Move to Defender?

[Skydance]

Must be getting old but the Recaro seats causes my bum to become numb on long journeys so I found a seat cover pad I purchased form Amazon Japan which has a waffle gel crate structure inside to cushion my posterior. I found them when I went to Japan last year.

GORDON MILLER 1710507 Cordura Gel... https://www.amazon.jp/dp/B0C1JL2TMB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Grenadian]

This is a genuine post from a somewhat frustrated Fieldmaster owner

In the 6 months of ownership, I’ve had a load of niggles - faulty shockers, faulty Low Range shift, the abominable HVAC and a creaking dashboard so annoying I want to have the car crushed.

At the same time, slowly and at first un-noticably, I have become utterly crippled with lower back pain. I have finally realised - driving the Grenadier for between 3-4 hours on weekdays, the seats, lack of lower back support or adjustment and the infamous RHD foot rest is the cause. I’m 180cm and 170lbs - I should have no problems - but I can just no longer get comfortable - the constantly raised left leg no matter what the seating position is twisting my hip joint. If I put the seat on its lowest position the steering wheels is too high and far away - if I have it on its highest position - I can’t put the seat far enough back to stretch my legs. Ergonomically it’s inexplicably poor and something you only realise with hundreds of hours of driving it.

So I’m left feeling physically drained by the sheer hard work of owning this Grenadier. I used to have classic Land Rover Defender 90’s and 110’s and I never struggled to get comfortable.

I need a car with this level of capability though - I live on a former farm in the middle of nowhere and the terrain and weather is extreme for the UK. In the UK our choice of vehicle is limited. It’s either the Grenadier, a Defender, the hard to come by and crazily priced new Land Cruiser or a plethora of pickups.

So I’ve found myself eyeing up the new Defender 110/130. I know this is not the place to seek LR recommendations but I’d like opinions whether I should try to stick with the Grenadier and any genuine thoughts on the Defender as a capable vehicle?

The Defender seems far superior in the interior - the seats, driving position and comfort are a world ahead of the Grenadier. They’re also cheaper - believe it or not - even when you add even more bells and whistles - they can be had for a lot less than the Grenadier.

Land Rover and technology/infotainment screens aren’t synonymous with reliability - but there too, I’ve found the Grenadier poor - to say it’s a re-skimmed BMW system is baffling such are its flaws and bugs, ghost warnings and alerts etc.

So I guess my questions are:

Are there things I can do to get along with my Grenadier?

Are my experiences rare or are we all a bit too forgiving?

Thoughts in the new Defender?

Any other suggestions for the UK market?

Thanks all,

If this is the level of suffering in the UK, what about other countries?
There is no even to call.
Why is IG not comforting?

 

[Coullabus]

If this is the level of suffering in the UK, what about other countries?
There is no even to call.
Why is IG not comforting?

My Fieldmaster is fine. Better than my 2008 Defender. The hump ceases to even be noticeable after a while - and the steering loosens off. Just stick the seat back a notch.

 

[MRO]

This is a genuine post from a somewhat frustrated Fieldmaster owner

In the 6 months of ownership, I’ve had a load of niggles - faulty shockers, faulty Low Range shift, the abominable HVAC and a creaking dashboard so annoying I want to have the car crushed.

At the same time, slowly and at first un-noticably, I have become utterly crippled with lower back pain. I have finally realised - driving the Grenadier for between 3-4 hours on weekdays, the seats, lack of lower back support or adjustment and the infamous RHD foot rest is the cause. I’m 180cm and 170lbs - I should have no problems - but I can just no longer get comfortable - the constantly raised left leg no matter what the seating position is twisting my hip joint. If I put the seat on its lowest position the steering wheels is too high and far away - if I have it on its highest position - I can’t put the seat far enough back to stretch my legs. Ergonomically it’s inexplicably poor and something you only realise with hundreds of hours of driving it.

So I’m left feeling physically drained by the sheer hard work of owning this Grenadier. I used to have classic Land Rover Defender 90’s and 110’s and I never struggled to get comfortable.

I need a car with this level of capability though - I live on a former farm in the middle of nowhere and the terrain and weather is extreme for the UK. In the UK our choice of vehicle is limited. It’s either the Grenadier, a Defender, the hard to come by and crazily priced new Land Cruiser or a plethora of pickups.

