After a new 4x4, help and advice please !

polsta said:

Hi everyone, need some advice and info etc, woudl appriciate some sound advice and thoughts...

I bought a 300tdi disco ES last year, i had great fun with it , but i never quite really loved the silver, and always yearned for a change and range rover looks i love, had no probs with the disco at all and it sat for weeks un used and was always ready to roll, 400 mile round trips this summer to festivals to work etc with mates and all camping gear, it was brilliantly reliable, but mot/tx/insurance looming and expense, i sold it and broke even on it all in al, so very happy with that and my disco expirience

im now after a new 4x4, my needs -

my classic bmw is going in garage oct 31st for winter, so need one before then, will be my daily car until end of feb so 4 months, 50 mile round trips to work leave 7/8pm home 3/4am , town-motorway-town ,driving, rest of the year its just used now n then when needed, and camping/light off road fun, loading up with stuff etc

so something as economical and cheap to insure as possible, a 2.5 diesel is ideal, power/speed not an issue, budget- up to 3.5k , ideally 2-3k range, but i want good value etc, cash is king at the moment so i want good value and a good purchase

i love range rover looks, the classic i loooove a lot, but seem quite rare these days ? im currenly just looking about at a lot for sale, thinking about what i want etc, and just going to view local ones for the sake of it and geting a feel etc

went to see this yesterday -

kept by the sea by a sailing club type owner i think, not as nice as it looks in pics, wanted 2.5k , tatty work horse type and very flakey underneath, no real holes etc, but a lot of flaking and un loved chassis and i suspect a lot of salt and drives up and down beaches/towing a boat maybe, cental locking iffy, few dings, overall quite poor cosmetic, grubby interior, but a year mot and drove nice and air suspension worked, but walked away

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

theres this one not viewd yet, but a bit furthwer away, hes talking 2k cash ?

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

this also looks nice, although they arnt winning any car advertising awards

Land Rover : 1988 Classic Range Rover (Diesel)

today i went to see this defender, as it was only local, had a drive and a nice chat about them and 4x4s with the owner a very nice fella, its a nice defender and does what it says on the tin

although..not so much leg room, a nice fun drive mind, but no comforts, and im not sure one wil be great as a winter daily car without any comforts ? i sort of felt like "swapping my disco es with heated electric leather seats, nice interior and carpets and a mobile front room" and a lot of money on top, for this ? felt some what daft ??

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

this one- i much prefer and love the look off, does it look/sound ok to you lot and value at around 3k cash ? although i know nothing about defenders, he said heater works but blower doesnt ? snorkel needs connecting, under is alovely and all refurbed and re painted etc, i might go for a look the weekend

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

i love the look of it, is it possible to upgrade nicer seats or anything and make them a bit warmer inside and sort of turn one in to a more road going comfy inside ride at all ? as i enjoyed the ride in one today,and think if i had a defender id get more in to off roading and adventure in the summer

not sure what to do really, not really interested in jeep/pajero/jap etc , if im going to spend a few grand on something its gotta be somethign i want and like, if not il get a cheap £500 ****ter for winter snow

im located in portsmouth/hampshire, if anyones got any suitable ones for sale ?

or appriciate any advice what to look for when viewing etc etc

im also open to the option of maybe buying an "ok" classic, that maybe need some work/tidying up etc if its solid and nice enough, as ideally id like to spend as close to 2k as possible all in, but can go to 3/3.5 for the right one if it is good value and id love it

thanks folks

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300bhp/ton said:

A Range Rover is almost identical to a Discovery under the body (bar the transfer box).

There are plenty about, but far more V8's than diesels. For some reason people ask silly money for Tdi powered classics. And silly people pay for them too.

2.5VM's are quite nice motors to drive, so a good condition one is worth a look. But rare too.

You'll not get much Defender at this money, all the ones you link too are Reserve Not Met or starting at the top of your budget.


Freelanders are in budget and if you want to broaden your 4x4 choices then:


-Suzuki Jimny
-Jeep Wrangler 2.5
-Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
-Ford Explorer
-Chevy Blazer
-Ford Maverick/Nissan Terrano
-Mitsubishi Shogun
-Toyota Hilux Surf/4Runner
-Isuzu Trooper

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polsta said:

a jeep cheokee isnt too bad, but would have to be diesel or lpg, and some say the 2.5 engines are stressed in these ?

this 2.5 lpg is local, spoke to the seller a few days ago, but he hasnt had it long, hes talking a grand cash sort of price, which i didnt think too bad for cheap 4x4 motoring ?

