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According to the "One Show" (BBC TV) the EU have banned the production of the single most successful 4x4 ever produced - the Land Rover. Having used these vehicles in both Africa and the South Atlantic I know how good they are. I now know how to vote in the upcoming referendum on membership of the EU.....I mean - who the feck do they think they are?! They can stuff the EU , give me Land Rover anytime!

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The EU hasn't banned it. Jaguar Land Rover simply can't, or won't, try and get it up to the required safety/emission standards.

The Indian owners of JLR may continue to build it in India, though.

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The Defender has been classed as a commercial vehicle so was the only car under the Land Rover marque that wasn't Euro 6 compliant already and couldn't be made so. There are plans to make a new model to replace the Defender that will meet current regulations.

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Defenders, are highly sought after in America, but they don't meet American safety standards. A lot of people import newer models, but make out they are older to get around the law.

I had a 12 seater land rover once, it was great when my daughter was younger, I just lifted the pushchair she was in into the back, and when she was a little older she sat in the middle front seat. No nanny state then.

;

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LR's weren't very popular in Australia, the Toyota Landcruiser was "THE" 4wd of choice down there. I first drove LR's U/G at British Gypsum, suspension was crap, they were always kidney bruisers, even from brand new. They weren't the best 4wd for underground use either, 2 years was about the best we got out of them.

When I first worked in Oz, I worked at Renison Bell Tin mine for a short time, they used "Tojo" Landcruisers, LR's they said just fell to pieces after a short time. The Landcruisers lasted a few years before being scrapped.

Never seen an LR here in the states, most popular 4x4's are the big Dodges. In rural areas large pickups are the standard vehicles.

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It's not just about the EU though, as said, they haven't met US regs either, so another lost market for new vehicles.

Land Rover is a British icon and many, including me, have a soft spot for them. Has it kept abreast of technological advances after sixty-odd years? No, designs need to move on. Who knows, the new Defender may become an icon too.

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Mine was brilliant, NEVER EVER let me down.

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Ayupmeducks #6

Quite right, the Land Cruiser after its introduction into Australia became the preferred vehicle over the Land Rover in the bush.

Interestingly enough the Leyland Brothers in their 1976-80 series Ask the Leyland Brothers used Land Rovers extensively. Land Rover must have been delighted as the shows were seen by an estimated 40% of all Australians.

Current model Range Rovers have become the "Toorak Tractors" of suburbia, the furthest most go off road is their owners drive way.

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Driven Defenders and surprised how comfortable they were. Had 2 Disco's from new and were both very reliable, however my old Toyota Hilux was better off road. For all of it's computerised, all terrain settings, the Disco mk3 was no match for my 1993 Toyota when things got really serious..

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Never kept up on the models, but the ones we had at BG in the early 70's were the old "boxy" design like the Brit army used, seats were just fitted cushions really straight on the hard steel, no springs like a modern car seat. Back then, they couldn't make the US market because the fuel tanks was under the drivers seat, didn't matter to us as we were only allowed diesels U/G.

Oztalgian, my times were 1979 to 1989, I remember the Leyland Brothers show.

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The Falkland Islanders began to change to the Discoveries but as soon as they got them bogged they changed their minds and went back to the Land Rover; with its solid chassis it could be bumper-jacked out of a bog without the jack plunging up through the bodywork!

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The beauty of the Landy is that it is bolt-on technology and parts can be replaced/repaired ad infinitum.

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BG used to auction it's two year old LR's, one feller used to rebuild them Compo, like you say, everything is bolt on, so no problems with taking to body builders to have dents and dings knocked out, just replace a panel. I recall one that had a broken chassis, it was plated in the workshop, don't know how the feller who bought it would get around the MOT though.

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Mine ran for two years with a duck egg plugging up a hole in the radiator .

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  • 4 weeks later...

Yesterday CONSUMER REPORT MAGAZINE released its 2016 vehicle reliability survey and Range Rover ranked at the bottom and then today the 2016 J.D.POWER Dependability Rankings were released and the LAND ROVER Brand received the lowest ratings.

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My son in law has one for weekend cross countrying or whatever they call it.

You can always spot em a mile away with the sticker on the front windscreen "one Life....Live It".

Lord give me strength I always think, if you had to drive one of those ancient things to have a life !!!

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The Falkland Islanders began to change to the Discoveries but as soon as they got them bogged they changed their minds and went back to the Land Rover; with its solid chassis it could be bumper-jacked out of a bog without the jack plunging up through the bodywork!

Had a Disco for years to pull a big trailer...looked brilliant but got rid for next to nothing 'cos it was a rot box underneath and cost a bomb in welding for the MOT.

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I had a Discovery for a few years too. The unluckiest car I've ever owned. First I drove into a no-go area of a multi-storey car park and wrecked the roof on a metal bar hanging from the ceiling (totally my fault for not noticing it). Had to drive back to Herts from Birmingham on a cold wet winter's night with no roof windows!! Then I was driving through a car park, at about 5 mph and an old lady shot out of a parking space, in reverse, and wrecked two doors and centre pillar of the near side. Then my husband was towing a trailer and went round a corner too sharp and damaged the back corner of the vehicle. I was glad to get rid of it, it was jinxed!

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Oh, not bad driving and lack of concentration then? Sorry Lizzie.

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