So I’ve found myself eyeing up the new Defender 110/130. I know this is not the place to seek LR recommendations but I’d like opinions whether I should try to stick with the Grenadier and any genuine thoughts on the Defender as a capable vehicle?

The Defender seems far superior in the interior - the seats, driving position and comfort are a world ahead of the Grenadier. They’re also cheaper - believe it or not - even when you add even more bells and whistles - they can be had for a lot less than the Grenadier.

Land Rover and technology/infotainment screens aren’t synonymous with reliability - but there too, I’ve found the Grenadier poor - to say it’s a re-skimmed BMW system is baffling such are its flaws and bugs, ghost warnings and alerts etc.

So I guess my questions are:

Are there things I can do to get along with my Grenadier?

Are my experiences rare or are we all a bit too forgiving?

Thoughts in the new Defender?

Any other suggestions for the UK market?

Thanks all,

I think I am unique in having no issues with my Grenadier, apart from the pre software update spurious warnings, despite having a mid 1,000 vin.

I have cut my floor mat up to improve left foot flexibility, cutting off the sound deadening to reduce footrest height and cutting out the unnecessary extension of the footrest towards the brake pedal. 5 minutes with a Stanley knife. That allows me to move my foot around a bit on long journeys, and it sits at a better angle, and is much more comfortable. Maybe try driving it without the floor mat in for a bit first to see whether it helps? 6'5", seat fully back and fully up is very comfortable. Done 750 miles in a day without being crippled.

 

[DaveB]

This is a genuine post from a somewhat frustrated Fieldmaster owner

In the 6 months of ownership, I’ve had a load of niggles - faulty shockers, faulty Low Range shift, the abominable HVAC and a creaking dashboard so annoying I want to have the car crushed.

At the same time, slowly and at first un-noticably, I have become utterly crippled with lower back pain. I have finally realised - driving the Grenadier for between 3-4 hours on weekdays, the seats, lack of lower back support or adjustment and the infamous RHD foot rest is the cause. I’m 180cm and 170lbs - I should have no problems - but I can just no longer get comfortable - the constantly raised left leg no matter what the seating position is twisting my hip joint. If I put the seat on its lowest position the steering wheels is too high and far away - if I have it on its highest position - I can’t put the seat far enough back to stretch my legs. Ergonomically it’s inexplicably poor and something you only realise with hundreds of hours of driving it.

So I’m left feeling physically drained by the sheer hard work of owning this Grenadier. I used to have classic Land Rover Defender 90’s and 110’s and I never struggled to get comfortable.

I need a car with this level of capability though - I live on a former farm in the middle of nowhere and the terrain and weather is extreme for the UK. In the UK our choice of vehicle is limited. It’s either the Grenadier, a Defender, the hard to come by and crazily priced new Land Cruiser or a plethora of pickups.

So I’ve found myself eyeing up the new Defender 110/130. I know this is not the place to seek LR recommendations but I’d like opinions whether I should try to stick with the Grenadier and any genuine thoughts on the Defender as a capable vehicle?

The Defender seems far superior in the interior - the seats, driving position and comfort are a world ahead of the Grenadier. They’re also cheaper - believe it or not - even when you add even more bells and whistles - they can be had for a lot less than the Grenadier.

Land Rover and technology/infotainment screens aren’t synonymous with reliability - but there too, I’ve found the Grenadier poor - to say it’s a re-skimmed BMW system is baffling such are its flaws and bugs, ghost warnings and alerts etc.

So I guess my questions are:

Are there things I can do to get along with my Grenadier?

Are my experiences rare or are we all a bit too forgiving?

Thoughts in the new Defender?

Any other suggestions for the UK market?

Thanks all,

I am 178 cm so 2 cm's or about an inch shorter and have no problem with the seats or footrest, but understand how you can have.
Sounds like you really want to keep the vehicle so either seat swap, seat mount swap or the suggested inflatable lumbar support.

The other alternative is to build up your back/core muscle strength and seating posture.
Footwear is also an issue so if you need to wear thick soled heavy boots for work then the footrest will always be a problem.

Seat as high as possible is best and some people have adjusted the mounts to move the seat further back.
This might be the a good option for you but will compromise rear seat foot room.

Sometimes it is also like when you buy a new lounge suite.
Your body was molded into the old one for years and suddenly there is a change to get adjusted to.

 

[Shopkeep]

I think I am unique in having no issues with my Grenadier, apart from the pre software update spurious warnings, despite having a mid 1,000 vin.

