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QUOTE:...""This one has the ideal spec for what will be required of it, short local runs carrying various logs , kegs of beer and rubbish to the tip, where it won't require booking in and scrutiny as in a van.""
Wouldn't it be better for them to spend £1500 on an old van and pay the charges at the tip?
Check for rust when buying a Land Rover - not the body panels, since they're aluminium alloy, but the chassis and main bulkhead, which are steel and can rust badly. In particular check the rear crossmember of the chassis around the jacking holes, and the footwells on the bulkhead. The bulkhead is considered 'structural' and if it's got bad rust it will fail an MOT.
Edited by Sofa Spud on 24/05/2013 at 11:25
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"So far I know it is a Cat d stolen / recovered with 146 k miles on it. The dealer initially refused but has agreed a test drive before payment , stating their small print says no guarantees etc , sold as salvage , but I argued I must have a chance to inspect and they relented. It has an MOT"
Run away.
Yoiu need to be competent to buy a diesel LR. Which means knowledge.. The engines are prone to ALL sorts of issues. As is the suspension and drive system.
You are likely to end up buying a pup.
Edited by madf on 24/05/2013 at 13:28
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On the test drive - be prepared for sloppy steering around the straight-ahead position - normal on older Land Rovers, which is why you see them veering from side to side on the road! Test the handbrake - but only after the Land Rover has stopped completely, as it's a transmission brake. It's normal for a Land Rover to lurch back or forward an inch or two after you've applied the handbrake, but apart from that it should hold very firm. Don't expect comfort, although the 110 has a better ride than the shorter 90.
Edited by Sofa Spud on 24/05/2013 at 15:00
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Thank you all. Did not know about rear cross member and structural bulkhead. Today, I texted ahead to confirm arrival at agreed time , adding that I'd like the vehicle ' cold ' so can assess that better - guy said fine , what's your ETA , then rang me whilst I was still on the train and almost there ' got the car cleaned, and noticed oil in header tank ' I had a mate along, with our pushbikes , planning on a country jaunt and to drive the ' new ' car back, told the guy we'd come anyway as we were close , the vehicle was there , and wouldn't start as no diesel, but another guy in the yard said it was a Head Gasket and he noticed this morning.. It did look extra smoky as they tried to crank it
Obviously annoyed to waste half a day , but would have been more annoyed to have bought with that fault ( am sure it would have shown on the extensive test drive I planned ) . Offered £2500 less but not taken up by vendor. Apparently not Cat D but ' unrecorded '
On the way back witnessed a crash as a woman tried to overtake us ( one cycling behind other just past brow of Coventry Hill in Essex , she then attempted to turn right into her driveway whilst just past me and on the other side of the road, driver behind thought she was just overtaking us and smashed into her off side ) . I stopped to give details. Nobody hurt . Her husband came out to see their son the passenger in tears and the 59 reg car written off ...
Then had a nice pub lunch, both of us soaked through
A lovely day out
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In my experience the happiest days of old Landrover ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.
Your friend has been saved an awful lot of unhappiness, he now needs to look at a medium estate car and/or a trailer for those trips to the tip.
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No Spud, vans need prior booking and max 5 annual visits.
Large car can come as often as needed.
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I take everything to the dump in my Volvo 940 estate, including a double mattress and a wardrobe. It cost £700 3 years ago and apart from some small maintenance items and regular services costs very little to run, is 100% reliable ( apart from 1 flat battery) and very respectable looking too. I have had a Range Rover, Disco and a 110 Safari and I know which has been the least trouble ( and it isn't a Land Rover)
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something with rear carpets, seats and windows will just not work . Flat steel that can be hosed down.
It might be parked for a day with some stock inside , in a trendy inner London area
where goods on view will result in damaged glass and losses. Nowhere to store a trailer
His kids will love the Defender with chunky wheels , so that's what it needs to be
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My Berlingo Multispace gets no official attention at the tip even when I'm unloading stuff from jobs. With the rear seats folder away properly you get 90% of the space you would in the van version, and the flat load area.
