Valuing a Defender - where to start...

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Well as much as I love the Defender, the current prices are unrealistic especially when compared to the competition.

Would I spend 25k (if I had it!) on a tarted up TD5 or would I buy a current model vehicle such as the jimny.......Japan it is for me......£20,995.....not in yellow though :rolleyes:
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Um, l've got a yellow one lol

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l can vouch for the Jimny, it's a superb little 4x4
Probably in the blue or black colours! Although l like our Kinetic Yellow one.

The only issue is, it's got no centre differential so you can only use the 4wd when off road. So when driving on road in ice/snow you have to keep switching it in and out of 4wd depending on the road conditions.

Having said that you can switch in and out of 4wd at up to 60mph and the transition is very smooth between 2wd and 4wd.

But it's very capable off road, it's got HDC and electric diff locks so will find traction even if only one wheel is on solid ground. lt's also got a low range box and l like the fact that there are proper levers to engage these items rather than a button on some touchscreen.

lt's also pretty good on road. lgnore the reviews saying avoid motorways, it's fine as long as you don't try to drive it flat out. As in a Defender, best to sit at 65mph with the cruise control on.
Oh and the heater is superb!
 
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l can vouch for the Jimny, it's a superb little 4x4
Probably in the blue or black colours! Although l like our Kinetic Yellow one.

The only issue is, it's got no centre differential so you can only use the 4wd when off road. So when driving on road in ice/snow you have to keep switching it in and out of 4wd depending on the road conditions.

But it's very capable off road, it's got HDC and electric diff locks so will find traction even if only one wheel is on solid ground.
Does it come in red? With a black and white cat? I’ll get my coat....
 
Pretty much. My hilux worked perfectly. Low mileage, draws and dog crates in back etc. It just didn’t feel special. I used to have jap imports - they had the same special feel. I’d actually started saving for an ls430 should I end up doing mileage again and had half of the money for it aside but my defender wanted to spend the money at Ashcroft :rolleyes:
I did get a bit of a tired one but I think they’ll all need bits soon enough at the age they’re at. I always get people say I’d love to own a defender like yours. I tell them they don’t lol. It amazes me that people who can’t spanner on them buy them too. Probably cheaper to run an m car!

I regularly have work colleagues/friends/family say the same thing. I tell the same as you - can you spanner? If not, forget it!
 
Yes had it six years done 70,000 miles and it's been the most reliable vehicle l have owned.
Although looking at the history of expenditure since l bought it is a bit scary, over £8,000

Yes, put a piece of A4 paper on the floor and the cat will go and sit on it !
 
I regularly have work colleagues/friends/family say the same thing. I tell the same as you - can you spanner? If not, forget it!

I used to get it all the time with the 90 at the fuel pumps, wow great car I have always wanted one etc etc, from all walks of life as well, still get people ask me about the D3 as well!, tell them the same as I told the ones who asked me about the defender, unless you can diy you had better have deep pockets!
Worst ones are your work mates thinking of getting a disco to haul their kids/grandkids about, I mean how can you recommend any land rover product to anyone you know? and you have to be brutally honest about the running costs, not one has bought one yet! though I have noticed a D4 appeared in the car park.
 
I used to get it all the time with the 90 at the fuel pumps, wow great car I have always wanted one etc etc, from all walks of life as well, still get people ask me about the D3 as well!, tell them the same as I told the ones who asked me about the defender, unless you can diy you had better have deep pockets!
Worst ones are your work mates thinking of getting a disco to haul their kids/grandkids about, I mean how can you recommend any land rover product to anyone you know? and you have to be brutally honest about the running costs, not one has bought one yet! though I have noticed a D4 appeared in the car park.

there are a huge number of evoque, fl2, disco 3/4/5 around my way and the occasional FFRR so JLR shift volume...

To be fair there are a number of older defenders about to
 
Yes had it six years done 70,000 miles and it's been the most reliable vehicle l have owned.
Although looking at the history of expenditure since l bought it is a bit scary, over £8,000

Yes, put a piece of A4 paper on the floor and the cat will go and sit on it !

I’m probably close to 3000 in under a year and have done 2k of that in 2 months if that helps!!!
 
Just been watching a posh lad on YouTube plough money into a build. Dripping in optimil bits, thousands of pounds of seats etc. throwing so much money at the thing. Don’t know if they sell them or not but it’s absolute madness. Think the prices are also rising because they’re trendy to the hipsters!
 
Not Juice Motors was it, does lot of work, always amuses me that he does the wheel and tyre conversion and the lift really early in the project then has to get steps to work on the servicing and fitting other mods..

Does some nice work, but £££ of work and mods bolt on goodies.
 
Not Juice Motors was it, does lot of work, always amuses me that he does the wheel and tyre conversion and the lift really early in the project then has to get steps to work on the servicing and fitting other mods..

Does some nice work, but £££ of work and mods bolt on goodies.

it was! It looked insane at the end (bar the spacers). He must have a sh1t load of cash to put into them. The interior was unreal. Wrapped in tan leather
 
l think the O/P sold his Land Rover for £24,250 so a good result
EDIT SHOULD READ £14,250

From the video it looked a really nice clean example
 
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I used to get it all the time with the 90 at the fuel pumps, wow great car I have always wanted one etc etc, from all walks of life as well, still get people ask me about the D3 as well!, tell them the same as I told the ones who asked me about the defender, unless you can diy you had better have deep pockets!
Worst ones are your work mates thinking of getting a disco to haul their kids/grandkids about, I mean how can you recommend any land rover product to anyone you know? and you have to be brutally honest about the running costs, not one has bought one yet! though I have noticed a D4 appeared in the car park.
But equally if you can DIY it’s perfect and relatively low expenditure. That said, there’s just something about a defender that is I. The blood. For all their faults and subsequent woes, if it is in you, you have a life long passion and love for it. I can’t explain it!!
 
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