New owner and new here

Hi All
Bought my first personal Defender. Just as brilliant to drive as I remember from the mob.
It rained on the 4 hour ferry trip home last Saturday. Wipers worked but no washer water. 15 miles from home the engine stuttered and died. Lo fuel light not on and fuel still looking like it's in positive. F&*#. I ring the guy who sold it. No answer. Mmm.
Gas station 250 yards away by luck. Give one last start before walking and it starts! Limp in and put a tenner in. Fuel guage still in same spot. Back outside and put another tenner in. Result. I have learned never to assume anything about this vehicle.

Rapidly found out how many get nicked each week and am now paranoid. I added, (to the already fitted alarm and immobiliser), a clutch claw. I decided that wasn't good enough and fitted a x-defend defender pedal lock up today. I'm going to order a pop up security post next.
The vehicle is a 95 110 panel van 300tdi ex mountain rescue modded very nicely by previous owner. Mechanically seems okay but body work not tip top. I will need some bulkhead repairs soon and a new bulkhead with 5 years I reckon. In 'Enthusiastic' road mode my 8 year old daughter absolutely loves being thrown around in the caged back, but today I picked up a couple of bench seats with belts to tame that down. I've got a shed load to sus out but am limited even for coming here to this forum due working and starting my own business.
There is an oil leak from the gearbox seal by the looks of it. Anyway happy days.
I'm more of a biker than car guy but my last set of wheels was a supercharged V8 F150. This machine knocks that into a cocked hat. I'll never, ever, ever, own another type of vehicle.

Hello and welcome from me

Howdy doody and it's a welcome from me too!

Welcome.

It's strongly advised that children don't use lap belts in side facing seats.

There's some good threads on kids safety and the law if you have a search

Here ya go....the result of much discussion and considerable research

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/children-and-seatbelts-in-the-back.316282/

I have no idea why you would buy one after driving them in the forces sounds like it should be otr.

"Here ya go....the result of much discussion and considerable research....".

Thank you blue beasty. I'll go through it later. The seller said he had been told you don't have to have any for this year. Obviously you do need for safety sake.

Welcome to the asylum. You'll get assigned to an locked ward if your'e not careful........

Frenchie

Frenchdame said:

Welcome to the asylum. You'll get assigned to an locked ward if your'e not careful........

Frenchie

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Haha!!! I've got my very own personal cell!!!
Don't mind sharing it with a fender owner!!
But I draw the line at sharing anything with a gaylander .

blue beasty said:

Here ya go....the result of much discussion and considerable research

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/children-and-seatbelts-in-the-back.316282/

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Okay if I'm understanding correctly......... If there are sideways rear seats without seatbelts and a child is over 3, they can use them legally.
But if there are seat belts fitted they can't? And if they do then insurance must be notified.

biketeacherdave said:

I have no idea why you would buy one after driving them in the forces sounds like it should be otr.

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Well I guess you are not me, and don't know me, so it's perfectly understandable why you have no idea Just joshing. I'm old. I like old stuff. It works when maintained.

Ned Coates said:

Well I guess you are not me, and don't know me, so it's perfectly understandable why you have no idea Just joshing. I'm old. I like old stuff. It works when maintained.

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Ignore bike teacher dave he drives a range rover!!! They are strange creatures!! The world owes them a favour

Weldy said:

Ignore bike teacher dave he drives a range rover!!! They are strange creatures!! The world owes them a favour

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Haha and a d2 td5 a Suzy 1250fa to mention just a few.

biketeacherdave said:

Haha and a d2 td5 a Suzy 1250fa to mention just a few.

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Let you off coz you've got a disco!!!

Ned Coates said:

Okay if I'm understanding correctly......... If there are sideways rear seats without seatbelts and a child is over 3, they can use them legally.
But if there are seat belts fitted they can't? And if they do then insurance must be notified.

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That about covers it.

blue beasty said:

That about covers it.

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Very much appreciate how much time that reply saved me BB.
So I'm shopping for a rear facing headrest seat with seat belt that I can anchor to the floor. Very glad I've only spent 45 quid on the bench ones.

Weldy said:

Let you off coz you've got a disco!!!

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Ned Coates said:

Very much appreciate how much time that reply saved me BB.
So I'm shopping for a rear facing headrest seat with seat belt that I can anchor to the floor. Very glad I've only spent 45 quid on the bench ones.

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Sell the kids!! Its easier and makes more sense

Thanks Weldy!!............. Fkin long way to where I know you can sell humans tho!!!

Good luck Ned, enjoy I've always preferred Landys to cars

Not meaning to hijack your thread but after seeing this:

blue beasty said:

Here ya go....the result of much discussion and considerable research https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/children-and-seatbelts-in-the-back.316282/

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I've realised that I cannot legally carry my grandkids in the back of my Ninety 90 as it has four sideways facing lift up seats with belts! Ludicrous that kids can sit on them without belts being fitted but not if they are fitted, even if not used Who thinks up such craziness?
As there's no legal requirement for seat belts to be fitted in sideways facing seats they might as well go since the kids love going in gramp's old landy and I'm not about to disappoint them!

capo said:

Good luck Ned, enjoy I've always preferred Landys to cars

Not meaning to hijack your thread but after seeing this: I've realised that I cannot legally carry my grandkids in the back of my Ninety 90 as it has four sideways facing lift up seats with belts! Ludicrous that kids can sit on them without belts being fitted but not if they are fitted, even if not used Who thinks up such craziness?
As there's no legal requirement for seat belts to be fitted in sideways facing seats they might as well go since the kids love going in gramp's old landy and I'm not about to disappoint them!

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Well I'm looking for a cheap seat to fit rear facing at the moment and will fit when I acquire. In the meantime the belts I've fitted will be removed and just the 30 mph school run.

I think I may know what the problem is. Back in the day an Italian C130 Hercules went down in the Mediterranean. I can't remember if it was ditched or crashed. In the C130 most if not all troops were in side facing seats with similar lap belt design. When the bodies were recovered they had mostly or all been chopped in half on impact. Cheered me and my mates no end having to use the same transport.

So to be honest if you, or even I, were to keep those seats you'd have to fit a cage behind the driver/front seats to restrain anyone in the back exiting through the front of the vehicle hitting you on the way out. This sounds dramatic but on a busy A road the other day an arctic driver appeared to lose control approaching me. He looked at about 60mph and me at about 50. The cockwomble caught it, but I'd have been dead if he hadn't, and you've gotta think that might happen unless you are toddling about town at 30mph.