90 p300 new build discussion and options questions.
#11
Ask your dealer how many of those e-diff packs they see go out the door. When I was spec'ing mine out last year they said they rarely see anyone buy that package. We don't have a huge offroad community here, so the e-diff isn't popular.
I also went the coil route. I've had a lot of air ride vehicles and it was time to just simplify things and go coils. I don't miss the air. I won't miss the expense before 100k miles when they start needing replacements.
Use your local dealer for advice so you don't build a unicorn that no one wants later. Make sure you put a trailer hitch on it... that's a ridiculous cost and effort if anyone wants to add it. That is the best $700 you'll spend even if you don't ever want to tow anything.
I also went the coil route. I've had a lot of air ride vehicles and it was time to just simplify things and go coils. I don't miss the air. I won't miss the expense before 100k miles when they start needing replacements.
Use your local dealer for advice so you don't build a unicorn that no one wants later. Make sure you put a trailer hitch on it... that's a ridiculous cost and effort if anyone wants to add it. That is the best $700 you'll spend even if you don't ever want to tow anything.
#12
I have a 110 S P300 and I optioned both the off-road pack and the advanced-off road pack. the Terrain Response 2 is nice, and it is quick to react when left in auto. ATPC is also a nice feature to have. Since mine is a 2021MY, all 110s came standard with the air suspension. LR air suspension is a lot better than it used to be, but I can't imagine it will be faultless. I had an LR4 for ten years before I got my 110 and I will say the air suspension on that never failed in the 10 years and 95k miles I had it. Another reason to go for the air is that you get the adaptive dampers. They work brilliantly and they're always adjusting, so when you're at speed on a rough gravel road, they wash up the road quite well. I have driven one with coils and the ride quality, while good, isn't on the level of the air.
#13
My area is mostly upscale buyers looking for a Range Rover. In my interactions with dealers, they push loaded D110 X P400's with 22" wheels and any V8's they can get, always and only in white, various grays or black. If you ask about a mere S model or a weird color like, you know, blue, or a dirt-bag option like steel wheels, you get a sour look and they just go back to pushing whatever is on the lot.
I know there must be genuinely-knowledgeable enthusiasts amongst them, but I haven't hooked up with one yet. Anyway, if I based my decisions on what buyers in my area want, I'd never get a Defender in the first place, I'd get a G-wagon. But I'm not very concerned about resale ease or value as I mostly expect to keep it a while.
Anyway, based on all your feedback and some more thought, here's my current idea:
* D90 with P300.
* Blue with white top and headliner, extended leather in black.
* Springs not air. I've been happy with them in the past, and fewer worries.
* Steel wheels with the stock AT's. I'll replace them with something better down the line.
* ClearSight camera.
* I'm leaning towards the rear differential ("off road pack") - still debating.
* The stand-alone tow receiver option.
The last two I'm mostly considering only because they are impossible or expensive to add later.
A person above mentioned a front skid plate and the lack of front recovery eyes. These are not on the configurator, so if available these look to be dealer add-ons, and I'd likely do without or look elsewhere.
A question about the "off road pack" without the "advanced off road pack": Do you have the ability to manually lock them, or are they just computer-controlled? Maybe the computers are smarter than I am, but I'd like to know they are locked.
Thanks again for all the commentary and advice.
I know there must be genuinely-knowledgeable enthusiasts amongst them, but I haven't hooked up with one yet. Anyway, if I based my decisions on what buyers in my area want, I'd never get a Defender in the first place, I'd get a G-wagon. But I'm not very concerned about resale ease or value as I mostly expect to keep it a while.
Anyway, based on all your feedback and some more thought, here's my current idea:
* D90 with P300.
* Blue with white top and headliner, extended leather in black.
* Springs not air. I've been happy with them in the past, and fewer worries.
* Steel wheels with the stock AT's. I'll replace them with something better down the line.
* ClearSight camera.
