Defender 90 TD5 as first car?

Henry_b said:

Reliability the 200 and 300 are just "better" with 111hp they ain't the fastest but by gum they're fun, going fast in a 'fender aint fun at all.

Tyre turning Torque is what ya need and the 2-300 have plenty.

As for sound, all dervs sound the same to me and sound doesn't really matter unless its a v8..

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Yeah that does make sense as i know the TDI's are more mechanical and the TD5 is ECU controlled. I like the tunability of the TD5 but does that mean the insurance will be more than a 200/300TDI, im guessing it will. Are there any niggles or common problems with both the TD5 and the TDI models?

Defender90td5 said:

Yeah that does make sense as i know the TDI's are more mechanical and the TD5 is ECU controlled. I like the tunability of the TD5 but does that mean the insurance will be more than a 200/300TDI, im guessing it will. Are there any niggles or common problems with both the TD5 and the TDI models?

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The minute you put a colourful bolt on bumper the insurance will sky rocket as you're "new"

Map and tune it and well, say goodbye to your bank balance.

The early TD5's had cylinder head issues IIRC there is an issue of oil getting into the ECU and being computer controlled it will be more complex when compared to the All mechanical 2-300 which would be better suited to your purposes IMHO.

2-300's just need a Timing belt every 70k and some good oil..

Henry_b said:

The minute you put a colourful bolt on bumper the insurance will sky rocket as you're "new"

Map and tune it and well, say goodbye to your bank balance.

The early TD5's had cylinder head issues IIRC there is an issue of oil getting into the ECU and being computer controlled it will be more complex when compared to the All mechanical 2-300 which would be better suited to your purposes IMHO.

2-300's just need a Timing belt every 70k and some good oil..

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In that case id rather have a TDI as the TD5 sounds like a whole host of problems!

Defender90td5 said:

In that case id rather have a TDI as the TD5 sounds like a whole host of problems!

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Just stick to the simpler motor.

be aware of the fuel economy though

Defender90td5 said:

Am i right in thinking that the 200tdi is a 4 cylinder diesel and the 300tdi is a 4 cylinder petrol?
I prefer a diesel where possible buy im worried about the fact that the 200tdi will lack a bit of grunt and doesnt sound as good as a TD5?

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Both are diesel. The 200tdi is probably the best engine Land Rover ever built. TD5 is great too - guess which one I’ve got?!? My dad is a tree surgeon and has a series 3 with a 200tdi in it and pulls down trees/pulls trailers of logs with it no worries (doesn’t even have the turbo fitted!)

To be honest 200/300tdi/TD5 will do you fine. I’d focus more on getting a decent vehicle in other ways - galv chassis, rebuilt engine, recent rebuilt gearbox etc etc.

Wot he said """"

payydg said:

To be honest 200/300tdi/TD5 will do you fine. I’d focus more on getting a decent vehicle in other ways - galv chassis, rebuilt engine, recent rebuilt gearbox etc etc.

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I competly agree with this, but the chassis/bulkhead are the most important as they are the most expensive, followed by the engine. "rebuilding" a tdi engine is straight forward, cheap and easy to do, I have just done the top end of mine after the timing belt threw an idler, did it in a couple of evenings and cost me a couple of hundred in OEM parts including the timing kit. Similarly gear boxes are cheap (500 form ashcroft for a recon unit) and can be fitted yourself over a weekend (have just done mine again). Axles and suspension are the same. I would rather have an older vehicle with a galv chassis but a bad box and tired running gear, than a newer vehicle with everything tight and running well but a patched and rusty chassis.

dag019 said:

I competly agree with this, but the chassis/bulkhead are the most important as they are the most expensive, followed by the engine. "rebuilding" a tdi engine is straight forward, cheap and easy to do, I have just done the top end of mine after the timing belt threw an idler, did it in a couple of evenings and cost me a couple of hundred in OEM parts including the timing kit. Similarly I gear boxes are cheap (500 form ashcroft for a recon unit) and can be fitted yourself over a weekend. Axles and suspension are the same. I would rather have an older vehicle with a galv chassis but a bad box and tired running gear, than a newer vehicle with everything tight and running well but a patched and rusty chassis.

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That is understandable. Does the 200tdi feel weak in comparison to a TD5 as when I pull my fathers 3.5 tonne trailer around the country lanes as well as up 33% plus gradients I’d like to know the 200tdi can do it fairly well as I know the TD5 will.

