Which Land Rover?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
2,355
130
62
Cambridgeshire
Correction Martin. You do have air-con in the 90, it's the time proven 2-50 system. You open the 2 flaps and drive at 50! Been standard fit since the series 2!

Dave
 

MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
2,355
130
62
Cambridgeshire
Just pulling you leg mate! I've just bit the bullet and fitted windows in my 1994 hard top, it's a lot better drive now you can see at junctions.
 

Martyn

Bushcrafter through and through
Aug 7, 2003
5,252
33
58
staffordshire
www.britishblades.com
Just pulling you leg mate!
Ahhh, I did wonder you little tinker. :D
I've just bit the bullet and fitted windows in my 1994 hard top, it's a lot better drive now you can see at junctions.
Always been tempted to fit little "peep" windows, not full side windows, just those little quarter-light things. It makes for a dark interior, but I like the security and privacy you get from the panel sides. I've got a set of full side windows in me shed, been there for over 3 years now, I could just never bring meself to fit em. I think my ideal would be a LWB, 4 door with h/t back....

land-rover-defender-01-04-09.jpg
 
Last edited:

Tony

White bear (Admin)
Admin
Apr 16, 2003
24,176
1
1,932
53
Wales
www.bushcraftuk.com
Yesterday I went to pick up my sister in law from Gatwick in my 110 county, as they're moving back from Spain, her and 9 of her kids aged between 7 and 18 so that was 11 of us and all their baggage on top from Gatwick to West Wales, I have to admit I'd not have wanted to be one of them on the bench seat in the back but we managed it, in my eye's it's a fantastic vehicle and in many ways I'd be lost without it (I'd also not be doing really long journeys with 9 kids :D so not all bad)
 

Bigrich

Full Member
Jan 26, 2011
272
0
Malvern
I'll throw my money in for the 110 too. Even without any modifications it's a do all and anything vehicle. Its taken me, the mrs, three kids, dog and all our camping kit and bikes to Wales, Ireland, and France, and back again no probs. It feels like a vehicle should, every time you take it out you could be going on an expedition. A large amount of maintenance can be done yourself. We love it.

In reality as well any landrover except perhaps the freelander and modern range rovers and disco's - so any beam axled landrover would do you proud. 200 or 300tdi's have the least electrics so easiest to self maintain. Disco's and range rover classics cheaper than 90's or 110's.

Are they as reliable as the Japanese trucks - maybe not - they are as reliable as anything that needs looking after - great straight from the box but after 10 years we'll all need some TLC.

If you want to enjoy your time in vehicle and feel like your part of the world there is no other choice.

Rich and family
 

MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
2,355
130
62
Cambridgeshire
Following on from what Rich has just said (shamelessly culled from the "Top tips" section of a Landrover mag)

Buy the best one you can afford.

Drive a Defender, then a Discovery and see if you reallt still want a defender.

Make sure the vehicle has been maintained, and continue to do so.

These are from me. I've seen a lot of seemingly sensible people hop into a landrover for the first time, and take off in it like they're driving an Abhams tank. There seems to be something that makes them think a landy is indestructible and drive as if it is. This I believe is what leads to the premature failures, breakdowns etc. I work mine hard, but always drive with mechanical sympathy, as a result they seem to last and keep going. The maintenance is a must, the moving bits are bigger & heavier, there are twice as many gearboxes as a regular car and lots of places holding oils. Check/replace them regularly and the vehicle will last longer, and cost you less for bits. Remember, if its for example 16 years old, some of the parts WILL need repairing or replacing.
Be careful, they ARE addictive, I'm on my eighth Landy!

Enjoy,

Dave
 
Last edited:

Ronnie

Settler
Oct 7, 2010
588
0
Highland
I grew up with Landrovers. The first time I drove was a Series III 109 on forestry tracks when I was 12. But I now drive Japanese - specifically a LWB Mitsubishi Delica:

DSCF0310_1_1.JPG


The engineering is good. Everything comes undone when you want it to. I do all the work on it myself, including stripping out the injection pump etc. Can carry 7 people and their luggage in comfort. Will go most places with the superselect 4x4 system, low range and big HT tyres. I've towed more vehicles out of the snow/ice than I can count.

2.5 tonnes. Comfortable. Has good power and acceleration for overtaking which is very handy on the A9, and will cruise along at 60-70mph very comfortably. Just got back from Skye where I did lots of driving. I learnt to drive on those kind of roads, and was really pleased by the way the Delica handled it - like proverbial on a blanket and better than many road cars.

Best of all it only cost me a couple of grand and some ninja spannering. Maybe it's because I support my family on a nurse's wage, or maybe I'm just naturally cheap, either way I never spend a lot of money on my cars.

EDIT: Best of all, the seats in the back fold down, so you can crawl into your sleeping bag and have a nice kip whenever you want. I call it a flexispace camper.
 
Last edited:

Bigrich

Full Member
Jan 26, 2011
272
0
Malvern
Two Landrover options;

The 110 - 5 seats, separated cargo load, roof rack - carry, pull, transport anything.

Picture007.jpg


The 90 - 2 seats go anywhere.

ThreePeaks2010-Mine009.jpg


Think alot about what you want it to do for you, occasionally you loath it, but you'll always love it :)

Rich
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
If your going for a new one dont worry too much about reliability as you will have a 3 year warranty, granted its a pain to keep having to use it but at least you have peace of mind. I was in a similar position in Dec 09, really wanted a Land Rover but was worried about reliability so opted for a 9 month old Discovery 3 and to be honest, I love it! Likewise (im touching wood now!) its been really reliable as well, its great on the motorway (better than I expected actually), has proved to be capable in the snow and ice and generally gives you a feeling of being very safe. The down side is running cost, £435 tax, £480 for a second service, £750 for 4 tyres, 30 mpg economy etc, etc. I also really like the 110's but for me I dont need (arguably) improved off road ability, my vehicle is used mainly on road.

