If you've noticed this thread ( https://landroverforums.com/forum/20...espond-105307/ ) you may know that we recently took the Defender on its first longish road trip/beach/dune run. Here are some impressions:

This was the first time in 5 years I'd made this run in something other than my JKU Wrangler) which is set up pretty nicely as far as Wranglers are concerned, though the contrast was still stark.

Let me preface this by saying I still love my Jeep. This doesn't change that.

But damn, I'm impressed.

Friggin 2.5 ton, 400 hp SUV - just walked all over the beaches and dunes without caring. Maybe even easier than my Jeep, despite the Pirelli road (really look like sport) tires.

The loose, deep, sugar sand claimed the usual victims while I was there (Tacoma, F-150, Jeep XJ, and even a JKU) as well as some unusual victims (Tesla, WTH, and Daimler GLA). Though I'll admit the JKU (and maybe one of the other regulars) obviously forgot to put it in 4wd before burying the rear axle.

You'll see in my other thread about the electronic nannies and off-road use that one time I was actually running the Defender in on-road comfort mode across deep sand tracks when it slid sideways and skidded to a stop. But I didn't have to grab the shovel of shame and start digging, I just put it back in Sand mode and it drove itself out with little effort. I learned a little bit about the truck this past week playing with the settings. Truthfully the bottom line is it's easy to let it do it's own thing, though I do probably prefer Snow/Gravel mode for most of my Sand driving (until the sand gets VERY deep - like crossing dunes).

Managed 20 mpg on the run down and 22 mpg on the way back (cheating with a tank of non-ethanol). Even in the sand it didn't do nearly as bad on mileage as I usually get in my Jeep.

Does even better when I can keep it below 70 for a length of time.

But it's so easy to run fast and gets there quick whether it's just casually pulling away from a light to making a quick pass. 80 to triple digits (perhaps, just maybe, I was told I hit the latter in a pass on the way down) is effortless.

And I have to admit that after 7-8 hours behind the wheel I'm a lot less beat up than when I'm in my Jeep.

Like I said I still love my Jeep and am looking forward to more runs in it. But I won't complain if she wants to take her ride some of the times.

Oh, I sighted two other Defenders (a White one rolling along the beach one afternoon last week, and I didn't get the color of the one that passed me INSIDE the tunnel of the Bay Bridge Tunnel yesterday afternoon). Holla if by the most unlikely chance that either driver reads this.

 

I’m fairly certain you saw a third Defender in your travels...it was parked right next to you on the beach for quite some time while we enjoyed a beer and conversation about our defenders.

 

Tis true, but I didn't want to post a pic of yours or mention you if you didn't want to be mentioned.

Great meeting you and chatting for a bit.

Hope your trip went well, as well.

 

No worries...the mention is just fine. So I’ll post your photo of our Defenders! Was great meeting you and look forward to another gathering soon!



My Defender and Kev M”s on the Outer Banks of NC

 

You guys have any info on sand driving in the OB? I'll be driving down there at the end of the month and staying in an AirBnB in Nags Head. I purchased my permit, but any advice on good sights to see, places to go?

 

I can't tell you anything about Nags head because our friend's house is in Corolla/Carova - so we have been staying up that way in the wild horse preserve for the last decade. Never needed to venture south of Duck except for the Home Depot in Kitty Hawk.

For beach/dunes driving the biggest thing is to remember the basics and air down. That alone makes a huge difference.

I detailed a lot of my impressions in the other thread I linked regarding how some of the various terrain modes worked. Generally speaking Auto or Snow/Gravel work great in the sand unless you start to get too bogged down in really deep, loose sand then sometimes it's better to switch to Sand mode. But the shift points are kinda high in sand mode so I tend to not run that unless I have to.

If you've not done sand driving before the biggest rookie mistake other than not airing down is to dig yourself into a hole if you get stuck. When your forward progress stops you have a relatively short window between wheel spin and the truck digging in enough to get stuck. Though I'll say the locking diffs and terrain modes pretty much prevented that. But if it happens and you're just spinning wheels and not moving for more then a few seconds, stop and reassess because you're likely just digging in deeper and deeper then.

If you start to get stuck and can't make forward progress stop for a second and try reverse. Many times if you start to get stuck it's because you're digging in and there's too much resistance to move forward. In these cases backing up will often free you.

If that doesn't work, shut her down for a minute and get out to survey the situation. Again since you usually get stuck when there's too much sand built up in front of the wheels try digging out BEHIND each wheel. The goal is to form a little ramp behind each wheel that the truck can ride back up and onto the surface of the sand.

Between airing down, digging out behind the tires, and backing up all but the deepest most stuck stuff I've come across over the years is easily freed up.

 

send me message and I can fill you in with some of my thoughts. I’ve lived on the OBX for 16 years and have a bunch of options depending on what you like to do.

 

Thanks Kev for the advice, and absolutely will do Bukmar.

 

Just made the run down to the OBX place again, this time in my Wrangler. Man it's a night and day difference in quiet and comfort.

The run down wasn't bad and I'm looking forward to a week or so on the beach with the Wrangler. But I'm way more beat up by the drive.

It was mostly a noise issue and partially my fault because the left front tire is choppy from late and lazy rotations.

But even if it was silent there's no way the Wrangler would match the comfort of the D.

I'll forget all about that tomorrow when I take the windows out and top off.

 

Quick question for those of you that have road tripped and camped out in your defender. I took my defender 400SE out for a 3 day camping trip. I didn't use the car for anything but storage while in the woods. Opening and closing the doors on occasion to get stuff out and put stuff in. Two of the three days a message popped up on the instrument panel saying battery low start ignition. I'd start the car for about 20 minutes and it went away. A little over a day later and the message is back. Anyone else experience anything like this?