Help. Want to buy a Defender/90

I posted here a few months ago about what LR to buy and got some good tips. Have now decided to look for a Defender/90, nar diesel or TDi.

But...where to get one?

I've been to see a couple on ebay and they seem very expensive for quite rusty high mileage specimens (and in one case - still listed - the actual mileage is probably three times that claimed in the listing). Very few seem to be coming up on Autotrader. (I'm looking around 50 miles radius of London or Axminster).

And then places like Liveridge 4x4 - lowest priced model £5,900 for a J reg 90, promised to be tidied up and MOTd etc but it is still almost £6,000 for a quite scruffy vehicle with a rusty bulkhead (they will just replace the rustiest bits as part of the deal) and manky interior.

Reid Landrovers in West Sussex - none of the likely vehicles advertised on their website actually available, and those that are are well towards £10,000.

I am happy to pay around £5,000 if I need to but I just I can't seem to find any that look OK. Having read a number of similar posts here and elsewhere, though, it seems that I ought to be able to get a good one for this much and might even be able to find one for circa £2,500-£3,000.

Anyone have any ideas where I should try looking now?

Thanks.

you'll find the right one eventually, there are some good uns out there just don't get to the stage where you think you wont find a good un and just end up buying one cos your dosh is burning a hole it your pocket

i've had some right good uns off ebay but you have to be prepared to see plenty and walk away when you have to

As Sean says don't jump in and buy in desperation. Widen your search a bit some areas of the country are cheaper than others. they are out there just keep looking I'd buy private unless you find a really cheap one at a dealers. Have you thought of going to a 4x4 car auction. You get a lot of ex utility company vehicles going through them and there are some real bargains to be had. Also most of them come with a winch fitted which saves you having to buy one at a later date.

and just to encourage you to keep looking i have recently purchased a very orginal FSH 90 Tdi - including a bit of work replacing the UJs, for less than a grand + a few pints of the black stuff

Brightwells Vehicles > 4x4 > Catalogue this is the link to the catalog for brightwells next auction to give you an idea of the sort of vehicles that go through there this list is 52plate and older.

Have you looked on Auto Traders website?

Very few seem to be coming up on Autotrader. (I'm looking around 50 miles radius of London or Axminster).

Click to expand...

Yea but he needs to widen it a bit.

Ooops dint see that bit.

JUst to give you even more incentive to keep looking here are the results for all the defenders sold at Brightwells last auction inc prices fetched an F reg 110 CSW with a recon engine went for £1800.

Brightwells Interactive Results Search

Just scroll down till ya get to the defenders.

Thanks for those suggestions. I've tried Autotrader on a wider basis but still nothing seems to be looking so good as to warrant anything like a reasonable trip (Lancaster, Birmingham and Sussex from London in the last week is about as much as I can manage).

Re Brightwells - does "Sold As Seen" mean no test drive and no comeback, but "No Major Mechanical Faults" mean you get a test drive afterwards and then an hour within which to reject for mechanical faults?

Also, in the results pages, what does "X% of Cap Clean" mean?

Aye thats the problem I had. I ended up spending a fortune on fuel and wasted fook knows how many satdys going to look at em an ended up getting one from just up the road cos I was ****ed off with looking.

crt said:

Thanks for those suggestions. I've tried Autotrader on a wider basis but still nothing seems to be looking so good as to warrant anything like a reasonable trip (Lancaster, Birmingham and Sussex from London in the last week is about as much as I can manage).

Re Brightwells - does "Sold As Seen" mean no test drive and no comeback, but "No Major Mechanical Faults" mean you get a test drive afterwards and then an hour within which to reject for mechanical faults?

Also, in the results pages, what does "X% of Cap Clean" mean?

Click to expand...

CAP stands for current auction price, there are different grades to CAP but you will usually hear folks speak of 'cap clean' prices which would be expected auction price for a clean example with history. % cap probably refers to how close the hammer price was to expected, so under cap would be a cheap car. use caution going to an auction, research your vehicle and set how much you want to pay and try to stick to it. traders and even the auctioneer will trot the price up if your not careful

sorry to dig up a ol' fred but did you ave any luck finding one? I'm in the same situation....

I ended up paying more than I wanted (c£7k) for a good 90 CSW, 1995, from a bloke in Preston I discovered on ebay (Janthelandyman). He has a high turnover of stock and while not the cheapest he has good feedback and my one is alright. (I've since bashed it up a bit but the independent lookover it had after I bought it confirmed it is a good car). It just took a couple of days off work and some cheap return tickets to Preston.

Must agree with crt got my '91 90 tdi from yanthelandyman offa fleabay it was solid as a rock n still is.
No rust or bent panels at all (needs a rear X-member for mot now tho)

I wouldn't worry too much, this happens. There'll be no "good deals" about for a while and then there will suddenly be a whole load of defenders available in your area. The worst thing that you could do is spend more than you want to spend, to see something that you really, really want become available more locally a few days or weeks afterwards.

A 90 with an N/A diesel engine, particularly a low milage or re-conned one, will last you for ever, and when running sweet will return about 27 to 30 mpg reaching a highest speed of about 65mph (or 78 when absolutely screaming down the motor-way). I'd expect that you'd appreciate the power of a 200tdi on hills however.

It's all down to how long you are prepared to wait!

-Pos

if your still looking here is one (nothing to do with me by the way)of a couple on another site i use Land Rover UK Forums
there are afew out there and if you get no luck just keep trying or even consider a project ,i bought a 90 with no engine or box put a DEFENDER 200 tdi in it and got all mot'd and on the road for about £1000 and the chassis is as good as new never been welded and is not likely to need it in the near future

wozza35 said:

if your still looking here is one (nothing to do with me by the way)of a couple on another site i use Land Rover UK

Click to expand...

That's over priced by at least £1500. People really need to wake upto what's happening to prices at the moment. especially 4x4 prices.

Got mine from "Yan the LandyMan" over in Bolton. He advertises lots of Landys on eBay but sells most privately. He's a keen enthusiast/private dealer & usually has 15-20 vehicles in his yard.
Search eBay for a seller called "yanthelandyman" & contact him that way,
Tim.