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slippedmydisco
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2010
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My question is would you take the new Defender on serious four wheeling trips? Would you hook up a trailer and go out into the woods and cut firewood? I want something that can also be a working vehicle.
DonMitsu
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2011
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That's my plan. I can remember when I purchased my LR4 back in 2011 I received the same question, and it served well for the last 9+ years. This video also lets me know how it handles off road
Doesn't look like it scraped anywhere, but I still wonder if they put it back on the lot with Additional Dealer Markup afterward. 
cperez
Full Access Member
Allison Jennings
New Member
So, in saying this I know I’m risking some huge blowback—I also recognize that this is the LR4 forum. However, I did want to mention one piece of experience I’ve had recently to add to some of the discussion in this thread.
I’ve owned a 2005 LR3 SE since 2007, bought it with 27k miles, and put over 100k more on it since then. It has the HD package with the rear locker, 18” wheels, and tow package. We took that rover everywhere, up to Seattle and down to San Diego, over to Utah and down to the Grand Canyon. My spouse and I would sleep in the back—true overlanding style. With BFG K02s, it never let us down, even on wheel-flying rutted mountain roads.
We attended Overland Expo in AZ last year and test drove the Disco 5 on the small track LR set up for the event. I was very hesitant bc the D5 looked so pedestrian to me, but my other half wanted to try it out so I obliged.
We proceeded to put it through some pretty reasonable off-camber turns and climbs, and I was extremely impressed by its off-road prowess. It’s more refined while still tackling solid obstacles, and having the camera feature to check your front tire lines, along with the inclinometer, I felt more in command of the vehicle situation off-road at any given time than I did in the LR3.
We came back home from that trip, and about three months ago we decided to sell the 139k LR3 and get a D5. We just swapped the 21” rims for 20” and had BFGs put on it, along with Johnson Rods for the ~2” lift, and it finally instills the same confidence that the LR3 did—we took it off-road a bit and I am super pleased with its capabilities. We also tow a 7k lbs toyhauler trailer with the D5 and it doesn’t miss a beat.
So with my flame suit on, just suggesting that if you bleed LR3/LR4, I totally get you. I did too. But the D5 is certainly not Subaru’ish. I’m still getting used to the additional aesthetic curves, but as far as capability goes, it holds its own. And it is absolutely more refined—I don’t have to hear the air suspension compressor cycle on and off anymore when I change vehicle height.
I’ve owned a 2005 LR3 SE since 2007, bought it with 27k miles, and put over 100k more on it since then. It has the HD package with the rear locker, 18” wheels, and tow package. We took that rover everywhere, up to Seattle and down to San Diego, over to Utah and down to the Grand Canyon. My spouse and I would sleep in the back—true overlanding style. With BFG K02s, it never let us down, even on wheel-flying rutted mountain roads.
We attended Overland Expo in AZ last year and test drove the Disco 5 on the small track LR set up for the event. I was very hesitant bc the D5 looked so pedestrian to me, but my other half wanted to try it out so I obliged.
We proceeded to put it through some pretty reasonable off-camber turns and climbs, and I was extremely impressed by its off-road prowess. It’s more refined while still tackling solid obstacles, and having the camera feature to check your front tire lines, along with the inclinometer, I felt more in command of the vehicle situation off-road at any given time than I did in the LR3.
We came back home from that trip, and about three months ago we decided to sell the 139k LR3 and get a D5. We just swapped the 21” rims for 20” and had BFGs put on it, along with Johnson Rods for the ~2” lift, and it finally instills the same confidence that the LR3 did—we took it off-road a bit and I am super pleased with its capabilities. We also tow a 7k lbs toyhauler trailer with the D5 and it doesn’t miss a beat.
So with my flame suit on, just suggesting that if you bleed LR3/LR4, I totally get you. I did too. But the D5 is certainly not Subaru’ish. I’m still getting used to the additional aesthetic curves, but as far as capability goes, it holds its own. And it is absolutely more refined—I don’t have to hear the air suspension compressor cycle on and off anymore when I change vehicle height.
Troy A
Full Access Member
I'll be the first to say that I really appreciate hearing these kinds of personal experiences. It's easy to have a strong opinion on a vehicle when you're trash-talking, entirely another to provide an informed opinion from experience. Is it safe to say that you and your spouse are sticking with the D5 and not even considering the Defender? Sounds like it's working for you and you have no reason to consider changing.
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Like I said, the new Defender make help D5 sales as some people may want more luxury for the $75K price tag and may not need extreme off road capability. I need unstoppable ability in a blizzard with snow mode and beach sand traction. Defender and D5 can do both. Maybe I want a D5 first row for luxury and the Defender rubber way-back for our wet Labrador Retriever.
