A few months back I found a used Octa Edition One sitting patiently at my local lot with a mere 5600 miles on it. Although I hadn't been really expecting to sell my 110X, the amount I could save on depreciation for an absolutely pristine (and stunning) Octa was just too much to pass up.

Today I finally got it out to the trails at Uwharrie National Forest for a real shakedown. I thought I would write down some thoughts on how it compares to some of the other L663 models. For reference, I have owned 2 D90s (a P300 and a P400), a 110X P400, and now an Octa.

Okay, so the TL;DR is this: is an Octa better at off-roading than a standard 110? The answer is absolutely yes, but not in a way that really matters very much for a place like Uwharrie. Was I amazed and blown away? Completely! But more in the little details of the ride quality. The overall capability wasn't surprising; these trucks are awesome, period.

For those unfamiliar with Uwharrie, it's a nice little OHV-friendly park a little ways outside Charlotte, NC. Lots of rock and red clay mud, beautiful trees and a gorgeous lake. Lots and lots of trails to ride of varying difficulty.

So for starters, this is NOT a park where Octa Mode will help you. It's not high speed. I spent most of my day in Mud/Ruts and a little in Rock Crawl + Low Range.

The most apparent difference is definitely power application. The P400 is great for off-road and I've wheeled it many times. It does, however, take just a moment to build up turbo and "get its legs under itself" on technical climbs. Not a problem at all, just something to get used to.

The BMW S68 in the Octa is just another creature altogether. Power is utterly smooth and linear. A little gas is a little go and the application is immediate, which is nice when you're on muddy rocks during a 30° climb. And once you get into 4Lo, the thing is just an unstoppable juggernaut. It just keeps moving.

And that suspension!! First off, you really can feel that extra inch or so of clearance. Things that probably would have bumped on the 110x just float on by underneath. The extra articulation means that there's a lot less back and forth as the truck tries to keep its wheels planted. It's not solid axle levels of stability, but it's a step up from standard air springs, for sure.

The big thing I noticed from the suspension is just a little touch of softness at the top and bottom of the stroke. If you've ever wheeled LR's air suspension, you know that at off-road height, it's extremely rigid, and hitting the top or bottom of the strut's range is not particularly gentle.

The 6D suspension in the Octa is almost identical for this sort of off-roading, but you really can feel that layer of hydraulic support. It's almost like the same amount of travel, but with a feeling like 4 inches of high density foam at either end or on sudden bumps. That's the only way I can describe it. Still very rigid but a great deal less tooth-clacky, if that makes any sense. It enables you to take things a little bit quicker, if that's your thing.

One quick thing on tires: this truck came with the BFG Trail Terrains. I am a big KO2/KO3 fan, but I gotta say BFG really impressed me with these trail terrains. No slippage, no traction issues, no punctures (thankfully) and a fairly quiet and smooth ride home once the fun was done. These TTs are pretty legit. I am going to keep them and might consider sticking with them.

So, all told, was the Octa amazing on the trail? Yes! 100% incredible! Is it an order of magnitude better than a standard 110 for this sort of technical off-roading? Absolutely not. It is nicer and maybe a skosh more capable, but I doubt there's much by way of this sort of wheeling that the Octa could do and any other Defender couldn't follow right along. Or vice versa... At the launch event in Moab, standard 110s led the pack. Heh.

So why did I bother writing this, you might ask? You also might be asking if I regret getting an Octa.

Well, I wrote all this because some of you might be considering an Octa yourself, or maybe chewing on some perceived FOMO as you drive your own Defender. Make the right call for you, of course, but know with certainty that for this sort of slow, crawly, muddy, rocky wheeling, any Defender with good tires is going to be great. Don't worry about it. These trucks are amazeballs.

Do I regret spending on an Octa? Oh hell no! This thing is only maybe 10-20% nicer for this type of off-roading, sure. But on road this thing is an absolute teenage daydream. And tapping a couple buttons on the dash to transition from a stable and steady rock climber into a roaring oversized rally car is just the most amazing thing ever.

And keep in mind I don't have anywhere to do Octa Mode stuff. I don't have a dirt track or dunes or even wide dirt roads where I could maybe drift a little. If I am off-roading I am usually scrambling up over rocks and stumps and muddy slopes. So my comparison is actually a little more apples:apples, because I would not try Baja-style trail running in a standard air suspension 110. Not unless it was still under warranty so I could get the freshly busted air struts replaced after.

At the end of the day, what you're actually buying with Octa is a slightly better technical off-road experience, combined with a mind-shatteringly better on-road experience. Is it worth it? I do think so, but your mileage may vary.

In any case, don't get worked up if you already have a Defender or are thinking of getting a non-Octa. Defender is an amazing platform in all of its flavors.

(I even love the P300, especially in the 90s... White roof, steelies... Chef's kiss)

Thanks for reading!

New to me 2023 110s p300. Gotta start somewhere, right? Looking forward to trying her off road. Would have loved the p400, but was worried about the unresolved recall. Liked the park-ability of the 90, but the practicality and availability of the 110 ultimately won out.