Defender90td5 said:

That is understandable. Does the 200tdi feel weak in comparison to a TD5 as when I pull my fathers 3.5 tonne trailer around the country lanes as well as up 33% plus gradients I’d like to know the 200tdi can do it fairly well as I know the TD5 will.

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At country lane speeds it should be ok, anything pulling 3.5t up 33% will be slow but that is what low range is for! Where you may notice a difference between the two is on faster motorway runs with a fully loaded trailer. The last two weekends I have picked up two tractors, one mine and one my friends, the first was done in his td5 90 (as mentioned previously my gearbox was out being reconed) the second in my 200tdi 110. Both tractors are little over 2.5t and the trailer is about 650kg. The only real difference other than the horrible bounciness of a towing 90 was a couple of the motorway hills I was down to 50 in fourth whereas he could keep a couple mph more speed and stay in 5th. I have no worries towing with mine, but if i was towing 3.5t long distance every day I would be looking at something larger than you could drive on a car license.

Defender90td5 said:

That is understandable. Does the 200tdi feel weak in comparison to a TD5 as when I pull my fathers 3.5 tonne trailer around the country lanes as well as up 33% plus gradients I’d like to know the 200tdi can do it fairly well as I know the TD5 will.

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It’ll be fine. Check that someone hasn’t put a disco transfer box in with different ratios if you’re going to do a lot of pulling.

I honestly can't see why anyone would be daft enough to take their driving test and trailer test on the same day, and then imagine that they are capable of running aroud country lanes, main roads and motorways with a potential gross weight of around 7 tonnes, anf imagine that they are in totasl control of the vehicle under all conditions!!
At 17 you shoould learn to drive befgore you do anything else, and then, after a few years take the trailer towing course and test, otherwise you are potentially a danger to other road users, and maybe even to yourself!
Mind you, at that age, I was invincible and could teach those old fuddy-duddies a thing or two about just about anything!!

Oldseadog said:

I honestly can't see why anyone would be daft enough to take their driving test and trailer test on the same day, and then imagine that they are capable of running aroud country lanes, main roads and motorways with a potential gross weight of around 7 tonnes, anf imagine that they are in totasl control of the vehicle under all conditions!!
At 17 you shoould learn to drive befgore you do anything else, and then, after a few years take the trailer towing course and test, otherwise you are potentially a danger to other road users, and maybe even to yourself!
Mind you, at that age, I was invincible and could teach those old fuddy-duddies a thing or two about just about anything!!

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I do understand your concern but I’m fairly mature and not the kind of person to be full throttle being stupid. I need the trailer license to be able to work as well as continue to do my hobbie.

Cheers ..... and good luck!

dag019 said:

At country lane speeds it should be ok, anything pulling 3.5t up 33% will be slow but that is what low range is for! Where you may notice a difference between the two is on faster motorway runs with a fully loaded trailer. The last two weekends I have picked up two tractors, one mine and one my friends, the first was done in his td5 90 (as mentioned previously my gearbox was out being reconed) the second in my 200tdi 110. Both tractors are little over 2.5t and the trailer is about 650kg. The only real difference other than the horrible bounciness of a towing 90 was a couple of the motorway hills I was down to 50 in fourth whereas he could keep a couple mph more speed and stay in 5th. I have no worries towing with mine, but if i was towing 3.5t long distance every day I would be looking at something larger than you could drive on a car license.

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I will be doing a fair few motorway miles as to get to college I’ll be driving for about 30 to 45 mins a day on fast roads and motorways to get there. Would the TD5 be better for this and overall as it would be ‘forcing’ it to do something unlike the 200tdi?

Oldseadog said:

Cheers ..... and good luck!

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Thankyou, all the best!

payydg said:

It’ll be fine. Check that someone hasn’t put a disco transfer box in with different ratios if you’re going to do a lot of pulling.

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Ill keep an eye out for that one!

Defender90td5 said:

Ill keep an eye out for that one!

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For regular towing of heavy loads I would agree. But for everything else the disco box is better. I have one in mine and I tow with it but I only tow occasionally. If you were only towing the bike trailer it would also not be a problem. It will only cause issues for regularly fully laden work. In that case you will either get used to changing between ranges on the move, get through clutches quicker, or decide the disco box needs to be changed.
I would not be put off by one with a disco box as they are simple to swap and are cheap. The disco transferbox is worth more than the defender one as people want the higher gearing if they do not tow regularly so would more than pay for the swap if you did it yourself.

I still stand by my previous comments though. If you are regularly needing to transport 3.5 ton over long fast distance a car and trailer is not the way to go. I would be looking at some sort of suitable hgv. Regular transportation of the bike trailer is differant and will be fine.