[Quick one]

Yes the colour coded roofs are available with the more expensive models but apprently not the commercial ones.

Thanks

MINESAPINT

[Quick one]

Walfy,

Is Tims 110 a Hard Top or County Hard Top?

Thanks

MINESAPINT

[Quick one]

Just to let you know it is sorted, thank you for replies.

No option for colour coded roof with 110 hard top vehicles.

Phoned Land Rover on 0800 110 110 and all they did was quote colours off web site which needs updating. The Cairns blue, Tamar blue metallic & Tonga green now discontinued. Replaced by Tamar blue solid colour and Galway green & Ismere blue metallic. Dealer is posting showroom samples to us to choose colour.

In the event Mrs MINESAPINT & I cannot agree on a colour the dealer has offered to paint passenger side one colour & drivers side another so we will both be happy. Can't say fairer that that!

MINESAPINT

[Quick one]

Further to my last thread ref brand new Puma broken down with gearbox problems when I went to collect it. (rejected). The plot thickens. We decided to order another new Defender on a new build which would be put on a priority build due to the problems. Mrs MINESAPINT would have chosen Zermat Silver but we discovered hard top 110's would still have a cream roof. Thought that would look a bit odd, in fact we saw one while driving home and it did. 1 st choice was Cairns Blue but we were told this was discontinued and ordered as our second choice Tonga. GREAT, looking forward to receiving it in due course.

The dealer has just phoned to say for a factory order Tonga is now discontinued. Back to the drawing board. He also advises me a new colour range is due for the defender. I have access to an out of date brochure and the Land Rover web site which is also out of date. The dealer is aware of the new colour range available to us for this new order but is 75/80 miles away. Having wasted a trip there on Friday I do not fancy flying off there again.

I wonder if anyone is in the know about the new range of colours for the Defender. In particular there is a colour on the web site called "Tamar Blue" which has been on for months but the dealer says it is not possible because it is brand new.

I spose I could travel to dealer closer to home (25 miles) and pretend I am interested etc. but on recent experience I doubt they would have a clue themselves.

Pity Land Rover cannot provide up to date information via the web site.

Any ideas.

MINESAPINT

[Synthetic winch rope]

Just bear in mind breaking ropes regularly kill people in the shipping industry. Particularly synthetic ropes which break without warning. If you have any doubts whatsoever it MUST be replaced with a new one specifically designed for purpose/load etc. The fact that you have chosen to post on the subject indicates that you do have doubts.

MINESAPINT

[Interesting day]

I was quite prepared to accept their explanation of the problem but cannot understand it myself. When eightpot has moved his car to the roadside using the starter motor I imagine he would find that manoeuvre more successful with the handbrake off. As I said earlier I am unaware whether the handbrake was on or not but imagine it must have been & wonder if this could make any difference.

Also what about it being recommended practice to start it in gear while driving offroad? Again must be better with handbrake off!

Thanks for replies.

MINESAPINT

[Interesting day]

Went to pick my new Defender up this morning and arrived at the dealership to be told there was a problem. Apparently the vehicle had been sent to the workshop this morning prior to my arrival for its PDI/valet. It had been driven into the workshop and parked but left in gear, I am unaware whether the handbrake was on or not. When the valeter needed to lower the window slightly to clean the top of the glass he/she turned the key slightly to enable the electric windows. They turned the key too far and the vehicle lurched forward, fortunately as far as I am aware no one was hurt but the vehicle was left stuck in gear. They were unable to get it out of gear and had e-mailed Land Rover for advice. Salesman did say starting a Defender in gear is recommended practice for hill starts so this should not have happened? I suggested it was driver error?

The dealer asked for some time to fix the problem, be it a 20p fix or a new gearbox, they promised to bring it back to life but as far as Mrs MINESAPINT & I were concerned there was no decision to make. We were not having it which the dealer readily & gracefully accepted. We are probably going to order another new one for which we will have to wait 3 months.

Out of interest has anyone any idea what might have happened to the gearbox and can anyone answer any other issues raised.

