[MikeV8SE]

For what it's worth, for the use it'll get I wouldn't splash out £5-6k on a Defender for such little use. Here's my thoughts:

90 - too short wheelbase for towing such a heavy trailer and less loadspace for your other use

110 - better choice than a 90, but still more than you need to spend IMO

Disco - possibility, they do suffer from rust but so does any LR of this age if not kept clean/protected. Something like this would do the trick: Land Rover : Discovery V8i ES LPG That is a V8 on LPG; cheaper than a diesel to buy and the LPG will keep the running costs down.

Range Rover Classic - admittedly I have a soft spot for these (I'm on my 2nd!) but not-so-mint examples are cheap and, in my mind, a better car than the Disco. Get a V8 auto, check the low range works and it'll tow it all no problem. If you find a 200/300Tdi then go for that, but V8's are much more plentiful and better to buy on condition than what is under the bonnet for your use I reckon! Fit a boot liner and it'll take all the logs and stuff without damaging the interior. Oh, and if you get a late model Classic it will have air suspension, which is great for hitching trailers - lower it, reverse up, raise it - job done! Land Rover : 3.9 Range Rover Classic (Last of Coiled Springs)

 

[GrottyYotty]

Thanks again for all the advice!
Need to go and read up about Discos and Rangies now...

 

[8kphil]

i want a range rover after looking at them pics!

 

[nesponge]

for regularly towing those sorts of weights you are better off with a yank pickup or something similar.

They are built to haul loads the land rover couldn't touch with a barge pole and will do stratospheric miles.

 

[MikeV8SE]

Thanks again for all the advice!
Need to go and read up about Discos and Rangies now...

This is a good start! Range Rovers

i want a range rover after looking at them pics!

Who wouldn't? I love 'em!

 

[GrottyYotty]

for regularly towing those sorts of weights you are better off with a yank pickup or something similar.

They are built to haul loads the land rover couldn't touch with a barge pole and will do stratospheric miles.

Maybe so, but a total of about twenty miles per year is not exactly 'regularly'

 

[diver]

We tow boats around a lot and we have a 110 defender and a disco. Both with 300tdi's. The Disco is nicer to drive but the Defender is a better tow car. Especially pulling boats up and down slips. Where the defender will pull a 2.5ton boat out no problem, the Disco will struggle. we rarely need the difflock on the Defender but we do need it on the Disco.
There is also someone who uses the same slip and uses a 90 to pull out 9m ribs. They almost always get stuck.
So I would recommend a 110 Defender. Can't comment on Rangie's. Never tried one.

 

[MikeV8SE]

We tow boats around a lot and we have a 110 defender and a disco. Both with 300tdi's. The Disco is nicer to drive but the Defender is a better tow car. Especially pulling boats up and down slips. Where the defender will pull a 2.5ton boat out no problem, the Disco will struggle. we rarely need the difflock on the Defender but we do need it on the Disco.
There is also someone who uses the same slip and uses a 90 to pull out 9m ribs. They almost always get stuck.
So I would recommend a 110 Defender. Can't comment on Rangie's. Never tried one.

That's odd! The 110 and I believe Disco/RR Classic are basically the same vehicles underneath, I wonder what makes the Defender more capable? Only thing I can think of is better/more suitable tyres and possibly the longer wheelbase...?

 

[theorangebandit]

a 110 will weigh less i imagine, as its a few seats and a big door, where as the rangies and alike have full interior trims, also the t box on the def are differnet i think , and the gearboxes too, this gives a different gear ratio,therefore making it more suited to "working"

 

[Pikey]

a 110 will weigh less i imagine, as its a few seats and a big door, where as the rangies and alike have full interior trims, also the t box on the def are differnet i think , and the gearboxes too, this gives a different gear ratio,therefore making it more suited to "working"

Close but no biscuit.. High range is exactly the same as a Disco Low range is different..

 

[Pikey]

We tow boats around a lot and we have a 110 defender and a disco. Both with 300tdi's. The Disco is nicer to drive but the Defender is a better tow car. Especially pulling boats up and down slips. Where the defender will pull a 2.5ton boat out no problem, the Disco will struggle. we rarely need the difflock on the Defender but we do need it on the Disco.
There is also someone who uses the same slip and uses a 90 to pull out 9m ribs. They almost always get stuck.
So I would recommend a 110 Defender. Can't comment on Rangie's. Never tried one.

Utter tosh the engines give out the same BHP and as the 90 is lighter it has a better power to weight ratio. If the 90 can't pull the boat out then neither will the 110.

As to the arguement that a 110 is more powerful than a disco also rubbish. as the tdi engines we "detuned" for use in the defenders. and a disco tdi actually puts out more power. only advantage a 110 has, is it's a little lighter and Low range is geared lower

 

[MikeV8SE]

Utter tosh the engines give out the same BHP and as the 90 is lighter it has a better power to weight ratio. If the 90 can't pull the boat out then neither will the 110.

As to the arguement that a 110 is more powerful than a disco also rubbish. as the tdi engines we "detuned" for use in the defenders. and a disco tdi actually puts out more power. only advantage a 110 has, is it's a little lighter and Low range is geared lower

The only thing I would say is the 108-inch wheelbase of the 110 Defender may give it better traction, whereas the shorted wheelbase of the 90 and Disco may lift weight from the front wheels?

 

[diver]

Utter tosh the engines give out the same BHP and as the 90 is lighter it has a better power to weight ratio. If the 90 can't pull the boat out then neither will the 110.

As to the arguement that a 110 is more powerful than a disco also rubbish. as the tdi engines we "detuned" for use in the defenders. and a disco tdi actually puts out more power. only advantage a 110 has, is it's a little lighter and Low range is geared lower

Its not "utter tosh". I'm telling you what we have actually experienced. I don't think the power has anything much to do with it and I didn't say it had.As far as I know they're all pretty much the same. Its all about traction. all the vehicles are using pretty standard tyres but I suspect that the standard tyres on a 110 are better suited to the hard shingle surface on the slip and are less likely to slip and bog in. The Disco is I think about 150kg lighter than the 110. Don't know what the 90 weighs but I would think less than the other 2. The extra weight is probably helping.

 

[jamesmartin]

Utter tosh the engines give out the same BHP and as the 90 is lighter it has a better power to weight ratio. If the 90 can't pull the boat out then neither will the 110.

As to the arguement that a 110 is more powerful than a disco also rubbish. as the tdi engines we "detuned" for use in the defenders. and a disco tdi actually puts out more power. only advantage a 110 has, is it's a little lighter and Low range is geared lower

no a 110 will pull better low range is the same apart from wheel/tyre size ,traction favours longer wheel base

 

[ratty]

and Low range is geared lower

High range is geared lower on a defender than on a disco. Low range is the same.

 

[Dr_evil]

get a 130

 

[Tarantula]

Yeah buy a disco imo.

 

[storm99]

Series 2a

 

[scotchgit]

A p38's got 108inch wheel base only 2 inches less than a 110 v8 power low range and traction control self levelling suspension ( unless it's been changed to coils ) but it's going to be down to you in the end !

 

[MikeV8SE]

A p38's got 108inch wheel base only 2 inches less than a 110 v8 power low range and traction control self levelling suspension ( unless it's been changed to coils ) but it's going to be down to you in the end !

A 110 actually also has a 108 inch wheelbase - same as the P38 and same as the Classic LSE. The Classic had a 100-inch wheelbase, same as the Discovery 1.