Looking for a 90 2.5 petrol

Hi all.

I'm looking for a petrol 90 - 2.25, 2.5 or maybe even a V8 at a push.

Preferably a S/W, but will happily go for a hardtop - maybe even a pickup at a push (I would ultimately be converting to SW anyway...)

In generally good nick and roadworthy.

Any out there within 30 mile of Stroud??


Ta,

Mike.

I have recently got a 2.5 and I am sure that when I have got it fully working and the way I want it I will be happy. But if I could go back I would have got a diesel.

I wouldn't go near a 2.5 litre petrol, especially not a Land Rover petrol engine. They're underpowered, very expensive to fuel (22mpg if you're very lucky - expect 18-20) and all the parts are slowly becoming somewhat scarce. It's a dying breed of an old engine, a move that's for the best. If you had an old series 2 that you wanted to give a little more 'oomph', then it's probably not too bad a choice but just to give you some scope - a 3.5 litre Land Rover V8 will be just as 'economical' as a 2.5 because you're getting a more refined engine with bags of torque which you wont have to thrash in order to get it to go anywhere. Then ofcourse it sounds much better, the parts are more readily available and the power is astonishing, particularly when it comes to hills and being able to climb them. I'd strongly recommend a 200TDi myself. I swapped my 2.5 N/A engine (which has more power and more torque than the 2.5 petrol) for a 200TDi because it was only getting 28MPG and it was really really underpowered. The 200TDi achieves over 35MPG, will accelerate up very steep hills in fifth gear and it's pretty much bomb proof. It'll also run merrily on whatever fuel you can botch together from vegetable oil, waste engine oil, kerosene or just diesel if you like the convenience of a forecourt pump. Please, do not fit a 2.5 petrol!

-Pos

I understand your line of reasoning - I really do.
And if this was to be used in place of my Rangie, I'd agree.
I'd probably see if I could step up to TD5 money maybe... or a V8

But this car is going to see only local mileages - so fuel econony is less of an issue.
Long distances - I use the V8 Rangie on LPG - or the mad Saab Viggen (235 BHP - on LPG) this 90 would be a local workhorse.

Yes - a V8 would be nice, but having modded my Rangie to a 4.6 V8 - I'm not sure I want to go through the hassle with the insurance every year for a modded vehicle - so it needs to be an original V8 - more money..

Also, the 2.5 or 2.25 petrols are cheaper to buy, and (I think) a more reliable bet at the price I am looking at than the Turbo Diesels of the same price/age. I have driven the earlier diesels - both the NA and the pre 200 Turbo diesel - and they aren't great - the petrol is a lot nicer/quieter to drive. Not a big fan of diesels in general either...
I drove a 2.25 petrol a week or so back - i quite liked it in a nice relaxed thrumming inline 4 cylinder kind of way... Reminded me a lot of my mates old 109 - but with a better ride. But the particular example had a few issues that I didn't want to deal with.

I agree the fuel economy is poor, but that bothers me less than getting a good clean car without major trouble. The 200/300 TDI's I've looked at drove nicely - but in my price range, I'm into welding up chassis rot, etc - not a place I want to be - done enough of that to last a lifetime....

And if I really get sick of it - I could always put a different engine in it.
Strangely (although I will probably get slaughtered for saying it), I think the 90 would go well with the old ford sierra 2.0 DOHC engine. It had bags of torque low down, and was very efficient - but that's beside the point...
I also see the sense behind the 2.8 engine that the South Africans had in theirs...

But I'm not looking for a project at the moment - just the nicest tidiest 90 that I can get for around £1500 to £2000, and the 2.5 petrol seems to be the right kind of machine.

Cheers for the input nevertheless...

Mike.

I had a 2.5 petrol 90 and it was an awful engine. Forever breaking down, underpowered, low economy and generally very unpleasant to drive. Avoid at all costs.

James R said:

I had a 2.5 petrol 90 and it was an awful engine. Forever breaking down, underpowered, low economy and generally very unpleasant to drive. Avoid at all costs.

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By you have some balls aint ya

Ahh so you have a secret fetish for tractors I can see where you're coming from now. I was assuming that you wanted the 90 as your every day car. It's always nice to have something a little older and more 'agricultural' to keep running solely for the fact that it's an older piece of machinery and a look at the engineering of the past. There is something about the old petrol engines that has a certain aura and I wouldn't mind one myself (if I had the space) just as a weekend run about or as a novelty as so to speak. Well good luck with it I suppose!

The onslaught will come with regards to the Ford engine comment
-Pos

Got it in one... It's for a runabout...

Yeah - I await the abuse....

Still reckon it'd make a good engine for it though......

captainbeaky said:

Still reckon it'd make a good engine for it though......

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Yeah well it will. They tend to be fairly reliable although they do have their moments in terms of carb and / or electrical issues once a year or so but that'll make for a good afternoons worth of tinkering over the weekend. Theres nothing better than drinking real cider, tinkering with a landy through the middle of Summer

Oh and as for getting your hands on one (the main purpose of the thread!) keep your eye on ebay, pistonheads and auto trader. There'll be a landy specialist near you somewhere that'll have plenty of examples.

Yeah - been looking around, but all the 200/300 tdi's I see are in pretty poor shape at my money.

Did look at a 2.25 petrol on ebay in lydney, but it wasn't in great shape - looked tatty, had loads of play in the steering, blowing exhaust, and crunchy 3rd gear. just don't want to get involved with that lot... Would rather spend a little more for something without the problems...

Not written off diesels, I'll keep looking - but been laid up with chest infection lately, so not been getting out - other than to take the 91 Rangie for it's MOT - it failed...