Why do they break so much?

Steviecops · Jan 19, 2013

This might be a really stoopid question, (so serves me right for any really stoopid answers I get!), but it's been bugging me. Compared to most 'normal' road cars, Land Rovers are over engineered to cope with conditions they were designed for. Yet, you don't hear of 'normal' road cars breaking as often as you do Land Rovers. I'm talking about things like prop shafts, half shafts, differentials, gearboxes, etc. Why? Is it because a lot of Land Rovers are abused off road, or are they just fragile? If a Land Rover is driven on the road, like a normal car, it should way outlast a normal road car, surely?

thought it was mine! · Jan 19, 2013

no just a really good design that worked and true to british form why change it if it works.
why change something at our expense when it will last the warren tee.

jamesmartin · Jan 19, 2013

a lot are older than most cars ,they arent really over engineered,off roading especially wading does shorten component life as does poor maintanence ,when any car gets to 10 year old ish you can expect stuff to be worn as with lrs and cars

tomseries3tom · Jan 19, 2013

You say this but no brand new land rover owners are on here asking for help most get abused in mud and water
My landy was 37 years old and worked for a living towing trailers for a tree company always overloaded etc and it was going strong even at 37 not many other manufacturers can say there cars do that.
Remember a lot of them are fixed at home and are getting old know! U don't see many old rangers etc on the road

Steviecops · Jan 19, 2013

Thanks, those answers make sense. Maybe I'm being a bit unfair. Probably because the forum highlights many problems that people have, I've run away with the idea that Landies are always breaking.

ruffday · Jan 19, 2013

If you check out some of the car forums you will find that they are no different to Landrovers. They all have problems as well but are not always as easy to fix.

minimole23 · Jan 19, 2013

Regarding defenders, lets face it apart from engines, and the latest gearbox, most parts are just seem to be evolutions of components dating back from earlier models, which although developed will always be compromised compared to it's modern counterpart.

Also the landrover attitude to producing vehicles seems to be, that'll do rather than lets make this as good as possible. I'm sure most of the issues that plague us could have been solved years ago if they could be arsed.

Also, I'm not sure what the design life for most land rovers is, but with my defender, after 17 year of the general abuse a utility vehicle gets they won't be trouble free.

I wonder how many 20 year old L200's, Navaras etc they'll be - probably not many!

finallysnapped · Jan 19, 2013

Doesn't matter what you drive it's only as good as how you treat it.

dodgyrob · Jan 19, 2013

Aswell as my defender I have a mercedes A class, it needs a new tappet, to change it I need to drop the entire engine out! The entire engine, just to replace a tappet! I had to remove the wing to replace the water pump, the entire wing, just so I could get access!
Yes Land Rovers break down but in my experience (Defenders) they are a lot easier to fix when they break!

Why do they break so much?

Steviecops

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thought it was mine!

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jamesmartin

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tomseries3tom

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Steviecops

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ruffday

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minimole23

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finallysnapped

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dodgyrob

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