Nomad Z

Member
I'm looking to buy a Defender, but I've been away from Landys for 20-odd years and don't really know much about Defenders. So, I'll describe my intended uses, ask a few questions, and hopefully narrow down to the sort of thing I can expect and should look for...

Uses.

It will be a second vehicle. I drive a sports car, and it's crap in the snow and ice, but is otherwise great for the 15 miles each way commute to work. There are times when a Landy would clearly be the better vehicle.

I have a passion for photography outdoors, which includes landscapes using equipment that is too big and heavy to cart around on my back (hefty 5x4 monorail view camera and tripod, if anyone's interested). A Landy will get me much closer to the places I want to be to take photos using this equipment. I'm not looking to get stuck in remote bogs in the highlands - it's more a case of unpaved tracks, and carrying the gear a short distance if needed. It's also possible that I'd want to set up the camera/tripod on the roof of the Landy to get extra height for some shots.

Body type.

Not quite sure about this yet. Truck cab and soft top are out - has to be a hard top. Part of me wants to be able to sleep in the back, another part wants a 90 (too small to sleep in?), and yet another wants a 110 with extra seats (also too small to sleep in?). What about kipping in it widthways, stretched across the seats? Is that doable for me at 5'10"?

Engines.

From the little reading that I've done so far, most (all?) seem to be diesels, and I've seen a few comments that they do around 30mpg - is that the case for all diesel Defenders, or are there specific engines that manage that, while others do less/more?

Ex-MoD.

In terms of visual appeal, I like the olive drab or camo ex-army motors, but are they worth buying? My assumption is that they will have been well maintained, but might have had a hard life. Are they likely to have had modifications that would make things awkward in a civvy context, like 24v electrics, or strange mods that are hard to get spares for? What sort of fuel consumption do these manage, if different from the norm?

Price and condition.

I'm not looking for a project vehicle - must be something that I can buy and pretty-much start using right away. I'm unlikley to be doing my own servicing (I can, and used to, but my interest in that has waned over the years). Like most people, I have an aversion to rusty chassis and bulkheads, and want a barely used low mileage vehicle. My budget is £2-3K. Is that realistic? Does a station wagon or County type body cost more than a van (or add up to a tattier vehicle for a given price)?


Thanks in advance for any guidance. :)
 
Realistically, I think we would all like a "barely used low mileage vehicle" for £2-3K!

£12-13K is probably more realistic, half that for 10 years old 70K 110 or 90

£2-3K will get you 20+ year old and/or 150,000 miles+ and/or ex mod/ex utility company/heavy farm use and/or 5+ former owners and no service history.

You pays your money.....!
 
Will you be taking passengers? For 2 people max a 90 makes sense. For carrying expensive kit a commercial (van) 90 or a 110 you can add security grills to is an option or try and find an ex utility vehicle that is already kitted out and secure.
Down side to a commercial is you dont get 360* vision that a csw or van with side windows offer. Your budget is not very realistic.... for what you want to spend you are looking at something 20 years old unless you are lucky. A recent poll on here suggests the 200tdi or 300tdi are the best engines and mpg difference between a 90 and 110 is maybe 2 or 3mpg max, depends on how you drive and what you carry.
My son is at Uni doing photography and I enjoy it. You will need a roof rack... a decent Brownchurch roof rack will cost you 3-400 pound. You can put marine ply on it for walking and tripods and adds another dimention to your pics. You can always adapt a cheap pop up tent to sleep on the roof or fork out lots of pennies for a roof tent.
Have a search on ebay or here and see what you can get for your money. Take yor time.
If you will do less than 5000 miles a year then specialist 4x4 ins will set you back about £250, you will be starting again (you cant normally use any no claims on a second veh but check with your existing ins) it all adds up!
I have a 90 and a 110, both 300tdi's... I like both but find the 110 csw a nicer drive. Both are very good for off road stuff.
 
My last paragraph wasn't terribly clear...

I'm after something in decent nick, rust-wise - don't want to buy something and then have to get welding or major repairs done. Basically, a tidy runner with a good MOT.
 
i think it is pos to get a good 90 for 5k but like me you will be looking very hard and long it took me almost a year to find a 90 csw 1997 r plate and even then i had to haggle hard to get it for 5k people know what thay are worth and want big money for them and the worst thing is thay are going up in price again 13k for a 97/98 v8 50 csw billody mad money but someone is paying it so i hope you have the same luck i did
 
your get a half decent 90 van for 3k with a disco tdi motor in youve decided at the wrong time to buy one really as prices for defender 90s etc are sky high at the mo if you could wait around till summer im sure prices will drop,
for instance i paid 2200 for my defender 90 factory fitted 200tdi with 105 thousand miles, 1994 county van(in red):p in this current climate i think i could get 4000 piece of **** for it looking at the **** iv seen selling on ebay for that price
 
well if i was to be looking to buy i think its a mine field to many are ****ers with lots of work to be done on for 4k good ones are hard to find and expect to pay at least 6+ for a good one i would sit back and think how much work you want to do and how much you have got to spend then doubble it
 
For £3k you should get a serviceable if tatty 90/110, probably with a 2.5td (19j) or if you're very lucky, a retrofitted 200 tdi. With prices as they are, you'll be very lucky to get an original 200 tdi, especially a stationwagon.

Even at 5'10" you'll not be able to sleep comfortably width-ways in a Fender cabin. They're big vehicles but not all that wide. Your best bet would just be to recline the front seat as far as she'll go and use that.
 
Being able to kip in it isn't a major factor - it would be handy, but I don't want my choice to be restricted by something that may only be very occasional. I can always pitch a tent or use a bivi bag if I plan to be out overnight. Same for carrying other people - I expect almost all usage to be either myself, or me and a mate. A 110 station wagon would obviously open up possibilities for doing things with more people, but there is no specific need for that. Main expected uses are winter driving, and day trips to take photos, with the odd weekend further afield.

Drewster, what engine and mileage? How many slaps do I get if I offer 3K? :)
 
its a 300tdi full csw 1997 r plate with 110 on the clock andi would be looking for 7/8 k to sell it
1 million slaps if you carrie on lol
 
£2-3K will get you 20+ year old and/or 150,000 miles+ and/or ex mod/ex utility company/heavy farm use and/or 5+ former owners and no service history.

You pays your money.....!
Will hopefully have 26yo 144000 miles, 12 owners, retrofitted 200tdi, 110 with full roofrack and a years MOT on the market real soon :D
 
Based near Edinburgh, Drewster. I'm afraid 7/8K is way out of budget for me, so I'll avoid any more slaps. :)

Looks like my initial budget may be a bit low for what I'm after. If I narrow it down to a 90 station wagon, am I getting nearer the mark with 3-4K?
 
Based near Edinburgh, Drewster. I'm afraid 7/8K is way out of budget for me, so I'll avoid any more slaps. :)

Looks like my initial budget may be a bit low for what I'm after. If I narrow it down to a 90 station wagon, am I getting nearer the mark with 3-4K?
you will be like me waighting a long tine for one at that price especialy if you want a 200 or 300 factory csw your best bet is to find a 90 van and slowly do it up the way you want it as parts are cheap on ebay a set of side windows for 70 - 100 ect
 
I paid £9990 for a 2000 W reg 110 CSW with 12 seats and only 24k genuine miles.
I looked for 18 months for one and eventually travelled from N I to Scotland to buy this.
Takes a long time to find what you're after but will be worth the wait!
 

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