I thought I would ask the experienced Defender crowd on here about this. My younger cousin is in the building trade and has a small van at the moment and a car. The car is only used for short local journeys (so is the van mostly) and as such he is thinking of a vehicle that combines both.

He has been looking at the Defender 90 which he says can carry his gear in the back no problem. The problem is, he thinks the unrefined qualities of the Defender would make it tiresome to use as an everyday car. It would of course be the only vehicle he has so would be used for trips to the shops etc.

Is the Defender going to become a pain to live with everyday and how does it fare on reliability? (Budget approx £8k)

Cheers LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I always found ours good to park/use round town but noisy cold damp and easily nickable


little things annoy such as the handbrake that jabs your leg, door always needs a second slam after you have already set off, no central locking. water drips on your head in rain storms(showers actually no I mean drizzle)


but the side window opens nicely down ideal for elbow resting, and the window will be down a lot as you need the elbow room to steer

and all ours loved punctures for some reason, a constant stream of flats, Ive had my pickup truck for 7 years now doing same jobs and no punctures. not one At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I worked as an Environmental Consultant so had one as a company car for 3 years. I agree with CG. Takes ages to warm the cabin in the winter, noisy and, if your mate is tall (I'm 6'4), not the most comfortable of vehicles to drive. Despite all of that, I loved it. Defenders are like classic cars-you have to really love them to put up with their foibles! Why doesn't he get a Freelander 2? 8K will buy you at least an S with sensible mileage. If he tints the rear windows it will be as secure if not more secure than a Defender. The locks on Defenders will at best inconvenience a car thief!!!!

Thanks for the input. I guess it is going to be a case of buying a Defender if he really wants one and loves the vehicle enough to put up with the downsides. Perhaps a high mileage FL2 could be on the cards.

Maybe a Toyota Land Cruiser if he wants reliable but dull... LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

A local farmer one broke his arm when the door of his defender popped open as they can do, a bus hit it as he was reaching to grab and slam it.  At work
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"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I had a 90 as my daily drive for 7 years. For short journeys I loved it. Towards the end I was doing more long journeys though and they became a real chore with it being noisey and uncomfortable. Hence the switch to the Freelander 2.

If he's a real Defender fan and you say it's only for short journeys then he should definitely go for it. I don't regret buying mine.

His tools will last 5 minutes in a 90...... * GONE. GS TD4 Manual MY2013. Orkney Grey with privacy, cold and clearview packs, armrests (a must!) and a spoiler.
* 2011 4.4 TDV8 Full Fat. Amazing piece of kit.
* GONE.2012 RR Sport HSE SDV6 Orkney Grey. Rocket ship. 33mpg.
* Range Rover Classic '93 200Tdi Factory fit
* 1949 80" in family since 1975

was a great car for field work,, drive along and just step out to do a job then slide back onto drivers seat, as apposed to climbing down into the seat of a pickup/


one job not recommended was driving around a harvested wheat field with a blow torch on a pole out of the window burning loose straw etc, the wind changed the hedge caught light and the fire brigade were called many years ago the year after such things were made illegal  At work
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"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Defenders (and their predecessors) are great vehicles for what they are great at.
Unfortunately that does not include service as an everyday road going car. Poor handling and road holding, cramped and uncomfortable, woefully inadequate secondary safety, out of date electrics and electronics. Add to that poor original build quality and iffy reliability. The design is really only fit for a limited range of motoring applications -a modern Jap pick up is a better work horse for most trade users who do far more road miles than off-road miles.
I imagine that a great many Defender owners love their iconic vehicles and adapt to using them as road cars -its a case of having to accept the significant drawbacks.

Wear a coat and earplugs. Look great in shorts with an overdeveloped left thigh from clutch work, and disconnect the battery and take it with you when you park it. The Defender is great. Td4 XS manual, Orkney Grey, MY2014