From Defender to California: a Natural Progression?

[Hotel California]

I had a Td5 Def 90 SE , and now a Cali SE ...
Guess they are both adventures verhicles so a bit compareble in some way...
Afther a while i put a Hannibal rooftent on my Def but only for weekend trips not used it for longer hollidays.
No pictures on my Ipad , need to work on getting my older pics on the external hard disk...
I loved driving it , had no trouble doing 1000km at one time...
Loved the heated seats and heated front window.....
Oh , and the ventilation on the front bulckhead.... and the sliding windows in the rear , very usefull for traveling with dogs...i sometimes love to have him back
Sometimes i still go to the LR forum i was on and do some reading...

 

[Bobbybus]

I have had a '97 Defender 90 300tdi hard top for 16 years! I have loved every bit of this vehicle, full of character. It has been modified to improve its off-road ability and to protect the running gear. I have been off road many times, helped move house for friends, taken 'stuff' to the tip, taken my Border Collie (surely the only dog for the back of a Landy) to long walks and commuted to work in it. It has truly been part of my identity.
But, I have hardly used it since retiring and getting the California. And the immobiliser has decided to permanently work! The end is nigh. I have one more off-road adventure in December and then I will be very sorry to see it go in the New Year. Very sad.

 

[Tony Beretta]

In my case, I have been driving Wranglers for the last 14 years. I attended college in Miami where it was an icon and as soon as I could I got one for myself. I have had (and still do) very good times driving off-road but laws have changed a lot in those matters in several countries and now you can easily be fined for doing it. These fines are really hi since they are not traffic related but nature damaging.
Now I keep my 9 year old JK which will try to keep forever.

 

[Tony Beretta]

Just a few pics

 

[Velma's Dad]

Yes it's a natural progression. In my case anyway...

My happiest early 'camping' experiences (before the Cali, of course) involved kipping in a '9x9' tent - just like a drive-away awning - at the back of army FFR Landrovers (FFR = Fitted For Radio, ie the LWB military version, with 24v electrics).

Lovely and snug from the 'auxiliary heater' - in this case though that was the warmth from the exhaust extension pipe as the engine was kept running to charge the radio batteries. Making sure the extension tube was well fitted or else it would be a verrrry long sleep. And the hiss and hum of the big HF radios to nod off to, helped by a sneaky nip of German apfelkorn.

Then up again in half an hour when the orders to move suddenly came through.

Very happy memories and I still love the sounds and smells of any Landy.

 

[Hotel California]

@Velma's Dad , with my eyes closed i recognise a running Td5 engine (Def or Disco).

 

[Velma's Dad]

@Velma's Dad , with my eyes closed i recognise a running Td5 engine (Def or Disco).

Actually the Series III Land Rovers used by the British Army had 4-cylinder petrol engines. However I think the Netherlands military sensibly had diesel-powered Series IIIs, and possibly the Belgian army also.

In checking that just now, I also came across the very odd fact that Belgium bought 1,600 Series III Land Rovers in the 1970s that had - wait for it - two-wheel-drive rather than four-wheel. See:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/homer----simpson/8272466058

Why anyone would want such a vehicle I'm not sure, but it's an interesting little back-road on the Land Rover journey!!

 

[Simon D]

We still have our 110 but sold the roof top tent when we got the Cali...

They both make you feel good when you drive them

 

[Hotel California]

@Velma's Dad , that there was 2x4 i knew , guess the spec's where diffrent in other countries ....again just like with our Cali's

I keep telling myself there will be LR on the drive again one day...
Purhaps a Disco Driven by the lady of the house....? If only we won the lottery one day...

 

[MattBW]

My partner had Land Rovers (90 and 110) and I was also looking at a new LR when I got the Cali.

 

[Deskman]

The Cali and the Defender do have a big overlap as travel machines. And despite the differences they appeal in large to the same group of customers. At least three of my friends who had a LaRo switched to a Cali and no one had to give in very much on their travels.

Off course a LaRo is more a machine for the rough terrains but how often do you get there where this power is needed?


Us...



Them...

Best of Both Mix... (available as T2, T4, T5 or T6)

Wrong turn:

 

[pjm-84]

View media item 1134

 

[pjm-84]

IMG-20120109-00012

• pjm-84
• Sep 27, 2016

My Defender

 

[VW Cali]

This LR is clearly a much loved vehicle.

Love is blind as they say!

 

[kave]

Noeed for a Land Rover

 

[Verity]

After two years of lurking here I have noticed that a lot of California owners drove a LR Defender in the past. I'm one of them, and I wonder if there is a natural logic to the switch from one iconic car to another.

View attachment 16563
Past and present sunsets: Deffie the Defender and Betsy the Beach.

