Series 3 purchase

Hey guys

I’m looking to buy a series 3 diesel , any tips or advice ? I’ve own a range rover classic before , but not a series

cheers

Ryan

Any particular reason you'd like a diesel?

Well I was thinking about fuel consumption as it will be used regularly

Diesels are really loud....i mean really loud. Usual checks...chassis for rust, rear cross member, front dumb irons etc... Bulkhead around door pillars and vents.

Think the early diesels were similar mpg to petrol.
+1 on the noise, vibration too, especially if you're doing any distance. The experience can be quite 'commercial'

kermit_rr said:

Think the early diesels were similar mpg to petrol.
+1 on the noise, vibration too, especially if you're doing any distance. The experience can be quite 'commercial'

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Mpg for a petrol would be about 16-18 on standard tyres and gearing. A diesel will get about 25. But again it all depends on Your usage.

wireman said:

Mpg for a petrol would be about 16-18 on standard tyres and gearing. A diesel will get about 25. But again it all depends on Your usage.

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My 2a petrol is 18 at worst!! Over 20 on a good run

I like a diesel.......got another series 3 ex-mil 2.5n/a conversion going on at the moment. Loud, rattly smelly and impractical but still rather have a diesel any day. Had a series 2 petrol recently it was so quiet I could hear the radio, didn't seem natural.

Before I retired 6 years ago a series three diesel was my daily driver if the weather was naff. I usually commuted by motorcycle. Some days if I went to see my Mother it was 120 miles a day, 40/45 MPH cruise 25/28MPG. Ear defenders a good idea, a hoot to drive though and provided endless time with the spanners to keep it going.

Ryan80 said:

Well I was thinking about fuel consumption as it will be used regularly

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What does regularly mean? How many miles a month for example?

Personally I'd only bank on the diesel being 5-7mpg better tops. But could be as low as 3mpg better depending on condition and how you drive.

If you plan to do 12,000 miles a year +, then ok it might make some difference. If however you are going to be nearer to 5000 miles a year or less. I'd suggest the fuel saving is pretty negligible.

300bhp/ton said:

What does regularly mean? How many miles a month for example?

Personally I'd only bank on the diesel being 5-7mpg better tops. But could be as low as 3mpg better depending on condition and how you drive.

If you plan to do 12,000 miles a year +, then ok it might make some difference. If however you are going to be nearer to 5000 miles a year or less. I'd suggest the fuel saving is pretty negligible.

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Thanks for that , tbh it’s gonna be somewhere in the middle , around 6-8000 a year , can you gas convert the petrol engine ? If it’s that negligible , I’d prob just stick with the petrol , it would be used daily I think

I've known folks put lpg on a series, shouldn't have any problems as long as you don't let it run out, don't switch when it's cold etc
But again, unless you get it cheaply i wouldn't bother, will take years to recoup the cost of a new system

kermit_rr said:

I've known folks put lpg on a series, shouldn't have any problems as long as you don't let it run out, don't switch when it's cold etc
But again, unless you get it cheaply i wouldn't bother, will take years to recoup the cost of a new system

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Yes that’s what I thought tbh , I’ve had a look around but most of them are miles away , they may come down in price the way things are going with the lockdown.

The other thing to consider is the speed, diesels are a lot slower than a petrol, especially accelerating. If I was going to do 6000 miles a year, I wouldn't want to be wasting my life waiting to get up to the speed limit.

Col

Colthebrummie said:

The other thing to consider is the speed, diesels are a lot slower than a petrol, especially accelerating. If I was going to do 6000 miles a year, I wouldn't want to be wasting my life waiting to get up to the speed limit.

Col

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Yes I had considered that , it seems like , from the advice I’ve received on here and elsewhere that the petrol is the better option overall , I know that the petrol engine is quite simple , how reliable is it ?

Ryan80 said:

Yes I had considered that , it seems like , from the advice I’ve received on here and elsewhere that the petrol is the better option overall , I know that the petrol engine is quite simple , how reliable is it ?

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pretty much bullet proof, still needs servicing just like everything else though

kermit_rr said:

pretty much bullet proof, still needs servicing just like everything else though

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That’s good , anything else that comes to mind that I should be looking for? I know rot / chassis / bulkheads can be an issue , anything else ?

Ryan80 said:

Yes I had considered that , it seems like , from the advice I’ve received on here and elsewhere that the petrol is the better option overall , I know that the petrol engine is quite simple , how reliable is it ?

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The best thing I did to my engine to improve reliability was to fit electronic ignition. I am old school and stuck with the contact points for a while but reluctantly switched to electronic and glad I did. Aftermarket Zenith carbs often leak. A later series with alternator is better than the old dynamo system. A compression test is worthwhile before you part with cash. The engine should start easily and have a nice quiet and steady tickover. You can get a new head that's is converted to run on unleaded petrol but I just put additive in the tank everytime I fill up. Watch out for leaky fuel tanks. Lots of series have been modified, some have been done well but others bodged. My advice would be to look for one as original as possible.

Col

They like to rot at the back of the tub, where it fastens to the chassis, basically anywhere the aluminium comes into contact with steel.
Distributors and carburetors do wear and can cause all sorts of bad running symptoms

Agree with what Col said. I chose to stick with points, but that's just my preference.
I had my cylinder head converted with new valve seats, I'd be surprised if many unmodified heads are left in circulation.
+1 on leaky fuel tanks