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debsnboz
Bronze Member
202 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Aug 2011 : 11:10:43 PM
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Hi
we are looking for a car to tow 2 horses in my bateson, just sold (hopefully) my subaru.
Hubby wants a 110 defender, i think i would prefer a disco.
Looking at spending up to 8k.
If we buy a disco we will sell our citroen C8 people carrier (we have 3 kids and 2 big dogs too!) and buy a low tax high MPG run around for shopping etc
But if we buy a 110 I am not sure about selling a very reliable C8, for the pittance we will get, to buy the run around as I am not sure about the longer motorway trips to visit aged parents in a 110?
I have also been warned by 4 people about the fact the 110 WILL get stolen from in front of our house.... not good.
Opinions please.....
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2011 : 11:50:03 PM
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Defender 110: great if you are a farmer, and spend your entire time driving around potholed tracks/muddy fields, and live halfway up a mountain on a farm track. Not much fun as a family car, and pretty tiring on a long motorway trip - this is not what it was designed for. Personally I would buy an old landie for the times you need to tow (how much towing mileage do you plan to do a month?) and stick with a comfortable car for your everyday needs.
I have owned an aged Landrover, a Fourtrak and a Discovery for towing my Bateson (and because I lived up a muddy track up a rural Scottish hillside - but still resorted to a Fiat Punto for commuting to work), but my favourite towing vehicle (and it was brilliant in muddy fields) was my 3 litre A4 Audi Quattro = so comfortable for everyday use and superb for long motorway journeys. My mother currently tows the Bateson with her 10 year old 4 x 4 Volvo Estate - also a lot more comfortable than a Landrover (or the Discovery, which swayed round corners and isn't as big inside as you would think - bearing in mind you have 3 kids and 2 large dogs).
I now have a lorry, which is why I traded in my beloved Audi for something that did more mpg  |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 28 Aug 2011 11:58:20 PM |
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delly-b
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1107 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 12:33:15 AM
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Oh I'm going through similar thoughts... New smaller car and horsebox or new towing car and trailer. I have decided on car and trailer, just now considering which car.
I was thinking about the Disco... 7 good size adult seats, or 5 plus loads of dog space in the boot. Also it will tow up to 3.5 tonne which is far more than most vehicles. ... Other option was Shogun but I thought it wasnt as nice inside...
Both quite thirsty on fuel, and my dad reckons a Japaneze vehicle would be far more reliable, but I havnt test driven either yet (need to sell my house first before I take the plunge)
Would be good to hear from other Disco users tho... |
       
Adele
Batley, West Yorkshire |
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 07:37:46 AM
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| We have just changed a Fourtrak (RIP) for a Kia Sorrento. Tows up to 3.5 ton and is a very nice car altogether. Very pleased with it. We use an elderly Golf for mooching around and for long trips for it's fuel efficiency. The Kia seems to do about 30MPG if you drive it sensibly and slightly less when towing. About the same as my beloved Fourtrak. |
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applause
Bronze Member
England
134 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 08:06:42 AM
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wouldn't be without our discoverys, comfy, easy and cheap to repair as long as you stick to a 300 series and don't go for a TD5. My hubby buys any parts and fixes himself though. Brilliant towing vehicles, mine have always been reliable but i guess they are like any other vehicle you get the good ones and the bad ones.
We have 3 kids an 12 dogs!!!!
good on the motorway and one of the safest.
Although my husband loves his defender and they are the best towing vehicles but not really motorway driving cars, way too rough and noisy!!!! |
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 09:02:03 AM
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| I love my Defender 110 would not swap it for a Disco i towed from Hampshire A3 where i filled it up and collected a big ifor william traller towed to Frome in Sommerset then to Malvern the next day back to Frome and on home to Hampshire again to drop off hire box and filled up again. Also Defenders do not lose value like other cars i can get the same for mine that i paid for it off a main dealer 2 years ago and i have been asked by 3 diffrent people if i will sell it and i do use it every day. I also had a Disco a 1997 one sold it and kepted the defender as needed so much welding it was going to cost a fourtune to do |
http://www.jollyfryer.com/ Great British Fish & Chips
susan.oliver70@ntlworld.com
    
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 10:59:11 AM
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Defender every time, have had a number of each over the years and the defender gives the most solid tow. As you are towing horses within the towing speed limit you are never disadvantaged when motorway driving and the commercial seating position is comfortable in anything from a TDi onwards.
Have not experienced the Discovery 3 for towing but it would be out of the price bracket anyway.
The fear of theft is real, they are very sought-after and hold their value better than almost any other vehicle, which also means decent examples are very hard to find to buy. |
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 12:14:15 PM
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![]() 
Just watch out for the multistory car parks this one was a bit low for mine 6 foot 6inchs in London pleased to say it did not touch the roof but my friend did forget that he put his roof bars on his and took it to the local shopping centre he took the whole lot off under one of the concrete beams Defender was undamaged |
http://www.jollyfryer.com/ Great British Fish & Chips
susan.oliver70@ntlworld.com
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 1:19:47 PM
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Disco, better value for money, lower mileage usually for the money you are spending, better spec and usually in better nick. Defender great if dedicated off road is your thing. Towing wise not much to choose between them and realistically you rarely need the off road capability of the defender when towing.
Having been to a few off road landi shows I have seen defenders get stuck where discos have not, reason being tyre choice. Tyres make more of a difference to a vehicles off road ability then the actual vehicle itself.
