which landy for me?

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bigwilly

New Member
Posts
159
Location
Holmes Chapel - Cheshire, North West
Hello everyone - this is my 1st post on here (apart from my introduce yourself section) so please dont pick on me for being the new kid or else lol !!!

Anyway, this is my situation, At the moment i have a mk3 mondeo. Awesome car for blasting up and down the motor way at 70mph+ getting 50+mpg etc but ive killed it and its killed my bank account! had it under 2 years and its had a aircon pump x2, starter motor, clucth, burst coolant pipes, burst boost pipes etc and has cost me an arm and a leg in parts and labour because every job on it is a nightmare. She now has a suspected blown head gasket, 2 shot rear wheel bearings, broken rear subframe bushes and all sorts so im scrapping her. The reason for the shattered rear end is because i spend alot of time with big loads in my boot or big boats on my tow bar and normally both !

Now ive always fancied a defender and i think now is the time to get one. I'm a marine engineer and have a decent set off tools and engineering experience so hopefully i can save loads on labour costs by repairing her myself. I have done averaged 40k a year recently but alot of that was going up and down the M62 to see my gf at uni but now she lives with me so my mileage is predicted 25k so mpg is semi important. I like big cars and need a vast boot for tools and back seats for mates/clean things. I plan to raise her abit and hang a few winches, lights, big wheels etc off her and I have a buying budget of about 5k but i'm in no rush to buy

Based on the above which landy should i be looking for? From my reading on this site etc the ideal landy for me is County 110 with the 200tdi engine? Is that what you experts recommend ?
 
Ive looked at disco's and would love one but the Defenders are much easier to modify and also look better standard. The Disco 3s + 4s are awesome looking things and would defo have either one of those if the price was right but it isnt.
 
bigwilly said:
Ive looked at disco's and would love one but the Defenders are much easier to modify
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How do you figure that as chassis & suspension are virtually identical to a defenders
and also look better standard.
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If ya like square boxes

The Disco 3s + 4s are awesome looking things and would defo have either one of those if the price was right but it isnt.
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You do like boxes don't you?? :D

I have owned 90, 110 and disco & for what you're planning I'd pick the disco everytime.. comfort on long rungs space for ya arms. quieter and a std disco will go anywhere a std 90/110 will go. in fact they'll often go places a 110 won't go..
 
bigwilly said:
Haha uppose i do like squares haha? Are the disco's as easy to work on as the defenders?
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Underneath & engines yes. Gear box and transfer boxes are a little more awkward to get at but not that difficult that they'd stress you out. Biggest different with a disco is that like most brit cars they suffer with tinworm. But I'm sure with you background that you can find something to paint on that will keep the rot at bay..
 
I have had a 110 hardtop, discovery and I am back to a 110 CSW, discovery is a great car for road driving as it is easier to manoeuvre than a 110. Equally it is also great off road. Both the 110's I have had inevitably plough the ground with the tow bar as the departure angle coming off hills is no where near as good. Another discovery plus is that if you are carrying tools or anything they can be hidden in the boot as in the CSW they are just out in the back. However for me there is something about 110 that I love which is why I went back to it. I find both the discovery and the CSW are comfortable to drive and both have about the same engine / road noise. You can mod a discovery as much as a 110 so it really comes down to a personal preference. Remember if you are going to use either as a daily drive car if you give them a suspension lift then you can kiss any multi story car parks goodbye as you just won't get in to them so that may change your mind on mods pending on where you have to park for work etc.
 
Yer the car park thing is something im aware off but not really an issue. The only time it will annoy me is a McDonalds drive thru but i imagine getting a 110 though them on its own is an issue haha.

Which one is best for towing ? My normal craft is 750kg which the mondeo manages no worries, however there have been a few loads getting upto 2 tonne with quite a hefty nose weight (no outboard on the back lol)
 
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Ive read all over the web that there isnt a job on a defender that a reasonable mechanic/engineer with a reasonable tool collection cant complete? Is this so ?

The mondeo cost me £880 to replace the clutch, £600 starter motor as those jobs needed specialist tools ! The defender clutch/cambelt etc doesnt require any specialist tools does it ?
 
max tow rate is same on disco and defenders 3500kg :D though that much weight behind a 90 can be "interesting!! :eek:" As to the mechanicals side of things **** easy to work on have done Head gaskets clutch changes etc etc. last clutch I bought was an AP Driveline Clutch kit £85. :D
 
redhand said:
I have owned 90, 110 and disco & for what you're planning I'd pick the disco everytime.. comfort on long rungs space for ya arms. quieter and a std disco will go anywhere a std 90/110 will go. in fact they'll often go places a 110 won't go..
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There is always room in them when you is only 5'1" tall:D:p:p
 
Put it this way....Havnt even got 1 yet and im already reading Landy magazines and searching is a 5" lift kit legal and how bigger tyres can i fit? And where can i buy the Icon Defender grill ? and when shall i do my 6x6 conversion haha

and the funny thing is...My mondeo is dead because ive been using it as a landy haha
 
bigwilly said:
Put it this way....Havnt even got 1 yet and im already reading Landy magazines and searching is a 5" lift kit legal and how bigger tyres can i fit? And where can i buy the Icon Defender grill ? and when shall i do my 6x6 conversion haha

and the funny thing is...My mondeo is dead because ive been using it as a landy haha
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certainly living up to your name then !!
 
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