Questions about Santanas

Tbaumer

Technical Excellence Contributor
I'm fairly new to Land Rover (got my first in October 2015) & not a mechanic by any stretch. I see a lot of resistance from the Land Rover community towards the Santana, primarily because of the matching of non-LR parts with LR parts, making it difficult to identify & obtain parts for repair? If so, is that any different than future repairs on any of the disco to Defender mods or cool engine conversions available? It seems like Santana owners make the case for the similarities & Defender owners point out the differences. Are parts for Santana easy to identify & available in Spain? Are there manuals & a data base available in english? How many Santana(s) are here in the states? Is there a separate site for them? I have no dog in the fight, but if I had a Santana, it would be great to have forum specific to Santana needs. Giving Santana owners a safe place - call it "Santana Sanctuary" :unsure:.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
I’m interested as well. On your questions, I don’t speak or read Spanish very well. I didn’t have much luck tracking down parts via Spain. My best approach was figuring out what British parts will work and have done well with that.
 

1of40

Well-known member
Fair points. Like many things in life it’s often human nature to pick tribes. Often not for particularly good reason. Old Rovers are difficult enough to keep happy so adding additional layers of uncertainty to a vehicle that is supposed to go anywhere is the last straw. This doesn’t really provide answers to ur questions but it’s generally how I see it.

I will say the nice ones I’ve seen have some nice touches that are interesting.
 

copleymotorcars

Well-known member
first and foremost, all santanas have far, far more in common with the Series 3 Land Rover than the Defender. that is a far more equal comparison than any both in terms of value and nuts and bolts.

the Series 3 a common ancestor, and the Santana line and 90/110 went their own separate ways. they are cousins at best.

some parts interchange with series 3, but not many. the later/newer a santana is, even fewer parts interchange. and by the time the PS10 evolved into the Iveco Massif, almost zero parts interchange.

adam
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
When I get back to NM this summer I will develop a list of what I have found that is interchangeable. I have had a lot of luck with my 1988 model. That is all I can conclusively comment on. I don’t have first hand experience with earlier or later models. I will post some photos as well. I think you will be surprised how much is common, even on the 1988 model.

Off the top of my head: All 3 doors with glass, hood, front fenders, front bumper, grill, several interior bits and pieces, door cards, dash, starter, air filter, clutch master and slave, gauges, gearbox gaskets and seals (LT85). I was very happy to find the raptor binnacle / gauge housing is a direct fit. My plastic one was falling apart. These are all things I have done. All purchased with British Land Rover part numbers from British parts vendors.
 

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chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
We are not likely to do a Santana section. We tested a Series section but it has not taken off and could be nuked. We don't want to have a lot of ghost towns on this forum and prefer to maintain high traffic to a few forums rather than have a bunch of slow forums for everything.
 

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
Am of the opinion that since the series section was added after NAS ROW had been up for some time and since none of the series folks ever congregated here to begin with, that they don't even know that this site has a new place for them.
There are lots of series owners that generate lots of traffic on other sites.

I won't further debate the differences on this thread, but do know that the Santanas are unique and know of no English speaking forum where they can gather.
If you're looking for hits, it would certainly bump up your traffic if there were a Santana section, and you keep the series section but they will take time to catch on.

In my opinion, this is the best Defender owner site and if you want more traffic we can ask sites that get loads of hits without a forum like TerriAnne's for example to direct prospective series owners or even Santana owners here if you decide to change your mind.
All they need do is add a link that will direct traffic here.
 
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chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
If you can get people to use the Series section, please do. We can give it a little more life and see what pans out.

Generally speaking, NAS-ROW's niche is its technical forums and we try to keep this place more tech-focused than the other site. The biggest complaint I hear about this site is that we don't have the depth of knowledge that the other place has. This is changing and with every new thread, we get a little better. The recent change in our backend search software helped a lot, too. It's much easier to find what you're looking for here than it is at the other place, in my opinion.

If you guys want to help the site, the number one thing you can do is to post stuff here that you don't post over there. Exclusive posts, if you will. It's especially important in the classifieds section. Every time you post the same stuff here that you post over there, both sites get penalized for "duplicate content", but the penalty hurts us much more because we're up-and-coming and our copy of that content gets visited a little less often.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
All I know is I'm hoping Santana's New Defender will be better than what we are seeing from JLR. I mean, maybe they'll go all out and start using coil springs by 2020. Are CKD kits legal for businesses at least? And Spanish AC units must be better than what they make in the UK.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Am of the opinion that since the series section was added after NAS ROW had been up for some time and since none of the series folks ever congregated here to begin with, that they don't even know that this site has a new place for them.
There are lots of series owners that generate lots of traffic on other sites.

