Home//Land Rover Owner/January 2023/In This Issue
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘We’ll be driving in a winter wonderland’Depending on which bit of meteorological data you look at, the UK is going to have a colder or warmer winter than normal this year – or it’ll be about the same as it always is. But whatever happens, there’s a story in it – I’ve already had to recover my son who forgot he wasn’t driving a Land Rover when he tackled a deep ford… ‘Adventure is never far away’ is a slogan we had on some of our wheel carriers in the past and it is still true now. Much of the time we just get on with what we’re doing – it’s only when we recount our tales to others that we realise just how much more enjoyment we can get from our Land Rovers than you…2 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023BOWLER CHALLENGE WILL BE BACK!The dust hasn’t yet settled on this year’s Bowler Defender Challenge, but its return has already been announced for 2023. Like this year, there will be 12 vehicles available with identical spec – although for the first time they will be available in both left- and right-hand drive, reflecting the international pool of participants. This is, after all, intended to be a stepping stone for drivers hoping to progress to overseas rallyraid events. The cars will be based on the P300 Defender 90, remaining road legal but comprehensively upgraded by Bowler (which has been part of JLR’s Special Vehicles Operations division since 2019). Major strengthening underneath ranges from braced subframes to stronger engine and gearbox mounts, while the 2.0-litre petrol engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox have enhanced cooling and the…2 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023BANDIT-PROOF DEFENDERA new armoured protection package is available for the Defender L663, from accredited German specialist TRASCO. The relatively lightweight anti-kidnap (or A-KIP®) conversion comes with steel armour around the doors, roof and footwells, along with bulletproof glass. There’s also a new ballistic rear partition with a window, located behind the second row of seats. Optional extras including a fire suppression system, and buyers can choose between two levels of ballistic protection – VPAM 4 or VPAM 6 – depending on whether they think they’re more likely to come under fire from a .44 calibre Magnum or an AK-47. All the armour plating is designed to be as inconspicuous as possible so the vehicle looks essentially unchanged. Prices have not been made public. ● landrover.com/ fleet-and-business…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023Overseas adventuresMOROCCO ADVENTURES Various coastal, mountain and desert options through this vast, magnificent country are available in 2023. Prices quoted are for one vehicle with two people. See the website for more details. Mountain and desert trip 2-23 March, 19 March-7 April, 8-26 October £1850 per vehicle Coast to coast 22 October-9 November £1850 per vehicle Pyrenees Safari FRANCE/SPAIN 24 May-7 June, 7-21 June £1750 per vehicle, based on two sharing (includes all camping fees, but not ferry) Starting from Bilbao, we’ll explore stunning mountain trails. Camping most nights. Iceland Adventure 9-30 September £2700 per vehicle, with two people. Vatnajökull National Park, then Reykjavik. Then Westfjord peninsulas, Grundarfjörður and Ísafjörður, and along the north coast past Dalvik and Húsavík before heading back to the ferry. An unforgettable experience!…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023WISE WORDS FROM VINCE – WADINGMany owners who wouldn’t dream of getting their beloved vehicles muddy can’t wait to go wading, whether fording a stream or taking on a deeper water hole at an off-road site. Most Land Rovers can be driven in water that is axle-deep without taking special precautions. But if you want to go any deeper than that, you need to know where your engine’s air intake, drivetrain breathers and electronic control unit (ECU) are located – and take measures to prevent water from entering them. However, deep-water crossings should never be attempted by a novice driver. Even those vehicles that have been modified for wading have their limitations when crossing deeper waters. A water crossing in a 4x4 can be one of the most exciting and challenging situations you encounter of-froad,…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘I do genuinely enjoy driving the electric car, but it wasn’t exactly the best experience for converting the reluctant’J aguarLand Rover has been accelerating its electric and connected vehicle programme recently. In August the company revealed it had opened a new electromagnetic