What other vehicles did you consider buying?

[G-Man]

i had seriously considered this option…https://blackbridgemotors.com/defender-mark-x/

but at 5 times the price of the Grenadier, it was a no brainer to try Grenadier…I’m glad I did. This forum is changing my POV with regards to the purpose of the Grenadier, of being a global overlander/expedition tool vs weekender 4x4. Of course, there is nothing wrong with weekender 4x4 fun, but I truly respect the spirit of purpose the Grenadier is built on. I’m learning.

Although fascinating click bait, their marketing has people in suede stilettos and leather pants in a forest. Clearly wishing to appeal to people who spend a lot of time outdoors

 

[LC0013]

Considered this:
View attachment 7865719

What made you decide against the new 2025 Land Cruiser? I am not a fan of 4cyl engines myself.

 

[Defender77]

What made you decide against the new 2025 Land Cruiser? I am not a fan of 4cyl engines myself.

My daily driver is a 2020 Series 200. Been there / done that. Felt it was time for something different.

 

[Back in Black]

I never looked at another vehicle. My neighbor (he knew me better than I knew me! ) sent me an email about a year ago about the IG, I immediately did some reading, and placed my order that day. After 15 years in my RR, things were failing big time and I was not going to buy another JLR product - way too complex. Best snap decision I ever made!

 

[DoubleDoom]

I didn't do much looking around. Our vehicle needed to be equestrian-focused. That means towing the horse trailer (easy) and the 3.5T muck trailer into muck fields on clay surfaces, usually several inches of wet and wet. Then, some farm work over rutted clay fields after harvesting. Clay, as we know, spends 50 weeks of the year as either slop or concrete and two weeks when it's pliable and comfortable.

Option 1 was to keep the current Defender Puma 90. However, it is nine years old and getting to the point where most perishables are going to start perishing and need replacing. The car body is in fantastic condition, but the engine is so tightly packaged that changing things requires a lot of things to be taken apart to access them. Labour costs are only going to increase. But I love the car. It makes me smile.

Option 2: new Defender. Plush, great on long distances on road and no doubt it was capable off road but it felt too sanitised. In the old 90s, you hear the elements and don't feel removed from them, and that gives a pleasant ambience, even though the heating only really has two settings. Volcano or ice. With the new defender, you are very removed from what the weather or conditions are outside. You don't get that ambience. If I were a motorway driver looking for comfort, then JLR really has some fantastic vehicles. Motorways, perhaps, are the one place where you want it to be as serene as possible. Our county has no motorways, and most of my driving is rural lanes/roads.

Option 3: the new landcruiser. My wife wouldn't let me even consider it. She said I wouldn't like it, and she is probably right. It is probably too efficient and does everything perfectly well and has hardly any quirks but wouldn't make me smile.

Option 4: Jeep Wrangler. I know it's capable, but it just felt like a thin tin can that was poorly made. I disliked it purely because of the metalwork and trim.

Option 5: IG. I had just about decided to keep the old Defender and accept higher maintenance rather than spend on a new vehicle when we decided to go to the Colchester dealer for Ineos and take a look. The guy working there was from the Kent branch but he was very helpful and informative and when I sat in the IG for the first time, I felt a connection. However, I was passed to another person at the Colchester dealer and he was useless and it put me off. Several months later, we were passing the Norfolk dealer and decided to take another look. The staff there were much better. Much more engaged in the car and they gave me one for the weekend for me to test out and I loved it. Choice was made.

For background, I have multiple tractors, but I enjoy going out on the 1952 Fergie more than the modern Kubota. And I have paraffin lanterns and paraffin bowl heaters in my workshop. When I take the bins out and walk the quarter mile to the road in the dark, I don't use a torch. I use a paraffin lantern. The reason is the ambience. In the house we have multiple wood burners running over winter. Partly as we generate most of our own wood but mainly ambience again.

Ambience is my thing. I attach a lot to smell, noise, and feeling things, and it influences my choices. Things that make you smile, make your life happier, and create lasting memories are important. The IG fits that perfectly for me.

 

[TanisIndependentTraders]

The Grenadier was an additional vehicle. I trade off between it and my R1S every 1,000 miles. I wished there was a way to combine the two into one.

 

[lightning]

That bull bar makes the Grenadier look better IMO.
It disguises the huge front bumper.

