In need of some advice...

Hi all,

I'm Nick and i'm new to the site and really need a bit of advice/guidance...
I'm 19 and got some money put to one side and fancy spending on a landrover, probably a series 3. I've recently got an agreeable insurance quote (although those of you who aren't young drivers will probably baulk at the thought of paying what I was quoted...) and it would be a second car, a pure toy really. I'm more interested in the 109 inch rather than the 88'. I'm really wanting to use it for occasional light towing and maybe the odd bit of mudplugging/Green Laning. Basically my questions are as follows:

What do I have to look out for when buying an S3? I'm not too fussed about the condition of bodywork etc, dents and scratches don't bother me.

What are they like to live with? I'm used to driving vehicles of a larger size, so this won't be a problem.

What sort of prices would I be looking at?

And lastly, daft as it sounds, what exactly would I be taking on with an S3?

Any general advice and experiences would be warmly welcomed

Cheers

Nick S

Hi Nick,
Body-wise, look for a decent bulkhead and chassis. Everything else is bolt-on and easy enough to fix/bodge. Things like the door frames generally rot and you might struggle to pick up decent series doors.

Living with one? The lwb's are a a bit numb to park (but so is a swb), the controls are agricultural at best, the diesels are slow (really slow) and the petrols can be thirsty. A V8 in a series is a hoot, but your insurance would probably skyrocket.

What you'll have is a big, numb, slow lump that (for unfathomable reasons) you'll really enjoy. It'll do all the towing and greenlaning you'll want and if you want to start improving/ruining there's loads of parts available (canvas roof, suspension etc).

An early 110 will be easier to drive and the engines are a bit better. A TD is a vast improvement and an early TDI is a cracker, even with a LWB.

I've had one S3 88 and one 110 N/A (drove my bosses TD back in the day) and currently have 90 TDI so I'm combining experiences. Whatever you buy, look at the bulkhead and the chassis and watch for smoke and noises from the drivetrain.
Good luck.

Prices are all over the place. Best bet is to look on ebay and E&M. S3's somtimes pop up in the locals, but you'll probably have to travel.

just out of interest, why do you want a 109? if it's a toy then surely 88 would be much more practical, a lot better offroad and on greenlanes. What quotes have you been getting? I'm 20, and quotes on a series with a v8 in it were more expensive for me than when I first started driving haha what do you mean by experience with larger vehicles?

Good choice btw

The reason a 109 appeals to me is that I occasionally need to carry large quantities of gear about...

As for experience driving larger vehicles, from the age of 17 i've driven transit vans through my old job, my mate's Vauxhall Movano a fair few times and a couple of Toyota Hiluxs....so it's not as though i'm jumping straight out of a supermini into a vehicle of a decent size...oh and a the 2.3 Discovery Auto I managed to blag a test drive in with the story that it was 'for my dad who wasn't interested in cars'.......... lol

As for insurance the cheapest i've found is £1200, which as disgraceful as it is, works out as quite cheap when you consider that they want even more for my punto. That's fully comp (even more expensive for 3rd Party F&T :S:S:S) saying i'd do about 7000miles a year (like I say it'd be a play thing rather than my daily driver). I might put my housemate on the policy too seeing as though it's only another £50. What quotes have you had then?

Well looking at a RRC 3.5 I was getting about 800-1000 back, on a series I rekon I'd get around 7-900 back. Good shout with the trannies, I used to hoon merc sprinters around (the big cabnchassis uns not the vans) I love driving big fings Fair call I might be onto a 109" soon. wanted an 88 for the aproach angles but I'll see how the lwb goes.

thats quoting with no "noclaims bonus" also, as it's all in use on other vehicles

Wow, what it is to be 19. Probably the only downside is insurance.

I'm 19 and have just bought a series 3 88" for £1800 1982, it's and ex MoD but don't tell your insurer if it's ex army, just say it's a civvi cos they don't like insuring ex army ones, maybe they all come with machine guns and grenade launchers cos I couldn't get insured on mine as ex MoD (which it is) till im 21,but yeah, no no-claims, 3rd fire theft insured for £420 with footman james classic insurers, I recommend them.

