2020 Defender Accessories Thread

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
I understand the ambition. I'm personally more interested in a niche forum. Anyways, the nas-row url may make it more difficult to pick up traffic compared to sites with Defender in the name. I also doubt many new Defender drivers have any clue what NAS or ROW means.

When we started out, we had access to a few domains similar to ones used by D-S but we didn't want to be a wannabe copy of that place, we wanted to do something completely different: a stripped-down, fast-loading, clean site that would feel like a breath of fresh air. That's why we chose N-R for the name.

The neat thing about forums is that the content sticks around. D-S has the benefit of a couple of decades of posts but we are growing tremendously here and eventually, the historical corpus of our site will meet or exceed what they have. The more people that find us, the more this site grows and thus, we're more findable. The virtuous cycle My most sincere thanks to everyone posting exclusively here. You're why this place is growing so quickly.
 

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
Anyways, the nas-row url may make it more difficult to pick up traffic compared to sites with Defender in the name.

I just searched “new defender forum” and NAS-ROW was the sixth result followed by Defender Source. Oddly enough, a Bronco forum was the third result.
B44388DB-5FC0-4128-A3A8-6135220F2025.png
 

rlynch356

Well-known member
not to odd, the # of posts about the bronco looking better and truer to the design than the defender, and about your "choices" in real off road trucks these days combined with the number of posts there per day (a lot) would push it up quite a bit.

 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
You gotta wonder, given that there was a replacement defender in the early 1990s, during Ford's ownership that was shelved whether many of those design elements made it into the Bronco.
 

erover82

Well-known member
Saw this a few days ago. Which is more disappointing? The overused slogan infecting Jeeps, or Jeeps carrying the torch?
1600102831856.png
 

cug

Member
Hi All,

I'm new here – didn't see an introduction thread, so a brief sentence: European, living in the US, contemplating a Defender as an "overlanding" vehicle (110, add roof tent, a few accessories, go out to camp in the back country). Don't own any JLR products and never have, always had German cars, but priororities change and we are looking now into going a bit off the beaten path, something that's definitely not possible with my current car (German sportscar), so the choice is between Land Rover Defender, Toyota 4Runner, and maybe even a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The car I like the most is definitely the Defender, just haven't decided whether I'd like the ownership experience (reliability, cost) and the idea of taking a much more expensive vehicle of the beaten path.

Now, my question which brings this post back on topic:

Is there any information on how long it generally takes to install the various accessories that are marked "retailer installed" in the configurator? I've heard some absolutely stunningly outrageous numbers for mud flaps ($700 (US) for installing all four), wheel arch protection ($900), and air compressor ($2000), so I'm curious whether there is any more information around it. I've seen installation instructions and videos, but that often doesn't relay how long it takes in real life to install these bits and pieces.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Here’s my thoughts.
I’m never one for buying the first year of any brand’s new vehicle. I would hate for you to be out in the back of beyond far from a LR dealer and it goes into limp home mode or some other issue. I love going into the backwoods to and love getting back home.
For serviceability, the Jeep and Toyota are far less complex and better understood.
Both have extensive aftermarket gadget support. If you are going to live out of it for weeks at a time, a Tacoma would be hard to beat.
 

rlynch356

Well-known member
I own a 1995 Defender 90.. I'd buy a jeep in your case. the 4R is great but after owning one, buy a jeep in the US.
 
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cug

Member
I would hate for you to be out in the back of beyond far from a LR dealer and it goes into limp home mode

Same here, but how likely is that really to happen? As far as I have seen, there are a bunch of electronic gremlins, but the rest seems rather okay. So, given some time, they can be solved.

The Jeep has had eight or nine recalls, looks like the Fiat partnership has resulted in Fiat behavior ... The 4Runner is basically Stone Age engine technology by now, with the obvious advantage of being we’ll understood and rather simple. But still high fuel consumption and an outrageously stupid mode lineup.

There just isn’t a rugged, solid, useful utilitarian, but modern truck around these days ...
 