 

[lightning]

Not much love for the new Defender in this thread.
l do wonder how many of the people who wrote it off, have actually driven one on or off road.
l've got a basic specification 90 on steel wheels and it's awesome both on and off road.
ln terms of reliability the Grenadier has had more issues than the new Defender.

I would still rather have a Grenadier and one day l am sure l will own one. l would buy one now (and sell my Defender) if the five seat version could be put through my company as a commercial vehicle.
Sadly it appears that while DVLA agree it's "Commercial" HMRC still don't.

Once out of warranty the Defender does scare me a bit. But so does the Grenadier. lt has quite a bit of tech and the same transmission as the Defender.

l've actually been looking at the late model old Defenders as prices have dropped this year. l've driven three for sale this month. lt seems you can get a very good low mileage example for around £30,000 although there's still an issue with its "Commercial" status with HMRC.

The 2022 Defender Commercial cost me £55,000 and l got £14,000 tax back. BIK is only £700 per year and l can put all the running costs through my company.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I didn't do much looking around. Our vehicle needed to be equestrian-focused. That means towing the horse trailer (easy) and the 3.5T muck trailer into muck fields on clay surfaces, usually several inches of wet and wet. Then, some farm work over rutted clay fields after harvesting. Clay, as we know, spends 50 weeks of the year as either slop or concrete and two weeks when it's pliable and comfortable.

Option 1 was to keep the current Defender Puma 90. However, it is nine years old and getting to the point where most perishables are going to start perishing and need replacing. The car body is in fantastic condition, but the engine is so tightly packaged that changing things requires a lot of things to be taken apart to access them. Labour costs are only going to increase. But I love the car. It makes me smile.

Option 2: new Defender. Plush, great on long distances on road and no doubt it was capable off road but it felt too sanitised. In the old 90s, you hear the elements and don't feel removed from them, and that gives a pleasant ambience, even though the heating only really has two settings. Volcano or ice. With the new defender, you are very removed from what the weather or conditions are outside. You don't get that ambience. If I were a motorway driver looking for comfort, then JLR really has some fantastic vehicles. Motorways, perhaps, are the one place where you want it to be as serene as possible. Our county has no motorways, and most of my driving is rural lanes/roads.

Option 3: the new landcruiser. My wife wouldn't let me even consider it. She said I wouldn't like it, and she is probably right. It is probably too efficient and does everything perfectly well and has hardly any quirks but wouldn't make me smile.

Option 4: Jeep Wrangler. I know it's capable, but it just felt like a thin tin can that was poorly made. I disliked it purely because of the metalwork and trim.

Option 5: IG. I had just about decided to keep the old Defender and accept higher maintenance rather than spend on a new vehicle when we decided to go to the Colchester dealer for Ineos and take a look. The guy working there was from the Kent branch but he was very helpful and informative and when I sat in the IG for the first time, I felt a connection. However, I was passed to another person at the Colchester dealer and he was useless and it put me off. Several months later, we were passing the Norfolk dealer and decided to take another look. The staff there were much better. Much more engaged in the car and they gave me one for the weekend for me to test out and I loved it. Choice was made.

For background, I have multiple tractors, but I enjoy going out on the 1952 Fergie more than the modern Kubota. And I have paraffin lanterns and paraffin bowl heaters in my workshop. When I take the bins out and walk the quarter mile to the road in the dark, I don't use a torch. I use a paraffin lantern. The reason is the ambience. In the house we have multiple wood burners running over winter. Partly as we generate most of our own wood but mainly ambience again.

Ambience is my thing. I attach a lot to smell, noise, and feeling things, and it influences my choices. Things that make you smile, make your life happier, and create lasting memories are important. The IG fits that perfectly for me.

This Christmas, as you sit by your lantern, read “The Shadows” by George MacDonald, first published in Adela Cathcart in 1864. Your lantern may be more important than you realize. It would be good to find in hard copy for your first read. You’ll understand once you’ve read it.