* I'm leaning towards the rear differential ("off road pack") - still debating.
* The stand-alone tow receiver option.
The last two I'm mostly considering only because they are impossible or expensive to add later.
A person above mentioned a front skid plate and the lack of front recovery eyes. These are not on the configurator, so if available these look to be dealer add-ons, and I'd likely do without or look elsewhere.
A question about the "off road pack" without the "advanced off road pack": Do you have the ability to manually lock them, or are they just computer-controlled? Maybe the computers are smarter than I am, but I'd like to know they are locked.
Thanks again for all the commentary and advice.
Last edited by Zondar; 01-22-2024 at 10:44 AM. Reason: Added ClearSight camera.
#14
Just saw Cincy's post that snuck in while I was typing. Yes, actually, any amount of smoothing out those miserable wash-board roads would be very nice indeed! My old D90 hated them! The Disco-II (springs) tolerated them a little better. The new D90 has about the same wheelbase as the old Disco, so maybe it would be a little better.
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CincyRovers (01-22-2024)
#15
Just saw Cincy's post that snuck in while I was typing. Yes, actually, any amount of smoothing out those miserable wash-board roads would be very nice indeed! My old D90 hated them! The Disco-II (springs) tolerated them a little better. The new D90 has about the same wheelbase as the old Disco, so maybe it would be a little better.
#16
Oh, I forgot the Clearsight camera. I don't like LCD screens instead of a mirror due to the need to refocus my eyes so much. But it's quite crisp and a useful safety feature, and at least you can turn it off, though it's darker than a normal mirror if you do.
I've noted that some vehicles, like from Volvo, are unnecessarily ditching rear glass altogether now. I think that's a terrible idea, but apparently it's considered an avant-guard styling statement. Eye roll!
I've noted that some vehicles, like from Volvo, are unnecessarily ditching rear glass altogether now. I think that's a terrible idea, but apparently it's considered an avant-guard styling statement. Eye roll!
#17
Once you build your S, go in and configure one level up and see what the price difference is and what options it adds. Mine is a P300 23.5 and when I was building a base I dual pathed an S and found that a bunch of options I added were then standard and the price hardly changed. I ended up with an S instead of a base.
At the end of the day you build it for your needs and comfort level and a little for that resale value. I've yet to see one that was so under spec'd that it would cause a problem down the road. You'll like the P300 motor. It's got plenty of grunt.
At the end of the day you build it for your needs and comfort level and a little for that resale value. I've yet to see one that was so under spec'd that it would cause a problem down the road. You'll like the P300 motor. It's got plenty of grunt.
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jusmax88 (01-23-2024)
#18
#20
Right. The X-dynamic is the only P400 option now. Specified the same way as I did for the S, none of the chosen options are included in the X-dynamic, and it comes to about $10,000 more. So that's just for the engine, and you can't order steel wheels or the white roof in the X-dynamic trim.
So now I'm thinking to keep it simple, but to include the tow receiver despite never expecting to tow, based on member's feedback.
* D90 with P300.
* Blue with white top and headliner.
* Extended leather in black.
* Springs not air.
* Steel wheels with the stock AT's.
* ClearSight camera.
* The stand-alone tow receiver option.
Maybe it's equipped and will look more like a mail carrier than a rock crawler, but when I was in college a friend bought an actual mail carrier for $500, and I was secretly quite jealous! Now it's finally my turn - haha!
So now I'm thinking to keep it simple, but to include the tow receiver despite never expecting to tow, based on member's feedback.
* D90 with P300.
* Blue with white top and headliner.
* Extended leather in black.
* Springs not air.
* Steel wheels with the stock AT's.
* ClearSight camera.
* The stand-alone tow receiver option.
Maybe it's equipped and will look more like a mail carrier than a rock crawler, but when I was in college a friend bought an actual mail carrier for $500, and I was secretly quite jealous! Now it's finally my turn - haha!
The following users liked this post:
ba_ (01-23-2024)