50's.

Maintenance is the key, as any car, as long as it has had regular services it will last a very long time.

I have an 89' 110 hardtop 2.5td bought as a heavy smoker / wreck but drove it for 2000 miles to home!

Bought it for £1k, has not let me down.

Having many major faults I refurbished it for 1,5K£ and quite a few hours!

Love it or hate it, it is the best 4x4 by far.