Best way to preserve the life of a defender?

ALso to what age can i expect a 1990 ex Mod landrover to live until?


Thanks

stu2805 said:

ALso to what age can i expect a 1990 ex Mod landrover to live until?


Thanks

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how longs a piece of string

Don't bother about that-70% of all defenders ever built are still going strong, and many of the 30% are being rebuilt etc.

Best thing to do is find a muddy field and use it. Then make sure you get the mud off from under it especially around the cross members and outrigers to prevent rust.

jamescronin said:

Don't bother about that-70% of all defenders ever built are still going strong, and many of the 30% are being rebuilt etc.

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that quote is 40 years old and was a crock of **** when a Solihull spin doctor thought it up.

I suspect its slightly less since the scrapage scheme came in too

Landies, will (if looked after) last for ages.
If neglected, then they rust, and break down.
Your choice.

If you are diligent in it's service, and inspect/treat any corrosion regularly - it can last a lifetime.

If you don't, it;ll degrade around you within 2 years, and you'l; be looking at large bills.

These cars aren't infallable - they have their weaknesses.
Read around the forums, you will hear all about them.
Biggest Killer is Rust. It can make a car very expensive to repair - ultimately leading to scrapping.

In the main, MOD vehicles tend to be well looked after and regularly serviced. The problem is what has happened to the vehicle since it was demobbed? Landies are like dogs - treat them well and they'll be loyal to you for years.

That said, it's a lot of fun repairing them when things go wrong.

redhand said:

that quote is 40 years old and was a crock of **** when a Solihull spin doctor thought it up.

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But how can it be proved wrong or right when loads of them are in parts of the world where they dont keep records etc........

To be fair tho.... Look at how many there are with early reg's or ever Suffix plates. That has to be a testiment to there ruggedness?

Compare that to the lifespan of the average car that was produced last year! I bet most of us will still be grunting under our Landies when most of last years cars have been melted down to produce the cars of tomorrow!

(Just had a funny thought that there is a possability that a Fiesta or similar may be running round with the remainds of say a Porsche or Ferrari if it was made from recycled metal!)

a guy that used to live down the road from me had a very early series1 80" .was in a quite high paid job in a well known local helicopter factory
he said all his work mates keep saying why do you drive that heap of junk , he told them well its older than i am and will still be on the road when all your cars are turned into washing machines (he was probably right too )

The older landrovers will outlast the newer ones on average as the spec on materials has dropped , eg thinner panels , chassis etc . and the tech parts eg sensors etc will make them BER as well JMHE

Whats the best thing/paint to treat rust, i have some rust in the footwell below the mat and on the battery floor?

stu2805 said:

ALso to what age can i expect a 1990 ex Mod landrover to live until?


Thanks

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As mentioned above, the ex-MOD 90's and 110's were built on a thicker chassis as were most standard 90's and 110's up until the late 80's. The MOD should have kept it in top condition with regular chassis treatments such as painting, waxoiling and any other repairs required, as well as regular engine, gearbox and axle servicing. As far as it goes for getting a landy in good mechanical shape you can't really go wrong looking at ex-MOD vehicles, but what's to say it isn't a bog standard 90 that someone has done up to look like an ex-MOD landy? Do you have the paper work to prove it?

As with any land rover, the most important things to check (to be sure) are the structural integrity of the chassis and the bulkhead. You'll usually need to pay more attention to the back part of the chassis, particularly the rear cross member because it wont have been subject to the usual oily mess that the engine ensures the front is protected with. Don't be fooled if it looks nice and glossy and black either, a lot of people waxoil a chassis before a sale if they want to cover up rust problems. If it sound solid and there's plenty of waxoil there, you know it's been well looked after.

What do you want from it? Most ex-MOD land rovers will be fitted with a 2.5 Normally Aspirated diesel engine (12J) which are generally slow, thirsty and underpowered engines in comparison to the later diesel engines, but which with regular servicing and the right driving will last a lifetime. You won't be charging around or pulling up hills in it any time soon. That's where you'll need us to walk you through fitting a TDi.

-Pos

tacr2man said:

The older landrovers will outlast the newer ones on average as the spec on materials has dropped , eg thinner panels , chassis etc . and the tech parts eg sensors etc will make them BER as well JMHE

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I think any landrover pre-2007 will be the best for longevity, the best of that being in the 70s to late 90s bracket.