I have cut my floor mat up to improve left foot flexibility, cutting off the sound deadening to reduce footrest height and cutting out the unnecessary extension of the footrest towards the brake pedal. 5 minutes with a Stanley knife. That allows me to move my foot around a bit on long journeys, and it sits at a better angle, and is much more comfortable. Maybe try driving it without the floor mat in for a bit first to see whether it helps? 6'5", seat fully back and fully up is very comfortable. Done 750 miles in a day without being crippled.

Do you have a diesel? If so is there any noticeable increase in heat from the foot rest area when it does a DPF regen (with the section cut out)?

 

[CrazyOldMan]

This is a genuine post from a somewhat frustrated Fieldmaster owner

In the 6 months of ownership, I’ve had a load of niggles - faulty shockers, faulty Low Range shift, the abominable HVAC and a creaking dashboard so annoying I want to have the car crushed.

At the same time, slowly and at first un-noticably, I have become utterly crippled with lower back pain. I have finally realised - driving the Grenadier for between 3-4 hours on weekdays, the seats, lack of lower back support or adjustment and the infamous RHD foot rest is the cause. I’m 180cm and 170lbs - I should have no problems - but I can just no longer get comfortable - the constantly raised left leg no matter what the seating position is twisting my hip joint. If I put the seat on its lowest position the steering wheels is too high and far away - if I have it on its highest position - I can’t put the seat far enough back to stretch my legs. Ergonomically it’s inexplicably poor and something you only realise with hundreds of hours of driving it.

So I’m left feeling physically drained by the sheer hard work of owning this Grenadier. I used to have classic Land Rover Defender 90’s and 110’s and I never struggled to get comfortable.

I need a car with this level of capability though - I live on a former farm in the middle of nowhere and the terrain and weather is extreme for the UK. In the UK our choice of vehicle is limited. It’s either the Grenadier, a Defender, the hard to come by and crazily priced new Land Cruiser or a plethora of pickups.

So I’ve found myself eyeing up the new Defender 110/130. I know this is not the place to seek LR recommendations but I’d like opinions whether I should try to stick with the Grenadier and any genuine thoughts on the Defender as a capable vehicle?

The Defender seems far superior in the interior - the seats, driving position and comfort are a world ahead of the Grenadier. They’re also cheaper - believe it or not - even when you add even more bells and whistles - they can be had for a lot less than the Grenadier.

Land Rover and technology/infotainment screens aren’t synonymous with reliability - but there too, I’ve found the Grenadier poor - to say it’s a re-skimmed BMW system is baffling such are its flaws and bugs, ghost warnings and alerts etc.

So I guess my questions are:

Are there things I can do to get along with my Grenadier?

Are my experiences rare or are we all a bit too forgiving?

Thoughts in the new Defender?

Any other suggestions for the UK market?

Thanks all,

Your post inspired me to look and see what you could buy in the UK - my gosh, what an absolutely maddening and pathetic situation. I kept having ideas for you, and then “nope, not sold in the UK.” The seat bolstering ideas from @DaveB and @Zimm might help you somewhat with the Grenadier. A GMC Acadia AT4? Nope. A Lexus GX 550? Nope. Apparently, your government would prefer you all ride electric unicycles. You guys do have mid-size SUV’s - I just don’t see much to slop around in. What about the Subaru Forester? Those are sold in the UK, right?

 

[RYAustralia]

There's a replacement mat available from GrenX for drivers side lump that reduces size/height of it which may help you with the hip / foot issue. .

 

[Mallig]

I'd consider getting a replacement mat for my LHD Grenadier if they make it without the gas pedal cutout. I'm sure my wife and other passengers would appreciate the added foot-space this provides.

 

[WanderingSniper]

I'm in a LHD so please take my comments with a grain of salt. However my LandRover died at year 3 with my two young kids in cars seats, in an intersection, three weeks out of warranty. I thought it was an amazing SUV but I can't trust something like that again. The Grenadier to me is very comfortable. If the seats bother you it's a very easy fix to get a new one (or matching set) that will be far less than what you will lose by selling now. The only thing I don't get, and I don't mean to be rude here, why is your hip flexing due to the hump? Your knee bends up and foot comes back a little, but your hip should be unmoved. Is there a chance this hip issue is from something else?

