jeremy996

The PDF of the standard owners manual is now available for download. This isn't the manual I really want, as I want to study the workshop manual closely, but it is a start. Unfortunately, it is too big to be saved here, so the link is:-

There are pictures around of people sitting on it, Sir Jim Radcliffe included!

Delivered today to Chandlers of Belton. Like every other retail Grenadier, it will remain a 2.7T paperweight until given a software flash and registered, (they haven't asked for the final balance yet). Thoughts? Mostly wild excitement, but I think I should have specified the ladder at the back, it looks a bit bare.

Richard Young at Chandlers, Belton has gone on holiday for a fortnight and from what other eager prospective owners have said not much is expected to happen in the next week, so I've clamed down and thought of different things. As for Urban, a bit faux London, but I was more impressed than I expected on their process. I think their side step looks better than the Ineos one I have added as an option. When I break the fitted step or it rusts through, I'll have to look at Urban for a replacement, as my Mother and Mother in Law will need a step to get in.

The guys at Urban have been loaned a road registered Grenadier. I must admit I did not hate the side steps they designed as much as I thought I would! Generally positive vibes from the video.

No, nothing useful. I'm supposed to be marshalling a cycle race on Sunday; my LR90 still is missing working rear lights, so no MOT and the Grenadier is "somewhere". I'm not sure whether the cycle race will see Charlie the Vauxhall Agila or Fay the Morgan; neither have the road presence of a full sized 4x4.

I had a great deal of difficulty finding an uncracked 200Tdi head when I needed one, September/October 2018. I ended up testing 5 to find one that was suitable for a rebuild. The engine builder struck out very quickly and made it my problem. My original head had cracked from the combustion chamber to a water galley, so I had small consistant water losses, but it was not detected by a sniffer test or by a compression test. The crack was found by a test on the cleaned up head before getting the valve guides reamed, sleeved and the seats recut. I'd suggest collecting as many heads as you can get cheaply and just get them crack tested, keeping the otherwise unrebuilt heads on the shelf. If you have spairs, they will be gold dust in 10-15 years.

Download the originals from the links provided. You need a workshop manual; the copy Autobook one below looks like a serious attempt. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19br23yy-O9fxlGt4igxjjZygKf8KqMMx/view

My patience is being sorely tried. I spoke to my dealer this afternoon; they are on notice my truck should be with them on the 02/04/2023. They still don't know if all the softwear updates will be available, how long registration, PDI and adding dealer fit extras will take. I'm especially sore about it as I have been caught in the rain driving the Morgan. It's OK when actually going forwards, you just get soggy when stopped at traffic lights! Still, client thought it was funny.

I am assured that everything is moving along; one of the dealers, (Steve at Halliwell Jones Chester), put up a picture of the hardback manual. There has been a little debate about how thick it is!

Welcome, lets hope your td4 lives up to the reputation of being the "less hassle" one.

My local dealer rang me today and said my Grenadier was flagged as ready to be Transported from Hambach to the dealer. They were told to make themselves ready to receive it; he muttered darkly that they have been ready since June! There is still a firmware update due to be applied, supposedly to modify the idle emissions and not a big deal. What did concern me is that it will have to be registered as a "23" plate first and I will only be able to apply my personal plate, (put on retention from my LR110), later. That suggests that Ineos are doing the registration and probably by post, with all the opportunities for lost time and general cock-ups that creates with the DVLA. One small step further down the road!

New YouTube video from "The Underpowered Hour", talking about various things, including Mercedes Lilienthal talking about the Grenadier. Nothing too novel and nearly a hour of talking heads. (IA content from 7:30 to 50:00, US based Freelander content at 52:00).

Stuck clutch, stuck brakes, including the transmission brake, dodgy washer fluid, wipers glued to the screen, sticky relays and if you are really unlucky, organic matter in the diesel. If I had the choice, I'd trailer it nearer for some detailed attention before driving. No choice, bring tools to free brakes, top up all fluids and test all the systems before hitting the road. You can usually free a clutch by warming the engine first, then starting up in gear, but make sure you have lots of runoff to control the vehicle. Driving through the back wall of the garage is a good way to ruin your day!

Sorry, not funny. Spray and flying rocks have led to some big RTCs (Road Traffic Collisions). Having had a toughened glass windscreen come in on me, (Austin Maxi 1750 on the M1), I can confirm it was a bit of a distraction, so simple rules that reduce flying rocks are OK by me. Do any form of motorsport marshalling and you will see incidents that are triggered by spray or other debris. Most C&U, type approval and conformity rules are for the wider public good or public safety. If someone chooses to break them, they cannot be too surprised if society takes a dim view of it. We have it easy in the UK, in terms of vehicle modifications and customisation, especially when compared to Germany or Switzerland. We also have very safe roads compared to the USA and practically every other country.