compatibility laboratory and testing facility at its Gaydon, Warwickshire complex to help ensure it meets current and future legislation and quality standards in all its electrified models. The new Range Rover Sport, launched in May, was the first vehicle to undergo a bespoke testing programme at the new in-house facility but the development marks a significant step in the delivery of the manufacturer’s so-called ‘Reimagine’ strategy that, among other things, aims to see ‘all Jaguar and Land Rover nameplates made available in pure electric form by the end of this decade, the first all-electric Land Rover model being due in 2024’. My current (sic) company car…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023BE WINTERWISESTUCK… AT NIGHT We were greenlaning in Shropshire and were on the last lane of the day. We’d experienced some snowdrifts on the higher parts of the route, but as the snow was melting, we felt confident that the accumulations of snow would dwindle as we descended. A long stretch of snow was driven with ease, with gravity assisting us, but just before the end of the lane sat a large, deep drift. We drove at it, but the Land Rovers just beached themselves, so were recovered backwards. We tried digging through, but the more we dug, the deeper the vehicles went. Night started to fall. We had youngsters with us and didn’t have much food, and a friend had decided to come down the hill to see us –…19 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONERight now, Syria and Lebanon are probably not the first places that come to mind as overland travel destinations. The Syrian civil war is still bubbling away unpleasantly, and Lebanon is suffering from huge economic upheaval and hardship following the revolution of late 2019. Nevertheless, they are both incredibly ancient countries with fascinating histories, so when I found myself there recently, travelling through both nations by Land Rover, it was an exciting and enlivening experience. I was supposed to fly into Damascus, Syria’s capital, to begin my trip, but the Israelis rather inconsiderately decided to bomb the airport a couple of days before I was due to arrive. So, I had to fly into Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon and get a taxi to Damascus instead. I met Ghaida, my guide,…10 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023James Taylor’s Roverphile1950 The one-off artic 80 Rover’s need for a car transporter for a clandestine mission led to this beauty. James recounts its story D id Rover ever really intend to market an articulated 80-inch, or was the sole known example a one-off that met a special need? Its story began in late 1949, kick-started by Rover’s work on gas-turbine engines for cars. By that stage a suitable engine was ready, and the choice of host car fell on the P4 saloon, new that September. Coachbuilder Tickford turned one into an open two-seater so that Rover could mount the gas-turbine engine amidships. The licensing authorities then had no guidelines for dealing with a car powered by paraffin, and it would be several months before somebody found a solution. So the Turbine…5 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘SIMPLY FLOORLESS!’1992 RANGE ROVER CLASSIC MARTIN DOMONEY Workshop editor ‘This one has truly gone to church. It’s holier than most’ HOW FAR? 105,142 miles HOW THIRSTY? No idea OWNED FOR: One month JOB DONE! Barn extraction complete DON’T MENTION… Lack of space, time and money ALSO ON THE DRIVE 1975 Series III 109 New military rear crossmember fitted to replace the latticework of metal that used to loosely resemble one. We all regret parting with certain cars. With me, it’s the 1994 Range Rover Classic soft-dash that I sold in 2017. It was a coil-sprung Vogue in Ardennes Green, with a 3.9 V8 and cloth interior. I loved it but, with a house purchase looming, I had to thin the herd. I’d since pushed the possibility of Classic ownership out of…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023KEY KITINTERIOR TRIM Prices vary The Masai4x4 headlining and interior trim range of products are designed to fit Defender 90/110/Double Cab and Single Cab models. They’re available in luxury suedette finishes and there are no fewer than eight colours to choose from. Matching Alpine window inserts, covered sun visors and A-Post covers are also available to help smarten up your Land Rover. See the full product range on our website. masai4x4.com TOYLANDER Prices vary The ultimate toy for intrepid little explorers, Toylanders are superior-quality electric cars that children love to drive. They’re available as kits – so you can have the satisfaction of building your own – or fully built and ready to drive. The