This has helped me to manage my Rover Defender envy

fike

Adventurer
I can't decide if I love the air vent or hate the air vent. With a rover, there is no room for being wishy washy.
 

stuartr

New member
My dad got one of the new ones in 95, 96 or 97. We had Land Cruisers growing up, and I learned to drive on a 1988 model. I was just finishing high school when he got the Defender, and I did not get it. I thought it was ridiculous...it was so loud and clunky and cold... It did not make sense for us and the way we used it...he sold it after maybe a year. The LC was a much better balance for us. I suppose if he had kept it it would have been a good investment! I sold the ´88 Land Cruiser for 7000 dollars around the year 2000, so clearly the Defender retained more value!

It's only now that I live in Iceland that I can appreciate them, but I don't think I would ever buy one. They certainly are very cool and very capable off road, but even most of the Icelanders prefer Land Cruisers, HiLux's and Patrols for when they really want to go into the worst conditions...
 

Rickbfried

Observer
Doug DeMuro is my hero. Spend a rainy day at home with a few cold ones watching his videos. Best of all are his Hummer H1 videos.
 

The Yak

Observer
There was a recent news piece on the BBC here in the UK saying that since the Defender ceased production, thefts of Defenders in the UK has gone up by 70%.

Despite increasing sales of Japanese 4x4's in the UK there is still a strong demand for the Defender in the UK, and used prices have increased because of that demand.

UK utility companies have been stockpiling and mothballing new Defenders for use in the future because for many only the Defender can do the job.

Japanese 4x4's are better on many levels but sometimes only a Defender can do the job, so the legend lives on!
 

DiscoDavis

Explorer
My dad got one of the new ones in 95, 96 or 97. We had Land Cruisers growing up, and I learned to drive on a 1988 model. I was just finishing high school when he got the Defender, and I did not get it. I thought it was ridiculous...it was so loud and clunky and cold... It did not make sense for us and the way we used it...he sold it after maybe a year. The LC was a much better balance for us. I suppose if he had kept it it would have been a good investment! I sold the ´88 Land Cruiser for 7000 dollars around the year 2000, so clearly the Defender retained more value!

It's only now that I live in Iceland that I can appreciate them, but I don't think I would ever buy one. They certainly are very cool and very capable off road, but even most of the Icelanders prefer Land Cruisers, HiLux's and Patrols for when they really want to go into the worst conditions...

That is an interesting way to look at it!
 

maxingout

Adventurer
I have had 2 Landcruisers and six Defenders. I liked them all. But you can drive a Defender off the show room floor and take it un modified the next day on an expedition.

If I am going on a real expedition, then I will take the Defender.
 

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