Hello all, newbie here, and I'm looking for advice on what the best option for me is Defender 90-wise.

I'm looking to buy a 90 Station Wagon. This will be used for local pottering about, light 'farm' duties (odd trip across a field) and towing a trailer.

Initially I assumed it'd be the best thing to get the newest, lowest mileage car I could afford and run it forever. My budget is, say £17-19k. So possibly an XS or a good spec County. With the latest (Puma?) engine.

But then I got thinking that if I spent less on an older car, the TD5 maybe, then I could have some budget left over to customise the vehicle (you know, like JE Engineering et al type gubbins for performance and 'road' comfort) to make the whole ownership experience more enjoyable.

I'm not mechanically skilled myself, so if older higher mileage cars are an utter world of pain, then do let me know.
I do have access to good local garage who happily take good care of a friends Landy 90 and his is an L-reg and runs well (he has a series 1 too).

What are your thoughts, what would you do and why?

Should I get new,low mile as poss and maybe 'upgrade' in future if I feel I need to or get older and tweak with it from the outset?
What 'upgrades' are worth having? (brakes, remaps, suspension tweak for more road comfort etc?)

Just looking for guidance on what the 'best' use of the budget might be.

Thanks in advance

Tom

(I am a complete newbie when it comes to 90s, so if anyone wants to provide a link to the differences between the TD5 and latest 'puma' engined ones, I'd love to read through).

19 Grand for something to ''potter about in''

The recession has ended.....

Basically.....you can have anything you want....blimey!!

Spend less, a 110 is better for towing, and think mebe 300tdi instead of puma or td5.
opposition will be along shortly...

do you need a station wagon ? they are a lot more dosh. if its to potter about and you dont need rear seats get a td5 van and if need be get windows put in. if your vat registered you can claim that back as well. thats what i done to mine.The money your looking to spend will buy you a bollocks one with cash left over to tart it up . warning buy from reputable source loads of iffy ones around.

For 19 grand you could have my '77 series 3 or my 200tdi disco which benefits from no MOT. The choice is yours.

hughesy said:

For 19 grand you could have my '77 series 3 or my 200tdi disco which benefits from no MOT. The choice is yours.

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Hmmm, let me think......hold on, how about "**** it.........why bother?"?



All comments and advice welcome. I'm just trying to work out the right 90 for me and the best use of the budget.

theres a nice white 90 van on pistonheads at the moment could do you a deal

I'm gonna take my £2.5k budget and get back to trawling fleabay

iwanna90 said:

I'm gonna take my £2.5k budget and get back to trawling fleabay

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You can have mine for that...and still have change for a week in spain..

For 19k you can't have my landy, but you can have both my sisters, and my mother, bless em

On a slightly more serious note, if I had that dosh, I would buy exactly what I've got, a pretty clean 90 CSW with a 300tdi and have a right old laugh with it. I'm not saying you don't have to care for it, but from experience, enjoying a vehicle can be limited by the worry of damaging it.!

Spend the change on high class prostitutes and lager