I bought my 300tdi with 82k on the clock and its been a sound motor. Had the original reciept, all MOTs and service history right up to within 12k of when I bought it (previous owner did his own work). The only imminent thing I changed was the radiator as it had a slight leak. a few hours and £100 done.

I dont know why you keep banging on and worrying about genuine mileage etc. ANY car can have the same issues that you outlined, not just Defenders. Just use your loaf when buying/inspecting. You can tell when a landy has been towing lots because the transmission will be slack, it will be on its forth transfer box and most of them smoke like a train! tow bat gives it away also :)

I think your making a mistake with a Puma. Its a lot of money, and I think you will be disappointed. Good luck with your purchase, I hope the Puma does not put you off Defenders for life. Maybe you will come back to a 300tdi eventually.

G
 
my 110 v8 has done 500k+,yes the gear box needs TLC but otherwise its a1.
a friend of mine also has a 96 300tdi CSW which has just clicked over 400k, its has been well maintained and tows a car trailer since new, No smoke no bangs no rattles and it still looks spot on,
I wouldnt worry about miles,judge each car on each own credit
 
my mate bought a nice 1996 300tdi with 50k on the clock, and we have just had to do the x member. engine is sweet as a nut though! id never buy one of these new cdti things. i dislike ford and their engineering.. and i dont trust electronics on car engines. they are more complicated and prone to breaking than the aircraft engines i work on!
 
I went on the DVLA website and searched the MOT history of mine. All mileage was there from the last 5 years. It gave me an indication of what mileage mine had done over the last few years.
 
The whole thing with Landys and mileage just makes me :hysterically_laughi:hysterically_laughi:
 
Its been an interesting few months has the learning about Defenders... I appreciate all the good advise I have received from this forum and other forums and its this advise that has allowed me to still have my hard earned money still in my pocket and not in the pocket of those who are what for a better expression is called 'Preparing' vehicles. 'Fully prepared in our own workshops'

I have learned that many forum members can point you in the right direction of how to check recorded milage etc... but if the speedometer is being disconnect after the current owner leaves the MOT station for 6 months of the year your only recording the milage that the owner wants to record...therefor never really letting you know the true history of your defender... I know people are quick to say 'whats the big deal about the milage'... my issue is most of the defenders I have been to see, the sellers are very clever in prepping the vehicle... changing steering wheels for newer ones, gear knobs, foot pedal rubbers, seats, resprays, proper thorough valeting, heavy waxoyl so you cant see much.... this is my real anx I suppose... trying to decifer what you are really buying in order to make your judgement.

That aside... I am now well aware that if well looked after, the TDI engine will go on for potentially a good few hundred thousand miles...

I sit here tonight still without a defender... having returned from the LandRover dealership today and crunched some numbers with a nice helpful guy I completely unsure what to do now... A new Defender 90 on the road is £20k and your getting a TDCI for that...

Whilst I contemplate my navel for the evening I shall mull over some of the names from another forum, users had used to descibe the new TDCi http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=15236&st=0

Is it really gonna be refered to as a transgender ???
 
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Hi, I wouldn't worry too much about mileage and service history on a Land Rover. It depends what it has been used for. I inherited mine which is a 200tdi 110. It had lowish mileage but has crossed the Sahara several times. Parts are so cheep and they are easy to work on. I have changed all the wheel bearings. Rear shockers. fitted a new exhaust,
battery, alternator, ball joints. The cost of replacing these items is peanuts. People buy Defenders as a work horse. I would check out the general condition of the Land Rover and check for rust on the chassis. almost everything else can be easily replaced at low cost. When items do need to be replaced you can choose your own components and upgrade items. A set of standard rear shocks can be had for about £10 each but are not very strong. I have upgraded mine for ones costing £38 each which I am told are much stronger and less like to break the next time I cross the Sahara. When something needs replacing I am almost happy as I can do my own thing on it. Good Luck
 
Just buy a tdi for 5k then get a new galv chassis and bulkhead and get the engine and gearbox reconditioned and youl have a like new tdi! And itl cost a damn sight less than 20k! And it will last longer and parts cheaper than one of those ****ty new engines!
 
saxmanuk said:
I went on the DVLA website and searched the MOT history of mine. All mileage was there from the last 5 years. It gave me an indication of what mileage mine had done over the last few years.
Click to expand...

How do you do that? Be interesting to look at.
 
Potential Defender 90 Owner said:
Well you ask what age landy I am looking to purchase with FSH and MOT's etc.... ideally I would like a 300 tdi but I understand that finding a genuine model with genuine milage going back to 94-98 is going to be a very tricky exercise...

I have spotted a few sites with perfect ones, but they are asking a silly amount of money, which I would.could potentially pay, but again there is no guarantee that you are actually paying for what you think you are buying...

It seems in order to avoid any discrepancies with a motor being genuine then you have to buy newish, although I have spotted a few brand new tdi 300's again, they want silly money...

Such a difficult game buying a land rover as a newbie !!

Many thanks to all who are helping.
Click to expand...
Why is it anymore difficult than any other vehicle?

Common sense is the greatest gift when buying any vehicle.

So condition, condition and condition are the only real important aspects to consider.

Can't see the difficulty in selecting an engine either.

It's easy:

petrol or diesel. Or Teens or mid 20's mpg - take a pick.

