just read Martyns post above, yeah, fair comparison would be the Disco or RangeRover, both capable but not quite as capable as the defender for the rough stuff.
just got a landy!
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That sounds like my old J reg 110, allways had to carry a pair of dry socks in it !!
On average it cost me the best part of 1.5 to 2k a year to keep on the road, before fuel....apples, oranges, whatever mate....to me it was bananas !!
On average it cost me the best part of 1.5 to 2k a year to keep on the road, before fuel....apples, oranges, whatever mate....to me it was bananas !!
People buy Defenders for very specific reasons, either they want a peerless off-road vehicle, or they want to be able to strip them with a screwdriver and 3 spanners, or they want to pull something that weighs 3.5 tons, or they want an old beater to abuse and want cheap spares and home repairs, or they just love them and want one.
They are not all knackered though. Mine was 2 years old when I bought it with 13,000 gentle miles on it - it was almost new. In the 3 years I've had it, the only money I have spent on it is on after market bolt-on's and routine services. The heater works, as do the electric windows and everything else. It doesnt leak at all, either water in or oil out. I use it every day and it's been every bit as reliable as the mazda I owned before that.
The problem is, used Defenders hold their money stupidly well. That is a double edged sword. It's great if you are selling, but bad news if you are buying on a limited budget. People spend £3k to on an abused, beaten, tired old Defender and get upset when it breaks down and then start comparing it to £3k worth of "motorway" Toyota. If you buy an abused, beaten, tired old anything, it's going to break down. If you want something reliable, you have to pony up for a good one.
They are not all knackered though. Mine was 2 years old when I bought it with 13,000 gentle miles on it - it was almost new. In the 3 years I've had it, the only money I have spent on it is on after market bolt-on's and routine services. The heater works, as do the electric windows and everything else. It doesnt leak at all, either water in or oil out. I use it every day and it's been every bit as reliable as the mazda I owned before that.
The problem is, used Defenders hold their money stupidly well. That is a double edged sword. It's great if you are selling, but bad news if you are buying on a limited budget. People spend £3k to on an abused, beaten, tired old Defender and get upset when it breaks down and then start comparing it to £3k worth of "motorway" Toyota. If you buy an abused, beaten, tired old anything, it's going to break down. If you want something reliable, you have to pony up for a good one.
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yeah, i've not spent money on mine for a while and if i need a part i'm likely to have it on my old one. I know though that i'll get back my money on it 
Martyn, funny how I wouldn't have a Landy now if you gave it me for free, paid it's maintenance and drove it for me......and those that know me, know I'm not kidding either, been there, got the T-shirt mate, got it well out of my system.
Martyn, funny how I wouldn't have a Landy now if you gave it me for free, paid it's maintenance and drove it for me......and those that know me, know I'm not kidding either, been there, got the T-shirt mate, got it well out of my system.
Just as well I'm not trying to persuade you to buy one.
Horses for courses. I love mine, so there ya go.
I've got two.........a 1977 series3 and a 1992 Disco.......
don't know where people get the idea they are expensive to maintain!....I buy new parts online free postage and they are cheaper than the local motor factors can provide and they arrive within three days.......
When ever I use second hand parts I have very little trouble finding them as not only are landrovers in general reasonably abundant compaired to other marques but many have interchangable parts which means I can glean parts from older or newer models, and an abundance of parts means they tend to be cheap.
Why anyone ecpects the series/90/110/defender models to be waterproof is beyond me...it's essintially an open vehicle, the roof is secondary, and if it was water proof below it, it would float when wading like the little Suzukis do!
Did you never wonder why the door has a latched open position?
I have to say that I find people tend to compare old hard worked land rovers with newer under work foriegn motors when it comes to reliability.....My landrovers do break down more often than any other motor in our street and some of them are x4's too, however, most are younger, don't cover the milage mine does (including towing the caravan) and don't venture over two foot rock steps through two foot deep rivers or onto the odd glacier every once in a while!
I unfortunately managed to pull a hose off in the Dales this year and blew the head gasket, managed to rebuild the head and get it running within a day on the camping field....I doubt I could have managed that with most other engines, as they would likely as not been totaled!
Land Rovers aren't everyones cup of tea, but a lot of what people say about them is unfounded and usually repeated from someone who has never owned one, and the myth of unreliability grows!
They are not the best off road all the time either, often a little suzuki will get where a LR will not.........but all in all, for those who's needs they fullfil, the only option is, another land rover!
Smoggy
don't know where people get the idea they are expensive to maintain!....I buy new parts online free postage and they are cheaper than the local motor factors can provide and they arrive within three days.......
When ever I use second hand parts I have very little trouble finding them as not only are landrovers in general reasonably abundant compaired to other marques but many have interchangable parts which means I can glean parts from older or newer models, and an abundance of parts means they tend to be cheap.
Why anyone ecpects the series/90/110/defender models to be waterproof is beyond me...it's essintially an open vehicle, the roof is secondary, and if it was water proof below it, it would float when wading like the little Suzukis do!
Did you never wonder why the door has a latched open position?
I have to say that I find people tend to compare old hard worked land rovers with newer under work foriegn motors when it comes to reliability.....My landrovers do break down more often than any other motor in our street and some of them are x4's too, however, most are younger, don't cover the milage mine does (including towing the caravan) and don't venture over two foot rock steps through two foot deep rivers or onto the odd glacier every once in a while!
I unfortunately managed to pull a hose off in the Dales this year and blew the head gasket, managed to rebuild the head and get it running within a day on the camping field....I doubt I could have managed that with most other engines, as they would likely as not been totaled!
Land Rovers aren't everyones cup of tea, but a lot of what people say about them is unfounded and usually repeated from someone who has never owned one, and the myth of unreliability grows!
They are not the best off road all the time either, often a little suzuki will get where a LR will not.........but all in all, for those who's needs they fullfil, the only option is, another land rover!
Smoggy
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Hear, Hear!
Some very good points there... I have a friend who constantly compares the "reliability" of his 2 year old 10K mile - never goes offroad - Nissan Pathfinder with my 13 year old, 110K mile 110 County Station Wagon... and then berates me when i have to fit a new part!
Of course, the last laugh will be when he comes to sell it, and its worth shedloads less than he paid for it, and the 110 will depreciate hardly at all.
We sold my wifes 90TD for £4500, it was 20 years old, and we had the original purchase receipt, of just over £10K. It was in good condition, but i doubt there are many other 4x4s that would retain 45% of their purchase price over that time.
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