Defender90td5

Defender90td5

Active Member
Hi all,

After much looking about and help from this forum I have decided to go for either a 300TDI or TD5. I have 2 potential Land Rover defender 90’s to choose from in my local area, both in excellent condition on galvanised chassis’s. This will be my first car and I have a budget of around £8,000 to £10,000. I will be primarily be using the car to get to and from my home to college (going to be studying agricultural engineering so maintaining the engines shouldnt be a worry) on country roads and motorways every so often. I will need to be able to tow upto 3.5 tonnes regularly up extremely steep hills as to get out of where I live you have to exit the valley up 33% gradients. My 17th birthday is in December this year but my father would use the car every so often to make sure it’s not just left until I can drive.

My question is:

- which engine to get and why?

Thanks for your help in advance,

Robert
 
Galladog said:
Your name is Defender90td5, surely that is the answer to your question ?
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It was just the only username i could think of. I just want a straight answer as to what people think i should need. I know the 300tdi is reliable and a strong unit but only makes 111hp and sounds 'meh' whereas the td5 has more electronic wizardry but has 125hp (i think?) and a bit more poke about it aswell as it is easily tuneable and makes a nicer sound. I just want a real world, down to earth answer :)
 
Personally I'd look at the overall condition rather than engine, also take into account who's doing the maintenance. 8-10k on a tratter though, you need your head looking at especially if it's not sat on a galv chassis
 
Marmaduke said:
Personally I'd look at the overall condition rather than engine, also take into account who's doing the maintenance. 8-10k on a tratter though, you need your head looking at especially if it's not sat on a galv chassis
Click to expand...
Yeah i get what you mean. Land Rovers are like the backbone of my family and defenders being the main one! I think ill be looking out for a galvanised chassis defender to eliminate the chance of major rust further down the line.
 
Defender90td5 said:
It was just the only username i could think of. I just want a straight answer as to what people think i should need. I know the 300tdi is reliable and a strong unit but only makes 111hp and sounds 'meh' whereas the td5 has more electronic wizardry but has 125hp (i think?) and a bit more poke about it aswell as it is easily tuneable and makes a nicer sound. I just want a real world, down to earth answer :)
Click to expand...
I think the Td5 produces 122hp as standard.
You hinted at self maintenance. So, if you can put up with a little less pull up that valley, I would go with the 300Tdi. A nice unit to break your learning teeth on if DIYing it. If you can get one on a galv chassis, with a solid or galv bulhead, within your budget, then you're unlikely to lose when you sell it on.
 
Al2O3 said:
I think the Td5 produces 122hp as standard.
You hinted at self maintenance. So, if you can put up with a little less pull up that valley, I would go with the 300Tdi. A nice unit to break your learning teeth on if DIYing it. If you can get one on a galv chassis, with a solid or galv bulhead, within your budget, then you're unlikely to lose when you sell it on.
Click to expand...
Thankyou, thats the kind of thing i was wanting to hear. What kind of HP can the 300tdi be tuned upto without ruining reliability? I believe the dash board on the 300tdi isnt as good as the td5 too, am i right?
 
Defender90td5 said:
Thankyou, thats the kind of thing i was wanting to hear. What kind of HP can the 300tdi be tuned upto without ruining reliability? I believe the dash board on the 300tdi isnt as good as the td5 too, am i right?
Click to expand...
You've taken me by surprise there, because I didn't take you for a lad who was going to be bothered about the quality of a dashboard :eek: :p
The can be tuned to more than 122hp, but it seems to be a bit of a fanny on to me cos you have to get in to installing EGT gauges (exhaust gas temp) However, I haven't done it but the lads who have will have a different perspective. @neilly will be a good one to advise. :)
 
Al2O3 said:
You've taken me by surprise there, because I didn't take you for a lad who was going to be bothered about the quality of a dashboard :eek: :p
The can be tuned to more than 122hp, but it seems to be a bit of a fanny on to me cos you have to get in to installing EGT gauges (exhaust gas temp) However, I haven't done it but the lads who have will have a different perspective. @neilly will be a good one to advise. :)
Click to expand...
Im more bothered about reliability to be honest but the dashboard on the 300tdi seems to just house a radio whereas the td5 seems to have hazards, electric windows and central locking around the radio. Ive heard the 300tdi is pretty bullet proof but is a bit 'flat' hence why i was wondering weather it can be tuned upto maybe the 150hp mark so it has a bit more 'poke' for towing. Like i stated, im going to be studying to become a agricultural engineer so tinkering with engines is not an issue for me at all :)
 
Defender90td5 said:
Im more bothered about reliability to be honest but the dashboard on the 300tdi seems to just house a radio whereas the td5 seems to have hazards, electric windows and central locking around the radio. Ive heard the 300tdi is pretty bullet proof but is a bit 'flat' hence why i was wondering weather it can be tuned upto maybe the 150hp mark so it has a bit more 'poke' for towing. Like i stated, im going to be studying to become a agricultural engineer so tinkering with engines is not an issue for me at all :)
Click to expand...
How very dare you! ;) The 300Tdi has hazard warning lights! :rolleyes::D True, apart from a few switches the dash is just the radio. No central locking. Not sure what @neilly has his tuned to, but 150hp is ambitious. He doesn't seem to be online at the minute, but I'm sure he will comment when he comes on. You'll learn a lot maintaining the 300Tdi, not just in terms of engines, but a lot of other mechanical systems too.
 
