Compared to a Defender - some general thoughts and concerns.

[Wahoowa]

I'm glad this thread exists! I've been getting sort of bored with the waiting on the Bronco and made the mistake of visiting the Defender build and price, yesterday. There is a LOT there to like.

I know it's different than the Bronco (capable but less rock-crawly / truck-like), it's a touch more expensive, and the history of reliability issues, but I think I'm going to go check one out in person this weekend. The wife suggested it so she's on-board. I've never owned anything but a Ford (many Rangers, a Fusion, an Escape), but I'm tempted. The cooled seats and some of the other tech and comfort features could really sell me, plus the substantially better towing capacity. We're looking at doing some car travel and camping with the dogs, so I think it could serve us well!

No hate on Ford, but it's been a long wait, I've been wanting something different since my reservation, and who knows how much longer I'll be waiting on the Bronco build, even with an early 7/14 reservation. I can always get the Bronco in a few years if I decide to go with the Landy.

I made the jump in Jan and haven’t regretted the defender. I’ll eventually come back to the Bronco, but glad I decided to stop fretting and move on.

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[Deleted member 9326]

Can afford defender and not loyal Ford customer, or Jeep fwiw. The defender is a horrid abomination, unibody construction is NOT meant for off-road. Land Rover cheaped out because it knew its customer base was more likely to visit Starbucks than ever see a gravel road.

For people like me who want to drive long distance in comfort, and also have sufficient off-road capability to explore, the Defender makes a lot of sense. I have a Bronco on order but I'm interested in hearing from people who went for a Defender. Not all (many?) Bronco customers are just interested in rock crawling.
As for the X5 quip, I'd recommend learning a bit more about the Defender's capabilities. Lots of impressed reviewers online.

 

[Springbok]

Defender gets here this week, have a date at Land Rover dallas to install 2” rod lift and big boy tires in 2 weeks. Will update with pics once it’s ready!

 

[Moya7]

I will be stopping by an LR dealer on my way back from seeing the bronco this weekend.

Thoughts -
Bronco is probably not going to cut it as the family hauler long term. The Defender could.

However, the Defender is basically unobtainable. I simply won’t buy an LR given reliability and repair costs. The only option is to lease and the defender leases HORRENDOUSLY like 1,000 month for a high 60k car WITH a couple K down. I see that and think well...if I’m deviating from the bronco with a defender, would I rather get a RR Sport for less if lease I must? It seems foolish to drive off an LR lot knowing my monthly would be lower with an RR sport than a defender. And then why not get for a little less, an LR Discovery for 750/mo? Then I find myself thinking about other leases for German SUVs and then get completely off track.

its an odd cycle that has me thinking - ok. You have the reservation.Just buy the Sasquatch bronco and stop overthinking it. If it doesn’t cut it, then when the wife’s lease is up in a year or two I’ll have another bite of the apple to see if that should be upgraded to an LR discovery etc. and then demote the Bronco to the weekender. So that’s the plan for now.

but I will say if the Defender leased better I would give it a much harder look than buying the bronco.

IMHO the LR Discovery is hideously ugly, just look at the back of it. I live in Land Rover Range Rover country, so I see them everywhere. I do like the Defender, especially the interior and the height inside, but its out of my budget. My build date for my Bronco BD is June 21, so I'm happy. Best to you.

 

[NCOBX]

For people like me who want to drive long distance in comfort, and also have sufficient off-road capability to explore, the Defender makes a lot of sense. I have a Bronco on order but I'm interested in hearing from people who went for a Defender. Not all (many?) Bronco customers are just interested in rock crawling.
As for the X5 quip, I'd recommend learning a bit more about the Defender's capabilities. Lots of impressed reviewers online.

I have seen videos of it, I’ve sat in one, rode in one, I’ve looked under it and looked at options and builds. I’ve tried my damndest to figure out what the hell the few people on this forum like about it and I have nothing.
It awful as an off-roader unless you’ve scouted the perfect trail.
I’m not sure I understand the travel issue you mention, you can take a 4Runner or any of the many past BOF IFS/SRA SUVs on comfortable long distance trips.
The new defender is a minivan through and through. LR had the opportunity to light up the off-road world with a kill shot at Jeep, instead they warmed over one of their other minivans with a new body.

I wouldn’t be caught driving it, or any of their other lame crossovers for that matter.

 

[DryYourTears]

IMHO the LR Discovery is hideously ugly, just look at the back of it. I live in Land Rover Range Rover country, so I see them everywhere. I do like the Defender, especially the interior and the height inside, but its out of my budget. My build date for my Bronco BD is June 21, so I'm happy. Best to you.