Thanks

MINESAPINT

[How the 4x4 works on Defender1997]

Just thought I would make you aware of an experience I had while using the diff lock. I engaged it, obviously innapropriately while driving in snow and broke a half shaft. Ironically I engaged it so I would not get stuck but when the half shaft broke I was truly stuck! I now understand the diff lock should only be used when traction is very seriously impaired.

MINESAPINT

[Puma]

Thanks guys,

The first problem I had was I was entering 2400 cc's not 2402 cc's so failed to get any results. I then understandably was searching for 3 door vehicles as it is what I am interested in. This returned no results for 110's. I do think this goes a long way to explaining why so few insurers are able to insure a 110 hard top 3 door as they just cannot find them on the system.

I do not think it necessarily follows that Hard Tops will be the same insurance group as Station Wagons as Hard Tops are cheaper but as the Hard Tops are not rated assumptions have to be made that they are the same. Group 12.

With regard to the alarm/immobiliser question. I am not sure T2 is appropriate. From the Land Rover price list the vehicle has "Immobiliser & perimetric/volumetric alarm". T2 is just an alarm. Don't suppose it would make any difference?

MINESAPINT

[Puma]

Thanks cipx2,

Adrian Flux were correct. Vehicle does not exist. I followed your instructions & only 90's were displayed. Vehicle is Defender County Hard Top 110 2402 cc 2008 3 doors estate diesel manual.

I did note however the 90's are group 12 which tallys with information from NFU.

MINESAPINT

[Puma]

Thanks for replies but I cannot make anything out with the links. I am not sure whether it is because I am on dial up or it is just my computer. The thing is when I went to the NFU office today the assistant could not find a 2.4 litre Defender, only 2.495 litre. She seemed to think I had made a mistake as all their computer records were kept updated with new models etc! I left the office and she phoned me a couple of hours later claiming to have found the correct model. I wonder if she has in fact quoted me for wrong model after all & was hoping to check the insurance group myself. I also phoned Adrian Flux who were in fact about £100 more and when I asked them for the insurance group they said "the model is too new to have been placed in a group"!

Any more help appreciated.

MINESAPINT

[Puma]

Just been informed by NFU that my new purchase attracts a higher rate of insurance. 110 Td5 Hard Top is group 9. Puma County Hard Top is group 12. This equates to an increase of £135 in premium.

Presumably the insurance grouping is governed by an external body?

MINESAPINT

[Servicing and protecting manufacturers warranty?]

Thanks Diesel Jim.

One of the issues I was concerned about when deciding whether to buy a Puma was having to take it to a main dealer for servicing given my past & recent experiences. I am well relieved & do have someone in mind, just have to check if he is VAT registered.

Yes they replaced the locking nuts no problem but one wonders how this could happen. My guess is they used the wrong pattern to undo them if you understand where I am coming from.

The windscreen was already replaced and they did not tell me. I only found out because I found glass they had not bothered to remove from the vehicle behind the seats. I contacted them & they admitted breaking it. Said it was a stone off the road I seem to remember.

I hear what you are saying about the crossmember. Yes they did do some warranty work on the gearbox, an oil seal. I cannot rule out the bolts working loose but the vehicle never goes off road & I am quite happy tootling along at 50 mph (comes with age)! Considering the evidence & their track record I still believe it was their fault, however I whipped a spanner out & tightened them up.

MINESAPINT

[Servicing and protecting manufacturers warranty?]

OK I have not taken delivery yet but I will have to think of sorting out a reputable & reliable garage to service it and at the same time not infringing the warranty.

My Td5 has been serviced 3 times by the dealership at Stockton, Middlesbrough. Stratstone at the moment but seems to change its name annually. Problems experienced (which included some warranty work on a gearbox oil seal): They broke the windscreen, rounded the locking wheel nuts on my alloys, left vehicle in diff lock for me to collect and 2 years after the job was done I was under the vehicle and noticed the 4 bolts finger tight holding the gearbox chassis X member! WOULD YOU TAKE YOUR NEW PUMA TO THIS DEALERSHIP TO BE SERVICED?

Another Stratstone dealership in Pickering is where my wife saw the garage staff playing football in the car park among the dealerships & customers cars.

These are my local Land Rover dealers and I would not touch either of them with a barge pole.

I could take it to Armstrong Massey in York where I am buying it but it is 70 miles.

