I’ve never owned a vehicle with a diesel engine so I know nothing about them. Except that my Land Rover will have one (rebuilt). My first thought was “uh oh” but it turns out diesel is a good thing.

“Because they are more efficient, diesel engines release less waste heat while in operation. Diesel engine parts are generally stronger than gas engine components, and diesel fuel has superior lubricating properties. As a result, diesel engines tend to last twice as long as gas-powered ones.”

I’m told it will take a bit longer to start my truck if left parked in the cold while I sip espresso but that’s only an issue if one has somewhere one must be.

I started my search looking for a Defender 90 but a few weeks in fell in love with the Series model. This cheeky video explains why an old Land Rover Defender costs $70,000. My favorite line: “Jeeps are for people who get in arguments over iPhone vs Android.”

Today I learned my truck is being restored as a soft top, even though it started life as a hardtop. This might be a California thing since it’s being restored in San Diego. Nice and warm out there year round, why wouldn’t you want a ragtop? And I’ll be fine with that, Missouri winters be damned (and I’ll rarely be on the road more than half an hour). And it was soft tops that got me started down this (off) road. Every Land Rover that got me tingly (see below) had a soft top.

I included the hardtop for comparison. And the more I see the hardtops, the more I like them. I’m hoping there’s a way I can have both. These trucks seem pretty modular and a guy with the right set of wrenches could probably switch ’em out a couple of times a year. This guy seems to be having a great time without a top.