D901560

Well-known member
Another consideration is resale value. The Toyota and Jeep will both do well, the Toyota probably a little better than the Jeep. Who knows what the new Defender will do. I suspect it won't be great based on JLR's current models but you never know. I few years ago I semi-retired my NAS Defender 90 from overlanding and now use a 2017 Toyota I bought new for longer trips. Other than poor fuel economy, its been great. I don't really mind the dated electronics and cabin feel for what I use it for. Tons of aftermarket parts are available and it was easy to install an OME lift in my driveway. It's seen hundreds of off-road miles and has never been back to the dealer for anything other than scheduled maintenance. Oh - and scheduled maintenance visits are cheap even at the dealer - like under $100.
 
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Adam

Well-known member
Same here, but how likely is that really to happen? As far as I have seen, there are a bunch of electronic gremlins, but the rest seems rather okay. So, given some time, they can be solved.

The Jeep has had eight or nine recalls, looks like the Fiat partnership has resulted in Fiat behavior ... The 4Runner is basically Stone Age engine technology by now, with the obvious advantage of being we’ll understood and rather simple. But still high fuel consumption and an outrageously stupid mode lineup.

There just isn’t a rugged, solid, useful utilitarian, but modern truck around these days ...

If you just want a truck, did Nissan Frontier escape your view? Fuel economy sucks, but after 15 years the gremlins are sorted and the aftermarket is there. Economical, factory rear locker, lift it any way you want, large north america dealer network.

not as sexy as the Jeep, toyota or landy - but if you want a solid, useful, utilitarian truck - hard to miss on a 2019-2020 pro-4x.

toss a cap on it, rack + RTT and overland to your heart's delight.
 

cug

Member
If you just want a truck, did Nissan Frontier escape your view?

I should have clarified: SUV style body but preferably less car-like than the typical ones these days. I'm less interested in something with a truck bed or such (Tacoma, Frontier, F150). I believe I have limited my list to the vehicles I actually consider. We are booked for a Land Rover experience day next weekend in a Defender 110, so that'll be interesting, but it's getting less and less likely that it'll actually be a Defender for us.
 

Adam

Well-known member
I should have clarified: SUV style body but preferably less car-like than the typical ones these days. I'm less interested in something with a truck bed or such (Tacoma, Frontier, F150). I believe I have limited my list to the vehicles I actually consider. We are booked for a Land Rover experience day next weekend in a Defender 110, so that'll be interesting, but it's getting less and less likely that it'll actually be a Defender for us.


There are many, much better options than a Defender 110 2.0 for overlanding today.
 
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rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
I should have clarified: SUV style body but preferably less car-like than the typical ones these days. I'm less interested in something with a truck bed or such (Tacoma, Frontier, F150). I believe I have limited my list to the vehicles I actually consider. We are booked for a Land Rover experience day next weekend in a Defender 110, so that'll be interesting, but it's getting less and less likely that it'll actually be a Defender for us.
I read your first post again and sense a 4Runner preference over the Wrangler. If you plan a roof top tent, not sure how the Jeep will mount that except by using a costly exoskeleton like mount.
Take a moment to evaluate and try to lock down the equipment and tools you plan to take with you.

kinda wishing you’d started your own thread....
 
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rlynch356

Well-known member
FWIW.. I think a truck is probably the best platform for overland travel - a mid sized truck, BUT (huge But in the USA) is that the payload capacity is limited in mid sized trucks today. Ideally it would have a 2,000LB rating. Then put something like an AT Topper camper on it and go explore.
If your not doing anything technical trail wise an F250 would be a good choice (or RAM) purely for the payload.

Anyway, not many SUV's have reusable payload, the defender 2 and the land cruiser are the only ones that come to mind.

Add reliability into the mix and your left with a Land Cruiser as your choice. The Defender 2 is unproven in this area, and given the above and some friends experiences with them (Nav keeps resetting to Slovakia, Clock sets to UTC overnight, dealer can't seem to fix it) it seems there are teething issues with them electronically, we have no idea what else is down the road right now. Could be nothing and everything could be solved with an OTA update tomorrow, who knows...
 
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