Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6270
I'll be struck off the order list for comments like that.23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
1st Dec 2016 9:07 pm
Landroverfan1
Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 275
I am neither a yummy mummy nor drug dealer (would earn a lot more if I was) but I do live 2.5 miles from Chelsea and drive a Discovery. So you might justifiably say I have a chelsea tractor. Now you can laugh and take the mickey and quite rightly so because my goodness there are D4 owners out there who have never used the vehicle to its full potential. They ferry the kids from school to tennis club and have absolutely no idea of the car's full potential. Nor, and oh my god it's dangerous, do they have any concept of the width of the car. And at weekends they may very well head to their country pile where they rub shoulders with other D4 owners.
Now at this point I'd love to say how unlike these chelsea tractor drivers I am. But that would be wrong. Do I ferry my kids to school in the back of the "tractor". No, because the school is walkable. And kids should bloody well walk. Do I do the supermarket shop in the tractor? No because we're very lucky to have a butcher, fruit and veg shop and news agents all within walking distance.
But is my D4 used to its absolute maximum ability? Absolutely not. It may be taken off road but rock crawl is rarely used. Has the car got stuck because it really has reached its limit? No. How many out there can honestly say the same?
Here's the thing though: the beauty of the D4 is its versatility. Last weekend I was sliding across a boggy, muddy field and as I type this I've just driven across France, Belgium and Holland to Germany in comfort with the car full of Christmas presents, childrens' paraphanelia etc. I don't tow but appreciate how competent the car is at doing so. It really is the Swiss Army Knife of cars. And if I want to polish her up, she'd look just as good outside the Ritz. It is the most brilliant car.
Will the D5 live up to the same breadth of ability. Possibly. But it will never beat the D3s and 4s out there.
Chelsea Tractor? Yes I drive one. And perhaps I'm just embracing the other side of it's versatility.
1st Dec 2016 9:49 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14429
J77 wrote:
Why can't the D5 do it?
Because there is mud involved and its working! D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
1st Dec 2016 9:57 pm
fat bloke
Member Since: 07 Aug 2006
Location: OXFORD
Posts: 1257
Can't fix a rear ladder on back door either or rear wheel swing attachment on back
1st Dec 2016 10:08 pm
jimbg
Member Since: 19 Apr 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 478
How important is that to the majority of owners?
1st Dec 2016 10:48 pm
J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6270
fat bloke wrote:
Can't fix a rear ladder on back door either or rear wheel swing attachment on back
Don't need a rear wheel swing attachment, simply bolt it to the plastic tailgate and it will lift with the tailgate and it will hide the offset number plate.
Big G's thought it all through.23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
Last edited by J77 on 1st Dec 2016 10:56 pm. Edited 1 time in total
1st Dec 2016 10:54 pm
crews control
Member Since: 18 Mar 2007
Location: Dorset
Posts: 5011
I suspect a great deal of D3/4’s were bought as Chelsea tractors precisely because they weren’t tarnished with the same image problems as many of their competitors i.e.. BMW, Audi, Mercs, Range Rovers, Porsche etc. With a utility LR you could always claim you needed the practicality, space or ability provided by something that was a little different… even if possibly old fashioned. It’s difficult to hate anyone in a traditional Land Rover…. it’s like the old vs new money thing!
So LR throw away all that USP and go for something that looks and feels like all the rest in order to attract the Chelsea tractor market ??? mmm… not sure if that is going to work.2005 D3 HSE 2011 D4 Landmark 2016 D4 HSE Lux
2017 Ford Tourneo VR46
Club Waitomo
How important are electrickery-folding seats to any owners? Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
2nd Dec 2016 10:05 am
J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6270
My D5 doesn't have them so I will never know the joy of electric folding seats
I'll give you that it is a useless feature. Thankfully not standard through out the range.
One feature I do like is the storage behind the facia, sadly only available on HSE upwards. why?23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
2nd Dec 2016 10:43 am
dubbs
Member Since: 18 Apr 2012
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 3626
Is the dash any different? If not you'll probably find it's something you can retro fit anyway.MY15 DIY Black Pack (Better than factory and half the price!)
Prospeed rock/tree sliders w/steps
HSE Winter wheels
TransK9 B24
Travall Cargo Guard
Hatchbag
If they'll sell you the parts without a VIN, and if they haven't made it as part of the ICE linked to the canbus.
2nd Dec 2016 11:41 am
J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6270
More hassle than it's worth I think.23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
2nd Dec 2016 12:44 pm
B16 KJR
Member Since: 10 Jul 2006
Location: Rosyth, Fife
Posts: 3005
Following on from my visit to Pentland Landrover last week, I received an email from them saying that I will be 'one of the first to drive it' when it launches in the Spring. I thought that it was a lovely car and really look forward to getting behind the wheel and driving it. One of my initial concerns was the weight reduction, however I have been assured that the 3lt V6 won't be a great deal lighter than the D4, the big weight loss will only be with the 2lt Ingenium engine.
2nd Dec 2016 3:06 pm
J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6270
Test drives should start next month for deposit paying customers and those that have registered interest.23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
2nd Dec 2016 4:21 pm
Red Merle
Member Since: 30 Aug 2014
Location: Liskeard
Posts: 7441
B16 KJR wrote:
One of my initial concerns was the weight reduction, however I have been assured that the 3lt V6 won't be a great deal lighter than the D4, the big weight loss will only be with the 2lt Ingenium engine.
That's right, the difference is not much over 100Kg V6 for V6.2011 - 2015: 3 x FL2
2015 - 2017: 2 x D4
2017 to date: FFRR SDV8
2023 to date: 2 x FL2 as “second” cars 🙄
2021 to date: Hinckley built ‘14 Triumph Trophy 1200
2022 to date: Hinckley built ‘14 Triumph Trophy 1200 & sidecar!
(One of only two known to exist in the world!)
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
