Wildefalcon
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My son is swapping his good but rusty focus for a series. The ford costs £9 per day in town, the series is ULEZ exempt and with decent rust proofing means no replacement cost, reducing the TCO even further.
Series 3 The Ultimate Series Daily Driver
- Thread starter tom.brandford
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tottot
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Unless escaping a ULEZ the above is best. And if landy need to be off the road a bit for some repair it is not a problem
tom.brandford
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I’m thinking as it also doesn’t run full time 4WD
tom.brandford
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Should be as long as historic tax class
My mistake, I have just checked and yes it is foc, but sadly not from the congestion charge.
Turboman
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Congestion charge zone is tiny, about a square mile of Central London, and, as your link shows, doesn't operate after 6pm.
I have been driving in and around London since I could drive at all, and I have never entered the congestion charging zone during hours of operation. So I can't see it being a problem except for people who need to take a vehicle to work in the zone.
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Umm, about ten square miles!
tom.brandford
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I’ve been primarily in London for the first few months and I’ll admit I’ve never had an issue with congestion zone as generally if I’m going that central will take the Tube
Turboman
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Fair enough. I have never measured it. But I do know I have never needed to enter it.
Driving to my mate's place in the Ditch, you see the warning signs along the Euston Rd, but I always go along the 501 ringroad, so no need to turn right.
It may have been extended, for all I know, I don't think I have been up there in a car for about 3 years.
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Yes, I think it was expanded a while back. The daughter is one problem, she lives in it, works in it, and if we want to go out that'll be in it too. Another problem is that if I've got something to do up there I do actually like driving in central, especially in decent weather roof off in the lightweight because you get to see the architecture better. It's a pretty nice city.
Turboman
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It is a problem if a relative lives in it.
Which reminds me, I am staying one night next month with my daughter in Bristol, which has just introduced an LEZ.
I need to check if my car is compliant, and if not, how to pay.
I understand the rationale for these schemes, but the inconsistency is irritating, it would be better if the same rules applied to all urban areas.
My daughter's own car pays the charge where she lives, but is compliant in London. Strange.
I wouldn't be worrying too much about fuel economy. If it is a diesel it will do about the same regardless of what configuration it is in. I have come the conclusion that the aerodynamics (and speed) make far more difference than anything else.
^^ 110 hardtop with a disco transfer box and disco 200tdi, running 265/75 Bfg AT
^^ 90 hardtop, TD5, standard drivetrain, running 265/75 Bfg AT (ignore the best MPG that is an error)
^^ 88 series 3 softop, 2.25 diesel with OD, running 7.50 Michelin XZL
As you can see there is not that much difference between any of them and they are all averaged over a long time (especially the 110). With an old land rover there is much more important things to worry about than MPG ad if you are worried about MPG the easiest way to improve it is alter your driving style rather than modify the vehicle.
The 110 above (1989) was my daily for 13 years before the engine fire, then the td5 above became my daily and once rebuilt the 110 will be back as a daily drive, I am doing about 30k a year so don't listen to anyone who says they cannot be a perfectly usable daily drive.
Turboman
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Agree entirely.
The beauty of a Series now is that you save more on the free tax, no MOT, and cheaper insurance than you spend on fuel.
Unless you drive more than about 10k a year.
Below is the website I use to track my MPG and you can see everyone else's on there as well so if you are really worried about it you can have a look at the link below and see real world MPG of different land rovers and you will see they are about the same!
https://www.fuelly.com/car/land_rover
https://www.fuelly.com/car/land_rover
tottot
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It is like the argument for electric cars. " I am getting an electric car and it will save me a fortune on fuel ". Forgetting the car will cost thousands more than the same petrol car which would run for years on the extra money spent and then some years down the line will need a costly new battery while a looked after fuel car will keep going.
Don't get me wrong there is a place for electric and that is in big cities and towns to lower pollution of fuel vehicles which are pottering around their engines never working enough to get cat's, ect working properly.
As for hybrids, They are just a petrol engine hauling a battery/motor around or a battery/motor hauling a petrol motor about.
Felt like a bit of a rant today.
Don't get me wrong there is a place for electric and that is in big cities and towns to lower pollution of fuel vehicles which are pottering around their engines never working enough to get cat's, ect working properly.
As for hybrids, They are just a petrol engine hauling a battery/motor around or a battery/motor hauling a petrol motor about.
Felt like a bit of a rant today.
LetsHopeItFits
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Id drive the series youve got currently every day for 6 months and see if you still want to daily drive one.
Having lived and relied on old crap as my only transportation, you almost certainly will get fed up with it. Youll want something that doesnt let rainwater in like a colander, youll want something that can overtake someone whos yet to figure out that the pedal on the right makes the car go faster, and actually what I found personally was that youll want something that will just shut up sometimes, and not have half the pedestrians turning to look at you in slight bewilderment as you rattle up the same hill, day after day after day, and then get out looking like youve wet yourself.
I love an old landy (almost) as much as anyone else on this forum, but theres a reason so few of us drive them everyday!
Having lived and relied on old crap as my only transportation, you almost certainly will get fed up with it. Youll want something that doesnt let rainwater in like a colander, youll want something that can overtake someone whos yet to figure out that the pedal on the right makes the car go faster, and actually what I found personally was that youll want something that will just shut up sometimes, and not have half the pedestrians turning to look at you in slight bewilderment as you rattle up the same hill, day after day after day, and then get out looking like youve wet yourself.
I love an old landy (almost) as much as anyone else on this forum, but theres a reason so few of us drive them everyday!
tom.brandford
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Well, I thought I better give an update on this!
Decided to ditch London, and returned to Norfolk via a stint in Wales. Whilst I was in Wales, I decided I felt a bit bad about beating up the series and wanted to do more wading, so bought a 110 CSW off a farm with a 300tdi in it. Safe to say, the chassis and engine were solid but not much else.
I did 6k+ miles in the series in about 6 months last year — a mix of local pottering, Laning both in Norfolk, the Lakes, and Wales, and some major motorway mileage (also did a house move in it). To be honest, I can’t fault it — it’s a really solid example, doesn’t leak, and has a brilliant heater (although the fuel economy nearly bankrupted me…)
The 110 will become my daily when my Fiesta dies/the better half learns to drive — whilst I don’t have any issues with using the series, it’s so original I don’t want to do an engine swap to make it more economical.
Long term, however, a V8 does call my name… although I think I may need to buy a house first before I’m allowed another!
LetsHopeItFits
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A V8 will drink fuel, I daily drove my 3.9 efi discovery manual and I averaged 14mpg, and that was on A roads, on standard size AT tyres. 12mpg around town, and that was averaged over half a tank or so.
Id imagine a series, being slightly taller and given how badly the doors seem to fit on every single one Ive seen, less aerodynamic, it would be even worse. And youd probably opt for carbs over EFI, honestly if youve got a heavy foot I wouldnt be supprised if you got single digits.
Id imagine a series, being slightly taller and given how badly the doors seem to fit on every single one Ive seen, less aerodynamic, it would be even worse. And youd probably opt for carbs over EFI, honestly if youve got a heavy foot I wouldnt be supprised if you got single digits.
Wildefalcon
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Glorious way to make carbon dioxide.
