Which Defender?

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sussexdisco

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After living in America and happily driving a Ford F-150 crew cab pick up, I wanted something similarly capable back home in the UK. As I thought the wife would be driving it along with all the kids and Grandad in the back, I went for a Disco3 HSE with 7 seats.

However, it turns out that all the 'bing bong' noises, self adjusting seats (I was going along one day and the drivers seat moved back and the wing mirrors folded in) and complicated memory key settings etc have put her off and she doesn't drive it. Plus, Im finding that for work, I need more of a commercial vehicle and less upholstery so Im looking at a defender.

How about the double cab pick ups?? 110 - 130?? Whats your opinion?

I also looked at the High capacity pick ups, both on a single and double cab. Is it too much to have the bigger truck bed with the double cab? Im assuming the turning circle would be crap?

Any advice would be appreciated. Im also finding it sods law that landies seem to cost more here in West Sussex / Surrey than they do anywhere else. Anything reasonably priced is in Yorkshire or Scotland. Grr
 
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130 HCPU double cab should be ample,

If it were me, I'd avoid the 2.2 (capable but lacking grunt) and try to find a 2.4 or TD5, however the later is getting on a bit but it is generally considered the best Diesel engine its had, although I'm preferable to a 300TDi,
 
Im thinking of trying to reduce my running costs by getting rid of the disco, but if I got say a 130 TD5, am I asking for trouble in maintenance costs?
 
sussexdisco said:
Im thinking of trying to reduce my running costs by getting rid of the disco, but if I got say a 130 TD5, am I asking for trouble in maintenance costs?
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well, its a defender, so if looked after will be fine but if abused will be a nightmare. With any defender chassis and bulkhead condition is paramount, go on condition of these not mileage etc. Engine and drive train can be sorted easily by home mechanic/local garage (not main stealer rates!!), parts are easily available and not ridiculous in price, td5 i havent owned or got experience of but i hear the later ones are better - i am sure someone will clarify - having said that any issues are likely to have been sorted. Its all spanners, just budget for a nanocom thingy so you can interrogate the diagnostics aswell yourself at home.

i *THINK* that the only thing that will stop the TD5 running sensor wise is the crank position sensor.

Also google 'oil in TD5 ECU loom' and read up about it (could be a bargaining point).

others will add more, like anything if neglected or serviced sub-par will bite you but loads of people have defenders with high miles with no probs

Concentrate on chassis chassis chassis bulkhead bulkhead bulkhead!!!
 
Thanks for the advice. Thats useful, as I had discounted a few high mileage examples that looked in very good condition.

This chassis waxing seems popular. Is that something you can do yourself? They were doing one at the garage earlier when I picked up the disco6
 
sussexdisco said:
Thanks for the advice. Thats useful, as I had discounted a few high mileage examples that looked in very good condition.

This chassis waxing seems popular. Is that something you can do yourself? They were doing one at the garage earlier when I picked up the disco6
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Its a good preventative measure if the chassis is in good condition,

It is a job you can do, buy a few cheap brushes and decent set of wire brushes not forgetting eye protection, and a few dry days of course,

You can do a lot without a garage if your mechanically able, alot of a defender isnt hidden under body work like a disco,

Just remember a 130 HCUP is much longer than most people are used to driving, invest in a reversing camera or something
 
yeah i did mine myself, its messy and you will need a compressor to do it but its worth doing. To givbe you an idea i injected 6 litres of dinitrol cavity wax into the chassis and bulkhead of my 90, so a 130 would be quite a bit more.

LR chassis rust inside to out so i just went the cavity wax route and have left the outer steel just painted and i regularly jetwash it and look at it - my theory is i will see problems before they become a big PITA like they would if they are hidden behind layers of wax etc.

Other have varying ideas, its a much debated subject. Deffo go on structural condition.
 
TD5power said:
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=161182802151

this :D

last of the td5s so its not going to have been abused, nice creature comforts too, chassis has been waxoyled too
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I know, I know. I have that one one my watch list:)

Trouble is, Im supposed to be downgrading in terms of creature comforts and price, and my newer disco with less miles full leather interior was 5k less than that 130.

Yeah I know, its a Chelsea Chariot. I should get rid:)
 
So after days of solidly scouring the country for cheap and decent defenders, I've concluded the following and would like some expert opinion as to whether Im on track :)

- There are old defenders, there are cheap defenders and there are good defenders. However, there are no old, cheap good defenders:)

- I should expect a lot of work that needs to be done. A bit like a barn conversion

- You can't get anything decent for under 10k that doesn't require a bag of spanners and spare defender from which to rob parts.


So as I was driving in my disco last night in the ****ing rain listening to the stock Harmon Cardon sound system sat all snug in my heated leather seats I began to wonder what the hold up was. Loads of traffic backing up behind a defender 130 SW no less!

If I got 10k for my disco, Id be lucky, but theres lots of electronicals to go wrong and its starting to cost money now its at 135,000 miles.

For my money, it seems I can only get a 15 - 20 year old 110 or 130 Defender which will likely be rusty and may have a corroded bulkhead or chassis. Thats before I get into anything engine related.

Do you think I can get say a double cab 130 in good nick for under 10k?
 
this looks reasonable, hasnt been messed with!

they will be similar size wise as a f150 , which is not the easiest in UK , i ran one in australia without any hastle but in UK esp car parks a 110 can be a bit too long sometimes. If your wifes driving and she doesnt feel at home then it wont get used , from my experience and as you have found out as well.
 
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Hippo said:
Get a discovery. It's the thinking mans tratter.
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Ive already got a Disco3 HSE.

Im thinking of chopping it in with something that has a truck type bed and separate cab.

The stuff in my Disco is too close / mixed in with the nice interior and anything wet in the back gets the carpets soaked
 
Buy the 130, and add the luxuries you think you need - like some Defender XS heated front seats - I got a nearly new pair at a very good price on Fleabay, and plenty of firms do a plug in wiring loom addition kit for them.

Heated front screens are the same - get one and a switch kit. Plug it all together and Bingo - a swish 130.
 
sussexdisco said:
Ive already got a Disco3 HSE.

Im thinking of chopping it in with something that has a truck type bed and separate cab.

The stuff in my Disco is too close / mixed in with the nice interior and anything wet in the back gets the carpets soaked
Click to expand...
It's one hell of a drop in comfort changing from a D3 to a tratter.

Perhaps you could build a water proof container in the boot to keep the D3 cleaner?



pig-taking-a-bath-vector-714141.jpg
 
Nene sell expensive tat and several times people come here annoyed with service they recieved
 
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