The Shadows | George MacDonald Society

 

[SQF1]

I’m in a different boat than most. Mine is a company owned take home vehicle. Communication towers building, maintenance and upgrade. Fields, mountain access roads in disrepair, snow, mud, water crossings. My Sierra aged out. I need moderate off-road capability but also the ability to haul passengers as needed. I preferred a Cybertruck on day 1, they agreed to buy that but the cheaper AWD version was delayed until next year. Since I ordered a Gren for myself to be my retirement/add to the collection vehicle the company agreed to buy that instead of the Tesla. It’s been great for work. Only 2500miles in but the only issue I’ve had is the door gaskets. Not driving 4 hours one way for new ones. Tried 3m tape with no joy. Just replaced with Gorilla tape this weekend, time will tell. You can see the Gren down there in the photo.

 

[Michael_in_Baja]

I’m curious as to what most people considered the alternatives or options in their decision making process leading up to buying an Ineos?

I had a 2018 Mitsubishi L200 (now sold) and a 2019 Transit custom crew van (still got this). Pickups are practical in their own way but you can’t put long stuff in them, they have massive rear overhangs and ride like crap so make poor family cars. The transit is a great family vehicle and has a huge loadbed (it’s the L2 model) but obviously has no off-road ability at all.

I did consider a 4motion VW transporter but they’re still very limited in off-road ability. Plus some VW issues, they’re not the most reliable things.

New Defender didn’t appeal. If I’m spending this much money I plan to keep the vehicle a very long time and I have serious doubts on reliability and longevity as well as the awful dealer service. I really like the interior but I’m not sold on the toy-like looks.

Old Defender - had several but ancient design, hugely flawed but so characterful. Ultimately I wouldn’t want to use one as a family vehicle. I did consider a “new” build on a galvanised chassis and bulkhead and maybe an OM606 but it’s a big money build for what is still a seriously compromised vehicle. Tight for space and you really, really don’t want to crash one. Great residuals. I do love them, we still have an old 90 and a series 3 but they’re occasional vehicles, almost toys, I wouldn’t want one as our main family vehicle.

I looked at Land Cruiser 300’s, I like them a lot but oddly I couldn’t quite bring myself to spend so much money on one. Hugely complex vehicles and, despite their reputation for reliability, not really what I was after because of that.

Ditto for any other JLR product really (Range Rover or Disco 5.)

Nothing else in the market really appealed.

Briefly looked at importing a new v8 70 series from Oz but serious money. Truck looks great but lots of money to get one here and still an ancient design. Potential issues with parts supply/cost/time here.

My ideal vehicle would be something the size of a midsize van with full commercial status but proper 4wd and 6 seats. Nothing quite like that available and I think the Grenadier gets closest.

What about you?

The only other vehicle I considered was a Ram Power Wagon for bed size and capability. It is an apples to oranges comparison and the Ram was just too much for my needs, too wide, too high, too "american" and frankly, just bloated.

 

[e_k_powell]

I dropped my wife off at some business seminar she was attending on a Saturday a little over a month ago and told her I was going to go look at a new vehicle. Didn’t need another vehicle but I had been following the Grenadier development for a couple of years. Went to Mossy in Houston and saw one up close and drove it and they had one that had all the options that I would have ordered. Price was going up $5k to order a 2025 plus they had $2k credit for accessories. In my mind that meant I would be saving $7k, so I bought it. Still cost me a new Louis Vuitton handbag so I really only saved $4k!

 

[Back in Black]

Not much love for the new Defender in this thread.
l do wonder how many of the people who wrote it off, have actually driven one on or off road.
l've got a basic specification 90 on steel wheels and it's awesome both on and off road.
ln terms of reliability the Grenadier has had more issues than the new Defender.

I would still rather have a Grenadier and one day l am sure l will own one. l would buy one now (and sell my Defender) if the five seat version could be put through my company as a commercial vehicle.
Sadly it appears that while DVLA agree it's "Commercial" HMRC still don't.

Once out of warranty the Defender does scare me a bit. But so does the Grenadier. lt has quite a bit of tech and the same transmission as the Defender.

l've actually been looking at the late model old Defenders as prices have dropped this year. l've driven three for sale this month. lt seems you can get a very good low mileage example for around £30,000 although there's still an issue with its "Commercial" status with HMRC.

The 2022 Defender Commercial cost me £55,000 and l got £14,000 tax back. BIK is only £700 per year and l can put all the running costs through my company.

After years of having to bring my RR to JLR dealerships for problem repair, I'd had enough. Minor things, such as mass flow sensor, tire pressure sensors, etc., would only work if it was the original LR part. This would frustrate my local mechanic. And every time I went to the dealer, I came out poorer (I swear I was bankrolling their service department!) and with a vehicle that was worse than when I went in! I always had to go back for something immediately after a fix. So, there will be no more new JLR products in my garage.