Over my lifetime I've owned five Defenders (or their predecessors). Te last two of them were true adventure vehicles, taking us to the Sahara desert seven times over a period of ten years, where we spent weeks on end in the sands of Mauritania, and countries that are now off-limits such as Mali and Libya. Now, fifteen years later (and older), the travel bug has bitten us again, and since two years we're cruising Europe in our Beach. The feeling is the same: we're still driving a wonderful boxy car, the latest incarnation of a legendary vehicle, and (a bit of snobbery is allowed) a camper that's not everybody's toy. We don't miss our Defender anymore; our Cali gives us as much fun and we see it as a natural next step in our wandering life.

And you? How do you experience your transit from a Defender to a California?

We had a 57 plate Defender 110 which was my husband's pride and joy, and he loves doing all the mountainous off road/through river/green laning stuff. Me not so much. It was ok to be a passenger in, I hated driving it. The worst thing was the effing thing was ALWAYS going wrong, and it always seemed to be off the road for at least 6 weeks while we waited for some hairy Herbert to fix it (why can't LR drivers use ordinary garages for repairs? I just don't get it). Anyway, after many cancelled weekends away and holidays abandoned because the flipping Landy was bust again, my beloved finally saw the light, took it to Webuyanycardotcom and bought a Mitsubishi L200. It's an ugly great beast, but it doesn't break down and it can still go over the Alps without breaking. The good thing about his Landy years was that it got us back into minimal camping again - his favourite thing at the moment is his Oz Tent. Too cold in the UK most of the time though! We've just sold our caravan and are waiting for our Cali now. Something in the middle. The comfort of a caravan, but slightly rough and ready like the tent.

Steve still misses the Landy. I got the bunting out and cracked open the fizz!

 

[BikerGran]

My daughter and son-in-law were most envious when I bought my Cali - he had a Disco as his daily driver and a 110 fire engine he bought partly as a hobby and partly because he belonged to Kimmeridge Emergency Response Volunteers http://kerv.org.uk/vehicles/landrover-110-v8
He's just replaced the Disco and 110 with a LWB Defender

As an aside, I wish I had a 4WD Cali as I'm slightly nervous about parking on wet fields!

 

[Ben Nevis]

Actually the Series III Land Rovers used by the British Army had 4-cylinder petrol engines. However I think the Netherlands military sensibly had diesel-powered Series IIIs, and possibly the Belgian army also.

In checking that just now, I also came across the very odd fact that Belgium bought 1,600 Series III Land Rovers in the 1970s that had - wait for it - two-wheel-drive rather than four-wheel. See:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/homer----simpson/8272466058

Why anyone would want such a vehicle I'm not sure, but it's an interesting little back-road on the Land Rover journey!!

I believe the petrol engines were used as they were best for operating in extreme sub zero temperatures.

 

[pjm-84]

Fingers crossed, I may have sourced a 4.4 V8 Disco 3.

 

[gear box oil]

yes its natural progression had a lot of fun camping with my family in the defender over the years.
sold my beloved SVX to get the California. the best 90 I ever had.
always thought of it as a farmers sports car.
they where never intended to be a leisure vehicle corrosion leaking in water and leaking oil where standard on a landrover

 

[Widget]

As Defenders got increasingly complex and unreliable I started to dislike them after a lifetime of fanaticism. After a lineage of 10 Landys and Maggiolina roof tents I sold my 54 plate Td5 110 in Feb 2015 and hopped into a Porsche - and now into a Cali having considered - and rejected - various conversions.

 

[VW Cali]

Some great pics above, especially Widget.

Here is a non owners take on the LR Defender:

1. Look great and rugged. Create impressions of serious man (and woman) rather than designer floss.

2. Something British about them in best sense possible. Even though based on American World War 2 jeep and technology apparently!

3. Something British in anecdotal reliability and finish. Even Top Gear commented adversely.

4. Despite the bad nane given to Hummers what is the difference really. A true solid outdoorsy American would get a proper Hummer. A Brit with wellies and Barbour jacket hoping to appear old money and understated would try to make a statement in the Defender.

And for all its ruggedness why does the rest of the world prefer Toyota LandCruisers?

 

[zoki]

We have a defender 90 but use it on our farm and for work, I have never understood people that drive these things for leisure/long distances, it bemuses many people

 

[Bobbybus]

Zoki, it's the character. Look left and you'll see my '97 Defender that I have had for 15 years at the top of my drive. Love it. I would not have kept it so long if it wasn't so much fun.
As per an earlier post, I may be selling next year 'cos I have 3 vehicles to run including my Triumph Tiger (which I just passed my Rospa advanced riding test on on Thursday) and that is getting more difficult since retirement. It will be a very sad day when (if)? I let it go.