Humble Pie - Land Rover Style

I hate to admit it, but I have to get it off my chest. I was at the off road park a few weeks ago and met up with a Land Rover LR3. They were good fellas and we both decided to have a go at a mud hole. The rover went first, barely made it through. He had to back up and go forward a few times, but he made it. Had the suspension at max height, all the buttons clicked. Stock wheels and tires.

So obviously I'm thinking I can do the same. I go into it and get suck immediately, hard. I even went in it in 4low with the diff locker engaged. We established afterwards that I was at a clearance disadvantage and had been hung up on the cross member, but still. I was humbled. I have stock tires and suspension as well, but I had always considered the TRD to be one of the most capable off readers on the market. Maybe this is me coming off of having a 1st Gen (2004 TRD).

The rover was nice and winched me out. Just putting it out there because well, I was impressed with the Land Rover and disappointed with the Tacoma. I think I am mostly sad that the new TRD is less capable than the old one.

 

Could have just been luck. But hey, you can get a Land Rover LR3......and drive it to the shop every month...... and pay out the ass when you pick it up.

 

Hahahaha yeah I know, I know, but I was still impressed. I also didn't think its electronic diffs and junk could out do my locker. At least I know I would dust him on the street in a drag lol. There is something to be said for that too.

 

Land rovers are no joke. Those are the things they drive in remote areas of other countries. But it cost a bit more.

 

my boss has a land rover and he out beats me off-roading everytime.. the weight..short wheel base .. it wins everytime!..

 

My Dad has been an avid LR guy for the past 30 or so years. I grew up driving Defenders, Series I-III's, Range Rovers (1st and 2nd Gen), and Discoveries (1st and 2nd Gen). They are no joke off road, and the new ones are WAY more capable than 99% of the average buyers even consider thinking of using them for. The LR3's in particular are pretty solid, quite a few off road magazines have said that the traction control sytem is hands down the most effective and advanced in a production vehicle. That being said, every single one of ours (Except the old 60's and early 70's) broke all the time. Usually minor stuff, but still a big pain. They leaked all the time, even somehow if it wasn't actually raining, and the electronics were spotty at best. My Defender had a "Porous block", so I had to do a full swap on the engine with a Range Rover 4.6. The last ones we had were in the early 2000s, and obviously a lot has changed since then, but the reliability was mediocre at best. That being said, no shame in one of the best factory off road rigs being pulled out by one of the other best off road rigs!

 

Wow, well I am glad to see that I am in similar company. lol. Too bad tho for us I guess. Its actually nice to see some replies that are not 10000000% biased and all like "You must off road like crap" and "He must have been modded" or other excuses. Got beat fair and square.

You know the kind of excuses you see on the Chevy Colorado forums when they claim all kinds of outlandish stuff when comparing the Colorado vs Tacoma. Its actually quite comical some times.

 

Hey thanks for the ending props! And as far as the Defender goes, I know those things are unstoppable! But I seriously was NOT expecting that kind of capability from the LR3, I had always seen it as a grocery getter in comparison. I didn't even know it had the ride height kit like some of the more exp. models.

 

you're a prerunner. no shit he beats you off road...

and I hate short wheel base vehicles. The 2dr jeeps look like a night mare. watching one try to rock crawl. having a longer wheel base (love the wb of my 1st gen, 121") but not too long like a DCLB i have noticed has been a huge advantage

 

I am a prerunner w/ ARB air locker in rear .. you would be amazed at what a locked prerunner could do ...

 

There's really no "magic offroad prowess" that one company holds over another. Offroading pretty much comes down to clearance and grip. What the Tacoma has over other brands is dependability, a HUGE market segment, and a pretty fair price. Get some decent tires and a bit more clearance and you'll do just fine.

 

the exact same thing my truck does before i throw it in 4wd. so im not amazed at all, i have the same thing

which guess what...isnt much, especially when you compare it to a 4wd land rover...

just sayin

 

It's quite possible the LR3's Goodyear Wrangler HPs marginally are better than the BFG Rugged Fails in the mud.

You sure his tires were stock? From what I read, because the LR3 is heavy, the stock Wrangler HPs wear out after just a year / 10,000 miles. It doesn't take much to upgrade to a better tire.

 

well I haven't had a problem with it.. unless I go mudding.. but then I have maxtrax and hi lift and recovery gear for that..

 

very understandable. its a regional thing.

i like to pretend i go rock crawling...which step one is to have 4wd and low range.

 

yea the only thing here is red dirt clay and small rocks.... my next step is a winch w/ hidden hitch..

 

when I lived in Virginia, I wheeled more with a land rover group than I did with the Tacoma group. not that I don't like all of the Tacoma guys, the LR guys just have more meets. good friend also has one, so I get to work on his (mod, not repair) all of the time.

if I were to buy a stock vehicle that wasn't a Toyota, I think i'd go for a rover. i'm constantly impressed with them, and it is a far more enjoyable (and generally more knowledgeable) crowd compared to the jeep groups.











My buddy's Discovery II







however, sometimes it still takes a Tacoma to rescue them

 

You are right, that isnt what he had on there. I don't remember what they were but, it was a distinct tread (looked like a highway/sport tire). It was def. not aggressive off road. In fact looking at them I was amazed they were doing what they were doing. I do remember he was on 19inch wheels, so it looked ridiculous lol. But hey it worked.

 

I have found this to be true as well. The rovers are so much more of a niche that most of the people who actually use them off road are very passionate and knowledgeable about them.

And to the OP, I believe the LR3 was actually the first vehicle on the US market with adjustable air suspension (for off road purposes, not air bags for leveling). I remember thinking the same thing about the LR3 when they first came out. I assumed it would be inferior to the Disco because of the independent suspension, focus on luxury and creature comforts, etc. Our go to guy at the Land Rover dealership told me that I was wrong, and actually let my dad and me take one out on one of their trail days, and it blew me away. LR makes great vehicles that will always have a soft spot in my heart. If you really think about all the major international off road racing and competition, Jeep, LR, and Toyota are the ones with the heritage and pedigree.

 

Were they Michelin LTX AT? A tire doesn't need to look aggressive to perform well off-road.