I accept your points, but there is still something perculiarly special, if not unique, about the UK affection for Land Rover Defenders and probably even more so for the earlier series.
Whereas, those other marques just have their enthusiasts, and their clubs, but when you see those landies scattered across some show or camping field it simply, well ----------- it works!

Anyone for a Mitsu Delica or a VW Syncro?

ps I also had a Prado for a short time: stupidly expensive insurance especially as it is a Colorado in all but badge: totally.
Mine was a "big" LWB but still with the small 3 litre lump: no one waved to me either.

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Dave

Who appointed you as the voice of all land rover owners!

If someone posts extolling the virtues of a particular marque, of course it will generate debate!!

what you omit to recognise is that many landcruiser owners have at some point owned a landrover, the same is not so true the other way round. Once someone has owned a landcruiser, it is rare for them to go back to landrovers (I have known it, but it's rare)

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

inevitably it ends up as TLC vs landrover because they are the most common marques used in overlanding, and also inevitably if someone starts a post extolling the virtues of one of those marques it will lead to comment from the other side. So long as that remains friendly and not personally insulting, that's a reasonable debate to be had. I could equally extol the virtues of the G wagon, which would deffo be on my list of expedition possibilities, but tends to be a bit pricey for me (probably with good reason)

I've owned many landrovers (defenders, series and even a 101) and driven many many more. I was a landrover fanatic, even got the Tshirt, but when I needed a cheap second hand vehicle to go overlanding in a 3k landrover just wasn't going to cut it with a 3k toyota in terms of reliability. When I got to the stage of being able to afford to get a truck built to my specification I was very very tempted to get myself a landy. Unlike the previous poster who is based in the UAE (I think) in the UK the landy is a far far cheaper to maintain, restore and prep than the landcruiser. The range of equipment and accessories is massive and you could build virtually any model of landie from scratch if you wanted, such is the availability of parts. to do so would have cost much less than rebuilding my landcruiser H60, and a lot easier to find parts for!

BUT, I do have a very strong emotional attachment to my cruiser. Doing it up wasn't the most sensible choice from an expedition point of view, I should have bought a G wagon or 80 series, but I love my cruiser, we have a lot of history together

But, we all have our reasons, and like many of the posters above, I don't really care if you travel by landrover, landcruiser or mini as long as you get out there and enjoy it.

BTW, coming out of Portsmouth on the M275 one night on the way back from a trip I did get a beep and a thumbs up from a range rover classic driver

If I'm in my truck, and I see a good honest expedition truck (rather than a new tarted up chequer plated posing machine for going to Tesco), hell yeh, I'll acknowledge them, because I have a respect for people that do this stuff.

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Just to throw a spanner in the works of the LR vs Toyota debate, I'd like to say that I also quite like Nissan Patrols....

I think for some people taking an older Defender or a Landy is part of the adventure, it's an additional challenge to the journey.

As i said in my post....I'm not interested in what you drive.

Yes, i have a truck that i prefer having tried many types, but its the stories and the people that interest me...so no LR bashing from me.

Would still like a wave from all overlanders...so if your in an LR, please wave back......

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Facebook " Kevin Heike " come and say Hello as we travel around the world.

That could be me; always taking the road less travelled.


No one goes to pubs nowadays; they are all being turned into housing, or night clubs, or bistro dining experiences.
Anyway, there used to be 7 areas of discussion about 4 wheels and now there are ---------------------- exactly the same number, but nowhere specifically for LR and LC.
Certainly the ode written to the LR contained in the OP was placed correctly in my view: non-technical with a related post in the "build" forum.


Now your talking! But no poetry as yet.
I'ver asked questions about Nissans in the technical fora in the past, perhaps a couple of years ago.

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Dave

this wasn't supposed to turn into a here's my truck .. mines bigger debate.

Like many others have posted. I dont care what you are overlanding in. A unimog, a land cruiser or a G wagon. I have met them all on the road, and every owner becomes attached to them when you live, eat, travel and sleep in one. Each of them have their flaws - unimog too heavy for some roads, g wagons get stuck quite easily, defenders need attention etc

I was trying to put our point over of why we travel in a defender.

