Advice on purchase please

Hi,
First post, I'm new to this forum and land rovers. A little help please.
-I've got a budget of £5000 (but cheaper would be preferred)
-will be a second car, used mainly for short runs
-need ability to transport 1x wife, 1x son and we have a baby on the way
-I want to get involved and learn mechanical skills to keep it running and improve it.
-need to move fitness equipment every few weeks or so
-want to get into off roading
-my son wants lots of buttons/switches
-wife to use it in snow etc
-I like the defender

I'm thinking a 110 with rear seats, a 200tdi. Any advice would be most helpful.
Many thanks,
Gray

Hello mate. You need to go to the community thread and introduce yourself. Then the answers will come.
Mike

Get onto the intro thread before you get jumped on by the post police!!

Once you have told us a bit about yourself, you will find that they can be a helpful bunch on here

Roger that!
Thanks for your fast replies!

Well done!

You didn't chuck yer dummy out and did as was suggested

Now you come back and tell us that we roger that!

Roger who exactly, and would she enjoy it??

Sorry, just read your first post and you did, and she did and now you have one with another on the way

What were you saying about wanting a Fender??

Mine is a 1990 2.5 NAD 110, and you can do everything on it ... and I do! (Apart from having discovered a bit of tin-worm and I can't get hold of my welding gear or gas bottles, so it'll be done by a friendly indi)

Ah!!! Yes re roger

I like the look of the defenders, think a 110 would be the way to go, for the size I need.

If you want to keep fit and learn as you are going on, I would suggest either a Normally Aspirated or a 200TDi.

You can do everything there is to do on them yourself. and best of all, they arenpt full of electrickery linked puters!

If you give a shout when you find one that looks reasonable, there might be someone who knows about these things and is prepared to coma along and do his/her best to see that you are not ripped off!

Once you have got it, then the first thng to do is learn to drive ... It ain't anything like driving a car!!

Would have thought for that budget you can get a reasonable 200/300TDi 110? As said, take someone with you who knows what they are looking for. Buying a land rover (or any car) of that age can easily go wrong, you don't want to end up finding out it's rotten a few months down the line.

Thanks for your advice! Will continue my search.

Some good advice here. I would take someone who knows what they are looking at when you go to view. That way you can get some pointers. The 110's tend to be less desirable than the 90's, so there are usually some to around. The County Station Wagons (CSW) are the 'luxury' defender. They have stuff like seats, carpets and interior lights.

In that price range, you might get a 200 or 300 TDI, but it will probably need stuff done to it - don't they all . Avoid a turbo diesel (they are not the same as the TDI). Likewise avoid v8 or petrol unless you've got deep pockets.

Ace! More good tips. Many thanks!
I'm keen to do work on it. Great advice don't want to buy one rotten underneath. Also great to know the engine to avoid.
Many thanks.

100% Take some one who knows what they are looking at
I jumped in with both feet defender 90 and now im paying the price
solid bulk head yes good chassis yes mate honest

and bulk head is shot and chassis is another story

Check the chassis for patches etc and check the bulk head
around the screen bolts and also if you can behind as that is where they go

although i would not change her for love nor money
the good thing about a defender it can be rebuilt, no specialist tools required
and they can only go up in value, well thats what I tell the mrs !

Good luck with your seach

and in case your search hasn't turned this guide up - worth a read

Defender Buyers Guide

jackmac said:

Would have thought for that budget you can get a reasonable 200/300TDi 110? As said, take someone with you who knows what they are looking for. Buying a land rover (or any car) of that age can easily go wrong, you don't want to end up finding out it's rotten a few months down the line.

Click to expand...

I agree with this 125%.... I made the mistake of thinking I new what I was looking at. Oh how wrong I was. I bought this for just under£5000. Looked good on the outside but covered up and I reckon it had a doggy MOT.




12 months late a failed mot and it look like this.I'm now just finishing restoring it so more money spend.





Now it looks like this but has taken a lot of work and money and a complete new chassis.



Don't make the same mistake I did. Find someone who knows what they are looking for and you won't be disappointed.
But even though this happened to me buying a defender was the best thing I did.