Hi all. I’ve been lurking and reading for a while to learn about the new Defender. I’m close to a deal on a 24 x dynamic, p400 in Tasman, with oyster Windsor leather, air suspension, and a bunch of smaller packages. It has some things I’d like and some i wouldn’t add to my ideal build. MSRP is close to 87 and dealer is offering 5k off.

I’m in a Toyota Tundra and used to its reliability. Am I nuts looking at a LR Defender?
I’ve seen and read about all of the glitchy software and other somewhat expected first and 2nd year quality issues. I’m hoping a 9/23 build date would be past these teething issues.

Can anyone with a late 23 or 24 share their ownership experiences?

 

$5k off, Wow! That’s good 2 hear. Local dealers in my area (Florida) seem to act like they are doing us a favor just by selling at msrp. As far as reliability go”s, I have had my 23 Defender just under a year. A little over 10k miles & she has been flawless. I’ve also had other rovers in the past without problems. I say go for it!

 

We absolutely love our Defenders and would not want to drive anything else. However, I'll be honest and tell you that our 2023 has had more issues than our 2021. Had to have 2 different coolant leaks fixed. The heat & AC system blows air inconsistently front & back even after pressing the sync button. Sometimes only the right side speakers have sound. Now I have some odd software problem where the SXM radio presets vanished but if you try to add them it says that all 20 SXM preset slots are filled. Dealer spent 3 days trying to fix it and even got a tech from JLR corporate involved. They ordered some PCM module that is on backorder to see if that will solve the problem. We will be trading in our 2023 before our 2021. Plus it looks like features I wanted to order on our 2023 that were unavailable like 700 watt Meridian and the clear view mirror are back.

 

My 2 cents. Don't come into a Defender thinking the teething issues were solved in the early year models and you will have a Toyota in your hands. Some say their cars have been flawless, some have had issues. The only trend that seems accurate is that the early models almost always had some sort of issues (even if just minor like A-pilar, smart key not working, etc), while with the more recent ones it is a roll of the dice - like you can see above.

 

First time LR owner here (but mainly European and Jeeps otherwise -- never actually owned a Toyota other than a very used 77 Celica GT in the 80s that was a POS by that time.

Anyway, I came in with very low expectations around reliability and quality, based on both anecdotal and Consumer Reports/JDPower type survey data. But you want what you want, right?

I have been amazed by my experience with my 22 110 H-SE P400 with air suspension. I got it in June 2021, so 31 months and 37,000 miles ago. I have been to the dealer one time, in late 2021 when a storm dropped a large branch on my windshield and cracked it badly. Got a new windshield and that is it. Sum total. Of course, I've done the maintenance schedule, but I've done it myself. And I scraped my ClearView camera off the roof backing up a steep incline into a low garage, but I had that replaced by my local indy ($1100 vs 2400 from dealer.) I had the winch installed by another indy. I do oil, brake fluid and other fluids myself.

Compare that to my 2014 Wrangler (I still have it.) New long-block (aka "engine") at 15,000 miles when it dropped a valve seat into Piston No. 6; new clutch slave cylinder, new airbag clock spring, new seatbelt retractor both sides, new seatbelt latch receiver driver's side, new cat con left side, no doubt plenty more I'm forgetting. The Jeep has 44,000 now, but all this happened by 34,000. In fact, it has a permanent CEL right now that the closest Jeep dealer said, after keeping it for 5 days, "We don't know. We could try replacing the fuel tank and the entire fuel lines and pump, etc. and see if that takes care of it." It can't pass emissions in Atlanta; fortunately we own a house at the beach, a county that doesn't require emissions testing, so I can get it registered as functionally located there.

So I'm no stranger to putting up with a bunch of crap for a vehicle you love. In fact, I sold this to a friend in Ohio when I bought the Defender in 21, then bought it back two years later. Knowing all the above. But the Defender, over the same number of miles has been nothing but perfect.

 

I have a 2023 110X and a 2023 90X. No problems so far under moderate use. However, I recommend you give serious consideration to accessory options. NOW is the time to negotiate. Once you get the truck you have no leverage with the dealer and dealer prices are punishing. The aftermarket is an option with some quality issues but most importantly self install. Some are straight forward, some not. Many on this forum have the tools, equipment, spare minor part and patients to make aftermarket effective. I don’t. Good luck and enjoy.

 

I have a 2022 Defender 90X, pretty much loaded. The only thing I have had go wrong is a number of batteries fail. I am soon looking to my 4th. It seems there is a service bulletin that will apparently address what is draining mine down too often and too low. Aside from that, nothing. I know you feel your Toyota is the gold standard of reliability, however I have had exactly the opposite overseas. I have 4 Landcruisers fail their transmission, usually 3rd gear. In Borneo we had 3 fail their new transmissions, automatics, within the first 6 weeks. Then the replacement HiLux, new, had its brake caliper fall off. Don't get me started about the HiLux's I get in Africa, total POS's. So everybody's milage will vary on the reliability of their favorite mark. I do a whole metric crap ton of off-road driving, being a geologist kind of mandates that. Defenders and Series Vehicles have served me well, but they all have had their share of failures. My wife thought my Series III diesel was the Antichrist, a lot of mutual hate there.

These vehicles are all being up-teched. Tech fails early on in development and certain items work well without issue, and others, just are crap. So far, mine is very reliable, but does consume batteries 4 times faster than it needs oil changes. Again, this is most likely to be fixed when I take it down the mountain for its next service. Bottom line, you can be tormented by any brand, especially if it has more tech at the moment. I think by 2030 all cars may have worked out how to get all this tech stuff to be more reliable. At the moment, they are all dodgy.

 

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice. I really appreciate it. I’m going into this with my eyes open. I agree that modern vehicles Achilles heels for all manufacturers is the software.

I’m hoping, like many of you, to get a mechanically sound example. I’ll be 99% a commuter. I lol at the 22” wheels on the one I’m currently talking to a dealer about. I’d prefer 18’s or 20” max.

i change the oil at 1k, 5k, and 5k afterwards. I think longer recommendations are just the marketing department’s weaving an unrealistic maintenance schedule. Oil is cheap, engines aren’t.

anyway, I’ll post an update if I jump in.

 

2023 Defender V8. Got it in August and have 16,000 miles on it already. Has been excellent so far. Currently at the dealer to have the rear drivers side door seal replaced (known issue with it sticking), otherwise no issues.
We love it to the point that my wife wants a Defender this spring so we will likely have 2 (like many on this forum have)

Part of owning any high-end/luxury brand is dealing with quirky issues related to low(er) production numbers. I've always accepted this as the tradeoff to driving really cool vehicles. Luckily, my dealer provides a nice loaner so I'm driving a brand new Defender 90 today.


FWIW, YMMV

Jim

 

yeah, I know. Former R8, and 2 911’s owner.