Henry_b · Jul 11, 2018

I'm not limiting myself to a series 3 a late series 2 would also do nicely.

Is the old series still a viable everyday car?

Or am a an idiot for thinking such a stupid thing!?

I'm contemplating getting one in a few years...

Ideally it would be a 109" but i'm not fussy a nice 88" would also fit the bill..

It would also have to have the wheel on the bonnet

What are they like mechanically?

Also a stupid as it sounds whats the "economy" like?

11-12mpg?

dag019 · Jul 11, 2018

If you are going to be using it as a daily drive then I don't understand how it does not matter what model you have. An 88 is very very small, and you cannot fit a lot of people of things in it, making the 109 more practical.

They can be a vaible dail drive if you are happ with the noise, lack of confort, and low sped. All of these can be improved with sound proofing, new seats/springs, and fitting an voerdrive etc. But even with all of that it will still be a lon way from a normal car, or even a defender.
MPG wise out of my 2.25 diesel I can get 25mpg, but even with an overdrive and 7.50 tyres it has an absolute top speed of 65. this makes a comfortable cruise of about 55-57 making motorway driving doable but it is not a comfortable for relaxing experience.
This for me is the main hurdle to using one as a daily drive, everything else is a choice you have made by driving and old land rover. But although there is nothing wrong with pottering along a old land rover speeds, modern traffic is so much faster, both in terms of speed and acceleration than when these vehicles were originally designed. This makes it difficult to pull out, and keep up with the flow of traffic.

It also depends how much you value originality, with a tdi engine, high ratio transfer box, overdrive, disk brake conversion, rx8 seats, you could make a series a far more modern vehicle, but to my mind you would also spoil it at the same time. If that is what you are looking for it is probably not suitable for a daily drive.

Colthebrummie · Jul 11, 2018

I have a 109" station wagon series 3 with the 2.25l petrol engine. Theoretically, it can seat 10 but it would be a very tight squeeze. I seem to get between 15 and 20mpg mostly around town. The petrol engine is better for acceleration and quietness and it can do 60 without much trouble but I wouldn't want to drive many miles at that speed, it is happy at about 55 mph. Mine is fitted with electronic ignition which makes a difference to reliability, easy starting and perhaps a little extra mpg. I don't use it as a daily car but if my commute was 20 to 30 miles per day, I would be happy to. The heater isn't very good so winter driving wouldn't be pleasant. Mine is over 40 years old so there is no road tax to pay or mot to worry about. You need to be reasonably competent with a tool kit to own one but parts are cheap and plentiful. The trick is finding one that is in good condition. The prices are rising on old landies but not massively, mine isn't pretty but I reckon it's worth about £5k, in 5 years time it might be worth maybe £7500 at the rate prices are going up.

Col

rob1miles · Jul 11, 2018

Yes they can be a daily driver, but you have to like old vehilces and be ready to do repairs. They don't work for high mileage, the serviceing requirments get too much, but for low mileage and fun they work. I've run 25, to 45 year old vehicles as daily drivers most of my life but I always have more than one on the road, you absolutley need a back up. If you are running historics (ie tax/mot exempt) then it costs little more to have 2 on the road than 1 and it means you can be a lot more confident of making a journey and you can plan repairs with time to wait for spares. You can't go to the local main dealer and pick up a part. Watch the insurence, some classic policies require a non-classic daily driver.

Henry_b · Jul 11, 2018

Cheers all.

The noisiness and maintenance is what attracts me to 'em, plus the look and sound

Spannering isn't an issue.

Also 15-20mpg is better than i expected

I was expecting single figures

Colthebrummie · Jul 11, 2018

I've heard people say that a 3.5l v8 is as economical as the standard 2.25 but I doubt if that is true. Personally, if I had a v8 I would be too tempted to give it some clog, then I might expect an mpg in single figures.

Col

Clunkbucket · Jul 11, 2018

Be warned a series 109 can be a right handful in a busy car park, or even parallel parking on the roadside. I have even found that I can't get out of a local Morrison's petrol station without doing a shunt which is fine as long as the merc sprinter behind you is not too close and ready for you to stop! SWB are much easier to park almost anywhere.

Colthebrummie · Jul 11, 2018

Clunkbucket said:
Be warned a series 109 can be a right handful in a busy car park, or even parallel parking on the roadside. I have even found that I can't get out of a local Morrison's petrol station without doing a shunt which is fine as long as the merc sprinter behind you is not too close and ready for you to stop! SWB are much easier to park almost anywhere.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the limited steering lock. Tight parking spaces where you need full lock to get in or out are a real pain which isn't helped by the lack of powered steering.