If diesel it leaves 4 options really:

1. 2.5TD - these will be older vehicles, often solid or even re-chassied. Tdi swaps are easy. They plod along ok but are noisy and slow.

2. Tdi. The 200 and 300 are so similar it's really not worth worrying about one over the other. Even the LT-77 vs R380 debate is pretty pointless IMO as they are still essentially the same gearbox.

3. Td5. Better than a Tdi in everyway. But seem to scare a lot of bods because it has an ECU - something so foreign and strange to find in modern cars. :doh: TCS does make a difference which you won't find on a Tdi.

4. Puma TDCI. Not really any better than a Td5. But newer. So it's all down to money. 6 speed box makes them different, but not really any better. If you can't afford one, then it rules it out.
 
I prefer cars with mileage on them because most jobs will have been done and if not I do them and know where I am. A lot of low mileage cars are badly maintained - people just change them when a fault is noticed or a big service is due.

Budget for stuff when you buy and get the price down - rust is the thing to avoid - engines can be fixed rust comes back.
 
Do not forget the 200/300Tdi is the only eengine that will run happily on veg oil.

The option of fueling on SVO can not be underestimated in the future as 27/9 mpg cars become ever more expensive to run.
 
Been following this thread with interest but decided to add my 2p :)

300bhp/ton said:
Why is it anymore difficult than any other vehicle?

Common sense is the greatest gift when buying any vehicle. Best quote yet.


1. 2.5TD - these will be older vehicles, often solid or even re-chassied. Tdi swaps are easy. They plod along ok but are noisy and slow. so true

2. Tdi. The 200 and 300 are so similar it's really not worth worrying about one over the other. Even the LT-77 vs R380 debate is pretty pointless IMO as they are still essentially the same gearbox. good for cheap servicing and parts too.

3. Td5. Better than a Tdi in everyway. But seem to scare a lot of bods because it has an ECU - something so foreign and strange to find in modern cars. :doh: TCS does make a difference which you won't find on a Tdi. You forgot to mention the very common cracked block/head gasket and oil in the loom senarios too.

4. Puma TDCI. Not really any better than a Td5. But newer. So it's all down to money. 6 speed box makes them different, but not really any better. If you can't afford one, then it rules it out. from what I have read engine okish but gearbox might as well be made of butter, not strong enough for the transits they were designed for so could never cope with a full time 4x4
Click to expand...

Potential90...... Sorry but it doesnt sound like a land rover is right for you. Land rovers are like meccano kits, if it breaks fix it and if it dont leave it. mileage should not be your issue at over 10 years old.

or to put it another way if you find a low mileage tdi say 50,000mls thats gonna be less than 5,000 miles a year. Chances are the engine will have only been used for short trips possibly towing and had very little chance to warm up/lubricate etc so the internals could be as bad or worse than a 250,000+ mileage example that has been serviced religiously.
 
bobbler said:
Been following this thread with interest but decided to add my 2p :)



Potential90...... Sorry but it doesnt sound like a land rover is right for you. Land rovers are like meccano kits, if it breaks fix it and if it dont leave it. mileage should not be your issue at over 10 years old.

or to put it another way if you find a low mileage tdi say 50,000mls thats gonna be less than 5,000 miles a year. Chances are the engine will have only been used for short trips possibly towing and had very little chance to warm up/lubricate etc so the internals could be as bad or worse than a 250,000+ mileage example that has been serviced religiously.
Click to expand...
:5biagree::5biagree::5biagree::5biagree::5biamwithstupid::5biagree::5biagree:
 
bobbler said:
Potential90...... Sorry but it doesnt sound like a land rover is right for you. Land rovers are like meccano kits, if it breaks fix it and if it dont leave it. mileage should not be your issue at over 10 years old.
Click to expand...



:5biagree: :5biagree: :5biagree:


I appreciate your comments guys and I suppose I am learning that I wont be getting what I had in my mind which was a mint tdi300.... surely its a natural reaction, a noobie wanting to enter into Defender world, he decides he wants one but want to buy the best he can afford.... I have merely been learning. I have learned there are loads of Defenders out there and if you want a mint one, then you got to rebuild it yourself...

So on that note I have lowered my expectations and am now looking for a more reasonable deal with a view to a ground up rebuild...
 
Potential Defender 90 Owner said:
:5biagree: :5biagree: :5biagree:


I appreciate your comments guys and I suppose I am learning that I wont be getting what I had in my mind which was a mint tdi300.... surely its a natural reaction, a noobie wanting to enter into Defender world, he decides he wants one but want to buy the best he can afford.... I have merely been learning. I have learned there are loads of Defenders out there and if you want a mint one, then you got to rebuild it yourself...

So on that note I have lowered my expectations and am now looking for a more reasonable deal with a view to a ground up rebuild...
Click to expand...
I have to say, there is a logic to finding an early 2.5TD buying it, getting used to it and figuring out what you want from it. Then send it off and have it rebuilt. New chassis, new interior, new motor, new suspension.

I don't see the point it you are only going to put standard parts on it. But if you know what you want I suspect you'd end up with a far better vehicle for less outlay than an early 2.4TDCI puma model.
 
dont forget if you bought brand new, you have lost money already. if you invest in getting it mint, you will probably get a fair chunk of it back, as you have seen how hard it is to find genuine minters..
 
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