Yes we would stop for any overlander who is stuck... BUT i believe the bond between LR owners would make one go totally out of their way to help. This is what I have experienced in the past

Always had a soft spot for Patrols, especially since one pulled my 7.5ton artic unit out of the mud some years ago, damn fine trucks, very landcruiser like in their build quality, and of course the straight 6 in the older ones, but on the older ones also in their propensity to rust unfortunately!! Makes them a rare beast in the UK now

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Gents please tone down the reaction to one another's posts, the forum is here for debate and to gain info, NOT to turn into a bun fight.

Mods don't want to pull members/contributors up for infractions or suspend or even ban those who continue to diss others.

Please take a deep breath and chill out.

Thanks

Chris

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ChrisC

Pity the 110 and 90 design didn't keep up with the times. The original agricultural designation remained and while capable some interior design work to address poor seats, uncomfortable driving position and dreadful electrics wouldn't go amiss. Iconic? Absolutely. Great to travel vast distances in? Not really. The fact that it's a nice regular shape doesn't help - folk overload them, make them top-heavy and then wonder why they break.

Spent far to many days using and being abused by one on a ranch (Series 2) and more in the army (Series 3 and Defender) to want to have one again

Was so happy when given a Unimog to drive lol

But I understand the attraction. I have no desire for that kind of hobby though ... My desire is to be able to rely on the vehicle, not pray for deliverance. And I know there are countless Landies that give no issues. Except you can't expect to take a mistreated one into the bundu and not have it consume time and money. Pity really.

Haha....The new look site feels like the first day at school..everyone jostling for position and seeing where they fit in..:help smilie:

Kind of normal i think Chris....give it time...give it time...

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Facebook " Kevin Heike " come and say Hello as we travel around the world.

A mental picture of a defender is definitely preprogrammed into the British DNA, bit like tea. I pretty much guarantee if you start talking to a Brit about 4x4's they'll have a defender in mind

Trust me when you have a passion for a particular vehicle the site of a field full is a magical feeling. I have it with old fords and also with my MINI.

BTW members on a uk Landcruiser forum are currently helping out a stranded member in Chile by shipping parts out

"Except you can't expect to take a mistreated one into the bundu and not have it consume time and money. Pity really."

This would seem to apply to any form of transport !

i expected to see this sniping , as you get it on a lot of other forums that are none make specific, and even some that are . People dont seem to be able to resist having to big up their corner , using very questionable logic in some cases, and limited experience in many , gets rather boring . Maybe a bit of self regulation might not go astray , and I am not pushing any "ultimate "
manufacturer, mainly as I have yet to come across one .

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Current : 2007 Mowag Bucher Duro 6x6 Motorhome , 2006 Sedici 4x4, 2007 Range Rover supercharged

Umm - I don't think I was sniping? The design issues are well known - safety issues are also well documented. And other vehicles have the same or similar challenges especially older ones.

But the subject is Land Rover. And unfortunately many people equate the name with capability when that may not be the case. You've got to realise that there are lots of 2nd hand spares in the boonies. For a reason - lots of Land Rovers never left.

And the same is true for other marques.

But this thread is about Land Rovers ...

PS - note I've not made any comparisons to anything else and only noted my joy at swapping a LR for a Unimog in a conflict zone - which most people would be happy about because you can add armour to the 'mog fairly easily

I've just re read all the postings on this subject and to be honest, unless your being rather paranoid, I don't really see much sniping going on. The original article was extolling the virtues of a particular marque, and some have replied in support of that, some have disagreed, and the majority of those who have disagreed (many of whom have stated their considerable experience of landrovers) have stated their reasons why. Thats not sniping, that's reasoned debate. Just because someone doesn't agree with your choices doesn't mean they don't have a valid opinion!

Sniping would be something like 'you drive a xxxx WTF, you loser, only a complete idiot with an unfeasibly small penis would drive one of those, you need to drive a xxxx!'

Which I don't see here.

Most people who have made vehicle choices other than land rover have gone onto to explain that they don't particularly object to any marque, just that they made a different choice and why, and tbh, they seem rather more open minded to other peoples choices than some of the owners of the oval marque!!

I love my HJ60 but I'm sure if I posted something extolling it's virtues as an ideal overlander people may disagree, and probably with good reason, I'm not blindly deluded to it's shortcomings. That's fine, the marque is strong enough to take it, the vehicle is good enough to take it, and, I am happy enough with my choice to take it, and more importantly, it doesn't really matter. It suits me at this point in time and I love it. That's enough for me, I don't have to defend my choice any more than that.

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014