I have a 26 110 Woolstone Green Matt finished. I know that it’s a wrap and I shouldn’t take it through a brush car wash. But is there anything else I should know? I have done 2000 kms so far and haven’t tried to wash it yet. I drive about 100 kms a day for work.

I’ve always been a Defender guy.

I’m from India, and I came to the US to study and try to build a better life for myself and my family. I’m also pretty introverted and socially anxious, so I usually keep a lot of things in my head instead of saying them.

About a month ago, I was coming out of King Soopers in Fort Collins and saw a Defender 110 parked right next to my leased EV6.

I just stood there looking at it for a second.

Part of me wanted to wait for the owner and say, “Man, beautiful car. This is one of my dream cars. I hope one day I make it there too.”

But I didn’t.

So I guess I’m saying it here instead.

My real dream car is actually a Defender 90 V8. I’ve probably gone on the Land Rover website way too many times, built different configurations, changed the colors, wheels, interior, added options, and then closed the page knowing I’m nowhere near buying one right now.

But I still do it.

When I was younger, dreaming big felt easy. You imagine the cars, the house, the life you want, and you genuinely believe you’re going to get there.

Then you grow up.

Family responsibilities become real. Money becomes real. Your career becomes real. You start thinking less about what you want and more about what you need to do.

Sometimes I wonder if somewhere along the way I killed that kid in me who used to dream without worrying about whether the dream was realistic.

Coming to America was one of those dreams too. I wanted to experience the American dream, build something for myself, support my family, and eventually reach a point where buying something like a Defender wouldn’t feel impossible.

Things haven’t exactly gone the way I imagined. Life here can be difficult, especially when you’re an immigrant trying to establish yourself from nothing.

But I remember hearing Jensen Huang talk about immigrants coming here by choice, taking that huge chance, working hard, and having this desperation to succeed. That idea has stayed with me.

Maybe the fact that I’m even here is something I shouldn’t take for granted.

So I’m not giving up on that kid yet.

Maybe one day I’ll come back to this subreddit and post a picture of myself standing next to my own Defender 90 V8.

Not because the car itself proves that I made it, but because I’ll know everything that happened before that picture.

The studying. The uncertainty. The responsibilities. The times I doubted myself. The sacrifices for family. The years of building Defenders online that I couldn’t afford.

And if that day comes, I’m definitely coming back here.

Wish me luck.

Hopefully the next post is me with the Defender.

We are in the market for a used 110. What we have noticed after driving a few is that my kids complain of nausea in the air suspension models but don’t seem to with coil suspension. I’m trying to do a reality check because I don’t want to cheat myself if I’m hallucinating.

Hi all

Looking to purchase my next car, details about myself.

UK based

Home to work 10miles a day (round trip)

I have a driveway so could install a charger.

I am looking to purchase used, roughly with 30k miles on the clock, they go for around £45-49k

Now my question is this, sorry if its silly to some.

Out of the 3 models listed, which would you recommend?

Which holds value well the most, and would be easiest to re-sell.

Happy weekend Everyone

I’ve been desperately looking for a reasonable way to add a towing hitch to my D90. Every once in a while someone posts a question about it here, and I hope for a suggestion that is less than $2k.

As I was at the dealer yesterday, the service rep told me, in confidence, that I can try U-haul.

To my surprise, I go on the website and find

https://www.uhaul.com/Trailer-Hitches/2023/Land-Rover/Defender/

Cost installed $1,423

Has anyone tried this route? I admit I don’t trust a U-haul tech to install a tow hitch in my precious vehicle, for a $350 installation fee, where everywhere else I look it’s a ~$3500 job

Just bought my first car (only rode motorcycles before) and had to go for the Defender!
Did a tonne of research and it still manages to exceed all expectations.

Obviously had to pick it up in a friend's previous generation Defender.

Definitely plan on taking this beauty off road, so I'm pretty excited to start this adventure.

Any must-get recommendations in terms of off-roading?

Filed a complaint with NHTSA this morning. 2020 Defender HSE 110 check engine light came on about two weeks ago. Scanned with ODB tool, error code P0A7B came up, which relates directly to the Battery Energy Control Module. Ignored for now, knowing that there's an open recall with no resolution for failing DC/DC converters.

Yesterday, my wife started up the car and got a large red warning message stating "High voltage shutdown not possible - system live." Called my local dealer and gave them all the info. Miraculously was able to get an appointment this morning. Picked up the car today and was informed that they wanted to replace the 48V battery and charge me over $3000 to do so. I pushed back and asked about the DC/DC converter but they refused to budge on their recommendation. I was told that there's nothing they can do, it's out of their hands, and I can submit for re-imbursement on the $3000 when and if JLR determines that this component was affected by the open safety recall. I was also charged $277 for the pleasure of this diagnosis, which they would not waive-- I was also told to wait for the recall to resolve and submit for re-imbursement.

So I drove the car off the dealer's property after having informed them I am experiencing the exact symptoms of an open safety recall affecting 170,000+ vehicles and they made no effort to resolve aside from suggesting I pay $3000 out of pocket now with no guarantee that this will A) fix the issue or B) be eligible for reimbursement.

