Series III, worth buying?
- Thread starter J80s
- Start date
This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Marmaduke
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 9,773
- Location
- Near the land of 'Me Duck'
Just look at the chassis and the bulkhead but it looks great in the pictures. How much is it?
LincolnSteve
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 1,205
- Location
- Lincoln
That looks really nice on the face of it. The only way to be sure though is to crawl under it and prod and poke with a screwdriver at every nook and cranny of the chassis. Especially the rear crossmember and the outriggers. If you have a look at my rebuild thread you will see that I bought a total rot box so i'm not pretending I'm clever, but having made every buyingeerror going I can definitely advise what not to do.
It does look good though. Do you mind if I ask how much they want for it?
It does look good though. Do you mind if I ask how much they want for it?
Thanks. They're asking €6,500 (Ireland). Generally are parts for these easy or hard to come by, and cheap or expensive? And is it reasonable to expect that these should start up and run reliably, or realistically am I going to be playing around with the choke etc on a winter morning for a while to get it running?!
RyanDay1
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 524
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
Cant speak for the petrol S3's but parts are plenty and range from very cheap to decent price for better quality. You could find most parts under atleast 4 different brands and all ranging in price depending on what you wanna spend. You can go to any of the popular parts sellers for customer service and important parts you need to trust and ebay etc. for the rest of the easy cheap stuff you might need. My S3 rust bucket was the best £200 ever spent on me. I wish mine looked like that! As the others say check the chassis and bulkhead and all other parts should cost you pence in that condition. Look after it and it will look after you! That looks a really nice clean S3 is it MOD? 
Whilst it does look nice and tidy, I'm not sure its a genuine military vehicle. The rear cross member isn't military, the paintwork looks too recent and the black is not matt unless it's just the photo. SWB S3 militaries aren't usually hard top although it's a genuine original hard top. If it's an original 2.25l diesel they are very sluggish compared to later diesels but for a 6 mile chug it's fine.
RyanDay1
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 524
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
The only place ive ever commuted to in mine is down the field and back
Marmaduke
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 9,773
- Location
- Near the land of 'Me Duck'
You would want to give yourself an extra 10 minutes over how long it currently takes
Yes I've three reasons for wanting it: 1) hauling stuff every so often 2) commuting to work as a second car cause often the other one is being used and 3) for no reason at all just because they're cool.
I can see that numbers 1 and 3 should fit the bill perfectly, still a little concerned about number 2 I know the ride will be bumpy and it won't drive like a sports car but if it's reasonably well cared for is it likely to start every morning and actually get me there and back?
I can see that numbers 1 and 3 should fit the bill perfectly, still a little concerned about number 2
I know the ride will be bumpy and it won't drive like a sports car but if it's reasonably well cared for is it likely to start every morning and actually get me there and back?honolulujoe
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 6,137
- Location
- richmond surrey
I potter about in an s3 diesel and I like it
RyanDay1
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 524
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
Yes I've three reasons for wanting it: 1) hauling stuff every so often 2) commuting to work as a second car cause often the other one is being used and 3) for no reason at all just because they're cool.
I can see that numbers 1 and 3 should fit the bill perfectly, still a little concerned about number 2
Keep number 3 in the back of your head and number 1, 2 and every other concern you have will never matter!
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
- Posts
- 27,632
- Location
- Manchester
+1 For not a military chassis,,,, BUT,,,,,,,,
You will never know what this vehicle has had done to it over the years without buying it and getting down and dirty with it. My chassis is military with a none military rear cross member added later. It has series 1,2,and 3 parts and the panels are off several vehicles after what looks like a bigish shunt at one point. None of this matters at all as the grin they bring outweighs any of their bad points tenfold.
You will never know what this vehicle has had done to it over the years without buying it and getting down and dirty with it. My chassis is military with a none military rear cross member added later. It has series 1,2,and 3 parts and the panels are off several vehicles after what looks like a bigish shunt at one point. None of this matters at all as the grin they bring outweighs any of their bad points tenfold.
Rattlegun
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 970
- Location
- Rhondda, Wales
There were plenty of standard S3's delivered for military use that had standard crossmembers and general construction. The rubber gearbox refill plug cover on top of the transmission tunnel is a military giveaway.
Land Raver
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 2,015
- Location
- In the dog house
On the face of it, it looks a nice Land Rover. The footwells have the original strengthening flutes pressed into them, they will have been replaced at some point given its age but looks like it's been done well from the photos. Chassis is unknown as we can't see it.
Your short journey to work in a diesel should be fine as long as there are no big hills involved. Mine has never failed to start. They are just down on power where hills are concerned. Buy one of you really want a Series Land Rover and you'll love the thing. Buy it just for practical 2nd vehicle and you'll probably tire of it.
Your short journey to work in a diesel should be fine as long as there are no big hills involved. Mine has never failed to start. They are just down on power where hills are concerned. Buy one of you really want a Series Land Rover and you'll love the thing. Buy it just for practical 2nd vehicle and you'll probably tire of it.
LincolnSteve
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 1,205
- Location
- Lincoln
I agree with Bobsticle. You will never really know what you have until you get it home and start tinkering with it. By then you will be so hooked on it that it won't matter anyway. Just make sure that it is genuine with a solid chassis and bulkhead. Everything else can be dealt with without too much trouble and you can decide what you want to do with it while you run it for a bit. Run it as it is, restore it to original, modify it to make it more usable day to day. Anything is possible as long as it's not a been bodged and it doesn't look like it has.
Great advice, thanks everyone. @Land Raver you mentioned hills- there's aren't any serious ones on my commute but I did want to take it up the mountains and there are some steep hills- what will happen here? I'll be in no hurry but will it handle them okay?
Land Raver
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 2,015
- Location
- In the dog house
You'll get up the mountains sure enough, just nice and steadily. Gives you time to take in the scenery.
The military used these in all terrains so it's fit for purpose - it's just no robbery getaway vehicle. Think lorry performance and you'll be close.
I pooter about on mine at the weekend, but nowadays I have to use it for a daily 14 mile commute cos wifey and kids use the other cars. Suits me fine chugging every morning. Mines petrol and I have just one big hill in the morning. It gets up in its own time in top gear. Only problem are ****ers driving up behind in the dark. Go for it you could buy worse...and enjoy.
