Advice on buying First Defender
- Thread starter Dave
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Well, I'll tell ya folks, I dont have a clue what to buy now.
I can sympathies Dave
I've driven a few defenders over the years and they're terrible to drive on the road, this coming from a guy that loves classic cars and bikes as well.
BUT i still get the urge to buy another whenever i see them on the road.
It's tough separating what we want from what we need, even if we do what we want often defies any logic.
Your best bet is to sit and write down what you want the car to do.
It's fairly easy to draw a list of possibles from that, these will be cars based 100% on fitting the criteria.
Next add on a couple of cars that you want.
Then just spend a couple of weeks (or as is often my case a couple of months) test driving as many examples of those cars as you can.
It's important to try and drive them how they are likely to spend their life with you, it's no good taking a defender down a farm track if it's going to used 99% of the time to get you to work on your daily 60 mile motorway commute.
If you haven't driven a defender before it'll be a bit of a shock of how it drives on the road, so it really is worth getting some test drives sorted.
I had a county station wagon (that's a posh 110 long wheelbase). We needed something that could tow across a muddy field, fit in 6 people and luggage.
We didn't look after it and it had major rust issues after a few years.
Underpowered engine - well, yes, if you are trying to accelerate fast. But it cruised comfortably at over 60 on A roads. The gear ratios meant it could tow anything, anywhere, just don't try to go fast or out accelerate anything new.
As for comfort and space - I never got back pain in long journeys (like, Peterhead to York), unlike other vehicles. The kids loved travelling in it, despite the lack of heat in the rear (we just had blankets). Loads of headroom, no elbowroom. Turns on a dime and is one of the easiest vehicles to park you'll ever own.
Rust is the killer. If you are meticulous about keeping that at bay, they are cheap vehicles to work on and keep. Compared to any other vehicle I've owned, spare parts are very cheap for landies, even the tyres are cheap. Mostly you can fit parts yourself even if you aren't a mechanic.
We didn't look after it and it had major rust issues after a few years.
Underpowered engine - well, yes, if you are trying to accelerate fast. But it cruised comfortably at over 60 on A roads. The gear ratios meant it could tow anything, anywhere, just don't try to go fast or out accelerate anything new.
As for comfort and space - I never got back pain in long journeys (like, Peterhead to York), unlike other vehicles. The kids loved travelling in it, despite the lack of heat in the rear (we just had blankets). Loads of headroom, no elbowroom. Turns on a dime and is one of the easiest vehicles to park you'll ever own.
Rust is the killer. If you are meticulous about keeping that at bay, they are cheap vehicles to work on and keep. Compared to any other vehicle I've owned, spare parts are very cheap for landies, even the tyres are cheap. Mostly you can fit parts yourself even if you aren't a mechanic.
I had a SW too. Great fun and often bought a grin to my face. Partly because it had a 3.5L V8 engine in it.
Would I have another one?
No, probably not but I too lust after them when I see them around
There are often better vehicles out there for what you need it to do for the money
I agree with the posts here, write down your requirements and make the decision with your head not your heart
Would I have another one?
No, probably not but I too lust after them when I see them around
There are often better vehicles out there for what you need it to do for the money
I agree with the posts here, write down your requirements and make the decision with your head not your heart
I've had a couple of series motors, a 90 and a110, and if I had the resources I would still own a Landrover.
Everything that's been said, good and bad, is more or less true, but WTH, I like 'em.
Get yourself up to Thornton Road, Dave, and do a bit of window shopping.
Everything that's been said, good and bad, is more or less true, but WTH, I like 'em.
Get yourself up to Thornton Road, Dave, and do a bit of window shopping.
Ahhh, this old can of worms again!
Now i will admit to being slightly bias in favour of the old 110s, having owned 3 series 111s, 2 110s and now a disco 2. But everything that has been said on here is pretty much true, so here is my reasoning.
firstly, do you actually need one? for space, towing, off road ability? or is it just the whole landy look?
secondly, how far are you realistically going to be driving it, i.e., if it is your every day car, are you town (won't fit into most carparks), or country? rough roads and hard suspension!
thirdly, can you really afford to run a car that does 25-30mpg, with a realistic top speed of 65-75mph (20-25mpg).
forthly, can you wield a spanner, read (and translate) a haynes manual (or have an ubber large bank balance)?
If you can justify all of the above, have a go, you may be lucky and find a really good example and love it to bits, or you may end up like so many here, in love with them but bitter and resentful that they weren't everything they promised.
finally, if you do get one, and don't like it, i'll have it off you for a tenner (just don't tell the wife)
good luck and let us know hat you decide.
Now i will admit to being slightly bias in favour of the old 110s, having owned 3 series 111s, 2 110s and now a disco 2. But everything that has been said on here is pretty much true, so here is my reasoning.
firstly, do you actually need one? for space, towing, off road ability? or is it just the whole landy look?
secondly, how far are you realistically going to be driving it, i.e., if it is your every day car, are you town (won't fit into most carparks), or country? rough roads and hard suspension!
thirdly, can you really afford to run a car that does 25-30mpg, with a realistic top speed of 65-75mph (20-25mpg).
forthly, can you wield a spanner, read (and translate) a haynes manual (or have an ubber large bank balance)?