best-known models are the Land Rovers, but for something a little different how about our Unihog…2 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023REPLACE F2 DIFF OILSTHE EXPERT Dominique Totain, who runs Service 4x4 in Pau, south-west France, boasts 35 years’ experience servicing and repairing Land Rovers of all generations. He doesn’t just work on them, though – he has raced a V8 Bowler in the Dakar Rally. The reliable Freelander 2 has one Achilles heel: its differentials, the rear one in particular. This is due to oil degradation brought on by Land Rover’s unrealistic ‘sealed for life’ recommendation and relatively small lubricant volume. Marketing logic rather than mechanical reasons likely dictated this – any oil is well past its optimal performance level after a decade. To prevent inevitable diff failure, you should renew the lubricants every few years, or as soon as possible if you don’t know if your ones have been done. It is…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023GET GREASING!1.The lever-type gun There are two main designs of full-size grease guns. The lever-action type comprises the body of the gun with a full-length lever down the side. The action is simple – pump the lever, and grease comes out. The advantage to this type is the high volume of grease that can be pumped in one stroke, and a professional-grade gun such as the Alemite 500-E from Gwyn Lewis 4x4 (seen here) can deliver up to 10,000psi of pressure, forcing grease into every channel and orifice with minimal effort. 2.The pistol-grip gun Because you only need one hand to operate it, this is arguably the best choice for the DIY mechanic working on Land Rovers. Being able to both hold and operate the gun leaves you with a hand…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023Land Rovers at AuctionLooking the part Thirteen Land Rovers (with refreshingly affordable price tags) went under the hammer at Anglia Car Auctions on 5-6 November: three Range Rover Classics, five Series vehicles, four Defenders and an early One Ten Hi Cap. The 1964 Series IIA (pictured above) was a period camper conversion with pop-up fibreglass roof, and had been in storage for three years. It needed a little recommissioning but apparently nothing major, and failed to sell when it went to auction a few months ago with an estimate of £10,000- £12,000. This time it went through with no reserve and changed hands for a rather bargainous £4101. Meanwhile a blue 88in Series III Station Wagon, in smart condition and mostly period-correct, went beyond its £5k-7k estimate to reach £10,800. It just goes…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023LOVE AT FIRST SITEThe sight of a straight, clean early Discovery 1 is becoming increasingly rare, but that’s what’s standing in front of me this morning – areal treat. And Nik Hammond and his partner Leann Stratta’s 1993 3.9 V8 EFi is no ordinary Disco 1 – it’s been carefully kitted-out for overlanding and camping trips. All of the mods can be reversed in just a day or two to bring the vehicle back to almost standard, ex-factory condition. Unlike countless thousands of Tdi-powered Disco 1s that have been driven into the ground, this V8 has led a relatively quiet life. ‘We’re only the fourth owners. The third owner had it for 25 years of its life. Some of the MoTs are just five miles apart; it’s done just 5000 miles since the…8 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023News in briefGrenadiers are here After various setbacks, production of the Defender-aping INEOS Grenadier has begun. Customer deliveries will begin in December, but ‘global supply chain issues continue to constrain output,’ the company says. Backlog hits 205,000 Jaguar Land Rover’s backlog of unfulfilled orders has grown to 205k vehicles. Sales grew in the three-month period to September 30, but factory lines are still having to be put on hold due to insufficient supplies of materials – especially semiconductors. Victors in the USA Land Rover’s second-ever North American Trophy – an off-road adventure in Vermont – has been awarded to Natasha Radwan and Jonathan Gunsur, who will now get to compete in the Classic Works V8 Trophy Experience as owners of a US Defender Trophy Edition. Brothers Charles and Patrick Miller won a…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023UK adventuresSurvival Skills Day CORBY AREA 26 November £75 per person (£30 for children over 12) Learning under ex-military personnel from the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines, you’ll pick up survival skills relating to fire starting, shelter building, water distilling, basic map reading and foraging, plus how to lay traps and snares. Winch