Landy Question for Mr Phoenix

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Which model Defender did you have, Rich? I had a Discovery TDi which I loved but which also was the least reliable vehicle I have ever owned, and that includes Morris Minors and Oxfords. It leaked oil (of course), the ABS died, constant trouble with the drive belts, cooling system failure, cam belt broke, alarm malfunction, the list goes on. It was the 4 cylinder 300 TDi series.

A couple of years ago I bought a similar package - a Mitsubishi DiD Pajero which has been brilliant.

My experiences with Landies and other British cars date back nearly 40 years, and they were all good experiences. The predecessor to B.C. Railway was the Pacific Great Eastern railway. They used 88's to get around B.C.'s mountainous terrain in order to work on the rails. After a decade or so of hard use, they would auction their Land Rovers off. They were always eagerly snapped up by the public because, even though the bodies were badly battered, they were kept in perfect mechanical condition. A good friend of mine bought one and we spent many a weekend 4X4ing the backwoods of B.C., usually drunk as skunks and having the time of our lives. The Landie never let us down. The same can be said for the multitude of Sunbeams, Hillmans, Austins, Cortinas, Humbers, Jaguars, Triumphs, MG's, Commers, and Morris's that were driven by various friends and brothers of mine. Of course, these were all pre-British Leyland.
What happened after British Leyland came into being? I have no idea but the quality of British cars went into the dumpster and lead to the demise of many British car dealers in Canada. What a shame.