Your point about the windows is valid but an alarm and/or vinyl tinting will see to that. Mine is usually full of electrical tools worth >£1500
Edit: Perhaps his kids want to put their pocket money towards fixing it then? No? :D When I was young I really wanted my parents to keep a Scimitar they had (Briefly, what a heap) but funnily enough I got over it.
Edited by mss1tw on 25/05/2013 at 19:19
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Maybe ownership of a Landrover is something you have to do to get it out of your system??
TBH I occasionally have periods where I vaguely hanker after a restored, concourse, Series Two......they're easy enough to get and would fit in my garage......but do I really need one ? - No, not really, but is it something that needs to be done, perhaps ? Not sure I want pools of oil on the driveway though and a Yeti probably spoils you a bit.....
But the Berlingo option for the OP sounds far more practical solution.
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If one is tall...[taller than Yoda, anyway], then the 'civilian' versions of the later L/Rs..especially recent ones...seriously lack enough room for 'adequate' human beings.
Especially the wagons!
IMHO, simply because LAnd Rover thought everybody wanted nice trim and stuff inside...and this seriously intrudes on interior width and leg room.
[Ex] military L/R's....[except Navy, & sometimes, RAF] have no trim or bling, so there is room for taller folk to move about a bit, leg-wise, and somewhere to put shoulders and elbows.
But one pays for this space in other respects.
Brake light switches fail regularly...
and they drive better without power steering....but that often results in unwanted muscles, and other appendages..
For us older folk, getting inside is awkward, as the seats are just a tad too far off the ground....
maybe better to buy a Jeep?
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If one is tall...[taller than Yoda, anyway], then the 'civilian' versions of the later L/Rs..especially recent ones...seriously lack enough room for 'adequate' human beings.
Especially the wagons!
IMHO, simply because LAnd Rover thought everybody wanted nice trim and stuff inside...and this seriously intrudes on interior width and leg room.
[Ex] military L/R's....[except Navy, & sometimes, RAF] have no trim or bling, so there is room for taller folk to move about a bit, leg-wise, and somewhere to put shoulders and elbows.
But one pays for this space in other respects.
Brake light switches fail regularly...
and they drive better without power steering....but that often results in unwanted muscles, and other appendages..
For us older folk, getting inside is awkward, as the seats are just a tad too far off the ground....
maybe better to buy a Jeep?
OK, you talked me out of the idea. Thanks, you just saved me £20k. :-)
Edited by KB. on 25/05/2013 at 20:18
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OK, you talked me out of the idea. Thanks, you just saved me £20k. :-)
didn't mean to do that!
they're justa bit too hard-core for modern drivers......
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For the job in question your friend would be far better off with an old Landcruiser (70LWB/80/90 series) or Patrol, then cover the rear windows by painting covering or tinting.
Defenders are fine vehicles but there's a reason for the huge aftermarket parts and workshops industry..;)
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Nah, all this covering up of rear windows will only increase suspicions amongst the criminally minded AND remind others of rural Ireland , where these are borderline for claiming VAT. We don't want to encourage those of no fixed abode
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OK, you talked me out of the idea. Thanks, you just saved me £20k. :-)
didn't mean to do that!
they're justa bit too hard-core for modern drivers......
I'm sure you're right and the anticipation would far exceed the reality. Can't really see it happening.
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Have you actually tried one out yet?
MAybe worth a test drive on an older model?
{or, simply, try sitting in it?]
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Yes indeed, like trying to wind the drivers window down with the door shut whilst perched atop the padded orange box..;)
Don't know how they managed to make the truck cab (especially) quite so cramped bearing in mind just how small the pick up bed is too.
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As I mentioned earlier......take away the plastic trim, wind-up windows, etc....revert to the basic kit once usually associated with L/Rovers, and things get a bit better..not a lot, but a bit better.
Stark utilitarianism probably has its place.....but it's my guess, not south of Watford Gap?
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