Defender as a daily...

jamesl said:

Right then! I think I'm going to get some proper insurance quotes and see what prices are like. Thanks for the input guys.

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good lad!

jamesl said:

Right then! I think I'm going to get some proper insurance quotes and see what prices are like. Thanks for the input guys.

Click to expand...

Hi James, I work in Reading so if you want someone knowledgeable to look at something with you, give me a shout,.......... I'll see if I can find someone:doh:

My 1989 2.5 TD used ever day and I do just over 1,000 per month. Works out at around 25 mpg for 50 miles per day / £12 per day at the moment.

I'm in a similar situation..

I have a BMW 320d Touring which is 'fine' economical etc So I bought my 110 as a second car expecting to use it just at weekends, off roading, snow etc.

Trouble is I love it so much that rather than battling along at xx(x) mph in the BM I prefer to gurgle along in the 110, which does a not bad 29mpg compared to the 45mpg on the BM. So now I'm thinking can I really justify the BM as apart from long motorway journeys or hot summer days I cant think when I'm going to use it.

For insurance I started off getting quotes for around £600 (little NCB as its a second car) but in the end did an Admiral Multi Car insurance for £320.

I would use mine every day, But for the mersey tunnel, I take my bike to work every day to save the £3 a day in tunnel fees (20 mins by bike or 2 hrs 30 on puplic transport!) Only use mine of a weekend or in winter, but then would only use what ever car I owned that way.

Tis grate for going down to BQ and loading the roof up with stuff or the tip on a weekend.

Regarding running costs - dont just consider the fuel with a LR. It might be less economical than other vehicles, but factor in savings by self-servicing, probably cheaper insurance, definitely cheaper spares, and lower depreciation and it can start to compare favourably with other foreign/euro motors. I had a Subaru 4x4 van and it was absurd the cost of shocks, and an exhaust needed a bank loan. A full LR system was less than 1/10th of the price of the Subaru exhaust.

Every day use, i carry everything from doors, timber, cement mixers, wheelbarrows, ladders, sofas, mahooosive 4000watt speaker cabs, people, dogs, rubbish, an entire kids back garden toys including swings, slides go carts....

the list could go on, not sure on mileage but its over 200 a week usually

I use mine as a daily drive here in France. As well as the saving on repairs etc I can park my Defender anywhere in the car park and I don't care if it gets scratched. I had a new car and every time I came back from shopping I would discover a new ding in it. Now I don't notice them. Having said that I don't think there is any new ones. I think they all give my Landy a wide birth in the car park. I also notice the French don't try racing you for a gap on the road. Must be the bull bars on the front.

Scaring the French - now that has to be the ultimate selling point!

I love my 1994 90 - only use it in bad weather and weekends (where it goes to tip, stables, B&Q and takes our 2 muddy airedales about), but if it comes to moving from 2 vehicles to 1, it won't be the Landy that goes!