I won't further debate the differences on this thread, but do know that the Santanas are unique and know of no English speaking forum where they can gather.
If you're looking for hits, it would certainly bump up your traffic if there were a Santana section, and you keep the series section but they will take time to catch on.

In my opinion, this is the best Defender owner site and if you want more traffic we can ask sites that get loads of hits without a forum like TerriAnne's for example to direct prospective series owners or even Santana owners here if you decide to change your mind.
All they need do is add a link that will direct traffic here.
Robert, I’m going to say it. I can and do agree with you on this. Thanks
 
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terryjm1

Well-known member
Chris, just one person’s observations. I came to this forum due to how obnoxious the ads have become at Defendersource. This, imho, is a really nice forum. I see a lot of the same people here as I see on Defendersource. However, it does seem they comment more there. I do think more activity will move here as others become frustrated with ads.

On a specific Santana section, I know over the past few years I have seen a number of unwitting new Santana owners join and comment on Defendersource only to get the “Santana treatment” and not come back. I kinda get it, it isn’t a Santana forum. And, with a number of scammers taking advantage of people by selling Santanas and trying to pass them off as something else, it creates a generalized bad taste for them. I’m not talking about the one in the for sale section. I don’t believe there is any ill intent at all there. I am talking about the numerous eBay and Craigslist postings of people really out to scam people.

I too got the Santana treatment at defendersource but I don’t give up so easily.

As I was new to Santanas, I needed some help. A handful of people would respond helpfully in the thread but most went to PM to avoid stirring things up with those that had strong opinions of dislike for the Santanas and as such their owners.

I think it would take some time, but I do think a Santana specific section would grow to an acceptable level. Not gangbusters as they stopped making them a long time ago and while their numbers have surely grown in recent years, they will never approach a really high level.

I also have a D1 with 300tdi and plan to buy an ROW D90 this summer. The Santana was really just a way for me to see if I wanted a D90. It was an inexpensive low risk approach that I have really ended up liking for what it is. I wasn’t even sure when I bought it I wanted that type of vehicle at all. Well, it answered that question and more.

I didn’t know posting the same content on both sites was a bad thing. I will not do that from here forward.
 
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RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
Terry... regarding "agree".
Alright guys, a Suzuki is not as far away as a Santana, so please ease up on Terry.
Not every thread needs your opinion, Terry, nor mine.
If you have some real definitive info, ie objective based on facts, then post.
Don't speculate and estimate based on a few experiences that you want to be true, but haven't completed quantitative research with.
Be cool and add value is the rule.
Otherwise don't comment.
Not every thread needs input from everyone.
I comment on few threads outside of ones that I have started.
If you speculate then you are open to being called out for making false statements.
Otherwise enjoy your ride.
Be happy and good luck.
Perhaps there will one day be a place for Santana owners to get together.
 
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terryjm1

Well-known member
Robert, again,I agree. And while it may be speculation, I am 99 percent sure a Santana or Defender door and master cylinder will not fit a Jimmy.

If a Santana owner posts a question I promise to only offer knowledge on parts compatibility that I have personally validated through purchase and installation. I have purchased some that do not fit. For example, the oil filter is much larger and I have found it available from a industrial machinery / generator supplier in Illinois, always in stock. I could find no Land Rover compatibility with any model Land Rover... or Suzuki Jimny.

All that being said, I will ask this question, are the founders of this forum opposed to Santana owners using it irrespective of the existence of a specific section? For me personally, I really don’t need any further Santana assistance. However, I certainly don’t mind giving it. I can certainly take my comments when a Santana question pops up to private messaging as several have for me on Defender Source.
 

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javelinadave

Administrator
Staff member
All that being said, I will ask this question, are the founders of this forum opposed to Santana owners using it irrespective of the existence of a specific section?

Personally I have no problem with Santana’s, their owners or his music.
As long as people don’t try to sell an unsuspecting person into thinking they are buying a coiled spring Defender their contributions here are welcome.
 
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