New arrival (ish), car and member.

Well after getting loads of help and advice from the members here on this thread
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f6/help-advice-experts-228850.html
I was eventually brainwashed into getting a Defender. Having sat and weighed up the pros and cons for series vs Defender ownership, the Defender came out on top.

This decision switch was mainly due to the amount of rubbish I saw in the way of series Land Rovers. I just couldn't get my head round the descriptions on the advert when compared to the actual vehicle, terrible.

Anyway, I now have a 1996 300 TDi CSW in dark metallic green. It's a one owner from new and about 180,000 miles.

It's clearly not perfect and I have a list of jobs to go through. Some I will do but I suspect most will be directed at my local Defender specialist, I'm just too lazy.

1 - Passenger wiper arm out of sync with the drivers side, probably a worn drive box/cable or spindle.
2 - There's a slight glow from the battery light, sometimes. Alternator probably.
3 - Disgusting interior to be cleaned/replaced. It was owned by a Landscape gardener and used for business.
4 - Headlining to be replaced or recovered.
5 - Proper service and check over
6 - Very slight crunch engaging second. pffft yeah, one day.
7 - Chip in windscreen, too small to affect M.O.T.
8 - Windscreen rubber perished.

I'll find more as I go round but that's the starter list so far.
This is the only picture I have so far.

Like you I bought a 110 CSW powered by the 300 TDI and the first thing I did was make a list of all that needed doing. That was the start of May this year and I have just about completed it all. Problem is you will keep on adding things to the bottom of the list so you will always have something you need or want to do to it.
All part of the fun

Having taken out all the seats this evening I now have to trace a leak I've discovered in the drivers footwell. There's also a slightly less serious one on the passengers side.
The windscreen rubber is pretty much perished though in places so I reckon it may be that.

Approximately 36 litres of diluted upholstery cleaner through my carpet washer and the seats are now mud and crud free, or at least as far as I am prepared to go with them anyway.
Tomorrow it's the carpets that are still in the car. I'm expecting to lose a day and the skin off my hands.

parptoot said:

Approximately 36 litres of diluted upholstery cleaner through my carpet washer and the seats are now mud and crud free, or at least as far as I am prepared to go with them anyway.
Tomorrow it's the carpets that are still in the car. I'm expecting to lose a day and the skin off my hands.

Click to expand...

Carpets ? In a Defender ? :whoosh:

Do they not normally have carpets? All the ones I looked at did.

2. could be bad earths, wont harm to give em a clean. theres only 4 of em.

timtheenchanteruk said:

2. could be bad earths, wont harm to give em a clean. there's only 4 of em.

Click to expand...

Good plan!
It's only there very dimly when driving along, never at idle. Strange, I thought it'd be the other way round. Earth cleaning it is then.

even if it aint, it wont ham, and wont cost more than 20 mins with a spanner, a bit o wire wool and a dab o vaseline (mebbe a couple of ring terminals)

incase you dont know.
main one (or 2) to G/box and/or chassis
one on bulkhead to right of servo
one on chassis, under drivers seat, or this general area, mine was attached to the T/B

timtheenchanteruk said:

even if it aint, it wont ham, and wont cost more than 20 mins with a spanner, a bit o wire wool and a dab o vaseline (mebbe a couple of ring terminals)

incase you dont know.
main one (or 2) to G/box and/or chassis
one on bulkhead to right of servo
one on chassis, under drivers seat, or this general area, mine was attached to the T/B

Click to expand...

I didn't know, but I do now, thank you. That's saved me an aching neck and a search with a torch.

timtheenchanteruk said:

even if it aint, it wont ham, and wont cost more than 20 mins with a spanner, a bit o wire wool and a dab o vaseline (mebbe a couple of ring terminals)

incase you dont know.
main one (or 2) to G/box and/or chassis
one on bulkhead to right of servo
one on chassis, under drivers seat, or this general area, mine was attached to the T/B

Click to expand...

Totally off topic but I'm blaming you for making me look at this for my upcoming birthday
Toy Vault Tim the Enchanter Hat | eBay

keep meaning to buy mesen one

Seats and carpet are now clean and I've used well over 100 litres of cleaning solution through my carpet washer. The carpet has gone from a mud brown to a silver/grey colour. The rear load area was so bad I have to pressure wash it a few times before going at it with the carpet washer.

I still have a nasty niff in there but I've bought some enzyme eater fluid so that'll be going onto all surfaces.

Having only had it on the road for a week so far (to get the 1st of October tax) I can honestly say I'm really enjoying it. It's comfortable and I can keep up with traffic, most of the time, but I am finding it requires nearly full throttle most of the time
I've already been down to Dorset to collect a set of new (used) wheels and tyres so I'm already bonding with the Defender ways.

One thing that really surprised me was the waving! I had no idea there was this whole community of wavers outside the classic car scene.

Passing another Defender SW 12 seater on the A34 that was full to the gills with adults and children and pulling a trailer, My son and I were greeted as we passed by, by a sea of hand waving and cheers. We passed them about 3 mph faster (all I could muster) and we reciprocated with waves and laughter.

Great fun

Hiya Parptoot,

sounds like you are having fun. good on yer,

FYI, mine was using full throttle , found the accelerator cable linkage in the engine bay had quite a lot of slack, the plastic threaded adjustment had come loose, meaning I was applying half throttle under my foot before it even started telling the engine to start accelerating, LOL, you gotta love landies.

Cheers

parptoot said:

Do they not normally have carpets? All the ones I looked at did.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I have never seen a Defender with carpets in. Though my series II did have carpet glued to the inside of the doors when I bought it

Bromsgrove Defender said:

I'm pretty sure I have never seen a Defender with carpets in. Though my series II did have carpet glued to the inside of the doors when I bought it

Click to expand...

The 90 CSW I test drove recently had carpets AND electric windows, I didn't buy it on principal (that and the fact it drove like a bag o'$h***).

I'm sure it's standard fit in mine, they have mounting holes etc.

Defenderofthefaith said:

The 90 CSW I test drove recently had carpets AND electric windows, I didn't buy it on principal (that and the fact it drove like a bag o'$h***).

Click to expand...

Indeed!! You should be able to pressure wash the inside of a Defender

Bromsgrove Defender said:

I'm pretty sure I have never seen a Defender with carpets in. Though my series II did have carpet glued to the inside of the doors when I bought it

Click to expand...

Mine's got carpets, and then rubber mats over the top Think they are standard on CSW's No doubt someone will either confirm that, or tell me to stop talking rubbish

Mine too had rubber mats over the top. These are now carefully placed on my driveway to collect drips of oil from the steering box, engine, gearbox.........