Al2O3 said:
How very dare you! ;) The 300Tdi has hazard warning lights! :rolleyes::D True, apart from a few switches the dash is just the radio. No central locking. Not sure what @neilly has his tuned to, but 150hp is ambitious. He doesn't seem to be online at the minute, but I'm sure he will comment when he comes on. You'll learn a lot maintaining the 300Tdi, not just in terms of engines, but a lot of other mechanical systems too.
Click to expand...
I do like the idea of a 300tdi, i was leaning towards a td5 but the 300tdi just excites me in the sense that ill have to really use the engine and properly 'learn how to drive' to get the most out of it aswell as (like you said) learning how to maintain it properly whereas the td5 i could probably be more lazy with it but i take it if something went wrong it would be expensive! How is the 300tdi to drive over the td5? I will probably be spending 90% of my driving on country roads and 'A' roads, will the 300tdi be alright at cruising at 65-70mph? I like the idea of the simplicity of the 300tdi and being able to grab a spanner and fix things. :)
 
Defender90td5 said:
I do like the idea of a 300tdi, i was leaning towards a td5 but the 300tdi just excites me in the sense that ill have to really use the engine and properly 'learn how to drive' to get the most out of it aswell as (like you said) learning how to maintain it properly whereas the td5 i could probably be more lazy with it but i take it if something went wrong it would be expensive! How is the 300tdi to drive over the td5? I will probably be spending 90% of my driving on country roads and 'A' roads, will the 300tdi be alright at cruising at 65-70mph? I like the idea of the simplicity of the 300tdi and being able to grab a spanner and fix things. :)
Click to expand...
I think you should go with what you really fancy, the Td5.
You won't need to use the engine to learn to drive the 300Tdi. They are perfectly drive-able, so long as you accept that you are not in an Evo 8. Just drive, sedately, safe in the knowledge, that you are in command of a majestic machine that others will admire.
No, the 300Tdi will not be alright cruising at 65-70mph. More like 55-60mph as an honest, long term, cruising speed. You don't want to be doing 65-70 On A roads anyway :rolleyes:
 
Defender90td5 said:
I do like the idea of a 300tdi, i was leaning towards a td5 but the 300tdi just excites me in the sense that ill have to really use the engine and properly 'learn how to drive' to get the most out of it aswell as (like you said) learning how to maintain it properly whereas the td5 i could probably be more lazy with it but i take it if something went wrong it would be expensive! How is the 300tdi to drive over the td5? I will probably be spending 90% of my driving on country roads and 'A' roads, will the 300tdi be alright at cruising at 65-70mph? I like the idea of the simplicity of the 300tdi and being able to grab a spanner and fix things. :)
Click to expand...
You can fit a td5 dash to a 300tdi. Infact you can fit a better one from MUD UK, which can fit a double din into.
300tdis are good engines, had loads of experience with them in the Army. You can tune with Turners performance head, 10bhp (ish), VNT or Hybrid turbo and a larger capacity intercooler. A boost in and play with the dueling and boost and that'll be just as good as a td5.
But I'm not a mechanic, I'm just learning myself, but that's from my research.
 
Al2O3 said:
I think you should go with what you really fancy, the Td5.
You won't need to use the engine to learn to drive the 300Tdi. They are perfectly drive-able, so long as you accept that you are not in an Evo 8. Just drive, sedately, safe in the knowledge, that you are in command of a majestic machine that others will admire.
No, the 300Tdi will not be alright cruising at 65-70mph. More like 55-60mph as an honest, long term, cruising speed. You don't want to be doing 65-70 On A roads anyway :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Thankyou for your help! Much appreciated, im not to sure weather i want the td5 over the 300tdi anymore, they seem have there own perks!
 
Pappasmurf said:
You can fit a td5 dash to a 300tdi. Infact you can fit a better one from MUD UK, which can fit a double din into.
300tdis are good engines, had loads of experience with them in the Army. You can tune with Turners performance head, 10bhp (ish), VNT or Hybrid turbo and a larger capacity intercooler. A boost in and play with the dueling and boost and that'll be just as good as a td5.
But I'm not a mechanic, I'm just learning myself, but that's from my research.
Click to expand...
Id just like a 300tdi (if i got one) to have a bit more poke than stock! How hard is it to fit a new dash to a 300tdi by the way, just out of interest?
 
Had both and personally prefer the drive and sound of the TD5. As persons have said previously, the 300tdi is a little easier to repair (in some instances) but for me it's the TD5.
 
I have a 90 300tdi and a disco TD5 while the td5 is "smoother" for want of a better word i have so much more faith in the tdi because of it's simplicity, it seems to be a fairly robust unit, not the most powerful but can be tuned to an extent.
Defender90td5 said:
It was just the only username i could think of. I just want a straight answer as to what people think i should need. I know the 300tdi is reliable and a strong unit but only makes 111hp and sounds 'meh' whereas the td5 has more electronic wizardry but has 125hp (i think?) and a bit more poke about it aswell as it is easily tuneable and makes a nicer sound. I just want a real world, down to earth answer :)
Click to expand...

By the way, my tdi literaly is "meh"
20170618_113343.jpg
 
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