Help on buying a Defender please.

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Lowbank

Lowbank

Active Member
Posts
317
Location
Burnley, lancashire
I have owed two Freelanders for the past 4-5 years and bought a 2010 Honda CRV a few months ago Looking to keep it whilst I finished working in the next few years.
Now with Covid -19 I am going to retire early in July and I hate the CRV plus it has dPF so my limited use would be a disaster. So my plan is to sell all 3, ( I have 5 cars, other two MGTF and A 98 5.7 Camaro.)

I am going to buy a Defender, circa 15-20k.
I am drawn to a late TD5, 2004-5. now being a freelander owner, obviously I am used to working on my cars frequently so that’s not an issue.

what I would like to hear from members is , am I missing something not selecting a Ford powered Defender or is the td5 the one to go get.

I would love some thoughts from owners. Main concern is it being stolen. What’s the best way of stopping it being stolen?

thankyou for all replies.
 
I did read the 300tdi is almost indestructible. What years were they made??
I do like working On my cars and Have most kit, be it welding , hoists, painting kit etc.
 
Gmacz said:
You are missing something not getting a 200tdi or a 300tdi. If you like working on your own vehicles, these are the ones to own.
Click to expand...

You can do quite a bit of your own work on a td5. They are not all foofoo dust and magic. But I would recommend getting a nanocom for it.

For @Lowbank Depends if you want the agricultural experience or the slightly newer more civilsed experience, you really need to drive both a tdci and a td5.

But whatever it comes down to, do not rely on age being the identifier for condition, I have seen seom fairly new Fenders that are real manky underneath.


Cheers
 
Being an Engineer, I have started a file with reviews and articles. I like to do research before jumping in. But owner help is massive.
I see the 300tdi goes on till 2006, but mainly for the military vehicles.
 
The TD5 is an interesting proposition if you like tuning engines, as there are a lot of aftermarket parts available and the later, post 2002 ECUs can be remapped via the diagnostic port. In eight years of ownership the only thing I haven't been able to fix myself is ECU faults in the circuit board or the components soldered to it. Everything else is just nuts and bolts, gaskets and washers, oil seals and suchlike. There are even accounts on here of people doing a pretty good job of rebuilding their TD5 engine on their driveway.
 
I would buy on condition rather than engine/age. Couple of extreme examples to make the point but I would rather buy an early 200tdi that has had a full rebuild galv everything and has very little that is actually as old as the reg document, than a last off the line tdci that has spend its life launching boats and sitting on the beach.
Personally I prefer mechanical over electrical, but I would agree that there is a lot that can still be done diy on a td5. Although more complicated than the tdi engines I consider it to be the last land rover engine that is easily accessible to the home mechanic. I would also consider with your budget buying one in poorer condition for 8-10k and then spending 8-10k rebuilding whatever vehicle you end up with onto a new chassis/bulkhead/everything. you will most certainly end up with a better vehicle doing it this way, however it would also be more work and take more time until you have a driveable vehicle.
 
A late 300tdi county on a galv chassis with galv bulkhead will always be a very nice machine.
Advantage of 200 and 300 is the only elec things on the vehicles are the radio and the alternator.

Auto would also be a big plus as you age.

As you have identified secrity is a real concern, and after a while gets a bit wearing.
 
I am not sure I want a disco, I have read the woes of welding. Being an older gent, I have done with the days of replacing whole floors and sills which I have done in the past on Minis, MGB’s and Midgets.
 
lynall said:
A late 300tdi county on a galv chassis with galv bulkhead will always be a very nice machine.
Advantage of 200 and 300 is the only elec things on the vehicles are the radio and the alternator.

Auto would also be a big plus as you age.

As you have identified secrity is a real concern, and after a while gets a bit wearing.
Click to expand...

what do most people do about security??


My other half cannot drove an auto, I have tried before to convert her but she just could not get it.

I do see the advantage of less electrics.
Took me 6 months to completely stop my three amigos coming on intermittently.

didn’t know you could get Galvanised bulkheads, I did know that was a problem area.
 
Lowbank said:
what do most people do about security??


My other half cannot drove an auto, I have tried before to convert her but she just could not get it.

I do see the advantage of less electrics.
Took me 6 months to completely stop my three amigos coming on intermittently.

didn’t know you could get Galvanised bulkheads, I did know that was a problem area.
Click to expand...


People do all sorts, most wont mention them on an open forum for obvious reasons.
Basically you have to try and make it harder to steal than the one down the road, then you want it marked up top to bottom so if they do steal it, they then find the markings and have to get rid of it.

Couple more on ebay with galv b/heads and chassis, manual trans as well.
 
lynall said:
Nice looking motor, mental price though!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-LAN...900730?hash=item26358894fa:g:y0EAAOSwyZhcojoj

Edit forgot to say 1998 is when the tdi was replaced by the td5, apart from as you mentioned.
Click to expand...

agreed, nice motor, don’t really want to spend that amount. But having said that, I intend this to be my final car purchase and keep it. Again that’s why I don’t want it stolen. Living around the countryside I do see lots of posts about stolen defenders round here.
 
Lowbank said:
agreed, nice motor, don’t really want to spend that amount. But having said that, I intend this to be my final car purchase and keep it. Again that’s why I don’t want it stolen. Living around the countryside I do see lots of posts about stolen defenders round here.
Click to expand...

That is the main advantage of the disco 2, no one really nicks them!
Get one with a good chassis, and it will see you well, but wont age as graceffuly as a defender.
 
My Son used to put a big anchor chain around the axle and around a tree with a big motor cycle lock, a bit like locking your bike up to a lamppost.
 
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