Puma or TD5? Newbie questions

I drive my Td5 90 as a daily driver, when I first bought it I thought it was screaming at anything above 60 mph so much so I thought I was still in 3rd gear! It was fitted with 235/85/16 tyres too. I had been used to driving a V8 90 prior to this. I had a disco transfer box in the garage so fitted that, now it cruises all day at 65 and I always get over 30 mpg. Being a 2002 model it has the old PLG road tax (£240 a year or whatever it is these day) I also put a decat pipe and EGR blank on it but didn't notice any real improvement. I'd recommend a late Td5 but never having driven/owned a Puma I could comment on how that would compare.

If your doing a lot of long distance cruising don’t overlook fitting and overdrive, a td5 with an overdrive could be an option

Don't get too sucked in by the allure of a 6 speed box in the Puma, the puma 6th gear ratio is 0.742:1 and the Td5 5th gear is 077:1, the overall final ratios of a Puma 6 speed and a Td5 5 speed mated to a 1:22 transfer box are very similar, at 70 the Puma is doing 2438rpm and the Td5 2530rpm.

See here for more details:
https://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/calc/ratio_calc.html

wireman said:

I drive my Td5 90 as a daily driver, when I first bought it I thought it was screaming at anything above 60 mph so much so I thought I was still in 3rd gear! It was fitted with 235/85/16 tyres too. I had been used to driving a V8 90 prior to this. I had a disco transfer box in the garage so fitted that, now it cruises all day at 65 and I always get over 30 mpg. Being a 2002 model it has the old PLG road tax (£240 a year or whatever it is these day) I also put a decat pipe and EGR blank on it but didn't notice any real improvement. I'd recommend a late Td5 but never having driven/owned a Puma I could comment on how that would compare.

Click to expand...

wireman said:

I drive my Td5 90 as a daily driver, when I first bought it I thought it was screaming at anything above 60 mph so much so I thought I was still in 3rd gear! It was fitted with 235/85/16 tyres too. I had been used to driving a V8 90 prior to this. I had a disco transfer box in the garage so fitted that, now it cruises all day at 65 and I always get over 30 mpg. Being a 2002 model it has the old PLG road tax (£240 a year or whatever it is these day) I also put a decat pipe and EGR blank on it but didn't notice any real improvement. I'd recommend a late Td5 but never having driven/owned a Puma I could comment on how that would compare.

Click to expand...

In terms of rust and rot, are they fairly easy/cheap to get parts for when needed? I've thought about fitting an overdrive as the running costs are cheaper than a Puma

flat said:

If your doing a lot of long distance cruising don’t overlook fitting and overdrive, a td5 with an overdrive could be an option

Click to expand...

I have looked into that. Seems like a good option but if I was to buy a TD5 I'd have to buy an older model with more chance of rust/rot. Can you fit front facing rear seats to a td5?

Jonewen413 said:

I have looked into that. Seems like a good option but if I was to buy a TD5 I'd have to buy an older model with more chance of rust/rot. Can you fit front facing rear seats to a td5?

Click to expand...

I am Sure people have, I recalls few threads about it on here.

Rust is always going to be a consideration with a defender tbh.

You could probably buy a td5 with a rusted chassis but good bodywork/engine etc and swap the chassis to galv and will still come under the price of a puma

Jonewen413 said:

In terms of rust and rot, are they fairly easy/cheap to get parts for when needed? I've thought about fitting an overdrive as the running costs are cheaper than a Puma

Click to expand...

YRM metals do nearly every bit as a replacement panel or weld in repair section, and most fabricators can sort out Land Rover chassis - they are quite simple construction

As flat says rust will always be a problem, buy a good one in the first place and look after it or buy one with a galv chassis already fitted. Age is no real indicator, a new vehicle used near salt will be in worse condition than an old one used on sunny Sundays only. All parts are available but why buy trouble?
As for overdrives I think there are 2 types available for the Lt230 box GKN and Roamerdrive, GKN are AFAIK electric and can have problems with their solenoids I don't know if they are still available new, Roamerdrive are mechanical so more robust but more expensive.

https://www.flatdoguk.com/defender-roamerdrive-overdrive-unit~2196

Hi there. I had a TD5 off a mate for 8 weeks, then sold it for him and bought myself a 55k Puma 2.4 engined 07 model.
SO GLAD I DID!
So, from the tank versus miles I'm making 30.5mpg from it to date. The 6th gear means it does 70 at 2000 rpm - so much easier than the TD5 that sounded harsh at 70. The interior and dash is much more modern and Im really pleased. it will cruise at 70 all day long - 80 if you really need to. You can get the EGR deactivated and chip it up for more power and maybe more MPG depending on how you choose to drive.