 

[lightning]

l've heard that more than once with the older Range Rovers.

Fortunately my new Defender has been entirely fault free so far.

 

[Jeremy996]

l've heard that more than once with the older Range Rovers.

Fortunately my new Defender has been entirely fault free so far.

Warranty experience suggest that most new Defenders are fine.
Warranty experience also suggests that JLR have issues across the marques and models, with the Defender being better than most.
My experience with JLR dealers is generally not positive; that is why there is a thriving independent LR sector!

 

[lightning]

Fortunately l also have a very good independent Land Rover specialist near to me.
They are also around half the price of the main dealer. They can't do warranty work of course, hopefully l won't need any.

 

[Chadd7]

I went to check out a 2025 Landcruiser today. While servicing my 200. Feels small. Feels cheap. Maybe the Lexus version is nicer.

 

[LC0013]

I went to check out a 2025 Landcruiser today. While servicing my 200. Feels small. Feels cheap. Maybe the Lexus version is nicer.

Not much power in that Land Cruiser 4cyl turbo or not. The Lexus GX550 has the 6cyl turbo and it performed much better. Son has the GX550. Still glad I bought the Grenadier.

 

[Abdalsharhan]

A friend of mine has a fully decked LR defender 110, and I was always infatuated with them. I had a plan to build an LS swap + the whole shenanigans. I was close to pulling the trigger on buying one, then I got married, and that changed my way of looking at things.

Right when I got married I owned 5 vehicles and still do (991.1tt, T-bird 56, a full overlanding built Silverado LT, Ducati panigale V2, Ducati Diavel 1260s), they are all 2 seaters and in no way were practical for everyday family use, needless to explain but you all know that bachelors life. I then considered getting a new car, at that time I was looking at the grenadier when they first announced it, I inquired about it, I was told that they might be delivered in a year.

Time was of the essence I needed a daily, being the smarty pants I am, I went and ordered for myself a Tesla model Y (the worst purchase I’ve ever made), used it for 17 months and just sold it for a loss, I literally sold it for half of what I got it for. The sale was due to not being practical for unplanned long trips (this is what I told my wife ). In reality I was itching for a grenadier, an all rounder vehicle with character.


Long story short, some other shortly thought of cars were, LC 78, LC 79, new prado, f-150 raptor! They all lacked character, non resembled an old defender which I loved, all cheaply made, non had a statement factor!

 

[Bruce B]

Wow… where do I begin? We tow a 25’ Airstream and whatever vehicle I drive must be able to accomplish that safely. I have, in the past 14 years owned 4 different pickup trucks. A 2010 F-150, a Ram 2500 with a Cummins Diesel, a GMC 2500 with a Diesel and finally another F-150 with a V8. I drank the Kool Aid on the subject of 3/4 ton pickups and ended up disliking one and hating the other. My first F-150 was a decent truck that I put about 140,000 miles on, my current F-150 is actually a good vehicle.
The problem is that I am simply tired of pickups! If you think that a Grenadier has a big turning radius, test drive a GMC 2500! While my F-150 is a capable and pulls our Airstream with ease, it is not anything I want to keep. I have considered every single thing out there with a decent tow rating as I look for “something different”…
American SUVs, Jeeps, European and Japanese SUVs and anything that might do the job. Other than towing, I use my vehicles for driving around our small New England local roads with an occasional 100 mile trip to pick up something or other.
I loved the idea of a Porsche Cayenne S, it has decent payload and towing capability. It has little storage room behind the second seats though. An Audi SQ7 has towing capabilities and more room but nowhere near enough payload. A Jeep Wrangler 4 door is actually a good tow vehicle although it too falls too short of payload to make me comfortable.
Once beyond the towing/payload thing it comes down to the “do I really want to drive this thing?” question. I have owned Jeeps and although I do actually like them, they are noisy (wind noise) at speed and they are lightly built. Expeditions, Yukons and most of the SUVs are just too bland for me and I get more utility from my trucks. I haven’t done any off road driving in years but I loved what I did.
Truthfully, the Grenadier has a pretty unique set of features. I think it will be a great way to do the things I need to get done. My wife drives an Audi RS6 so we have an incredible road trip vehicle…