looking at getting a defender

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DRZ

Member
Posts
17
Location
st helens, uk
Hey guys so i currently own a seat leon but i want to change and buy a defender, i like the block shape ive had a few classic cars such as a morris marina, and ford capri's but i have to be honest i hate cars or bikes with all this new canabus and plug and read stuff i personally think its a lot of good for nothing
give me an engine with a set of points and something where you need to put the timing light onto spark plug one any day

but i have 4k at the moment to find either a 200tdi defender or a 300tdi. i don't wanna go for anything newer as i like simplicity but i really love the shape of the square box defenders i just find them sexy. is it possible to find a decent defender for that price im not to worried about how she looks on the outside and it won't be used for work as im an in house full time carer. and its more for hospital visits and enjoyment
 
Hi mate, lets see if we can get one of the mods to move this in to the Fender section of the forum where it'll get more views from people who can give you some info.

@blue beasty :)

Edit: Thanks BB
 
Last edited:
The way prices are at the mo 4K won’t get you much. Just keep looking and don’t buy the first one you see.
 
DRZ said:
are series 3 land rovers the same as the 200tdi and 300tdi ?
Click to expand...
Exactly the same but different. :oops:

Very old school. With a bit of tinkering you can even get one to do 65mph on a long motorway.

They stopped doing proper Land Rovers after the 3. Before then there was just Land Rovers then they had to give the box a name coz poofy farmers wanted real heaters and none leaky doors and windows. The new kid on the cross dressing block was the effeminate discovery. All down hill from there.

Oh, not too long a motorway unless your in the RAC. ;)
 
DRZ said:
haha Bobsticle i like how you think :), i don't do much motorway stuff anyway :D what land rover do you own ?
Click to expand...
The best obviously.

I have taken all the good bits from each marque. Most bits are series 2, some are 3 and a bit is 1.
Henry is a proper trattor, not one of these modern fly by night 90s with all the techy 70s addons like working windscreen wipers and an engine that actually pulls.

It’s actually a fantasy Range Rover in a series body designed in a retro alternative future type time warp with added bling. Or it will be if I live till I’m 90 and finish the damn thing. Search for ‘confessions of a skin flint’ and see its birth until I got fed up with taking pictures of it.
 
I paid less than 4k for mine a few months ago. But I have been looking for over a year!! They do exist but take someone who knows about Defenders as they can hide lots of trouble :rolleyes: good luck with your search :)
 
My Old Landy said:
They do exist but take someone who knows about Defenders as they can hide lots of trouble
Click to expand...

^^ This, even knowledgeable people have been stung with hidden problems, and even doing the work yourself some can be expensive to put right.
You should get something for that money but I would expect there to be a couple of issues for that money which will need rectifying. If the are "simple" mechanical issues, brakes, wheel bearings, suspension joints/bushes etc, then i would not be put off as these are cheap and easy to fix but can make the vehicle feel, drive and handle appallingly.
Comparatively some very expensive (and common) problems will have no effect on the running, driving and handling. the vehcile can on the surface appear to be perfect but actually the bulkhead and chassis have rusted away and everything is hidden under nice paintwork and underseal.
 
Hi DRZ,

I've recently bought a Defender 90 300Tdi - it's in really good nick, but it cost a little bit more than your £4k budget. Not a massive amount more, but be careful -

1. St Helens - Defenders are one of the most nickable and coveted vehicles at the moment. (read this as extra cost for security and extra stress and worry)
2. Hospital visits - Cheap defenders have a habit of breaking down ( normally cheap to fix, but extra hassle)
3. If you find one that is good mechanically - make sure it isn't a ringer.

I've wanted to own a defender for many years, but I would give this advice:
Only get one if
1. You have a bit of spare money after buying it to upgrade and fix it without worrying financially.
2. You are not 100% reliant on it for transport.

Good luck and welcome to Landyzone.
 
exmed wayne said:
2. You are not 100% reliant on it for transport.
Click to expand...

You can get one if you are 100% reliant on it for transport, however if this is the case you need to be prepared to be underneath it at midnight laying in 3" of snow trying to replace clutch/UJ's/radius arm bush/etc. (delete as appropriate) so that it is driavable again the following morning.
I did this for a few years and have had the above (only once in the snow) several times. I then bought a second one so that I always have at least one land rover working well enough to rely upon.
 
My series has only let me down once and that’s coz I left the lights on.
You do have to be dedicated to old school maintenance and continually tinkering with an old en. I find most issues before they become problems but I never rely on one time fixes. Things like fit and forget chassis paint are a fantasy and always fail when least expecting. Even expensive defenders are very old technology packaged in a fashion statement and are more like a pig with lipstick than a modern car.
 
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haha thanks for the info guys i don't rely on the cars to much as i use my motorbike most of the time but where i live its like crossing a field to get out of the drive way lol, im glad i joined up here before buying one :D, im gonna have a look at all the build threads as i love when people rebuild old cars and i love learning how to fix stuff and weld its enjoyable
 
DRZ said:
Hey guys so i currently own a seat leon but i want to change and buy a defender, i like the block shape ive had a few classic cars such as a morris marina, and ford capri's but i have to be honest i hate cars or bikes with all this new canabus and plug and read stuff i personally think its a lot of good for nothing
give me an engine with a set of points and something where you need to put the timing light onto spark plug one any day

but i have 4k at the moment to find either a 200tdi defender or a 300tdi. i don't wanna go for anything newer as i like simplicity but i really love the shape of the square box defenders i just find them sexy. is it possible to find a decent defender for that price im not to worried about how she looks on the outside and it won't be used for work as im an in house full time carer. and its more for hospital visits and enjoyment
Click to expand...

If you want something with plugs and points, that pretty much rules out Defenders, as there are very few with petrol engines.

And at that money, you might do just as well with a Series 3, they do come with petrol engines, and if you aren't going to do a lot of miles, you can get cheap limited mileage classic insurance, and most of them have free tax and no MOT by now.

Series are simple tech, similar to a Marina or a Capri, and probably no less reliable than either, provided you keep up with simple maintenance tasks like oil changes and greasing propshaft UJs. And they are of a similar level of performance,discomfort and noisiness to an early Defender.
 
thank you for all the help and info guys :) i have been reading everything i can about land rover maintenance, fixing them and how to repair stuff, and also what to check, look out for and i agree for 4k finding a decent defender is pretty slim but i could find a decent series 3 :), i did an insurance check since i use my motorcycle most days anyway and it come back at £120 for the year thats cheaper than my motorcycle haha. but them series 3 are sexy :D
 
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