A nice dilemma - advice please

Hi Folks,

When I joined the Forum a few weeks ago, I was intending to try to get a used 110 hard top to replace my existing van as my work vehicle.

I'm 50 next year, and my marvellous wife has agreed that if I'm absolutely sure it's what I want, I can have a brand new one.

I've never had a new vehicle in my life (except a small motorbike back in 1981) and have always said I'd never spend the money on one, but this puts me in a real quandry.

The brain says I should look for an older and cheaper one that's been done up with a galvanised chassis and bulkhead, and perhaps a 200 or 300Tdi, perhaps from Liveridge or similar. The heart says stuff it, you only live once, go for the brand spanker.

I could get a top of the range new ordinary van for much less than the 110, but in 10 years it will be worth £1500 whereas the Land Rover will presumbly still be worth a good few thousand.

I only do around 6000 miles a year in the van, and as I'm sometimes only 1/4 mile down the road, will I be in for DPF problems with lots of short journeys? Also, do the new ones have the dreaded DMFs too, and if so, any reported problems please?

Given the choice, what would you do? It won't be used for any green laning or similar incidentally.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Having bought a few brand new cars in the past, now I'm older and skinter, if I ever had enough money to do it again I would buy one that was a year or 2 old. At 2 years old its lost the biggest part of its depreciation had any recall jobs done but still looks and feels like the dogs. Its a lovely position to be in I hope that you are happy with whatever you choose

Unless you want the experience of owning a new car, a second hand near new one with warranty would make more financial sence in my eyes...

Thanks chaps. I like the idea of being able to add my own rust proofing to a car that has just been built rather than to one that's seen a couple of winters, how ever well it's been looked after. Bilt Hamber have probably become rich protecting my old cars!

As I intend to keep it until I retire, the depreciation is less of a factor, but will a new one last longer, if very well looked after, than a rebuilt older model?

inclined to agree with the above, however i can only imagine the feeling of buying a brand spanker

Get yourself down to a local LR dealership and look at your options. I'm sure they'll have plenty of 2/3 year old vehicles that you can have a poke around in and under.

The fact that there are still 30+ year old series vehicles on the road, I think you can safely assume that, if well looked after, a new defender will easily last you until retirement. Buying new will also mean you have complete control over colour, finish, extras etc. Add to that the warranty, I'd say why not. Get it, get it protected, enjoy it.

JoethePlumber said:

Thanks chaps. I like the idea of being able to add my own rust proofing to a car that has just been built rather than to one that's seen a couple of winters, how ever well it's been looked after. Bilt Hamber have probably become rich protecting my old cars!

As I intend to keep it until I retire, the depreciation is less of a factor, but will a new one last longer, if very well looked after, than a rebuilt older model?

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think i'd prefer a new galvd chassis than rust proofing a brand new one tbh. but if you have the wonga, go for it

Bump said:

Unless you want the experience of owning a new car, a second hand near new one with warranty would make more financial sence in my eyes...

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gotta agree with this.soon as you drive a new vehicle of the forecourt you will have lost thousands,i know to my shame.go for an ex demonstrator or a pre owned 1 or 2 year old one.

I'd go for a 2 year old, and have it properly rustproofed. I've seen ads for this company, but haven't used them myself... Untitled Document

defenders arent built like they used to be , the newer ones are decaying quicker than the older ones .The 30yr vehicles will still be about in 20, the newest most likely wont . I agree with the dont buy new , you will not feel so hard done by if you buy a sorted s/h vehicle ,as you will losing a lot on the new vehicle , and the possible problems you will have with it . The more technical a vehicle is the less likely that you will get a long trouble free ownership , ask merc owners etc . The sensors , ecu,s etc can only be replaced not fettled , and over 10years down the line those are the sort of things that become NLA the soonest . But in the enbd its your money JMHO

Thanks folks. The only trouble with a 2 year old I suppose is it may already have started rusting, which is somewhat hard to stop.

Kleentect look interesting, except sadly they mention they use Waxoyl, which I've found over the years doesn't work for long compared to modern alternatives.

think the kleentect and waxoyl are two separate treatments, the kleentect is like a non-stick coating applied to the underside which stops anything sticking to it

obviously waxoyled stuff before, but no experience of kleentect; have read mixed reviews of mr before and after as advertised in LRO and others.

Of particular amusement was mr before and afters advert regarding "professional grade waxoyl", and in the same issue, there was an article about protection which stated "ignore adverts which claim to use professional grade waxoyl, there is only one grade and thats it"

Maybe he mixes something with it himself ?

That's a nice dilemma. I'd go for a rebuilt one from liverage. Virtually a new vehicle for a bit less than a new one from lr ( and dare I say it will be better than the latest from landrover?)

I had a new td5 hicap kleentected, I deeply regretted it and would never deal with him again. But to be fair, he's still in business so someone must like it.

SpringDon said:

That's a nice dilemma. I'd go for a rebuilt one from liverage. Virtually a new vehicle for a bit less than a new one from lr ( and dare I say it will be better than the latest from landrover?)

I had a new td5 hicap kleentected, I deeply regretted it and would never deal with him again. But to be fair, he's still in business so someone must like it.

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Tell us more, why do you regret it?

Richard Martin said:

Tell us more, why do you regret it?

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I've whinged on about at length before but briefly :- very difficult to deal with (including a couple of impressive temper tantrums); took weeks longer than promised and wasn't even ready when I turned up the second time; crappy job with overspray everywhere that took days to remove; and (my favourite) it ran like crap when I picked it up which according to him is how I delivered it then stopped literally 1 mile down the road, when I was finally recovered home it turned out the relays were all out, I guess from the vibration from his super power washer.

Buy an old one and spend the difference getting it built to the spec you want with the bells and whistles of your choice, for the difference in price you could have the engine and transmission overhauled as well, so you could be looking at better than new.

Given the option I would buy a mint td5.

Regarding references to sensors and the like becoming obsolete on tdci's, With aftermarket stand alone ecus becoming more available that are capable or running modern engines, in 20 years time when the sensors have packed up it shouldn't be out the question to rip the ecu and wiring out and start fresh.

Or get an older tdi vehicle rebuilt on a galv chassis to your specification, and not worry about all this electrical malarky.

Buy a year or two one any problems probably sorted and a massive saving !

Thanks for all the replies folks. I'm still pondering....

don't worry about age, if you have enough to buy new then forget it and buy a rebuild with galv chassis and bulkhead, it will still be running after the zombie apocalypse..... as for liveridge....... hmmm all I will say is a good friend worked for them for a period and left as he didn't agree with their standards or practices, this was a few years ago though

cheers steve