guidance for a newbie

I'm new around here as reason for joining is because I'm considering buying a defender 90 so looking for some direction, pointers etc. on what's good, bad, things to look for etc. I've read some general bits re bulkheads, chassis' etc. but looking for more info. Budget is £3k - £5k.

I've had 4x4 s before - L200, XC90, etc. but now realise this is the first time we've not had a 4x4 of sorts thus needing something as a second vehicle to get us thru the winter & to do some light work.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thx

Paul

in the same boat myself fella, currently looking for one, the more you look and read and ask and phone, the more you want, and youve got to put the time in looking, and makes you want one more !! just waiting for the right one to turn up

was going to post , but it can go here- when going to view, how exactly do you go about checking the bulkhead ? ...is it the outside and inside engine bay ? and do you get right up under the dash etc too ?

seems 90% of defenders advertised all say "chassis and bulkhead solid"

polsta said:

in the same boat myself fella, currently looking for one, the more you look and read and ask and phone, the more you want, and youve got to put the time in looking, and makes you want one more !! just waiting for the right one to turn up

was going to post , but it can go here- when going to view, how exactly do you go about checking the bulkhead ? ...is it the outside and inside engine bay ? and do you get right up under the dash etc too ?

seems 90% of defenders advertised all say "chassis and bulkhead solid"

Click to expand...

Places to watch for on the bulkhead are rust around door posts, top corners and between the vents. Most weak spots can be seen from the outside. Footwells need to be solid as well, they usually go at the front....where your toes sit......and if its all carpeted up on the inside you can see from underneath and from under the bonnet.

Hope that helps

Depending what your looking at really with most Nineties being adapted to 200tdis or 300tdis because of the NAs being slow or having problem with TD until the introduction in 1989 to TDI. V8s can be expensive unless fitted with a LPG already. Bulkheads and body rot eventually suddenly appear from nowhere. But being careful is the key and having a good knowledge first does help picking the stinkers from potential Military is normally a safe bet with the history added 1983 to 1989 nineties Also depending where you live if your surrounded by military or Lincolnshire.

thanks beasty that helped, i own a couple of classic cars known for rust probs so im not totaly clueless about issues like that, its jsut what areas to check exactly (same as all cars differ and have certain areas)

also with regard to tdi conversions- is it just a matter of driving it and seeing the drive,noise,smoke,knocks etc... or am i right in reading that there are different ways conversions can/have been done etc, with regards to engine mounts,and connecting it up

in looking around at lots for sale, there are quite a lot with conversions done within a few months, so its obviously a concern reading that, and if its been done properly, and if anything to do with the reason its being sold not long after if not done properly

its quite a minefield the defender market in the 2-4k range it seems

i know i have to be pateint, but im not totaly ruling out buying a td one if it was priced right well within in budget and nice, and using this winter with a plan of getting a tdi conversion done myself somewhen, ie if i spent around 2k on a td, leaving say 1.5-2k budget to spend on it in the spring to make an all round nicer one than a 3.5k, a lot to think about

having looked constantly for a while now.. my ideal is a green tdi, country windows and a nice interior, as its for a winter road car, so want it as nice as possible inside (as much as a defender can be lol) , rather than a work horse type inside, a snorkel and winch would be nice