Col

dag019 · Jul 11, 2018

I know I will potentially get accused of blasphemy here in the series section but as a daily drive (depending on mileage) you would possibly be better with a "defender". My daily drive is an '89 110, this has a 200tdi fitted and a discover transfer box but other than that it is fairly standard in terms of modernisation. I do high mileage in it and have done some fairly large trips across Europe in it. It will sit at 70mph comfortably, accelerates quickly enough to keep up with modern traffic, and has power steering. But at the same time has nearly as much character and charm as a series vehicle.
Don't get me wrong, I love my swb, but for the mileage I do da to day it would quickly become a chore rather than a joy to drive it which would spoil the point of having it. I have done longer journeys in it when the 110 has been off the road, but they take a lot longer and you get out the other end knowing you have had a long drive.

Clunkbucket · Jul 11, 2018

Early pre defender 110's are actually a little cheaper than Series vehicles at the moment and come with better steering lock, power steering if you are lucky and a slightly better ride. They still leak though so you feel like you are driving a real Land Rover though.

squeak · Jul 11, 2018

Henry_b said:
Cheers all.

The noisiness and maintenance is what attracts me to 'em, plus the look and sound

Spannering isn't an issue.

Also 15-20mpg is better than i expected

I was expecting single figures

You might want to consider getting one with(or fitting) parabolic suspension if you want to keep all your fillings, they make life a lot more comfy!

squeak · Jul 11, 2018

Colthebrummie said:
Oh yes, I forgot to mention the limited steering lock. Tight parking spaces where you need full lock to get in or out are a real pain which isn't helped by the lack of powered steering.

Col

LOL The turning circle of the Exxon Valdez, and the brakes to match if you dont keep on top of them.

dag019 · Jul 11, 2018

squeak said:
You might want to consider getting one with(or fitting) parabolic suspension if you want to keep all your fillings, they make life a lot more comfy!

I know it is personal preference but I would disagree with that, I prefer a standard setup. Fitting parabolics means you rub to door handles on the floor every time you go around a corner.

squeak · Jul 11, 2018

dag019 said:
I know it is personal preference but I would disagree with that, I prefer a standard setup. Fitting parabolics means you rub to door handles on the floor every time you go around a corner.

Bloomin eck how fast are you cornering. L.O.L. Just fitted em to mine and while they are much more compliant have not made my sphincter any more active than usual.

dag019 · Jul 11, 2018

squeak said:
Bloomin eck how fast are you cornering. L.O.L. Just fitted em to mine and while they are much more compliant have not made my sphincter any more active than usual.

Not fast, you cant go fast in a 2.25 diesel, but it makes handle like a 2CV as far as I am concerned, far to much body roll!

Simon Perks · Jul 11, 2018

Yes yes yes no problem, I drive mine every day down and up from the station which is about 15km away, of course as you see living up here in the Alps the snow gets a bit deep and the winters hard so the 88 is perfect.
It might be slow and actually mine is not so noisy now that i put acoustic matting in the cab on the floor and around the tunnel ( i used the material from an industrial company that sound proof generators so its oil and water resistant and only cost a fraction of the ready made kits)

She will quite happily cruise along at 80 to 90kmh, fuel consumption is not even worth talking about as it's poor, very poor but if after the hassle and bustle of a work life surrounded by technology, mixing desks and TV cameras theres nothing like the spartan comforts of the landy to bring me right back to earth and get me home in any weather.

You will either love or leave it
one life mate
get on with it

Simon

suburban · Jul 11, 2018

depends on the drive a series is great for pottering but if you do a bit of motorway miles they are slow and noisy with standard engines get a v8

and comfy seats my 3 has early 90 seats.

about an hour is as long as I can sit in a series now but youngsters can probably do longer.

had a 110 as a daily drive around 2000 although only a gutless 2.5 na weasel it was fine for motorways and it got me a clean licence as speeding was impossible

K14 · Jul 11, 2018

My 110 defender 300 tdi county is painful daily driver ! Fortunately I only work 3 shifts a week and lift share.

dag019 · Jul 12, 2018

K14 said:
My 110 defender 300 tdi county is painful daily driver ! Fortunately I only work 3 shifts a week and lift share.

What is wrong/broken on it to make it painful! Get that fixed and it should be quite happy as a daily drive.

Bobsticle · Jul 12, 2018

Let’s face it. Some people go on little two wheel things dressed like a ballerina on acid. At least you won’t be guilty of self ridicule in a trattor.

Think outside, no box required.

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