1998 JEEP CHEROKEE 2.5 PETROL / LPG | eBay

shoguns i dont really mind and quite like some, although its then ££ and insurance factor

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polsta said:

whats a 2.5 VM ?

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polsta said:

the ones linked..the blue defeder withg snorkel etc, hes talking around 3k cash ive spoke to him

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polsta said:

but im grateful for any info and advice etc, why are classics silly money for a tdi ?

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polsta said:

i do really like them mind and love the look, but insurance is also a factor...a 2.5 diesel land/range, i can get swapped over on to my policy which is only £200 a year and will be less this comming year, not had my license 3 years yet and cheap to insure and be sat there, is a big facort in me owning a 4x4 as a 3rd car, so no big v8 petrol etc isnt really an option, ive got till november to sort one, but want to avoid snow tax etc

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polsta said:

the blue defeder withg snorkel etc, hes talking around 3k cash ive spoke to him, pondered oned like youve listed there, and ive sold a disco that was good to me, that i didnt quite love the look, if im spending up to 3.5k its got to be something i really like and love the look of, most of those i dont particularly like if im honest, some of them are ok tho

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300bhp/ton said:

It's the diesel engine Land Rover used in the Range Rover before the Tdi's. VM is an Italian marine engine maker.

The 2.5VM is a nice engine, 121hp and goes well. Before these was a 2.4TD which was a bit more gutless. Internet bull**** will tell you these are terrible motors. Trouble is, nearly all who spout this have never even driven one.

The same engine was also used in some Rover 800's.






Technically anything pre 1990/91 is not a Defender, just a Ninety or One Ten.

Basically the same vehicle. Check condition on such a vehicle. But you should be able to get something usable.

Essentially a Defender/Ninety is almost exactly the same under the body as a Disco/Rangie.

They really aren't all that different. So just as stout and suffers the same sorts of issues.

Have you driven a Ninety ever?

Personally I really like them, but they are more noisy, cramped and utilitarian feeling compared to a Discovery. Again, I personally love this attribute, but not everyone does.

The older 2.5TD motor is fine, not that speedy, but will trundle along ok. And if you keep the vehicle you can easily swap in a 200Tdi.

However, if you want more comfort, less noise and more elbow room - buy a Discovery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Land Rover actually listened and produced a vehicle that is still a Defender under the body and has Defender levels of off road ability, but has more interior space and more comfort.


Range Rover's have been about since 1971 and early ones are getting collectible. So there are more of a niche car for enthusiasts these days rather than the mass market appeal of the Discovery's.

But in the UK we have a craze with diesels. So people will pay a silly premium for a diesel Range Rover.


The question to ask yourself though is:

"How many miles are you likely to do in it a year?"

You said 50 miles a day. But only for 4 months. Assuming a 5 day working week, most months have about 22 working days. Although over winter most people will take at least 5 days off holiday/bank holiday.

This means there are approximately 83 working days in your 4 month period.

83 days x 50 miles = 4150 miles in total.



If we assume a diesel will average say 25mpg over that period and a V8 17mpg.

Costs:

Diesel = £1056 (or £264/month over 4 months)
Petrol = £1509 (or £377/month over 4 months)

There is a difference, but maybe it's one you would pay??

If you are doing more miles though the figures could rapidly change.


If you don't need to haul stuff, people or tow. Then on a budget a Jimny is a great little 4x4.

Very much like a modern day Series 1 Land Rover. And superb in the snow. Cheap insurance, high 20's low 30's on fuel and if pre March 2001 cheap road tax too.

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fanatic said:

Got to laugh, the vm in classic suffered head gaskets and was a pile of ****e I worked in a land rover specialist garage and they were a regular visitor.

Like the K series rubbish

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bobbler said:

would be wary of the blue defender. Doesnt state what engine so would assume its an old 19j turbo diesel which at 3K you are paying top dollar for imo.

If it was a 200/300tdi (1991-1998) engine then its worth a punt but I would be wanting something not requiring tlc for that kind of money.

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300bhp/ton said:

Well you see, that's kind of proves your claim is rubbish. There weren't enough sold to be regular visitors for such work.

BTW - we had ours for nearly 10 years without issue bar a broken waterpump.

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