I'd second Footman James.

Exactly, I use mine as a daily drive aswell and I'm a student so strapped for cash, but I still love my 88", way I look at it, the cheap insurance makes up for the crap MPG, theyre easy to work on and fix, surprisingly nice to drive (get an overdrive though) and it's just different to your typical crap little battered fiesta or similar 1st cars. Go for it if you think you'll like it.

Have you tried the Landie (4X4) specialist insurers? There's usually loads advertise in the Landie mags - you really should consider an 88" for green laning - and avoid the 200m turning circle of a 109!! and get a sankey trailer for carting goods around (I have a trailer for sale £100) These trailers were made specially for landies

Big Bad Wolf said:

you might struggle to pick up decent series doors.

Click to expand...

Bollox!

A V8 in a series is a hoot, but your insurance would probably skyrocket.

Click to expand...

Bollox!

Whatever you buy, look at the bulkhead and the chassis

Click to expand...

Troo!

Prices are all over the place. Best bet is to look on ebay and E&M. S3's somtimes pop up in the locals, but you'll probably have to travel.

Click to expand...

Bollox. Dun't pay more than a grand and be prepared to walk away from loads.

Have you tried the specialist Landie (4 X 4) insurers - there's usually loads in the Landie mags. If you want green laning - consider an 88", to avoid the 200m turning circle of a109! Think of a Sankey trailer for carrying bigger loads. They were built specially for Landies (I have one for sale £100)!!

Try the NFU for insurance

NFU were crap - took 3 weeks to tell me they cant insure a disco.

Perhaps you should wait until you get a bit bigger before you go and buy a mans vehicle.
Try Sure term i use them for a s2a 88" with v8 and don't pay more than £250.
I've had a fwe 109's and you'll love it mate just go and look at a few, get your head under it if it's not too ripe and the outriggers are still looking pretty good not much to worry about, check for play in the steering box by wiggling the steering wheel from side to side (i think the most play iv'e had is 4 1/2" but that just makes for fun driving. I really abused all my pervious landys and they love'd it.
I personaly prefer the 88's cos they're not so boaty but it's difficult to sleep in th back of them.
The series definatley got more personality than the 110.

Landy lightweight said:

Have you tried the specialist Landie (4 X 4) insurers - there's usually loads in the Landie mags. If you want green laning - consider an 88", to avoid the 200m turning circle of a109! Think of a Sankey trailer for carrying bigger loads. They were built specially for Landies (I have one for sale £100)!!

Click to expand...

Yerv said that once..................how desperate are you to flog yer trailer?

The Mad Hat Man said:

NFU were crap - took 3 weeks to tell me they cant insure a disco.

Click to expand...

WTF!! I had no probs - even with the mods on it.

Grippa said:

Yerv said that once..................how desperate are you to flog yer trailer?

Click to expand...

Grippa said:

Bollox!

Click to expand...

Bollox!

I looked at footman james, but for some reason they say that they're unable to provide an online quote 'cos i'm under 25....odd....

Speaking of MPG, what could I expect roughly from either a diesel or petty model? And also, on models which aren't tax exempt, what tax bracket do they fall into?

Ah superminis aren't that bad....lol my daily driver is a T reg Mk1 Punto.....nothing flash, but it's the 16v 1.2 so it's quicker than you'd think....and considering how poor they are in a crash, so little weight to lug about....surprising what you can wind them upto lol!

And yes Transits are awesome...I used to work in a garden centre for a few years before I went to uni and I was lucky enough to be allowed to drive the Transit...was only a 90 T250, but still nice to drive....The hilux I drove was pretty awesome; the 3.0 D4D is unbelievably quick and easily wound up to licence loosing figures....pretty good in a 2 tonne bit of kit lol!