Boring update #1

"4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30" (4muddyfeet) 01/10/2015 at 19:08 • Filed to: None

2

13

I bought a new 120A battery for the Defender - It is good.

I have wired 12V sockets front and back into the Defender, and 2x USB's in the front - They all work.

The Alfa has new pads and discs on - They are good.

Making IKEA Kassett boxes hurts your fingers.

/boring

jkm7680 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 19:12

0

THESE DAMNED THINGS.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > jkm7680 01/10/2015 at 19:16

0

I've still got 4 more to go :(

Cé hé sin > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 19:16

0

120A? That's some battery.

jkm7680 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 19:17

0

I am terribly sorry.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Cé hé sin 01/10/2015 at 19:18

0

Had a 70A in it when I bought it and it's been struggling to fire in the recent cold weather, turning 7 or 8 times before ignition. 120A has solved that problem nicely :)

Steve in Manhattan > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 19:46

0

Container Store? You don't have to assemble them. And Alfa photo plz?

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Steve in Manhattan 01/10/2015 at 20:10

0

Er, I've not got a good one on this phone.

If you can wait until tomorrow I'll take a pic specially for you!

Steve in Manhattan > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 20:19

0

not a problem ....

BaconSandwich is tasty. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 20:33

0

Just out of curiosity, how do you like the Defender? They are starting to grow on me.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 01/10/2015 at 20:59

1

There's no simple way to put this;

I love it, but expect small and sometimes constant problems. It's '97 ex-military 110 300tdi, and in the 8 months of ownership I've replaced the clutch slave cylinder, replaced LH interior door handle after it snapped, tidied up wiring (it had quite a few military additions which were removed prior to sale by the MOD), replaced both front wiper splines (driver side wiper fell off in heavy rain(!)), welded the rear door frame because they split when you have the rear wheel carrier attached, replaced the footwells due to rust, and sealed/painted any rust problem areas.

They also need constant yearly care like keeping the chassis sealed, whether it be by paint, waxoyl, stonechip etc. and a good oil change doesn't go amiss at the same time.

On the road they're not brilliant. I have good rubber, and I never feel confident taking a corner too spiritedly. On road tyres the highway noise and vibration is OK, but on semi-muds or super-chunks you're gonna have a bad time if your journey is more than 20 minutes. Mine has the heavy-duty rear suspension, which is good for another 300KG above the standard load rating, but doesn't take speed bumps and potholes well if there's no weight in the back. I can only describe it as a jarring bounce. The heater system is fine, but my Defender is so goddamn drafty it's not worth using it sometimes other than to de-fog the windscreen.

Off-road I have a fantastic time. I occasionally take it mudding and across rough tracks and fields and it hasn't been stopped yet, and mechanically it's absolutely excellent (absolutely zero engine/drivetrain/suspension/overheating issues). I also tow an awful lot both braked and unbraked (it's my primary work vehicle) and it pulls well up hills even with an extra 3 tonnes behind it.

All of the bad stuff aside; they are cheap to fix (parts aren't expensive and you can pretty much do anything with a basic mechanical knowledge), they are cheap to upgrade, and perhaps most importantly it makes me smile every bloody time.

I also have a Series III which has been similarly brilliant in the 5 years that I've owned it, with the only major bill being the clutch, which happily crapped out after some silly field activities at the age of 30.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/10/2015 at 21:58

1

If you are interested in a good read involving a Land Rover, check out Too Long in the Bush by Len Beadell.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Steve in Manhattan 01/11/2015 at 18:21

0

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/steve-in-manha…

Steve in Manhattan > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/11/2015 at 19:01

0

Thanks - if only we could get Alfas here. Sure, I don't need a car, but I'll bet there would be some for rent somewhere.