If you can justify all of the above, have a go, you may be lucky and find a really good example and love it to bits, or you may end up like so many here, in love with them but bitter and resentful that they weren't everything they promised.
finally, if you do get one, and don't like it, i'll have it off you for a tenner (just don't tell the wife)
good luck and let us know hat you decide.
Pick it up Saturday. Freelander 2 2.2TD4 E GS 5dr in a very cool colour scheme.
I had a session at the Landrover Experience off the back of buying the wife's Freelander 2, as a fairly experienced off-road driver I was absolutely astonished at how capable it was on the factory-fit road biased Goodyears.
Having said that my TD5 Disco is on Grabber AT2's!
Dave
Having said that my TD5 Disco is on Grabber AT2's!
Dave
nice one! they are certainly a lot more comfortable and user friendly compared with a defender. i hope you get many miles of pleasure.
The old gal had one for a while, was really surprised at how well it drove, you could really hustle it along on a decent stretch of road, good feedback, and handling wayyyy better than it's size and weight suggests.
Only problem was the reliability, was an absolute nightmare and cost her a fortune in spares and repairs.
Fingers crossed you've got a good one.
Only problem was the reliability, was an absolute nightmare and cost her a fortune in spares and repairs.
Fingers crossed you've got a good one.
Well, here she is....4 years old, less than 40,000 miles on the clock, the first one to have stop\start eco thingy, some nice other features too. She feels big too.
In a cool colour scheme, Bali Blue, which looks almost dark purple, Im really enjoying driving her.
My First Land /rover, a real beauty I think...
Ive ordered a proper spare wheel for her, and the LR rubber mats. Long may she reign.
In a cool colour scheme, Bali Blue, which looks almost dark purple, Im really enjoying driving her.
My First Land /rover, a real beauty I think...
Ive ordered a proper spare wheel for her, and the LR rubber mats. Long may she reign.
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Cheers Tom. How bigs that chocolate lab of yours now? Mines going on 19 months and is 40kg! Still all puppy though.
Couple of points..
My son-in-law bought a RR sport with circa 70K on clock. Shortly afterwards - just out o 3-month warranty - needed two turbos. £5,000 to you sir. Within a day, one of the "new" turbos let go and exploded the engine. £20,0000 to you sir......
How about a left-field choice? SsangYong Rexton. Fully-galvanised body and separate chassis (proper off-roading gear!). Engine and transmission from Mercedes, and looks very similar to Merc ML. Huge amount of space inside and in the boot. Sure, with a separate chassis it won't handle as well as a Range Rover Evoque on the tarmac, but I've not had many problems with mine (2006 2.7diesel manual, bought at 80,000 miles and now at 110,000). 30+mpg, selectable 4wd with high and low ratios, and really comfy on long journeys - recent run to the North Italian lakes and back went smooth as silk). Cost me £3,500. At that price lots of cash left to pay for miscellaneous repairs (in my case new rear spring and discs (total parts cost £200 + fitting labour (another £250)
Found a test on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mtXRv70XaQ ) comparing it against a Volvo XC90 - overall conclusion was that the SsangYong was better off-road, Volvo better on-road - not too surprising as Volvo has no separate chassis, so more a soft-roader... And having had a Volvo before, repair and servicing costs can make your eyes water! Car magazines hate them, but really don't seem to recognise that they are not meant to be a direct comparison to a Range Rover or BMW X5, but instead a go-anywhere rugged beastie.
And final clincher is that you can get a new one for under £22k, with a comprehensive unlimited mileage warranty for 5 years (or is it 7?)
Couple of other videos - Rexton V Grand Cherokee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2WrA7hHmaI
Rexton in snow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csnIDr0EJB0
Nice off-roading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SICAq0Vp-U
My son-in-law bought a RR sport with circa 70K on clock. Shortly afterwards - just out o 3-month warranty - needed two turbos. £5,000 to you sir. Within a day, one of the "new" turbos let go and exploded the engine. £20,0000 to you sir......
How about a left-field choice? SsangYong Rexton. Fully-galvanised body and separate chassis (proper off-roading gear!). Engine and transmission from Mercedes, and looks very similar to Merc ML. Huge amount of space inside and in the boot. Sure, with a separate chassis it won't handle as well as a Range Rover Evoque on the tarmac, but I've not had many problems with mine (2006 2.7diesel manual, bought at 80,000 miles and now at 110,000). 30+mpg, selectable 4wd with high and low ratios, and really comfy on long journeys - recent run to the North Italian lakes and back went smooth as silk). Cost me £3,500. At that price lots of cash left to pay for miscellaneous repairs (in my case new rear spring and discs (total parts cost £200 + fitting labour (another £250)
Found a test on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mtXRv70XaQ ) comparing it against a Volvo XC90 - overall conclusion was that the SsangYong was better off-road, Volvo better on-road - not too surprising as Volvo has no separate chassis, so more a soft-roader... And having had a Volvo before, repair and servicing costs can make your eyes water! Car magazines hate them, but really don't seem to recognise that they are not meant to be a direct comparison to a Range Rover or BMW X5, but instead a go-anywhere rugged beastie.
And final clincher is that you can get a new one for under £22k, with a comprehensive unlimited mileage warranty for 5 years (or is it 7?)
Couple of other videos - Rexton V Grand Cherokee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2WrA7hHmaI
Rexton in snow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csnIDr0EJB0
Nice off-roading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SICAq0Vp-U
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He's still much a pup albeit a large one,lol
He's 18 mth and had his first bitch covered last week.
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