Should I buy?

Hey again..after selling my 90 last year I need another back again! Got the opportunity to my a td5 2000 90 from a family member but I’m not sure if it’s worth the 4K he’s offered it me for... it’s done 210k and it’s got a ok history of oil changes etc..he had a new fuel pump fitted about 3 months ago and that about all he’s needed todo...it’s quite tidy tbh but it’s just the mileage...I’m sure the guy he got it from used to drive it to London in the week for business and then back to his big house in the country....the only rust I can find on the chassis iv pictured...there are some patches the need work like one rear outrigger has rotted but that it...rear bumper has a hole but nothing on the main beams...do I go for it??

Hell no. Run fer the hills...














And gerra Freelander instead.

yes

Just worried that the mileage means the engine will just go lol... i do know soon as you turn the key it fires up straight away with no issues and sounds smooth

If the engines looked after itll happilly do 500k

mines done 270k. runs like a dream

High mileage engines are usually better than low mileage engines, as long as they have been well looked after with regular oil/ filter changes and correct coolant, regular runs into London will have had engine up to temperature reducing wear and condensation in engine and oil, engines that do little mileage and small runs suffer more.
Bulkhead and chassis rot is the main thing to worry about.

If thats all the rust you've got it qualifies as nearly mint.
Have it, clean it, get a load of dinitrol into it and enjoy it.

It is much better to buy a Land Rover with a known history that a tarted up piece of junk from a dealer.
When buying any older Land Rover always go on condition rather than mileage, you can have 210,000 pampered miles or 210,000 neglected covered in cow 5hit ragged into the ground miles.
Most Land Rovers I see for sale seem to be in the latter category, often tarted up with big tyres and a checker plate.
Rot is always an issue with Defenders, if the rot you have pictured is the only rot then it is a good-un.

Yeah well for the past 10 years he’s had it and never taking it to a off road place in fact I would say in that pic it’s the most dirty it’s been...and they guy before was some older business dude

If hes had it 10 years and he's a family member he should know all the issues and share them with you after all he's family.
Worth a punt in my eyes

Its worth the 4k in my opinion, even with the rot and likelihood of more lurking.

It’s worth the 4K, but try and knock a bit off? Mileage means nothing for a td5 engine believe it or not, how it’s been treated, being a family member this may be obvious

TBH you probably won’t do better for £4,000

To get something better you’ll need £8,000 and spending £4,000 on that one will have it looking pretty good.
Probably better than the one you’d get for £8,000

Can you work on it yourself? As in, chassis and bodywork? If not you may be better off saving up a bit and buying a better one.

It's not like you're new to Defender ownership and you seem to know the main areas to look in for trouble. You'll also know that a Defender that age always needs something and so is going to cost money. So, it's a yes from me too.

You won’t do better for the money.

Find a Defender TD5 under £5,000 that doesn’t need weighing in and l’ll buy it.

Ok thanks guys...iv looked in the areas I remember being bad and I can do welding myself as metal work is my job I’ll tap him up this week see if he 1 still has it and 2 still wants to sell it.....he’s been saying for over a year he’s thinking about selling

Ttwo said:

Ok thanks guys...iv looked in the areas I remember being bad and I can do welding myself as metal work is my job I’ll tap him up this week see if he 1 still has it and 2 still wants to sell it.....he’s been saying for over a year he’s thinking about selling

Click to expand...

We all say we are thinking about selling but never do. I have passed that stage now and will keep mine forever (maybe), yes I think I will.

£4K probably isn’t bad for that td5. I wouldn’t worry too much about the engine at 210k, it will easily take those sorts of miles, just remember the rest of the vehicle has done them too! Things like bushes; shocks; ball joints; UJs; bearings etc, etc. So I’d be prepared for some increased maintenance over the next couple of years. Unless of course, the Landy was regularly serviced and these things were all taken care of.

I’d suggest doing some basic tests on the engine to see where it’s at. Compression test and accurate oil pressure are easy to do and will give you a good idea of the internal condition