On the negative side there is lash in the drive train somewhere - between the gears it goes clonk if you're not gentle. First gear is still short - but thats for offload capability. The 6th gear is a massive plus for me. yes I paid the money you're talking about and I could have had a 55 plate TD5 with 65k miles on it for £9000.

Please don't flame me for disrespecting the TD5 - it had benefits (like a great sound) but the Puma is just much more road like. My Mrs hugely prefers it as well as its more car like and fairly quiet to drive inside.

JonnyAwesome said:

Hi there. I had a TD5 off a mate for 8 weeks, then sold it for him and bought myself a 55k Puma 2.4 engined 07 model.
SO GLAD I DID!
So, from the tank versus miles I'm making 30.5mpg from it to date. The 6th gear means it does 70 at 2000 rpm - so much easier than the TD5 that sounded harsh at 70. The interior and dash is much more modern and Im really pleased. it will cruise at 70 all day long - 80 if you really need to. You can get the EGR deactivated and chip it up for more power and maybe more MPG depending on how you choose to drive.

On the negative side there is lash in the drive train somewhere - between the gears it goes clonk if you're not gentle. First gear is still short - but thats for offload capability. The 6th gear is a massive plus for me. yes I paid the money you're talking about and I could have had a 55 plate TD5 with 65k miles on it for £9000.

Please don't flame me for disrespecting the TD5 - it had benefits (like a great sound) but the Puma is just much more road like. My Mrs hugely prefers it as well as its more car like and fairly quiet to drive inside.

Click to expand...

Are you paying the £550 for road tax annually? That and the worse mpg are making me verge toward the TD5. I prefer the older dash but agree that it's very loud in the cabin.

Jonewen413 said:

Are you paying the £550 for road tax annually? That and the worse mpg are making me verge toward the TD5. I prefer the older dash but agree that it's very loud in the cabin.

Click to expand...

Yes Im paying the £550 tax.
I was only able to get 27mpg from the TD5 (again - fill tank, empty tank, record miles, record litres of diesel used - was over about 6-8 tank fills)

Jon

JonnyAwesome said:

Yes Im paying the £550 tax.
I was only able to get 27mpg from the TD5 (again - fill tank, empty tank, record miles, record litres of diesel used - was over about 6-8 tank fills)

Jon

Click to expand...

Mpg wise, what do you get out of the puma?

Jonewen413 said:

Mpg wise, what do you get out of the puma?

Click to expand...

Over the last 4 tanks it’s been 30.8mpg. However I’ve done two 150 mile round trip motorway journeys at a fairly constant 70mph

J

Jonewen413 said:

Have you got an older Puma? Do you think 16k is a reasonable price to pay for a 57 plate puma with 60,000 miles on the clock that has been very well looked after? Do you think they will lose value when the government keeps increases road tax costs?

Click to expand...

I would say that is very fair price. I paid similar for mine - and now i cant find one is as good condition and milage for less than £18k

Each to their own ? I bought a 53 plate with 7k miles disco td5 Es all the toys in early 2004 it was damaged cat c I paid £9000 I had it repaired it stood me at £12500/13000 I ran that for bout 5year doing a lot of towing replaced clutch at 65k with v8 flywheel and normal clutch on advice of guys at paddock and it never missed a beat, serviced every year so I’m a fan of the td5 engine I chopped it in on a r/r/sport and I needed some thing to do the towing through the yards with tipper trailer so bought a cheap 300tdi that’s due Re build so I’ve bought an high mileage cheap td5 defender pick up full circle I intend to keep the defenders so everything will be galvanised eventually chassis/ bulk my advice is buy what u like but if u can afford one that’s been galvanised do it any engine can be changed or rebuilt for little money

I had the same dilemma and chose the TD5 Xs 2006 but I am having an overdrive fitted at the moment hopefully it will deliver the open road cruising that I hope for my 6th land rover and definitely the best .