Questions about Santanas

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Lets be honest, there really is a true heritage between Santana and Rover. Santana is to Rover what Ishmael is to Isaac.... maybe? So although they do get very different in the late '80s, you can at least still see the comparisons, even if the bolts don't all go in the same holes. Most British car shows include DMC, Mini, and I believe I even saw a Santana two years ago. And I know for sure I've seen a few at the local shops. While it is true that many of the main parts and systems are not actually the same, only the shell looks similar, it is also true that early Santanas are very compatible with early Rovers. So maybe there is room for a Santana section if the admins feel inclined.... maybe it will bring more traffic, since there really isn't any other site that I know of that caters to US Santana owners.

And really, the 2020 Santana will probably be better than the 2021 Defender anyway. Observe, 2003 to present:

1960... when I believe they even used the same engines and running gear?
 

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
The reason I was putting all those posts on the 1989 Santana Defender for sale thread is that I get asked by a lot of people for advice and sometimes the advice is regarding making a new purchase or having a post Santana purchase discussion.

I steer buyers away from people that take a late Santana and add a puma hood and Defender badges, then try to sell it as a Defender after all the Santana badges have been removed.
The unsuspecting buyer is swindled by a seller deliberately misrepresenting a vehicle as a Defender that is not a Defender.
These unscrupulous sellers buy a Santana in Europe for short money, disguise it as a Defender, and sell it at the Defender going rate for a very large margin.
It's just wrong and sounds like something P. T. Barnum would have been mixed up in with his sucker born every minute sort of thing.

There are also sellers who disclose that the marque is Santana and jack the price as high as a Defender and make the sale from an uninformed buyer.

Either way, the buyer is eventually disappointed.

Lastly, there are those people who know what a Santana is and like them, own one, and want to communicate with other Santana owners.
In all these cases above there isn't place for these owners to conjugate and collaborate.

If they had a online "home", it would define the differences of the Santana and help some of the prospective buyers who would be better informed before making a purchase.
 

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
And really, the 2020 Santana will probably be better than the 2021 Defender anyway. Observe, 2003 to present:

That is the PS-10 that was a rebadged Iveco Massif that was only built in small numbers from 2007 to 2011.
It is very different from a Defender.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iveco_Massif


Interesting to note that the British Red Cross put the Iveco 2.8 Turbo Diesel into the 110 ambulances that were used in East Africa for a year.
Since the Iveco trucks were the workhorse of the third world, they had a lot more powerful and reliable engine than the 19J being offered by Land Rover at the time.
The one we had would cruise at 75 mph all day long.
 
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RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Yep, Massif, a rebadged (and upgraded) Santana PS10. It is too bad we can't get more of the good engines that others have put in these trucks.
 

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
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.

 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Sirs, it is your forum. You built it, you manage it, and I know nothing about how that works. Whatever motivates you to do this, I am thankful it does. I wish I had the knowledge and time. But, I do not. I made a suggestion and it is clear to me you considered it (maybe still considering?). What more can I ask? I have no expectations. Beggars can’t be choosers... This is a nice forum that I don’t have to attempt to close annoying pop up after pop up and need to shave again waiting for a page to load. I will be back to chat about Santanas as long as the people that run the site welcome that. If I am successful at getting a D90 this summer I will be back to discuss it. For my D1 I expect I will stay over at Discoweb for the most part. I’ll do my best to not sidetrack any posts. I have no plans to buy a Suzuki of any kind. I promise not to bring any Triumph or MG discussion here. 😉 They have their own forum, speaking of a lot of sub forums... Its Friday, have a great weekend and may you get some time in the garage and or get your Land Rovers out to enjoy them! 🍻
 

yadanater

New member
I’m curious what people that are ‘anti-Santana’ think people should do who are as passionate as we all are about the look and off-road performance of Defenders but who can’t afford one built in Solihull with their prices now days and the scarcity of ones that aren’t rust buckets? I’m not talking about the shysters who try to trick potential buyers into thinking a Santana is a UK Defender, but from what I’ve seen the disdain online isn’t just toward those situations but really toward anyone owning a Santana or considering buying one, especially if they are looking for technical advice.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
I’m curious what people that are ‘anti-Santana’ think people should do who are as passionate as we all are about the look and off-road performance of Defenders but who can’t afford one built in Solihull with their prices now days and the scarcity of ones that aren’t rust buckets? I’m not talking about the shysters who try to trick potential buyers into thinking a Santana is a UK Defender, but from what I’ve seen the disdain online isn’t just toward those situations but really toward anyone owning a Santana or considering buying one, especially if they are looking for technical advice.
There is a Santana section on Defendersource. It has slowly built some following. Oddly, most people that own Santanas and find that forum don’t post to it and instead PM me or find me on the Facebook Santana page.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Its like after market parts for our trucks. Jeep owners have a massive support structure (for parts, clubs and forums) simply because there are so many vehicles out there.

Land Rovers in the USA, are in comparison, a niche product. So the support is much less.

Santana is a niche within a niche. So the support is even more limited. You can keep going, Perentie and South African built Land Rovers....
 
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