and Recovery Course CORBY AREA 26 November, 24 January, 18 March £60 per vehicle (one driver; £70 for two drivers sharing the same vehicle) As well as learning how to use your Land Rover’s winch safely and proficiently, you’ll also be shown how to use ropes and jacks to recover a stuck vehicle. One of these days you may be very glad you came on this course! It’s always very popular, so pre-booking is required. Tixover Driving…2 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023STUFFREAR WINCH BUMPER £519 maltings4x4store.co.uk This new rear winch mount takes the popular Terrafirma rear bumper step and adds a sturdy 5mm steel winch box. Its clever design retains as much clearance as possible around the spare wheel carrier and rear door, with only a small decrease in departure angle. The mount is ideal for use with the Terrafirma A12000 winch, and suits all Defender models. MARTIN SAYS The bumper sports built-in jacking points and holes for two swivel recovery eyes. GEYSER HOT WATER SYSTEM £187.08 expedition-equipment.com The Kampa Geyser provides hot water wherever you are through a fold-out tap and a shower connection. It runs off 12v power and a gas cylinder, and can supply 2.5 litres of heated water per minute with temperature adjustable between 30-55°C. DEFENDER CRUISE…7 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘If I’ve been organised the night before I’ll have filled a Thermos for the morning brew; often coffee with a slug of Bailey’s in it’Having just come back from a multi-day trip through the Arabian deserts, I’d like to pass on a few hints and tips about everyday desert living from a Land Rover – Iknow that many of you will be thinking about making your firs-tever trip to Morocco in 2023 and thinking about what you should be taking with you. On desert trips I tend to sleep in a swag, one of those Australian canvas bedrolls that contain a mattress and sleeping bag all in one. It’s quicker and easier than a roof tent, although in the Sahara (as long as I’m far enough from the rocks and vegetation where scorpions and snakes live) I just plonk a sleeping bag on the desert floor because I love the stars at night. In…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023The LRO Adventure TrailThe UK has some fantastic roads for us to drive. Many are greenlanes, allowing us to get away from regular traffic; others are joyous tarmac ribbons that snake over hills and across wild moors. In every instalment of this series we’re visiting sections of what will join up to make the massive LRO Adventure Trail – a3800-mile, family-friendly route through England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that offers great and varied driving, with the bonus of many interesting places to visit along the way. DERBYSHIRE DALES ► DISTANCE 54 MILES ► TERRAIN BEAUTIFUL ROLLING COUNTRYSIDE, MOORLAND, WOODLAND ► PLACES OF INTEREST STUNNING SCENERY, UK’S BIGGEST THEME PARK ► RATING ★★★ Ashbourne is famous for its Royal Shrovetide football match, with the town and local fields being crammed with more than…10 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023Almost perfectHow many times have you heard someone lament that their rebuild is too good to drive once they have finished it? Well, this one certainly has been superbly finished, but it’s definitely going to be driven. The story starts a few years back when Jon Holmes was scouring Europe for suitable vehicles for the Land Rover Classic Works Reborn programme. ‘It was one of the last cars I purchased and it was the one they wanted – it was the unicorn; a left-hand drive, lights-behind-grille 80-inch. I only managed to find three in three years – then Reborn slowed down and it was the only one they didn’t buy.’ Despite its shabby looks – the rear tub was festooned with chequerplate and there was blue paint on absolutely everything, including…7 min
Land Rover Owner|January 202320 YEARS AND COUNTING2002 Td5 Defender 110 Double Cab Ibought this Td5 Defender new in 2002 to work on my 270-acre, 200-head dairy herd farm in Strabane, County Tyrone, which I run with my dad John and Albert, my brother. It’s been put to daily use on the farm and engaged in all manner of work, from hauling the cattle round in a livestock trailer to being loaded with feed or fencing materials to be delivered where needed. It now has 190,000 miles on the clock, most of which have been trouble-free. Our farm got its first Land Rover in 1956 – apetrol 88-inch Series I hard top, bought for £640 by my grandad, who ran the farm in those days. My dad remembers it well: ‘It had no heater, no indicators, no…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘HOW COULD I POSSIBLY SAY NO?’