Childhood Dreams

Hi.
Can anybody out there offer me advice.
As I get older I want to live some of my childhood dreams, preferably the ones involving Hot Gossip. But you may be able to help with the landrover one, I've always had a hankering for a short wheelbase pickup.

A. What could I get for between two and five thousand pounds? preferably nearer two than five. Condition more important than age.
B. How much maintenance would it need? I don't mind the odd days work but don't want to spend all weekend underneath it just to get to work the following week.
C. What are they like for rust? I enjoy nuts and bolts stuff but hate welding bodywork and gobbo.
D. Can anyone recommend dealers in the East/West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire area?

I've kept it pretty short but the questions could go on for ever.

Hi Grunt,

I have got a 1987 90 Tilt 2.5 N/A (God that sound like an anarak talking!).

I am on my third 90.

My first was a 1997 Defender 300Tdi County Staion Wagon 7 seats. You would pay between £6,000 to £8,000 depending on condition.

My second was a 1989 90 2.5 Turbo Pick Up. I bought from eBay. Major error!!! The guy lied about the condition of the chassis. I paid £2,500 for it and sold it with a rotton chassis back on eBay for £1,600, after spending £1,200 on it. I could have had the welding done, but I just cut my losses.

I have been warned by my local Land Rover workshop (not a poncy dealer like HR Owens) NOT to buy a farmers car, especially sheep farmers. The wet mud (which normally contains sheep urine) sticks to the chassis, and just rots it away.

My current 90 is 1987 and ex-Military, which was low mileage (81k kilometers) when it came out and has full history from its registration. It has had power steering added and civilian seats fitted. The body is straight and is not camoflaged, but is in drab olive paint. I paid £4,500 for it and have only changed two front bushes and had an oil service in the last year. It passed its MOT this week with only an exhaust bracket that was broken and two new wiper blades. I love the car to death!

Basically, you will need to spend around £3,000 to £5,000 for something you wont be under all the time.

If the car has power steering, check the drop arm for leaks. A new box will cost around £180 - £200, plus the time to fit it.

Check the hubs for leaks, replacement seals are about £60-£80 per side.

Bushes are cheap to replace, but can be a b!tch to get out the old ones!

Rear chassis cross member check for rot, especially around the jacking points. Replacement would be about £150ish.

If the engine is breathing heavily, be careful.

Check for transmission whines and make sure it changes up and down OK.

Check the transfer box to ensure it engages correctly and drives OK.

Bulk head rot, expensive to replace.

Doors rot, especially the wind up window type and very expensive to replace.

Be prepared to travel to get a good one.

My local Landie workshop really only deals with 90s & 110s and builds them if required. A proper mechanic! That's where I got my first and current one.

Best regards

Frosticles

Hey up Frosticles, just thought I'd let you know how I was getting on.
I've been to look at a few some worse than others (there's a lot of crap out there). One thing that dosn't suprise me is that landrover salesmen are the same as car salesmen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I've canged my mind about what to get half a dozen times and I'm back to thinking of 90 pickups. I'm off to look at one I've heard of through word of mouth, it's suprising how many people are landyite's when you get talking.
All The Best GRUNT.

Hi Grunt,

It is worth giving my local guys a call (they are opposite my house!).

I get mine serviced there and they are REAL mechanics not fitting monkeys. They have a few in at the moment. Basically I trust them not to sell you a duffer!!

Here is the web site with the contact details. Ask to speak to Richard (son) or Rodney (father). They specialise in Defenders/Series and build one to order if you want one.

http://www.rst-landrovers.co.uk/

Let me know how you get on!

Best regards

Ta for the offer I may take you up on it, but at the moment I've got quite a few round here to look at. I'm not in any hurry, MOT on my old estate it will be replacing isn't due till April so I've plenty of time.
In one of the threads on buying landies on this forum someone said "Penny Wise Pound Foolish" which the more I think and the more I see It's an apt saying so I might be visiting the bank manager to borrow a bit more.
It'll mean I wont be able to buy the trialy I promised myself though.

Gotta agree with Frosticle about RST. They are not just mechanincs though ... they are enthusiastic about Landys too!

I apreciate what your saying but it's a 500 mile round trip. I don't think the old Farmer Giles would stand up to doing half of that in a landrover!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This place is only 20ish miles away, I havent visited them yet but seem ok over the phone. They havent got anything to suit me in at the moment but say stock changes regularly. Has any one had dealings with them?

http://www.pablanchard.co.uk/

There are a few for sale privately to look at but with the shorter day makes going any distance to look difficult. I've picked the wrong time of year realy

Not had dealings with Blanchard's myself, but know a few people who have and they all rate the place as OK.

don't know if you've picked the wrong time of year though: taking a LR for a test-drive in the rain will show you where the leaks are

Leaks.What d'you mean leaks?
Won't the upholstery get wet?

Don't know what them Deefenders are like, but my III in driving rain for a couple 'o' hundred miles is going to leave you with at least one webbed foot! Throttle foot, can't move that one neither! Got rubber treads on my brake & clutch now, was going to bolt a small flipper onto my go-go pedal out of "rispeck".........far easier than tracking down the leak!

My first 90 had a leak that ran down the drivers door pillar, to the sticky out door hinge, ran along the hinge, which was right above the throttle, same problem!

Easily fixed...... a Co-Op plastic carrier bag over my boot!

Hey up it's me again.

Would be grateful if anyone can answer some questions.

I've been offered (by word of mouth) a 1988 E reg' 90 pick up. But until I see it don't know much about it apart from the fact that it's a bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!(aren't they all).

What's the chance of it being a petrol? If it is then I'm not interested.

If it's a diesel will it be the 200 Tdi? If not the Tdi then what will it be, and how much poke will it have in comparison?

Some of the ones, well one I've seen had really crap paintwork, ie runs, but didn't strike me as having a paint job is this to be expected. It was 12 years old so I suppose it could have been resprayed early on in life and the paint "weathered".