Seats in Disco are more comfy then defender and will be
Right now on ebay £8000 gets you a 110 county 1995-7 120K plus miles, 2003-4 disco ~70K miles
So younger car lower mileage on a Disco for the same kind of money. |
Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 6:28:40 PM
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When we asked the same question we looked at the Landy magazines and the general verdict was that for a 'normal' person (as opposed to a dedicated Land-Rover enthusiast!), it was silly to go for the Defender, the Discovery had so many more things going for it. So we bought a Discovery and have been very pleased with it - it tows like there is nothing behind it, even our heavy Rice trailer. Disco seats are very comfy and even if you have the 7-seat version there is still plenty of room for dogs as the two rear seats fold up into the sides of the vehicle when not in use. As has been said, the 300 series are cheaper to maintain, and parts are a lot less than for a Japanese 4x4.
Cons - not cheap to run with diesel at the price it is, but that probably applies to any 4x4.
I love my Disco, it's great to drive; I will confess it's harder to park than my Series III SWB, but then it's a longer vehicle and has lots of room inside (I regularly move furniture in mine as I'm into buying from auctions!). I wouldn't have anything else 
Keren |
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debsnboz
Bronze Member
202 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2011 : 11:08:11 PM
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| well i have kept going back and forth from one to another all day. but hubby going to look at a nice 1999 110 tomorrow so we shall see. I think we should find the best car for our money!! which ever one it is!! |
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Qui Gon Jinn
Platinum Member
Scotland
1627 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 12:12:11 AM
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I'm on my second Discovery and love them! I originally had a 300tdi automatic which was a great vehicle, but VERY thirsty. As someone else said easy to fix (hubby does it all himself) and fairly cheap for parts. I bought it when it was 6 years old and kept it for 5 years. Nothing went wrong with it, save the usual wear and tear.
I now have a TD5 and the difference is quite marked. I never realised quite how gutless my 300 Tdi was until I bought this one!! I've had it for 2 years now and I went for the manual this time and for a big vehicle its great on fuel. Its a 2004 model and I get an average of 30mpg and even when towing, it only drops to around 25mpg. Mine is a 5 seater version........avoid the 7 seat ones as they have air suspension and a very costly thing to fix if it goes wrong! The 5 seat one has springs. Its very comfortable and again easy to fix and maintain. My friend has just bought a 2 year old 110 Defender and although they are much better than in days gone by, I'd hate to travel any distance in it....very hard seats!! She actually took her partners car (Mitsubishi L200) down to cambridge recently as she says herself that the defender is much heavier in fuel and not comfortable for that length of journey!
By contrast she had a Discovery 3 and had a lot of problems with it. The compressor for the suspension went and it was recalled 3 times from Landrover for various faults!! It was only just 3 years old when she bought it. It was a stunning looking vehicle, but she was very glad that she paid out an extra £1000 for extended Landrover warrenty on it, as if she hadn't she'd have been pretty near bankruptcy keeping it on the road!!
I suppose it's like most things, there are good and bad in all and you pay you money and take your chances! |
The Soul would have no Rainbow....If the Eyes had shed no Tears. |
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
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michellep
New Member
20 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 3:17:27 PM
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As Kathleen says, test drive some, you may be surprised. I'd always fancied a defender but I now have a landy obsessed partner and since driving his defenders I wouldn't have one unless it was my second car. It is such hard work to drive, even the new ones, when compared to disco's. Even my partner (despite being a defender fanatic) is wanting to borrow my Subaru now he's got a 60 mile commute each day.
I get Horsewatch bulletins telling me of Defenders being stolen almost daily in Sussex which is worrying. They can't half tow though, their official road limit is 3.5 tonnes but I have seen my partner's pull a 40 tonne lorry without struggling, I don't think he'd have done that in a disco. |
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 7:49:09 PM
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| Standard security on older defenders is pretty much non existent hence the stealing rate plus in half an hour you can pretty much strip one down, the bonnet litteraly lifts off, if you know what you are doing. Plus there is a really good market for the 2nd hand parts. |
Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 8:28:55 PM
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We always used to have landrovers. Sadly we have sucumbed to the increased luxury and affordability of the japanese 4x4s.
Had to laugh at callisto, this is definately me.
Defender 110: great if you are a farmer, and spend your entire time driving around potholed tracks/muddy fields, and live halfway up a mountain on a farm track. Not much fun as a family car, and pretty tiring on a long motorway trip - this is not what it was designed for.
Unfortunately we found finding a second hand one at a reasonable price impossible.
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 9:20:56 PM
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| I know what you mean about finding one i tried for 4 months as soon as one went on line it was bought in the end i was just chasing them over the phone with credit card to put a holding deposit on one ( i even tried to get on in scotland but the guy would not go a little for the traveling)the one i have now i put a deposit on over the phone the dealer had not even got it on the forecourt and a trip to Somerset from Hampshire to collect it unseen, wrong colour realy but it has had people offer more than i bought for 2 years ago |
http://www.jollyfryer.com/ Great British Fish & Chips
susan.oliver70@ntlworld.com
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gem@oakmeister
Silver Member
421 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2011 : 9:43:49 PM
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The defender is a brilliant workhorse. Roll and Harrow the fields, grade the arena surface, fetch the feed, and a million other jobs,
However, comfy it is not ! Wouldnt be without ours, but we do have a little cheap runaround as well. If it's to be your only vehicle, think hard. |
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debsnboz
Bronze Member
202 Posts |
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Topic |
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Defender vs disco....opinions please!!!!
