Another reason I want a defender 90 is to get me through the winter months without troubles. Are defenders a robust car that would indeed do this? e.g. start first time in cold conditions having not been run for a couple of weeks? Or is this just a general danger to any vehicle - batteries discharging etc?
Seeing as I don't know much, I'm wondering if a defender 90 would be more reliable in colder and wetter conditions say, compared to a 12 year old ford or so....

Is this why people put a couple of batteries in defenders (added resiliancy in case one fails) or is that purely for powering multitudes of additional kit generally speaking?

Bear with these simple questions - I'm here to learn...

Land Rovers are no more or no less reliable than any other vehicle.
If you look after them they will give you years of service.
Where you score with a Landy is having 4 wheel drive when or if it snows or floods. I work off shore and mine sits on my drive for 28 days at a time and has always started first turn of the key. Obviously you need a good battery especially for a diesel but that is the same for any vehicle.

If you have a good battery, and your glow plugs (in case of a diesel) are in good nick then they will start first turn evertime unless your engine is not right. They can be kitted out to cope with extreem low temperatures so its a step in the right direction if you want a reliable winter vehicle.

But as shifty says they are probably no more reliable that any other car, but when the floods and snow and things come, thats where you win.

I would have said that they are very reliable, but like Shifty said, you need to look after them and be prepared to get your hands dirty. Consider a land rover as being a bit of a moving construction site. It'll always run, but then again, there's always things to be working on. Just this morning (with cool, damp air) my 1986 90 fired straight up without a problem. Ironically I took my Dad to work because his Citroen ZX failed it's MOT yesterday. Also, just after I bought the car a year ago, there was a small chunk of metal from the filter box got sucked into the engine and it still ran, making a horrible clattering sound. I've re-built it since, but generally speaking I'd say it's the most reliable car in the family. The later diesel engines got even better, the TD5 is a bit more troublesome if you're a DIY'er because of all the electronically monitored and controlled components mind. You'll find it a lot colder and a lot draftier than a usual car through winter but it's not enough to complain about.

-Pos

Heater in my 90 makes it unbearably hot in not a very long time!

My NA started every time, only time the cold weather has bothered them is when my battery gave up the chase, affects all cars though! It is great when it snows too, snow day at 6th form, everyone stayed in bed, i went out and played in the snow! Had loasda fun, even recovered a tesco van that had got a bit adventurous