Mark1107 - you are spot on !
I am getting tired of reading posts from agitators pouring negativity on others who are more than intelligent enough to know the risks and benefits, and can or already have made their own mind up.

I am giving a wide berth to a certain Aussie LR forum because it is overrun with di**heads like John Cadogan who seem to have nothing better to do than insult others.

Lets continue to keep this forum overwhelmingly positive, and a breath of fresh air please, and not give so called "Auto Experts" like Cadogan any more exposure !

D'animal, good luck in your deliberations over the move to the new Defender, but please don't feel obliged to share the decision making process.

 

The way I see it, the more Defenders being sold, the quicker they can work out the problems and begin building some reliable machines. So with that, buy away so I can place an order next year.

 

Cadogan presentation style is just unwatchable and frankly makes it impossible for me to take anything he says seriously. So I don’t bother watching him anymore. He ranks up there with Scotty Kilmer as someone to be ignored.
As for TFL, at least they bought the thing with their own money, and they’ve had 2 previous Discoveries they have been very positive about so I wouldn’t say they were biased. At the end of the day the check engine issue on their first Defender did happen and could happen to anyone, although I do think they over stated the seriousness of the non working camera system (hardly makes the vehicle unusable). I wouldn’t accept the engine being replaced on a new car either.
As for the 2nd Defender being put out of commission due to a mistake by the dealer fitting the winch ;and having watched the powerfuluk vid on the same) it is a useful cautionary tale as it is work that needs care and attention to detail. In other words it could happen to anyone.
As for their third Defender, I really think they should have insisted on any vehicle with the locking rear diff and tow bar given their intended use, as it having heated seats or whatever is not a problem from a review perspective as whether viewers choose to add such things is separate from the off roading ability of their intended video series. It is a shame they couldn’t get the 4 cyl and steelies though, but it’s clearly not a popular option and therefore maybe not that important to get and review one.

I expected a new vehicle from LR with all new infotainment to have factory fit and finish problems, and plenty of software bugs. Both are true, the threads on here prove that. That engine issue TFL had is very concerning though. I’d feel a lot more comfortable going for that engine if JLR revealed what actually was wrong with it. But no way would I go with a 1st year Land Rover, I’d wait until the 3rd year at least.

 

I purchased mine a few weeks ago. Fully aware of the TFL unfortunate storyline The only thing it changed for me was going for the 6 instead, plus after you drive the 6 there is no going back.

This is my 7th LR product and all have been very reliable. As a side note, in Oct '18 purchased a '19 Ram 1500 Crew Limited 63k sticker. It was 'lemonade' 9 months later and 20k miles. In the shop for a total of 63 days, replaced steering rack, body mounts 2x, rear driveshaft, left rear wheel bearing, and axle.

I could go on about it, but in the end, no manufacturer is a perfect long story short.

In the earlier comment about SIMON at PowerfulUK - fully agree - he is obsessed with the LR brand and is sharing his experience unbiased. I enjoy his references to Skywalker when he speaks with LR Gods..

 

I bought my Defender in late October and love it. This is my 4th JLR vehicle and I'll continue to buy their products. I've had a first year Evoque, second year Discovery Sport and second year F-Pace and never experienced a serious issue with any of them. It bugs the hell out of me when I read the comments from nonowners (especially on TFL) spouting misinformation about the brand and its reliability. Not to say there aren't problems for some owners and maybe I've just been purely lucky, but I have friends who struggle with their BMWs and MBs on a regular basis.

 

when i bought my audi A3 sportback when it was first introduced to the US, i was warned by so many that audi has lots of issues and it will turn into a money pit. i ordered it, waited for 3 months to take delivery, drove it for 10 years at 200k miles and it never had any issues. all i did was oil change/spark plugs, brakes, timing belt/water pump replacement at 75k miles and 150k miles, battery replacement at due time. the car never left me stranded once

now, i am driving my 2017 GTI with 70k miles on it, same thing, only oil change and plugs so far.

am i lucky, maybe? or maybe not?

 

the choice is yours, but i'm enjoying the heck out of mine so far.

 

That’s what warranties are for. Every manufacturer makes a few lemons. You will never get to enjoy anything if you watch every YouTube influencer who discovers a new problem. Either you like the car for what it is, or you don’t. Get on with your life pls.