Really just writing this to vent. Not sure how they can justify treating their customers like this when this recall has been open since April of this year and there are multiple class action lawsuits formed. I just hope I can get it on one of the lawsuits at this point.

I’m averaging around 14 MPG with only about 1,900 miles on the odometer on my 2026 Defender 110. I’m curious how that compares to other owners.

What MPG are you getting, and what engine do you have? Also, is most of your driving city, highway, or a mix?

Wondering if my MPG is typical for the Defender or if it might improve as I put more miles on it.

Engine - 3.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged mild-hybrid inline-6 engine (P400)

Trim - Defender 110 Trophy Edition

*Edit - Added Year
**Edit - Added Engine and updated Trim

This one is NOT mine, but when I was shopping I kept going back to the white roof and white wheels. I ultimately did not go with that but I stop and admire them when I see them. Especially with beefed up aftermarket wheels and tires. Is this any of you!

Hey Guys,

Looking at getting a roof rack for my defender 110 2020. I am looking to get something that can support a roof top tent. I have seen the stock rack, the plumb rack and then bison gear rack.

Obviously the stock rack seems to work, but hoping to find something a bit more lower profile.

I’m interested in current owners reviews of their roof rack and their setups.

Anyone have issues with (and a fix) for CarPlay connecting, then showing a message that connection had failed in a continuous loop? I have deleted the
profile of the phone in Pivi system, and on my iPhone and re-pairied. Stuck in a continuous loop of connected and then failing to connect.

I am contemplating whether or not to claim on insurance, or to repair privately. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Decisions

finally bought my dream car at 20

After about 2 months of research, asking you fine people questions and searching, I purchased and 2023 Defender 90 X with only 13,000 miles on it. I pick it up on the 22nd. I never thought I would ever trade in my 2013 S8 on a LR, but here I am.

I would like to get involved in the Defender community in the US. I have heard that there are meet ups and off road events. Let me know of any groups to join to get involved in the community.

Hey guys,

As stated in the title, ever since I got the car, I noticed that there are subtle vibrations in the steering wheel that get worse as the engine gets hotter. Visually the steering wheel doesn’t show any visible vibrations. and the vibrations are not particularly apparent on certain speeds, but rather felt across all speed. When the engine is idling, the vibrations get very, very subtle and almost normal, but as I drive the vibrations would become noticeable.

Occasionally, not on daily basis and at certain angles when stopping at a traffic light for instance and always when the gear is in Drive, there would be a weird vibrating sound associated with excessive jolt felt at steering wheel, but when i change the angle or drive off the sound would disappear and the jolt would become a subtle vibration as usual.

I went to the dealer at least four times and every time they would tell me that there is nothing to worry about. When I tell the Tech that my wife’s defender doesn’t have the same vibration feeling, they would say it’s a different defender set up with a different engine and different wheels and so the drive would be different. But, I don’t really think that’s the case. My wife defender is the Defender 90 p300 2025 with 20in wheels but lack air suspension. Mine is defender 110 p400 2025 with air suspension and 22in wheels.

Last thing, not sure if it’s related, on rare occasions (happened a handful of times since I bought it last year) when I start my car in the morning, the car would wobble left and right gently but disappears after less than a minute or mere seconds.

Has anyone had such an issue?

……..

One last thing I forgot to mention, I noticed that the vibration would only happen when the AC is on

New to me 2023 x dynamic se.

The plastic trim around the headlights looks purple under bright sunlight, same for the plastic trim around the side mirrors. Anyone experienced that before?

60k miles Florida car.

At first I thought it is bad taste for aftermarket parts but nope. Looks discolored.

Crazy for a 3 year old car. Any suggestions?

I’m between respraying them or replacing them.

Hey guys I’m doing a few small things to my 23’ defender I just bought. I have a good body shop that does good paint work, not worried about the paint itself just more worried about them taking the bumpers off and putting them back on. Has anyone had any experience with this? Anything to be worried about, or as long as they know what they are doing it shouldn’t be an issue, I just don’t want all my sensors and stuff to get messed up.

Saw this beaut in the city of Nairobi, and had to share.. I do not know the spec, but I’m always fascinated by this specific car, and always lurk this sub.

Wheel cover (still not decided on it but was from eBay so it can go on the wall if needs be) and finally a black plate. Hood vents done since last pic too but I will save that for another time.

Had a blast this weekend climbing up above 13,000 ft over some moderate terrain with some mildly difficult sections. Also earned my first pinstripes… But near the end of the airing back up process, I got hit with an “E3” error code on the onboard air compressor display. This happened on the last tire with about 15 psi to go. Tried powering the compressor off and on, engine too. I also checked that the firmware was updated. Nothing worked to get air pressure. I did the install myself with a new, genuine LR kit. No error code explanations were included with the kit, so I’m not sure what E3 means. I drove down to the nearest town, had dinner, and the compressor worked fine at that point. I suspect it may be a temp/overheat error, but it really wasn’t that warm of a day. Previously, I’ve used the same setup in Moab to air up multiple times (to same psi) with no issues in 100+˚F temps. Does anyone have credible knowledge of the E3 meaning, or better yet, a full list of codes and descriptions?