Having said all the above, if I was buying an off road play thing, I would go Japanese every time. From my experience old LR's that are used extensively off road need a lot of TLC whereas the Jap 4x4's tend to need significantly less.

Regards, Jon.

30 mpg sounds good to me. I'm getting 13 with my ON road truck.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Hi there
I've often considered a Land Rover as I've had a number of 4x4's. They have a huge loyal fan base like VW's and other iconic cars. They are though often labours of love and costly to maintain.
There was a time when they were "Kings of the 'off ' Road". check out any 60's 70's or ever 80's movie with off road driving in Africa or whatever and they invariably drove a Landy. Unfortunately not so today, they are more likley to be in a Toyota Hilux or Land Cruiser. The French army even chose the G Wagen over the Land Rover.
With a 110 you really are driving a truck, and not a car... they are very able off road, but not great on road, compared to other more civilised 4x4's. Because of their iconic status they have totally unrealistic second hand prices. New (if I could afford one) I'd only really consider the Defender as I don't class any of the latest Discoverys as proper 4x4's, despite Jeremy Clarkson's Scottish stunt.
A lot really depends on what you want a 4x4 for...so to speak. Any decent model with low range will go virtually anywhere you need it to with decent AT or MT tyres ... I've had 2 Nissan Patrol's and with BFG Tracedge and AT tyres have never been stuck off road and I do about 40% of my driving on mud or dirt roads here in France. Great and robust cars, but a bit too thirsty....My last one took me over the top of the Pyrennes for 800 miles of pistes, upto 2600m....
I now have a Terrano and it too is surprisingly agile off the tarmac.
If I could have found a 110 for the same money and mileage I got the 2001 Terrano for Yes I'd have got one, but they were all at least double, often for cars with huge mileage or too many years.
There are though today very few proper 4x4's left on the market.. They have all become luxury vehicles. Many wanabee 4x4's are just plain crap off road...
This would be my top ten 4x4 for both on and off roading...
80; 90; 100 series Toyota Land Cruiser; Pajero; Nissan Patrol, Land Rover 110; Upto series 3 Discovery; Mercedes G Wagen; Nissan Terrano; or a pickup...Hilux, Navara, or L200....
Cheers
Gareth

I agree 4 wheelers ain't what they used to be. But so far the thread has had comments about all the reasons why they're changing; better fuel economy, more comfortable ride (at least with this generation), more gadgets (cd, ac, etc). Also there is one more reason not covered yet; more stringent safety requirements by the authorities. I'm as much for safety as anyone but off road capability doesn't always equate with on road safety features. That said I think there are still some pretty good choices out there. The Defender is one of them as is the Jeep Wrangler series and most of the 4wd Toyota pickups. Yeah I liked the Humvee when it was still being made but that's way out of my price range. As far needing mud tires, I've seen the swamp rats do extremely well in the swamps on street tires mounted on a stripped down dune buggy. Not street legal though.
 

Nonsuch

Life Member
Sep 19, 2008
1,862
1
Scotland, looking at mountains
A little footnote on the reliability debate (and I hope I am not tempting fate here)

Of my regular users :
Porsche 911 : always fails its MOT every year (rusty disks and pads)
3 Year old Audi A6 Quattro : failed its first MOT last year
10 Year old Defender TD5 90 : has passed every time without so much as a wiper blade required.

I reckon that if you look after your Landie it will look after you
NS
 

Badger90

Forager
Mar 17, 2011
149
0
Devon
something i can contribute to ;)

Disco or Defender? Here's the low down, if you don't mind working on a vehicle in all weathers, want something that will grow to love like a family member, have 110% faith in that it will do what you want it to do ( and a little more ), become part of a group of people who are like minded and slightly mad on a good day, have a grin similar to wedging a melon in ya gob, not be interested in communicating with your passengers due to the noise at any speed above 30mph, enjoy it when it stops raining outside your vehicle and continues to rain inside, wear several layers and have a blanket over your knees in the winter as the heater stopped working to keep warm, drive constantly with your window down regardless of weather, become immune to rattles, knocks and other noises, work out how much oil you need to top the engine up by looking at the size of the oil slick on the floor, learn that driving at 50-60 is as fast as your gonna get, have deep pockets for the huge fuel consumption, work out that when you watch a film of someone driving and they move the wheel from side to side when going in a straight line, that was based on driving a Landy, and finally ( although i have missed out a huge amount ) become dedicated to the vehicle ( if you cant lift a spanner, forget it ) then consider a 90/110 or a Defender ( or a series if your really into bone rattles ;) )

If on the other hand you want a comfy ride and to become just another puddle splashing Disco driver, then buy one :)


Joking aside, both vehicles are capable but you really need to be commited when buying a Landy, especially a Series/90/110/130 or Defender model, Discos are oki, not my cup of tea though, i enjoy driving my 90 and use it everyday for work and travel. If you go for an older model ( pre 1990 ) then look for one with a 200Tdi engine in ( straightforward conversion ) at least and expect to pay apprx 3-4k for a decent condition one, if your looking for a more expensive one with a 300Tdi or TD5 in, then expect to pay upto and over 8-10k for one in top condition.

I wish you luck and if you need anymore assistance, drop me a message :D

Here's mine with the lovely Fox posing ;)



Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
Last edited:

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE