I am looking at getting a 90 or 110 defender,( probably a 200 tdi due to funds available) to tow my 1600kg caravan.
Could any of you lads give me some idea of the performance i could expect, like cruising motorway speeds? and do they pull well on motorway inclines or is it up and down the box?
Is the gearing the same as Disco's?
Fred.

The transfer-box ratios are different (Def 1.4, Disco 1.2) and a Def is more often than not on larger diameter tyres, I run my std 300TDi 90 on 265's & a Disco transfer-box and it pulls like a train however the most I tow is a heavily laiden Sankey which comes in less than your caravan.
Depends on the condition of the engine (remember a 200TDi could be 16-years old) but it should hold motorway speeds in all conditions however there may be a need to drop down to 4th on steep inclines when towing but that is probably it.

Thanks for the reply Litch, that gives me some idea.
Fred.

Hi, i only have a Turbo D (90) and am looking for a 200 as know loads of people with them that absolutly love them, pull like stink and are pretty economical. To give you some idea i have pulled a 2 ton camper doing 70 most of the way, just had to change down to 4th at a couple of steep bits & regularly pulled (diesel pump has gone now, so am stranded!) about 1800kg worth of trailer & horse & it hardly new it was there so just imagine what a 200 could do. Being a 90 it actually handles better with a trailer on the back, seems to keep the arse end in check!

p.s we're not all lads!!

Towing.
I have found that the best towing vehicle out there is a p38 diesel range rover.
I have owned about 9 landrovers all of different age and models over the last 16 years.
I now tow an ifor williams 510 horse trailer ( 1000kilo) and in that I have an Irish sports horse that is 17.1 hands and an apolusa that is 16.2 hands.
I recon im pulling over 2.5 ton at times.
I live in and around the peak district so there are some bloody big hills aswell.
I prefer the diesel because of the lower down torque and obviously the better economy.

As for the rumoar that the p38 diesel is underpowered well i bought a K and N air filter ( 30 quid) and a plug and play power chip off ebay ( 150 quid). I fitted both in ten minutes AND THE CAR FLIES UP AND DOWN THE M1 EVERYDAY.
However try and buy a manual if you are wanting to tow because the autos stretch gear belts when put under load.