I am heading up to NY this weekend and will stop by the NY Auto Show. There are only two vehicles I plan to look at, although I will hurry through the show to see what other vehicles are begging for my attention. It will be difficult for me part with the Defender after 24 years, but I need to make sure I am not overlooking something that could be as valuable for me for the next X years as the Defender was for the last 24. Back in 1993, when I was looking for a replacement for my JEEP CJ-7, I listed 41 criteria and the Defender met 40 of them with the highest score (4.0). The only one it failed was Made in America, although Ford came through for me on that several years later when it bought Land Rover, for a few years anyway. Below is the list of criteria I will take to NY this weekend to score the vehicles.
The only reasons I would depart with the Defender are:
1- I need a vehicle I can sleep in during emergencies and provide some degree of comfort (space and warmth, not to mention protection from bears) when doing so.
2- I need a vehicle that can be serviced anywhere in North America. The Defender at 24 poses two problems in this regard, parts and mechanics. Even the Land Rover people refuse to service the Defender anymore, and don’t even have the compatible service computers to do so.
3- I need a vehicle that Donner cannot escape from.
The only two vehicles I think can replace the Defender are the Jeep Wrangler and the MB G-Wagon. But if I am going to send $125,000 for the latter (which I never would do), I always have the option of having a Defender-110 built for me for the same price.
Here is my list of 62 requirements for the Defender’s replacement.
Defender Replacement 2018
Accessory
|
Air compressor on board
| |
Accessory
|
Air snorkel
| |
Accessory
|
Bluetooth
| |
Accessory
|
Brush bars
| |
Accessory
|
Capable speakers
| |
accessory
|
Console, but not too in the way
| |
Accessory
|
GPS
| |
Accessory
|
Heavy duty front bumper
| |
Accessory
|
Heavy duty rear bumper
| |
Accessory
|
Skid plates on differentials, gas tank
| |
Accessory
|
Substantial AC
| |
Accessory
|
Substantial heater
| |
accessory
|
Tow hooks on front chassis
| |
Accessory
|
Trailer hitch
| |
Accessory
|
Winch 5000 pounds
| |
doors
|
Capability to cage rear windows for dogs
| |
Doors
|
Four doors (five with rear)
| |
doors
|
Manual windows preferred
| |
Doors
|
Rear door opens to right
| |
Drive
|
16 inches of clearance
| |
Drive
|
40 foot or less turning circle
| |
Drive
|
Five speed manual transmission
| |
Drive
|
Front, rear, front-rear differential locks
| |
Drive
|
Hi/Lo/lockable front-rear
| |
Drive
|
Lockable front and rear axles
| |
Drive
|
Permanent four-wheel-drive
| |
drive
|
Substantial towing capacity
| |
Electronics
|
Minimal electronics
| |
Engine
|
Powerful engine, 4.6 liter or higher
| |
Exterior
|
Box profile
| |
Exterior
|
Compact profile
| |
Exterior
|
Dog accessible in rear
| |
Exterior
|
Good road handling, not top-heavy
| |
Exterior
|
No more than 84 inches with roof rack
| |
Exterior
|
Retractable side view mirrors
| |
Exterior
|
Running boards
| |
Fuel
|
360-mile gas range (15 mpg X 23 gallons)
| |
Fuel
|
Accessible fuel pump
| |
Interior
|
72” in rear with seats removed down
| |
interior
|
Not luxurious, no leather
| |
Lights
|
Capability for adding floodlights
| |
Lights
|
LED
| |
Lights
|
Substantial headlights
| |
Roof
|
Soft top with surrey roof capability
| |
Roof
|
Sunroof
| |
Roofrack
|
Shovel holder
| |
Roofrack
|
Spare ladder holder
| |
Roofrack
|
Full roof rack with rear ladder
| |
Roofrack
|
Hi Jack Holder
| |
Roofrack
|
Jerry can holder
| |
Roofrack
|
Pull Pal holder
| |
Roofrack
|
Water can holder
| |
Seats
|
Front seat falls down and reclinable
| |
Seats
|
Heated seats
| |
Seats
|
Removable rear seats or complete fold-down
| |
Tires
|
Spare tire mount on hood
| |
Tires
|
Spare tire on rear door
| |
Tires
|
Tire mount on back without container
| |
Tires
|
Tires – BF Goodrich mud terrains quality
| |
X- Cost
|
Affordable
| |
X- Warranty
|
Substantial warranty
| |
X-Other
|
Made in America
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