\VICKY TURNER, contributor ‘A sports bra and thermals are recommended for taking an elderly, open-topped Land Rover greenlaning in the autumn.’ HOW FAR? Unknown HOW THIRSTY? 20mpg OWNED FOR: Borrowed for the day JOB DONE! Greenlaning DON’T MENTION… Headbanging the roll cage BACK ON MY DRIVE Series IIA Carawagon It’ll feel a bit slow after barrelling along in this rumbustious little Series I (but it’ll feel warm too). Long-time Land Rover driver, traveller, photographer and journalist Toby Savage has been a friend for years, despite my daughter having tried to sink him and the canoe they were sharing on the River Wye in 2018 (but that’s another story). We’ve had various Land-Rover-based adventures together, many of which have been planned during our regular meet-ups at the local hostelry (as often…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023YOUR QUERIES ANSWEREDGOT A PROBLEM? Whatever is baffling you, our trusted team of technical experts are here to help. Email LRO.workshop@ bauermedia.co.uk – include your postal address, as much detail as you can, the Land Rover’s VIN and a photo of the problem area if possible. Prefer to write in? LRO, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. ANDREW VARRALL Senior LRO Workshop advisor JULIAN GILLING Range Rover Classic and P38 specialist PETER GALILEE Series I technical expert/historian MARTIN DOMONEY LRO Workshop editor; ex-dealer technician HARRY HOLTOM Tyre and wheel specialist STEVE JONES Electrical specialist DAVE SMITH Engine trouble-shooting guru DAVID LONG Newer and current model specialist CHRIS BISHOP Range Rover Classic specialist STEVE GRANT Chief technician at Britpart PAUL MYERS Managing director at Britpart DISCOVERY 1 WHICH COOLANT FOR MY 300Tdi? QWhich…13 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023SORT SERIES STARTINGTHE EXPERT Despite starting his Land Rover career working on newer models as a technician at a main dealer, workshop ed Martin has a fondness for the relative simplicity of the classic vehicles. ‘If something is wrong with it, it’s normally fairly obvious – you’re not having to diagnose a lot of fault codes.’ Isn’t it great when you get into your Land Rover, turn the key – or push the button – and the starter motor whirrs, coaxing the engine into life? And isn’t it a real pain when it doesn’t? After months of having to resort to twirling the starting handle like the protagonists in a 1920s silent film, I’d decided enough was enough and decided to look at why our Series Land Rover wasn’t bursting into life…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘He has newer cars but my friend procl aims he’ll never sell this P38, which is a source of constant bewilderment to me’Stop stalling A friend runs a 1998 Range Rover P38 DSE, and he loves it. It’s far from perfect and he has other, newer cars – including a 2009 Range Rover Sport – but he proclaims he’ll never sell this P38, which is a source of constant bewilderment to me. Anyway, he rang me up the other day because while the engine ran fine, every time he selected Drive or Reverse, it would cut out. With an impending house move, he needed this big barge to help with removals. So I went to have a look. After poking around the engine bay and finding nothing of note apart from some weepy injector spill-off pipes, I plugged in the trusty Britpart Lynx Evo and interrogated the electronic diesel control (EDC) module…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023TOP 5 WINTER WORKHORSES1. Range Rover L322 Not classic enough to keep sequestered in winter, but modern enough to feel posh and tough enough for serious work. Spec options vary widely, so choose carefully. Depending on model year, heated rear seats, Terrain Response and locking rear e-diff are on the menu. 2. Discovery 2 Worst thing about owning a Disco 2 in winter? Sunroofs that will probably let in more rain than sun – so buy one of the few that don’t have them, or get busy with gaffer tape. Upsides? An unbeatable combination of load space, off-road freedom and everyday usability. 