Gelandewagen vs Land Rover

[PUCHG]

We did our own little test over the holiday on our route on the farm during a father and sons outing.

You can have a look at a few video snippets and info about the route on http://www.burchell4x4.co.za/

Must say the RL's reticulation is unbelievable and didn't do cross axle spin so easily as the G, but obviously the diff-locks makes a difference when needed.

Approach,departure angles and ground clearance are very much on par. Departure is slightly better on the LR.

In terms of water and dust tightness the G has the upper hand......

Few photos attached.

[Alan]

Very nice,
My mouth was watering after seeing the boerie and sandwiches on the fire.

BTW. Why is the rear number plate red on top? When we can see it is CG.

[Chris B]

Nice outing and photos!

[Andrew]

Nice looking place - can I go there too?

The LR needs more artic as you point out because it cant lock but that is why it sways around so much on the road. Combined with that absurd rear seat that forces you to look out of the alpine windows no wonder thay are kotch rockets.

But I still like them anyway. Nice and square.

[PUCHG]

Thanks

[at]Alan, think it was some temporary message/sticker that was stick there, but my father will only knows.

[at]Andrew, the RL have no stabilizer arms like the G, think that's why the more artic. But as you said, body-roll on the RL is bad and handling doesn't come near the G's. Do you know if the new G300 have longer coils, maybe more artic?

Cheers

[amzimmy]

Thanks for sharing, interesting the way that the two vehicle behave. The new 300CDI has longer springs (white-white?) and bigger torsion bars then the old 460. However quite "stiff" and no or very little roll.

amzimmy

[munga]

We did our own little test over the holiday on our route on the farm during a father and sons outing.

You can have a look at a few video snippets and info about the route on http://www.burchell4x4.co.za/

Must say the RL's reticulation is unbelievable and didn't do cross axle spin so easily as the G, but obviously the diff-locks makes a difference when needed.

Approach,departure angles and ground clearance are very much on par. Departure is slightly better on the LR.

In terms of water and dust tightness the G has the upper hand......

Few photos attached.

I see you opted for the more aggressive mud tire tread too.

Yes the LR has quite a bit of body roll due to not having stabiliser bars (also true for the early Range Rovers, later fitted with stabilier bars for better road manners).

As you well know when you go around a corner carrying a bit of speed you feel as if the LR is cornering on its door handles. The G's road manners are better and as you mentioned the diff locks help when you loose traction on one of the wheels. You also see the LR breaking traction on one of the wheels so I think difflocks are superior in this regard.

Also looks like the LR has had a substantially harder life than your Puch but looks can be decieving I guess?

[PUCHG]

Munga

Yes, my previous tyres was really useless but were still new, got a good deal in trading them in on the MT's. If our route is wet, you can go nowhere without MT's, even with difflocks.

The LR is well over 300k km's and has payed it's dues on the farm. Of the later 300 Tdi's, probably the last decent defenders, before the Td5's, BMW, electronics, ford, tata came to the party.

Cheers

[munga]

Munga

Yes, my previous tyres was really useless but were still new, got a good deal in trading them in on the MT's. If our route is wet, you can go nowhere without MT's, even with difflocks.

The LR is well over 300k km's and has payed it's dues on the farm. Of the later 300 Tdi's, probably the last decent defenders, before the Td5's, BMW, electronics, ford, tata came to the party.

Cheers

Yes there is no point in having a G and using road tires IMO.

Maybe Tata will save LR. The reality is that the average LR buyer doesn't seem to worry about build quality etc. The advertising or lifestyle seems to be a major selling point. Have you actually driven a Defender? The seating position seems all wrong to me. I like the shape and I think they offer a good value package when bought new but I don't know about after the warranty has gone especially the new ones?

[BosDonkie]

Yes there is no point in having a G and using road tires IMO.

Maybe Tata will save LR. The reality is that the average LR buyer doesn't seem to worry about build quality etc. The advertising or lifestyle seems to be a major selling point. Have you actually driven a Defender? The seating position seems all wrong to me. I like the shape and I think they offer a good value package when bought new but I don't know about after the warranty has gone especially the new ones?

I have driven various LR's upt to the 2002 TD5 Defender 110. Must say, I always liked them for the same reason I love the G. The one I was most fond of was a 300 series Diesel with overdrive 'box. Anything above 70km/h was a bit disrespectful; crawling over rough terrain was what it liked doing most.

Someone I knew fitted difflocks all-round on his TD5 110SW and he was very impressed with it; I never had the opportunity to drive it, though.

As for Tata, hopefully they talk sense into LR not to discontinue the beloved Defender. It is synonymous with Africa and the new plastic thing I saw in LW really irked me. I agree with you, Munga, quality of trim items is really no sore point, as long as the underpinnings are tough.