Landrover defender owners input...

[Skogsmannen]

You’ve never seen a Land Rover with a rotten chassis?

I've seen plenty - rotten rear crossmembers and outriggers mainly but never seen one snap in half, yet.

I've also seen jap pickups suffer twisted chassis from low speed impacts that a defender would have brushed off without a problem.

I think pehaps my comments may have been interpreted as me being a dyed in the wool landrover enthusiast - far from it, I just don't feel they deserve the bad reputation thta they are often given.

 

[User00036]

If true that 80% of all Landrovers are still in existence, it tells you all you need to know. Compare that to Toyota HiLux Isuzus Nissan etc

 

[Utectok]

75% of landrovers ever built are still on the road the other 25% made it home lol
love em really

 

[willowbank]

A fantastically hilarious sentence of purest BS! Gold!

You really do need to watch the video series above, it's brilliant and actually quite shocking.

I was angry with them for the method they chose to finally try and destroy the Hilux.

I think his dilated pupils speak volumes, absolute moron.

WB

 

[User00033]

I think his dilated pupils speak volumes, absolute moron.

WB

Yup. And you should see some of the other stupid stuff he gets up to. Short life expectancy.

If I needed a vehicle to blast down the motorway and thensome light 4x4 work then maybe a jap pickup.

I think you might need to get out more! We had a good giggle when me and the wife read this, having made Jap pickups our mobile home in remote and difficult terrains. The kind of places where historic poor reliability would have been unconscionable - if it breaks down and you can’t fix it, it’s staying where it is, along with all your gear. And so are you, in the hope that someone else will come along and be able to take you with. And the first person that comes along might not be very friendly…

I will add though, that the fundamental weakness of the traditional part-time 4WD Jap pickup - no locking diff - needed addressing with aftermarket diff lockers for our vehicles, which is now mostly a standard OEM feature across the current range. There’s no quibble from me when it comes to the traditional mechanical 4WD prowess of the Land Rover. Awesome and the benchmark, no doubt about that. The electronically controlled modern versions are also awesome, until they suddenly, inexplicably stop working.

 

[Old Pultney]

Would buy on condition and receipted service history as opposed to any particular model. Wise to avoid anything with a lot of electronics as they’re bound to go wrong . The ex MOD ones can be a good buy.

Defenders are I think one of the few vehicles that it’s possible to recoup or even make money on.

Jeep Wrangler 4.0 litre petrol a similar offering, although I’ve read that some parts can be expensive.

Hope you enjoy the search and what you find .

Kind regards

O.P

 

[Ooops]

@SimpleSimon So which way are you leaning?
Never mind dodgyknees and his rice burners, I think he once lived over a take away joint and was bunged free ruby murrays

 

[NigelM]

I've had 110 and 90 TD5 Defenders, as well as D40 and NP300 Navaras. The one I still have is the NP300. It's got a 40mm lift and diff locks. I'm not convinced it will go quite everywhere the 90 would go, but having done the West to East coast path from Ullapool to Oykle Bridge in it I can testify it will go most places. I can also drive up there in comfort in one hit - not as nice as my old RR but plenty good enough.

Neither Defender ever broke down on me but both had rear cross member replacements. They were serviced religiously. I took both to around 80k miles. Having done a couple of longish trip in them I did swear I would never do more than 200 miles in one again. They could never be accused of being comfortable. They do however have character and if you do only want one for local trips and shooting then you'll have a lot of fun - apart from the heavy clutch, no elbow room, noise, rattles etc. etc.

 

[MattJ]

Look around and buy one that has been rebuilt on a new(preferably) galvanized chassis, and my advice is go for a 200/300 TDI, no engine management nonsense to worry about, nice and simple electronics and you won't go far wrong, mine is 31years old, but completely rebuilt, so basically, new.

I had my R reg Defender 90 completely rebuilt on a galvanised chassis with a 300tdi engine several years ago. It has never let me down and I wouldn't change it for anything else. It is used pretty much every day on and off road but is not used for long journeys.

 

[SimpleSimon]

@SimpleSimon So which way are you leaning?
Never mind dodgyknees and his rice burners, I think he once lived over a take away joint and was bunged free ruby murrays

Hmm... I think what I really want doesn't exist.

Something of a similar size/shape to a 90, fun to drive, affordable to buy and run, reliable, capable off road and on...

The price of a decent Landy has shocked me though, they seem to have rocketed up again! Looking at high teen thousands of pounds for vehicles twice the age of my Navara which, is probably worth 8 grand on a good day. Makes it hard not to just be sensible buy another boring yet cost effective pickup.

 

[finnbear270]

I remember having a passenger ride in a Jimny up to a long range shoot in Scotland, I was at that time a dyed in the wool lifelong Land rover man, we arrived at the venue, & the Jimny on fairly well worn road tyres, was the only vehicle to make it to the firing line, including all the aforementioned off roaders. I eventually sourced a Jimny myself, as I was arranging payment at the dealers sitting in the motor itself, A guy leaned in & was offering more than I had already agreed to pay.

 

[finnbear270]

Currently registered for the next import of Jimny commercials.

 

[SimpleSimon]

I remember having a passenger ride in a Jimny up to a long range shoot in Scotland, I was at that time a dyed in the wool lifelong Land rover man, we arrived at the venue, & the Jimny on fairly well worn road tyres, was the only vehicle to make it to the firing line, including all the aforementioned off roaders. I eventually sourced a Jimny myself, as I was arranging payment at the dealers sitting in the motor itself, A guy leaned in & was offering more than I had already agreed to pay.

I would have one tomorrow if they weren't just so small...

 

[User00033]

Very cool wee vehicles @finnbear270. We don't see too many of them here in the field - the pickup dominates as you would expect. But there are some around in the backblocks - there's a fencer down our way that has bought one second hand and done some minor upgrades to turn it into a proper work vehicle. I've only seen it once - it had slightly taller tyres and a roofrack and was climbing up a rough as farm track.

If I had use for one I wouldn't hesitate, would be a great vehicle to teach my lads to drive in, on and off road.

 

[finnbear270]

Also very frugal on the petrol, Prolly cos there's now't of em'
Initially on that ride to Scotland, I had a nagging worry in the back of my mind as it was pretty well caned up the M6 & onward, but it ran like a Swiss watch that little puffer.

 

[Skye]

Four Range Rovers, one Landy, two Discoveries, three L200’s and now a Hilux I can honestly say that I would never go back to LR. If you’ve got very rough ground to access a swb Landy probably can’t be beaten but I think atv’s have taken over in this department. For anything that involves tarmac something a bit more refined is very welcome. Let’s face it most Landy drivers now think Billing is hardcore!

 

[finnbear270]

HE HE HE, Just seen this, Some cracking conversions here,https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...quads.co.uk/&usg=AOvVaw1q4zUI_lC5n6jkl03tosQ-

 

[bogtrotter]

Best quote I've ever heard about driving a Defender 90 at speed....."it's like rallying a fridge freezer."

But with much less comfort.

 

[finnbear270]

Just remembered a jovial comment on here years ago, The Land Rover was designed / drawn on a scrap of paper, Around Me sitting on a drum of Duckhams 20 W 50.

 

[Husky]

If I remember correctly, the first drawing of a Land Rover was done by Maurice Wilkes in the sand on a Welsh beach !