Hello folks,

Sorry for this being my first post and all, but i need to pick your brains!

Im looking to pick up my first landy, weve got a few in the household (110 Tdi, '65 2a project and a defender on a range rover chassis) but ive decided i'd like my own.

Ive been rocking a mini for nearly a year now, on the road anyway, had mini projects for 6 years. As im 18 and nearly have a years NCB im probably going to swap the mini for a Series 3, but what i'd like to know first, is whats it worth getting? SWB or LWB? engine size? etc etc. I'd prefer LWB for the record, more space to make use of, but is this going to make the insurance rack up?

Im sure you get these threads all the time, but i read a few and couldnt find a definitive answer for certain things.

Following that, you know how fuel is, £1.40 ish now, diesel even more so, my mini is hardly good on fuel, 25mpg a lot of the time because the 998 is blowing and a bit knackered, but ive heard of series' being even worse than that.

I'd have no problem running a diesel, but i couldnt really justify whatever it is for diesel now, and i love the idea of veg oil/biodiesel, but whats the best route?

I read up as much as i could, and i know you cant run straight oil in a series, you have to start with diesel etc etc, but moving on from that for a second, whats going to be worth my while MPG wise? Is it worth getting a normal series diesel, doing the fuel to oil swap jobbie, and running with that? is it more efficient to rig up your own 'distillery' to make biodiesel so to speak? or would it be more efficient mpg wise to swap to a TD and take the turbo off? or another diesel for that matter?

Im sure there are a lot of options, some of the ones i listed are just what i came across today, but for me, what do you recon is going to be most money savvy? ive got plenty of room to mess about in doing work as i live on a farm, and im mechanically savvy so as far as that side of things is concerned, im not worried.

Onto you now really, what do you recon my plan of action should be? im essentially looking to get a S3 and run it as cheaply as i can, i understand there will be a bit of outlay first of course, but i have to fill up a few times a week anyway, doing it with normal diesel at £1.80 or whatever would bankrupt me, especially as a student.

If you read all that, thankyou for your time and i look forward to your replies.

D&O

Wtf

Pardon?

There's loads of threads about running veg oil. The consensus seems to be around 50% diesel and you don't need to worry about preheating.
There a number of people that run filtered old engine blended with petrol(!) - theres a thread on that aswell.
If you can get free oil then it's worth making your own bio.

Petrol landys will be worse mpg than your mini but diesel will be 3-4 better.

I've found some parts for later series 3 can be very expensive and pattern are unavailable....stub axle carriers over £200 each, stub half shafts again over £220 each. Past 1980 a rationalised axle was used on the front. I've just rebuilt my front axle and found damaged / worn items that I couldn't really reuse and the cost for swivels seals bearings cost me around £1000..
I reckon I could have rebuilt the front axle on an earlier model series 3 for about £450 less as there are more pattern britpart and bearmach bits available. The advantage of later models is the 5 bearing engine. This engine also has an improved rear main seal arrangement too.
I never realised this when I bought mine and some prices have caught me out a bit!

SpringDon said:

There's loads of threads about running veg oil. The consensus seems to be around 50% diesel and you don't need to worry about preheating.
There a number of people that run filtered old engine blended with petrol(!) - theres a thread on that aswell.
If you can get free oil then it's worth making your own bio.

Petrol landys will be worse mpg than your mini but diesel will be 3-4 better.

Click to expand...

I understand that, but as far as money is concerned, what is most efficient so to speak? ive no problem with preheating, i just wanted to know whats going to work out best in the long run? because i could go the preheat route for example and find that by building myself a biodiesel 'still' i could have saved myself x amount of money for instance!

Land Raver said:

I've found some parts for later series 3 can be very expensive and pattern are unavailable....stub axle carriers over £200 each, stub half shafts again over £220 each. Past 1980 a rationalised axle was used on the front. I've just rebuilt my front axle and found damaged / worn items that I couldn't really reuse and the cost for swivels seals bearings cost me around £1000..
I reckon I could have rebuilt the front axle on an earlier model series 3 for about £450 less as there are more pattern britpart and bearmach bits available. The advantage of later models is the 5 bearing engine. This engine also has an improved rear main seal arrangement too.
I never realised this when I bought mine and some prices have caught me out a bit!

Click to expand...

Cheers for the heads up on that one! i fancied an earlier one (pref pre 73 for obvious reasons) so thats another reason to do so!