We swore we would never buy another Land Rover because the Disco had been so unreliable.
So we replaced a 2003 Disco with another Land Rover.
But it's ok, this one is seven years older (eligible for the scrappage scheme unlike the Disco) and has done about 70,000 more miles.
Insane you would think - but this is not a Chav-mobile Disco, it's a Defender, aka "a proper Land Rover".
So we drove 300 miles, picked up the new vehicle and drove it 10 miles to the garage and filled it with diesel. We then drove another 5 miles before I had to flash J over because the Land Rover was leaking diesel everywhere.
Insane you would think; serves us right you would think - we should have bought the Vauxhall Zafira or Kia Carens.
Well we are sanguine about it all. The garage had given us real confidence in their work and they took us through everything that they had replaced. All the consumables (filters and the like) had been replaced and the timing belt was also replaced. They had replaced the rear discs and pads and some rear section of the chassis whose name escapes me. They were at pains to point the quality of the welding.
That's not much comfort when you are stuck in a lay-by half an hour after picking up the new truck with diesel spilling everywhere and Harriet screaming her head off. The garage staff came and tried to fix it by the side of the road but the conclusion was that it required a new fuel tank. They were extremely apologetic and explained the problem - it apparently only shows up when the tank is full and they said is extremely rare.
Anyway we drove off home and they took the truck back. It will have a completely new fuel tank and they will deliver it to us at home on Tuesday.
For the brief moments we had it, it was everything we wanted. There are indeed six seatbelts in the back so it technically is a 12 seater and can comfortably cope with all the prams and labradors we are likely to throw at it. Scamp and Pip love sitting on the rear bench seats and Harriet can sit with us in the front seat since there are no air-bags.
A bit of a disappointment but still we are looking forward to its arrival and in a strange way more confident than ever that it will be a reliable and well supported vehicle.