What this thread is about is where can I find out which garages are approved to service my Puma and will not have problems if I need to claim on the warranty?

Thanks

MINESAPINT

[Viewed a used Puma today]

Problem I have is I am unaware of any other vehicles that are similar to a Defender 110 Hard Top? All others seem to be full of seats.

MINESAPINT

[Land Rover Dealerships]

Miserableolgit - I assume from that you mean they are all over you like a rash when you are interested in making a purchase but once cash changes hands they become indifferent?

My experience is that some of them could not give a stuff at any stage of the proceedings/negotiations.

MINESAPINT

[Viewed a used Puma today]

The dealer did say that Silver Defenders were used as Challenge vehicles but they were understandably unable to say what the one they had purchased at auction had been used for. However the evidence was there to see. The damage to the chassis, wheels, tyres & bodywork were evident but not any internal damage to engine/gearbox etc. In life we never truly know if we have made the correct decisions but you pays your money and you makes your choice.

MINESAPINT

[Viewed a used Puma today]

Wise words BOWFINGER I am sure and I was well down the road to planning a full refurbish. Found who I believe to be an absolutely genuine Land Rover refurbisher in Stockton 25 miles from where I live to carry out most of the work. Sorted a galvaniser to galvanise all the bits Land Rover forgot to do in the first place. Found a powder coater just up the road from me etc. etc. Unlike yourself I am unable to complete the work myself.

The job would have been far from straightforward however as I only have 1 vehicle, wife does not drive, no friends. Wife also more than very unhappy about the vehicle dissapearing into the shady underworld of Land Rover refurbishers. Being married I should have had more sence than to carry out several months of research & planning in the first place. Mrs MINESAPINT was more than capable of making the correct decision in very much less time than a nanosecond! She even knew Keswick Green was a terrible colour before she saw it!

MINESAPINT

[Land Rover Dealerships]

The standard of service at Land Rover dealerships is mentioned from time to time in posts and I would just like to recall my recent experiences.

I do not have an obvious local dealer. I have 2 about 25 miles away, 1 at Pickering & 1 at Stockton. I phoned the Stockton dealership one afternoon & was put through to a used car salesperson who was unable to help with a new car, fair enough. They took my details and said I will get a new car salesperson to call you. I said will it be today & they said I will pass your details over immediately so it should be. Nobody called! Next morning I drove to Stockton & spoke to the used car salesperson who introduced me to the new car salesperson who had been asked to ring me, a man called Mr Steel. Mr steel made it quite clear he had no time to see me as he had far more important things to be getting on with rather than selling a new car to me. He was unaware I was calling in! I was unaware I needed to make an appointment to see a Land Rover salesperson!

I said no problem my Land Rover is available for you to view at YOUR convenience at my home near Whitby (25 miles away). He then decided to have a quick look at my vehicle and said he would ring me with a price to change for a new Defender. By the following afternoon he had not phoned so I phoned him. He was not available. I explained the situation to the receptionist & asked Mr Steel to call which he did 2 WEEKS LATER!!!!!

I also spoke to a salesperson called Sam at Pickering. Initially I asked if there were any demonstrators available. She said she would ask round & ring me. She did not phone me for a few days so I phoned her. She said there are no demonstrators available I would be interested in. I said in that case I will have a new vehicle but I do not have a brochure & price list so could you post me one. I carefully supplied my address. This was about a month ago and nothing received yet! Additionally during 1 of my visits to the Pickering dealership (about lunch time) my wife chose not to accompany me into the showroom so sat in the car. She then observed a group of workers, mechanics etc come out of the dealership and promptly started playing football in the car park among all the customers & dealerships own vehicles. No wonder Land Rover choose not to prat about trying to achieve good results in the paint shop when they know the vehicles are going to have footballs kicked at them.

As per my previous post I have ordered a new Defender from who I see as a reliable & responsible dealership in York called Armstrong Massey. From memory I have certainly bought my last 4 new Defenders from them and there may have been others in the past. Might not have got the best deal but I cannot do with being 3u&&£9£0 about!

