Tried a Defender tdci today

2012 110 XS Commercial.

Didn't like it! (I have a 2005 TD5 110 CSW)

Gearbox.......horrible. l thought the TD5 one was a bit rough at times.
Engine.........awful. Performed OK but runs on for a second or two after you take your foot off the gas, and if you put your foot down on a trailing throttle it takes a couple of seconds to respond.
Typical wipe bottom Ford diesel, with dumbed down responses like on my Transit Connect.
The clutch was lighter but not as progressive.

The rest of it was OK, certainly quieter than my TD5 and basically the same vehicle. I thought the plastic Ford dash and clocks took away some of the character, though that is just my opinion. Others may prefer it.

The heater was good but even on the lowest setting, fan noise was intrusive.

I guess in time you'd get used to it, and then the TD5 would seem agricultural. But first impressions were not great.

However l need a Defender Commercial so may end up going for it anyway.

Gearbox is crap, in our village is a fella who works for LR and is always coming home in new LR stuff - to his credit his daily is a new Defender and the first three changes can be heard every day as he goes up the street.

Synchro is clearly an optional extra!

the gearbox is made in china and is a bit nasty, i tig weld bits for the local transmission place where the friction welding has failed.
Other than s good heater the worst most unreliable rust prone turd to have thr defender name

Hmmmm........you are putting me off the thing.

I have to say my (admittedly mint) TD5 110 felt great to drive after the tdci.

Fitted a few gearboxes now and I've lost count of the transfer box input shaft failures
Pity
Love the heater love the dash, miss the vent flaps in summer
The running on to smooth gear change etc refinement is not to everyone's taste and if you're used to a Tdi it just feels odd

Galvernisednuts said:

Fitted a few gearboxes now and I've lost count of the transfer box input shaft failures
Pity
Love the heater love the dash, miss the vent flaps in summer
The running on to smooth gear change etc refinement is not to everyone's taste and if you're used to a Tdi it just feels odd

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I'm not a fan of the dash if I'm truthful, I think you lose the feeling of space. The beauty of 300TDI is that I just jump in a drive, I've no concerns about keeping it clean and tidy and love the rugged look of the earlier dash, admittedly I would rather have the TD5 dash now. That said I'm more than happy with my 300TDI.

Favourite engine remains the 200TDI.

Landyfox said:

I'm not a fan of the dash if I'm truthful, I think you lose the feeling of space. The beauty of 300TDI is that I just jump in a drive, I've no concerns about keeping it clean and tidy and love the rugged look of the earlier dash, admittedly I would rather have the TD5 dash now. That said I'm more than happy with my 300TDI.



Favourite engine remains the 200TDI.

Click to expand...

I'll agree the dash is huge and really protrudes at the middle
I liked my td5 dash a lot and if I buy another Tdi I'll be retro fitting the later td5 dash in there
My series 1 has acres of space and such a small transmission tunnel, you appreciate how much easier it is to have room for 3 in the front

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