07 defender

kerryman12

All

I am thinking of purchasing a new model defender in the months ahead. It would be a commercial for work - 90 hardtop:D.
I am looking for any info from anyone who may have one. As I am looking at the new 2.4 deisal i am particularly interested in fuel economy etc. I am aware that there are figures in the sales info but I am interested in realistic information.

Any ifo would be greatly appreciated.

unkel

What do you plan to use it for? A Defender has excellent off road capabilities, but all the other points are negatives imho

kerryman12 wrote: »

As I am looking at the new 2.4 deisal i am particularly interested in fuel economy

Why the interest in fuel economy? Surely you are not going to do a big mileage in a work horse like that? Your depreciation alone is going to cost you many times as much as what you spend on diesel. Whether it does 5MPG or 25MPG makes no significant difference to your total costs!

Zonda999

I imagine that the fuel economy would be a bit better than the old TD5 engine`. The new 2.4 engine is more modern and has a 6-speed gearbox which should help when cruising

kerryman12

it will be used just as a general use vehical. Normally I would do 20k miles per year but I am hoping to reduce this in the year ahead to max 15K.

I understand where you are coming from unkel but look at it another way, a 2.4 engine from the transit. All other decent off road vehicals have a bigger engine size than this - the standard landcruiser is 3ltr. I will used the vehical offroad for sports etc but the bulk off the time will be on road. the next smallest is the pajero - 2.5 ltr. I am looking at this from the point of view of the running costs also - i feel I have to with current fuel prices. Plus lower price than other vehicals to start with, lower tax as it is in the same bracket as a fiesta van.
Dont get me wrong I understand whre i am starting from, full time 4wd and so much dependant on the way you drive it -
but any help would be greatly appreciated.

mountain

if you are going to spend most of your time on road, then the defender will be hard to live with.
have a look at the freelander commercial,
also you mentioned engine size, surely it the power that is important.

kerryman12

to be honest the whole confort thing is a secondry - I am willing to accept that for the vehical in question.

I am working on the assumption that engine size is the best guide to fuel economy?!?!

coolbeans

Not into Defenders myself but if you're after fuel economy and it's a toss up between a 2.5 Pajero and the Landie I'd go for the LR. The 2.5L engine in the Mitsu dates from the early nineties. While I don't have any hard figures I do know that they're a pretty outdated lump at this stage and that fuel consumption is relatively high. This is in contrast with the Ford unit which is relatively new and therefore I'd be amazed if it wasn't more fuel efficient than the Mitsubishi.
Have you considered a 2.5L Hilux?

irish_bob

did the op consider the kia sorento , i think there only a 2.5 engine
there lovely to drive , the auto is the same price now as the manual and there extremly good value
new auto for a little along with 30k

JohnBoy

to all the defender knockers the new 07 models have a completely new interior for the first time since the 1971 series 3 and they're supposed to be leagues ahead of the previous one.

still no land cruiser but its not trying to be.

not sure the 2.4 is a particularly frugal engine dude, they're a heavy lump to be hauling about.

gordon_gekko

the best thing a defender has going for it is it has a cool retro immage
i would not rate it in terms of mechanical reliability ( brakes , gearbox , electrics ( or build quality , the panels are very flimsy as is the doors , bang them shut too hard from the inside and they almost fall apart , there light as a feather the doors

they have a chassis like a tank but there not as tough as many claim overall