MINESAPINT

[Viewed a used Puma today]

Over the last month or so I have been toying with either tidying up my existing 110Ht Td5 or buying a new Puma. My wife has also understandably added her two penneth. It all started when I had a puncture and the repairer damaged my up to then pristine alloy wheels. I considered having the wheel re powder coated but a match with others could not be guaranteed. I then started having a critical look round the vehicle & decided to do a proper refurbishment it would need new doors, new tyres, new body cappings & a full respray & waxoyling! Cost was £2,000 going on £3,000. My wife made it clear she would rather put the money to a new one.

Had a tour round local Land Rover dealers to see what was available & what sort of a deal could be done. Met some right 47&3 holes in the process. Also got it into my mind I would like to save some money by buying a demonstrator. It so happened that Land Rover were holding a closed auction last Wednesday for dealers only and a vehicle was in it I might be interested in. 110 County Hard Top, ABS, Alloys & Air con. 07 reg 4,000 miles. Dealer thought it should be about £15,000 plus VAT. I said if he bought it I would look at it. The vehicles in the auction have been used & abused by Land Rover & their staff but difficult to know what for. The dealer did buy it but said it was a bit more than he thought and it would be £15,500 + VAT. I went to see it today. Initial glance it looked fine but on closer inspection it had certainly been abused. 3 wheels damged, longditudinal scratches along the bottom of the chassis, everywhere the valeters failed to reach was covered in a pale cream dried on mud, bottom half of engine, gearbox etc. this was also under the carpets inside the vehicle suggesting it had done some serious wading. It had as much physical bodywork damage as mine but admittedly less corrosion. Spare tyre totally flat with a hole in the tyre wall. Tyres on the vehicle had grooves running round the treads presumably done by wheelspin on rough terrain, they also seem to have lost an extroadinary amount of tread in only 4,000 miles. Not much different to mine after 57,000 miles!

Saving on list price was I understand to be in region of £8,000 but the reason we are interested in changing our vehicle was to put the niggling imperfections behind us. I don't think my wife would have gone for it at half list price! Some will say it has only been put to the purpose it was designed for.

In the end we ordered a new 110 County Hard Top with alloys. Should get it next week.

MINESAPINT

[Price of]

Having defended the price of Land Rover spares available at main stealerships as compared to aftermarket suppliers recently I had a shock today. I have 1 cracked headlight, Wipac - halogen type with hole in the back to insert the bulb. I went to a main dealer with some small change in my pocket and the assistant said £32 odd! He assured me he had not made a mistake. Are they available at Halfords or other high street motor discount shop? I recently bought a halogen conversion kit (RING) which contained 2 headlight units & 2 halogen bulbs for about £25.

Thanks

MINESAPINT

[Defender with ETC & ARB vs Grey Fergie]

In a tractor pull I understand they pull against each other as in "Tug of War".

MINESAPINT

[Defender with ETC & ARB vs Grey Fergie]

OK, looks like I have not posed the question well.

Something called a tractor pull is popular in some circles & I understand 6 cylinder Fordson Majors are a weapon of choice.

I was simply wondering what sort of a match a Defender would be for a vintage tractor such as a 3 geared grey fergie in a tractor pull scenario. This could be on a variety of difficult surfaces, sand, ploughed field, grass and possibly on tarmac. Would the relatively modern technology in the Defender win over the vintage tractor which has the advantage of the big wheels?

MINESAPINT

[Defender with ETC & ARB vs Grey Fergie]

I live on a farm & during the winter the farmer got hopelessly bogged down with a 4WD tractor towing an 8 ton trailer of manure. We had to dig a hole to disconnect the trailer coupling & both the tractor & trailer were sitting on their axles. Another tractor was brought from another farm, big 4WD & promptly broke a chain. Larger chain brought & both the tractor & trailer were recovered with ease.

Clearly there is no point comparing capabilities of modern tractors with latest Defenders but I wonder how a Defender would do against a 50 year old 2WD 3 geared grey fergie? I am sure it has been done.

MINESAPINT

[Steel wheels painted white]

Best price I have come across for sandblasting & powder coating is £40 per wheel. This includes removing tyre, blasting, powder coating, baking, refitting & balancing. Sounds a fair enough price but not worth it if new wheels are only £25.

MINESAPINT