The budget thing is definitely a concern, depending on how it's optioned. I'm definitely not looking at a fully loaded Defender with the V8. if I get a June or early July build I'll probably be OK, though I'm already getting screwed by the Northern Virginia annual inspection on my current vehicle being due again (it's just a nuisance to do it again). If the build ends up too much later (which is what I fear with their dealer allocation formula), I'm likely to end my "lifelong Ford customer" record (6 new vehicles so far, in my early 40's) and pick up the Defender.

I did think more about the reliability thing, and considering I had to get the engine in my Escape swapped (under warranty), and it took about two weeks for it to get done, I'm not sure I'd be much worse off.

 

[Moya7]

The budget thing is definitely a concern, depending on how it's optioned. I'm definitely not looking at a fully loaded Defender with the V8. if I get a June or early July build I'll probably be OK, though I'm already getting screwed by the Northern Virginia annual inspection on my current vehicle being due again (it's just a nuisance to do it again). If the build ends up too much later (which is what I fear with their dealer allocation formula), I'm likely to end my "lifelong Ford customer" record (6 new vehicles so far, in my early 40's) and pick up the Defender.

I did think more about the reliability thing, and considering I had to get the engine in my Escape swapped (under warranty), and it took about two weeks for it to get done, I'm not sure I'd be much worse off.

Just swear you will not get a Discovery

 

[DryYourTears]

Just swear you will not get a Discovery

That is an easy promise to make!

 

[Moya7]

That is an easy promise to make!

And now Ford has made the Explorer look a lot like the Discovery, why oh why!

 

[BroncoBuckaroo]

I was regretting liking the Defender because I doubt I could justify getting the one I would want (better engine, leather, moonroof, sound system, and the advanced four-wheel-drive stuff) and my builds always landed in the 70K range. I really love the Panega Green with a white roof but hated that you could not get the steel wheels with the better engine. Also, I did not want to drive a luxury brand associated with exclusivity, with a sparse dealer network, questionable reliability, and higher than average ownership costs.

I liked the idea of a boxy, rugged, large (but not huge) vehicle that is very good on the tarmac in addition to doing well on the trail. I now own a JK Wrangler, and don't like the narrowness of the cabin, the cheapness of the materials (a little better in the JL but nothing like the Defender), and the highway manners. I live on the east coast, and I want to explore North American with my vehicle, but I find this a little too taxing in the Jeep. I am not an extreme rock crawl kind of guy but want some ability.

I expect the Bronco will be better than the Defender on the trail, but I worry about a few things and would appreciate hearing from others.

1. Road Noise: My JK has the hardtop with the sound damping carpet which I am not sure how much it does. I hope Bronco does a better job than Jeep and get within the ballpark with Defender here.
2. Handling: Same as above in expect better than Jeep but hope close to Defender. I drove the Toyota 4 Runner before buying my 2016 JKU, and despite IFS, I found the drive worse than the JK in 2016. The 4-Runner felt crude. I have heard that driving the new Ranger will give someone a good idea of how the Bronco will drive. But I also heard that the Bronco has a different frame.
3. Cabin fit and finish. I really hate the interior of my JKU. The JLU is better, and I like the look of the Bronco as much as I like the Defender, which is saying a lot, but not sure about the touch and feel. Has anyone sat in both vehicles?

Land of a 1000 Electrical bugaboos Rover

Tata Motors hasn‘t made it any better

 

[BuzzyBud]

It seems cross shopping while we wait makes sense. LR Defender is a viable option for some potential Bronco owners. I will put in a plug for a Ford Ranger Tremor. In my area you can get a Lariet Tremor for under $43,000. I still want my Badlands, but I could buy a truck load of mods for the difference in cost. Plus with a 7500lb towing capacity, I can haul all the mods home to my garage!

 

[Hoofnmouth]

Land of a 1000 Electrical bugaboos Rover

Tata Motors hasn‘t made it any better

Lucas the "prince of darkness"

 

[ATLBronco75]

The idea that the only people who dislike the LR are those who can’t afford it is exactly why I would never buy a modern one.

 

[Deleted member 9326]

The idea that the only people who dislike the LR are those who can’t afford it is exactly why I would never buy a modern one.

"Dislike" is putting it mildly in this thread. What else could explain the over-the-top negativity toward the Defender and anyone considering one?

 

[ATLBronco75]

"Dislike" is putting it mildly in this thread. What else could explain the over-the-top negativity toward the Defender and anyone considering one?

Literally hundreds of other reasons. Jumping to the conclusion that LR haters can’t afford one says way more about you than them.

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