Chassis on TDCI

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PeterT135

PeterT135

Member
Posts
20
Location
Aberdeenshire
Hi All
I'm new to the forum, so please be kind.

I'm looking to get rid of my Ford Ranger and get a Landy. I'm thinking of a TDCi or a TD5. I've been told the greatest risk is the chassis. When getting something 10, 15+ years old how worried should I be? Should I look for older with a galv chassis? Opinions please...
 
Mine is nearly ten years old, waxoyled inside at 3 years. Waxoyled the front dumb irons outsides at the same time but never got round to doing the rest (yet). The chassis is SOLID. No cause for concern regarding corrosion. But it depends on the kind of life it has had with previous owners, I have looked after mine since I got it at 11 months old. It would be a different story if it had spent its life as a farm truck or hauling boats in and out of salt water.
 
@PeterT135 , as others above, it depends upon the life the Land Rover has led and how well the chassis has been maintained. For ref' mine is 33 years old, still on the original chassis which is genuinely rock solid. The rear cross member was replaced with a heavy duty unit ~5 years ago. Rear cross members often need replacing, same with out riggers and suspension points. None of this is to worry about as is straight forward to complete.

The more critical areas are the front footwells and bulkhead as they do rot and are often poorly maintained, if at all. But replacement footwell/panel sections and complete bulkheads are readily available from multiple suppliers.

With Land Rovers the trick is to buy the best you can afford in the very best of structural and mechanical condition - go out and inspect/test drive a few to get a good feel, recognise the difference between a blinged up shiny sh!tter, one of medium quality, and one that has been very well maintained.

Re' blinged up shiny sh!tters...a good percentage of Land Rovers fall into this category, with shiny paint jobs, LED lights, light bars and unneeded gizmos - stay clear of these. It's best to find a bog standard unmolested example and add the accessories specific to your post purchase. Good luck with search.
 
v8250 said:
@PeterT135 , as others above, it depends upon the life the Land Rover has led and how well the chassis has been maintained. For ref' mine is 33 years old, still on the original chassis which is genuinely rock solid. The rear cross member was replaced with a heavy duty unit ~5 years ago. Rear cross members often need replacing, same with out riggers and suspension points. None of this is to worry about as is straight forward to complete.

The more critical areas are the front footwells and bulkhead as they do rot and are often poorly maintained, if at all. But replacement footwell/panel sections and complete bulkheads are readily available from multiple suppliers.

With Land Rovers the trick is to buy the best you can afford in the very best of structural and mechanical condition - go out and inspect/test drive a few to get a good feel, recognise the difference between a blinged up shiny sh!tter, one of medium quality, and one that has been very well maintained.

Re' blinged up shiny sh!tters...a good percentage of Land Rovers fall into this category, with shiny paint jobs, LED lights, light bars and unneeded gizmos - stay clear of these. It's best to find a bog standard unmolested example and add the accessories specific to your post purchase. Good luck with search.
Click to expand...
+1^ all that glitters ain't a real landrover!! :D
 
v8250 said:
@PeterT135 , as others above, it depends upon the life the Land Rover has led and how well the chassis has been maintained. For ref' mine is 33 years old, still on the original chassis which is genuinely rock solid. The rear cross member was replaced with a heavy duty unit ~5 years ago. Rear cross members often need replacing, same with out riggers and suspension points. None of this is to worry about as is straight forward to complete.

The more critical areas are the front footwells and bulkhead as they do rot and are often poorly maintained, if at all. But replacement footwell/panel sections and complete bulkheads are readily available from multiple suppliers.

With Land Rovers the trick is to buy the best you can afford in the very best of structural and mechanical condition - go out and inspect/test drive a few to get a good feel, recognise the difference between a blinged up shiny sh!tter, one of medium quality, and one that has been very well maintained.

Re' blinged up shiny sh!tters...a good percentage of Land Rovers fall into this category, with shiny paint jobs, LED lights, light bars and unneeded gizmos - stay clear of these. It's best to find a bog standard unmolested example and add the accessories specific to your post purchase. Good luck with search.
Click to expand...

+2 on this. "Shiny sh!tter" is a fine understated term :)
 
Buy on condition and not necessarily age and mileage. An older chassis that has been looked after is better than a newer one that hasn’t.
 
PeterT135 said:
I'm thinking of a TDCi or a TD5. I've been told the greatest risk is the chassis. When getting something 10, 15+ years old how worried should I be? Opinions please...
Click to expand...

Quite worried, ideally take someone who knows what they're looking at or be sure to check the chassis and bulkhead very closely. There's plenty of fly by night Defender owners out there looking to cash in on the inflated prices and sell their rust heaps for a pretty penny. :rolleyes:
 
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