Get ready for the road
Trevor’s got a long-distance working trip arranged for his Defender 90
IT IS a sad fact that my Defender 90 has been neglected lately. Don’t get me wrong – the Land Rover gets a thorough service every year without fail, well before the mileage interval that it needs to be carried out, and goes on to be MOT tested on time. However, outside of this crucial maintenance and safety testing, it doesn’t get much love or much actual use.
When my son, Tristan, is home from university, the 90 is used regularly but when he is away, I only use it for local towing duties. So the white roof has gone a little green with moss, the right-hand speaker only works intermittently (the
new speakers for the rear are still in the box) and the radio display has gone wonky and needs a reset. This is all going to change very soon – and not just because Tristan will be home soon for the holidays (his last proper student-length summer holiday). No, I have plans to carry out some of the jobs that the Defender deserves because I’m going on a bit of a trip in her – and feel guilty because the work should have been done long ago anyway.
The trip in question is to deliver a very fine Defender 110 over from Belfast to Ipswich for a new dual-mode exhaust system at Demand Engineering.
Then we have to go on with the empty trailer to collect some parts that I have ordered. Finally, it will be on to Doncaster to collect a load of shiny new Land Rover chassis.
My Defender 90 is being called in to service for this particular trip because my Discovery 2 is off the road for a few months – the road tax has been cashed in and SORN declared, due to the arrival of another motor vehicle. The D2 will be back and I certainly have no plans to sell her anytime soon.
I will make a start on the Defender 90 by checking all of the vital systems for the trip – engine oil, water and the other fluids, to ensure everything is tip-top for the work ahead. Then the Land Rover will get a proper wash, which is vastly overdue. Next on the list is to re-wire the safety beacons, as I’m not happy with the switch that I originally fitted. The beacons are mainly needed for when I have to stop on the dangerous road where my rented barn is located, in order to unlock or lock the gates. The traffic can be wild there and the beacons give plenty of warning to speeding motorists that I am stationary.
While I am in the mood for vehicle wiring work, I will tackle the sound system. Not only will the dodgy front speakers be replaced with a pair of very fine Pioneer units, but the rear speakers will finally be fitted. The old JVC head unit is just fine, but I do have a new allsinging, all-dancing head unit that was bought for the Discovery. I couldn’t face losing the steering wheel controls on the D2, so the DAB unit remained in the box.
So the poor neglected Defender is in for more than one treat.
If I manage to get all of these plans completed, the Land Rover will be all the better for it and it will be more of a pleasure to drive as well.
A clean shiny Land Rover, hands-free phone capability and good clear sound through four new speakers, couple with music streaming – has got to be good. And boy will Tristan be pleased, too!