 

[C-Mack]

Being either lucky or insane enough to currently own both a modern Defender 110 and a Grenadier I can honestly say I like them both for what they are. I can’t fault the Defender in any meaningful way as it’s a very capable vehicle both on and off-road. Likewise for the Grenadier, even though it’s brand new vehicle to the market and has a few interesting quirks I really can’t fault it either.

Both will out perform my off-roading abilities and will more than likely keep me from stranding myself. I thought I’d gravitate more toward one or the other but I have not found that to be the case. Others have criticized the new Defender for being much more of a “soft-roader” compared to the original and fair point. However, it’s still a remarkable vehicle off-road even though it is relying on technology to accomplish most of that.

For all the Grenadiers back-to-basics robustness, it’s a bit more awkward on the road but doesn’t fail at any mission I give it whether it’s a trip into town or roughing it up a local mountain trail it just doesn’t complain at all. Can I offer any helpful insights into which one is truly better? No, of course not, as everyone’s use cases and justifications for owning either are specific to them. I will say, I enjoy the character and personality of both vehicles equally and find each perform what they said they would do on the wrapper.

It was not my the intention to own both at the same time it just sort of worked out that way. Compared to what other vehicle options exist out there in this market segment nothing else really appealed to me besides these vehicles. So for the time being I’ll enjoy both until one either breaks my heart or steals my wallet (I guess they’ve both done that already) so fingers crossed.

 

[parb]

weird. i have a 2019 XC90 and i love that seat. super comfortable.

for the grenadier i have found that very minute adjustments makes a huge difference in comfort. I have done lots and lots of micro adjustments to find that great seating position. It takes quite a bit of working it to find the perfect spot but once found it has been great. And as the OP states, it takes a few hours of driving to realize the seating position is not perfect. I think the seats are a bit stiffer in the grenadier which is why it takes a few minutes to find the perfect spot.

 

[Coullabus]

weird. i have a 2019 XC90 and i love that seat. super comfortable.

for the grenadier i have found that very minute adjustments makes a huge difference in comfort. I have done lots and lots of micro adjustments to find that great seating position. It takes quite a bit of working it to find the perfect spot but once found it has been great. And as the OP states, it takes a few hours of driving to realize the seating position is not perfect. I think the seats are a bit stiffer in the grenadier which is why it takes a few minutes to find the perfect spot.

Have to agree re XC90 (mines a 2018) - best seats I've come across.

 

[MRO]

Do you have a diesel? If so is there any noticeable increase in heat from the foot rest area when it does a DPF regen (with the section cut out)?

Diesel. No issues with heat even with regen in action that I have noticed.

 

[Zimm]

There's a replacement mat available from GrenX for drivers side lump that reduces size/height of it which may help you with the hip / foot issue. .


View attachment 7880579

I wonder if they made it that big to avoid creating a gap where foot may be wedged at the wrong moment. In the United Attorneys of America, I bet there's a case here!

 

[Commodore]

Mine is a July 2024 build and it has be perfect. I have 5,000 miles on it and 1,000 of those are on dirt. I came out of a 2022 Bronco and an L405 Range Rover and find the Grenadier seats just as comfortable at the RR. Of course I am in a LHD model so I don’t have to deal with the foot hump.

 

[drof14850]

Went to see K. Baggs Trimming, local Car interior and hood specialist they are going to stiffen up the rear of the seat base , which will tighten up the loose leather and build in a lumbar support. £130 + vat so not an expensive mod.
Have only just over 4000 miles so not seen massive use, they were surprised how soft and slack the leather is at the base of the seat, booked in for next Wednesday.
Makes me wonder if there is something not right with my seat from new?

 

[Will I like it? - Yep!]

I had a new Defender, was lovely to drive, sold after 6 months as I had a number of weird software blips.
The dealer network has lovely coffee but are a bit too corporate for me and if you ask around perhaps not that good when there is an issue.
My Ineos dealer has been spot on and sorted out a few issues during the service including a few I did not know about.
Try to find a solution to your issues - I have no issues with mine now.
Good luck!

 

[Patriot]

Mine is a July 2024 build and it has be perfect. I have 5,000 miles on it and 1,000 of those are on dirt. I came out of a 2022 Bronco and an L405 Range Rover and find the Grenadier seats just as comfortable at the RR. Of course I am in a LHD model so I don’t have to deal with the foot hump.

What does the serial number of a July 2024 build look like?

 

[Commodore]

What does the serial number of a July 2024 build look like?