An MOT only says it meets minimum standards in certain areas on the day in question. If you have managed to upset the spider-senses of the vehicle examiner, an MOT on the same day will not save you. It might suggest to the case manager at the insurance company that they do a "proper job" on you, or just pay the claim, depending on how corporate are feeling about claims costs.

YouTube video from a slightly off stage source, a classic car dealer with a long Land Rover history.

No page missing, it's part of Writer's Rovers and the next page is someone else. As for the MPG, I'd suggest that is slightly pessimistic, as they are using a more rigorous test regime. That said, the driver makes the biggest single difference. Not yet! Ineos will not honour the warranty if you don't use factory parts, so I'd guess that is 5 years away. Ineos are welcoming towards the aftermarket for add-on gadgets and other shiny things, so I would expect most of the usual suspects to develop a Grenadier range, (or more likely, rebadge some existing camping, overlanding or convenience trinkets).

The last road test report I have been waiting for landed today, as my subscription copy of Land Rover Monthly, April 2023 arrived. Gary Pusey uses his bit of 'Writers' Rovers" to cover the Scotland junket. There should be a You Tube video, but I could not see it at time of writing, https://www.youtube.com/@landrovermonthly7806/featured He seemed to like it, after a bit of a wobble about too much electrickery and whining from other hacks about the steering.

I am dreaming about that day! I'm told it has been assembled, but as part of "Batch and Hold", it has not left the Hambach factory. My local agent expects, on not much more than a hunch, that it will be late March. I have signed my contract so I am committed.

Just after 16:00 today, I got an update e-mail from Ineos. Hi Jeremy, In the production update from our Hambach factory earlier this month, our CEO, Lynn Calder, made two commitments. One was that, as Grenadiers reach our first customers, we communicate more frequently. The other was that quality remains our number one priority. PRODUCTION UPDATE In line with this priority, all vehicles continue to be subject to the ‘batch and hold’ process. This means they are still undergoing additional, rigorous checks. These continue to slow us down. But, we’re still making progress. We are now seeing the first vehicles leaving Hambach en route to our retailer partners. And we’ve issued almost 1,000 additional contracts this week as we ramp up production of customer vehicles. CHALLENGING TERRAIN. TOUGH CROWD As Lynn Calder alluded to, the world’s media put the Grenadier through its paces on an epic journey starting in the Scottish Highlands. How did our rugged 4X4s cope with the challenging terrain and weather? There are over 297 first impressions online and available to read, to help you find out. Here’s one to get you started. "So during two full days of off-road driving through the beautiful wilds of the Scottish Highlands, I can affirm I always had every confidence in the Grenadier's old-school off-roading ability. And that included negotiating some really hairy narrow mountainous tracks in pitch dark with nothing but air, gravity, and a prayer between me and the loch far below." READ THE REVIEW > We know how frustrating the wait must be, and we want nothing more than to see you, our customers, behind the wheels of your Grenadiers. We’ll continue to keep you updated with news on your Grenadier. And, as part of our commitment to communicate more frequently, we’ll share another update in two weeks’ time. But, of course, if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch. CONTACT US > Thank you for your continued support, The Grenadier team

@Happyoldgitwhat did you think? I have been accused of being like a little kid, very, very early on Christmas morning! To continue the analogy, it's about 01:50AM and I am not allowed to open presents until 09:00! Every second drags like a year!

Yesterday i was sent my contract to electronically sign. I checked it to my order and it was correct, so I signed it. I'm told that my vehicle has been built, but is still at Hambach, awaiting a software update, before being sent to my local dealer. So, a little bit nearer.

My experience of modern LRs limp modes suggests that they go into limp for some silly reasons, a bit like a horse bolting after seeing an angry daisy! Some sensor faults will trigger limping, when the only thing that has failed was the sensor and a mid-value would allow the vehicle to function. By all means, light up the dash like a Christmas tree, but don't make it slower than a granny on a bike or brick the vehicle unless it really needs it. Back in the mid-2000s I bought a BMW 5 Series as a work car which went into limp mode, (max 20kph), each time I was on the Bescote acceleration lane onto the M6. Bribing an ex-army mate, now last resort auto-electrician, with a crate of beer to do his electronic voodoo on the vehicle, (as the dealer had failed to find a real fault 4 times), it turned out that the wiring loom had been stretched and the only permanent fix would be to replace the loom. I rejected the car and ended up buying my LR110CSW.

What looks like it should be set in stone is not always - HMRC have some wiggle room if they want to use it. The Grenadier N1 2 seater Utility is likely to be accepted as a commercial vehicle, but at present it is at the discretion of the local Tax inspector. If it is on the list, (circa 2014!), it is an accepted norm. Ineos have to push for it to be on the list and have not done so, yet.