3. Freelander 1 Ch eap as frites to buy and not costly to run, though good maintenance is key. Ground clearance isn’t brilliant, but it does excel on slippery terrain –…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023WORLD OF LAND ROVERS1st Making a splash through the ford at Malmsmead near the Lorna Doone Valley in Exmoor, this is GEORGE SAINSBURY’S Defender L663, which proved to be the ideal vehicle for enjoying a ‘smooth and surprisingly quiet ride through the beautiful scenery’. And a beautiful pic to capture the occasion too – nice one, George. The simple pleasures of life always raise a smile, as 16-month-old Flora proves as she perches on grandad Rob Denham’s Defender’s spare wheel, outside her parents’ house in south-east London. Definitely one for the family album. Thanks to Flora’s granny LORNA DENHAM for sending the pic. This is NORMAN McDONALD’S 2006 Discovery 3 in the Tongariro National Park on New Zealand’s North Island. Norman says he’s lavished a lot of care and cash on the…2 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023SKILLS SHORTAGE – ADEEPENING PROBLEMMany Land Rover specialists are struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff – aproblem that appears to be getting worse, according to various business owners that LRO has spoken to. ‘Staff retention is painful,’ says Chris McCormack who runs Oak Ridge Engineering (ore4x4.co.uk) in Staffordshire. ‘Skilled people such as fabricators are earning about £35-38k as a basic wage, and they’re being offered joining bonuses by other companies to take up positions elsewhere... All my technical staff have to sign non-disclosure agreements – I’ve had to become much more cut-throat than I used to be.’ Others are changing career entirely, says Allen Walker, boss of Avenger 4x4 in Cambridgeshire (avenger4x4.com). ‘People are just pulling out of the trade. Why would you stay as a technician in a Land Rover workshop earning…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023VINCE COBLEY LRO’S OFF-ROAD EXPERTThe LRO Adventure Club is led by one of the UK’s leading off-road experts, Vince Cobley. With decades of off-roading experience, he and his knowledgeable team of guides and instructors will get the best from you and your Land Rover. Please be aware that previous experience suggests many of the overseas trips listed on this page will fill up quickly – if you want to find out more about them before making a booking, better to give Vince a call sooner rather than later.…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023‘The view over central London was impressive but I really didn’t care and just wanted to get it over with’Long-standing readers of my column may remember that my appointment to Land Rover’s PR team coincided with the launch of the Freelander 1. With the model celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022, it seems appropriate to recall one of my first PR missions and undoubtedly one of the scariest. The Freelander made its momentous and troubled first appearance at Frankfurt in 1997 but its reveal on home shores was to be at that year’s Earls Court Motor Show, where it would receive accolades from then-new prime minister Tony Blair and a youthful Jeremy Clarkson. Before the show opened, there was a need for some pre-publicity, and I was assigned to provide it by posing a Freelander on the off-road demonstration track that had been erected outside the main exhibition hall.…3 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023ALL YOU NEED TO KNOWLANE 1 SK 121439-113448 Michael’s Lane UCR. Gravel climb through pasture, grassy after first gate. Straight on at second gate. 0.6 mile ★★★★★ Right at Home Farm onto Hall Lane, right. LANE 2 SK 111450-119453 Rangemoor Wood UCR. Gravel, then loose surface by field. Into trees then twisty and scratchy. 0.4 mile ★★★★★ To Ashbourne. Exit on A517, left towards Sturston Hall. LANE 3 SK 203462-201466 Mill Lane UCR. Tarmac then gravel track. 0.25 mile ★★★★★ Through gate towards Hanmore Brook. LANE 4 SK 201466-201479 Sturston Lane UCR. Tarmac to bridge over brook by ‘goal’ plinth, then field track. Rutted after gate. 0.62 mile ★★★★★ Three right turns on road, then left. LANE 5 SK 216473-233481 Ridge Lane UCR. Gravel track alongside picturesque valley, washed-out…3 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023BacktracksThe plan My 1976 six-cylinder petrol Series III 109in hard top, called ‘Camel’, had been fully expedition-prepared by the man I’d bought it from a few months earlier – aretired German engineer with 1600 spare hours on his hands. Team TML, formed specifically for this adventure, comprised Troy (an Australian I’d met in London), me (a South African living in London at the time) and Las (a Dane I’d met diving in Thailand). Even if I say so myself, we were a force to be reckoned with. Still are. The plan was to fly to Johannesburg, pick up the Land Rover and drive 300 miles up to our family farm. The other two team members would then fly in to join me to complete final prep before going on our…6 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023YOUR THOUGHTSDon’t I recognise your 90? I bought the November 2022 issue of your magazine, my first one for 20 years (I was a subscriber right up until I sold my last Land Rover in 2002), and when I read the ‘You Say’ pages I was absolutely amazed to see that you’re still running the Defender 90 with registration H690 UCL on the fleet. I remember reading about that two decades ago when it was a green hard top (I took a particular interest in it because my own Land Rover back then looked very similar to yours). LETTER OF THE MONTH My youngest son is besotted with Land Rovers, and I'm hoping to buy another Defender next year. I’m happy to see that LRO is still a great read –…6 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023IT’S A DOUBLE CELEBRATIONJOHN PEARSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ‘Happy birthday to both my Defenders.’ HOW FAR? 145,000 miles HOW THIRSTY? 24mpg OWNED FOR: 18 years JOB DONE! Fitting uprated injector loom ALSO ON THE DRIVE 2020 L663 Defender D250S Wow! Suddenly my ‘new’ Defender is two years old, with 20,000 miles on the clock. It’s averaging 32.9mpg and has proven to be a truly splendid all-rounder. Time whizzes by when you’re having fun, and the clock seems to have gone into fast-forward with both of my Defenders. My ex-G4 Challenge 110 has reached the milestone of 20 years old, and my ‘new’ L663 110 has now reached its second birthday. I bought the Tangiers Orange Td5 after it had served as a support vehicle on two G4 Challenges, visiting Australia in 2003 and South-East Asia…4 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023CHANGE LEAKY ACE BARTHE EXPERT Paul Lawrence owns PJS Vehicle Services near Haverhill, Suffolk. It’s rare for his workshop not to have a Land Rover in it – whether a Series I or a new Range Rover. ‘ACE repairs are becoming more common as the vehicles get older,’ he says. Active Cornering Enhancement, or ACE, was a revelation when it debuted on the Discovery 2 in 1998. By using the clever combination of a twisting hydraulic ram controlled by a valve block with pressure built by an engine-driven pump, the active anti-roll bar that acted on the rear axle allowed the D2 to tackle fast turns with agility and without the lolloping body roll that plagued rivals. Fast-forward to 2005, and the then-new Range Rover Sport came out with ACE as standard on…9 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023WHAT’S IN YOUR WORKSHOP?Richard’s been going to some lengths Richard Cole has been getting stuck into his recently acquired 130 Td5. He pulled out and scrubbed the seats and floor coverings, replaced the flaky windscreen hinges with billet aluminium versions and changed the original Boost alloys for black Sawtooth wheels shod in Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs. Warren springs the changes MuddyMods’ supremo Warren Passingham took some time out from his usual diet of Freelanders to treat this Defender to a tasty new set of springs, dampers and galvanised turrets. Discovery lands Rover Dion Johns’ contribution is more of a ‘What’s going to be in your Workshop’, by putting his trusty 200Tdi to good use. ‘A 495-mile trip completed on Saturday to pick up a Rover 800 coupé, with a 30-year-old Discovery’. Great to see…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023UNSPOILED AND IN DEMANDDelivery-mileage classic Defenders still appear on the market and some attract big money – but not all. Top of the tree are the late Limited Editions in unused condition, as quite a few are. Prices approaching six figures are sometimes paid, but it’s important not to be wooed purely by a low mileage, advises Jonathan Hanco*ck of J.A. 4x4 in Cheshire (01206 514971), who specialises in delivery-mileage Defenders. ‘I only buy them now if they’ve been dry-stored. Bear in mind the latest ones are six years old, and Defenders like to rust. I’ve seen a few shockers.’ In October, Manor Park failed to find a buyer for a 2016 Autobiography with just 668 miles, estimated at £65k-75k. By contrast, Jonathan reports recently selling a Heritage Edition for £95k, about three…1 min
Land Rover Owner|January 2023WATTY’S WORLDSTATS DON’T LIE It amuses me that Land Rovers are simultaneously some of the most unreliable cars and most crashed, according to What Car? and GoShorty surveys. Maybe people are taking the ‘turning drivers into mechanics since 1948’ and the ‘ultimate off-road vehicle’ too literally. Still, if they were perfect, they wouldn’t be so characterful. Not sure about the crashes, though. YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP A recent DVSA press release caught my eye: someone has been printing and selling counterfeit Highway Codes. It’s all available for free online, so most people don’t buy a copy unless they’re learning to drive or, like me, competing in driving events. If you’re buying one, it should have a matte cover, and it’ll have an ISBN above the barcode. NOT QUITE PLAIN SAILING…3 min
