Sri Lanka's Emerging Automobile Community for Land Rover Defender

David_Christopher · Sep 04, 2025, 04:52 PM

Decided to teach wife proper off-road driving in our Defender 90 and it's... challenging! She's excellent normal driver but Defender requires different mindset. Heavy clutch, no power steering, manual everything confuses her. Most difficult part is explaining when to use low range, differential lock, how to handle steep descents. She gets frustrated, I get impatient, learning sessions ending in arguments! Any tips for teaching Defender driving to someone used to modern cars? Maybe should hire professional instructor instead?

NuwanJayasinghe · Sep 12, 2025, 03:56 PM

Haha machang, been there exactly! Problem is we forget how different Defenders are after years of experience. Start with empty car park basics - just getting feel for clutch and steering before any off-road work. Don't rush to technical stuff like diff locks immediately. Maybe find other couples who share vehicles, learn from their experience. Professional 4x4 driving course might be worth investment - neutral instructor, proper progression, no relationship stress! Main thing is patience and breaking down into small steps. Once she gets comfortable, she'll probably drive better than you! My wife now better at technical sections than me.