Range Rover classic or Defender?

[margun]

Thought I'd put this to the fountain of knowledge that is the pigeonwatch forum.

 

I am looking to buy my first shooting bus (2nd car). Have a budget of £3k. I'd love a Defender, have always loved them, but am concerned that I could easily end up with a dog for that.

 

Alternatively, what about a V8 Range Rover classic? Fuel consumption not too much of a worry as this will be purely a toy.

 

What do you think? What would be the main pitfalls/advantages of each?

[HDAV]

Find someone who knows plenty about them and get soem help (lots of guides on line one Land rover website about how to buy what to look for) Dont forget discoveries either, http://www.glencoyne.co.uk/liveguide.htm

[Billy.]

Got to be a Defender

[al4x]

Got to be a Defender

 

 

for 3K?

 

Be very careful as they very easily turn into money pits, as said the best value is a disco both the others have pit falls a plenty at that price range

[Yorkshire Pudding]

for 3K?

 

Be very careful as they very easily turn into money pits, as said the best value is a disco both the others have pit falls a plenty at that price range

 

Hang on ..

 

I have bought 2 sub 3K defenders .

 

First one cost me nowt in running costs . Then some scumbag had it away .

second one i am still running and so far in a year and has had .

 

Rear axle one of the stays rotted off , could have welded it up but fancyed disks on the back anyway . £80

Universal joint in the prop shaft £15

Head gasket and manifold gasket , no need for skimming head as the head did not boil and no loss of water or oil . £42

Wiper stalk broke £14

 

I'm not saying that i would buy another sub 3k one but the two i have owned , have been great .

 

All things equal i would love £15k's worth of 110 crew cab .

 

all the best yis yp

[Billy.]

for 3K?

 

Be very careful as they very easily turn into money pits, as said the best value is a disco both the others have pit falls a plenty at that price range

 

...and a sub 3k range rover will be any better?!

[al4x]

guess I phrased it wrongly YP should be 3K could buy you one with an awful lot of issues, you're very knowledgeable on them and that list is what someone in the know bought one needing. Try getting that lot done by a garage and the prices will be somewhat different. 3k could also buy you a half decent one but it is definitely a dodgy price bracket with defenders and if they look shiny on top doesn't mean they aren't trashed underneath, you need someone who really knows to give them a good look over. Billy I'm sure it would be equally dodgy to buy a range rover at that price, the main reason for saying disco's are worth considering is you have more to choose from, a lot have bene run as cars and they depreciate a lot faster than defenders

[MITCHF]

RRC , get an LPG conversion.

£3k will get you a decent one.

[RC45]

Defender for me.

Edited October 27, 2010 by RC45

[margun]

Thanks for your responses all-

 

Seems the favour is towards Defenders. If anyone knows of a good'un in the South East for around that budget then let me know.

 

Still tempted by a RRC though........at least you don't need to wind down the window so your elbow can rest properly

[Flashman]

The proprietor of Essex 4x4 gave me one piece of advice: never, ever, buy a RRC. He wants my money but couldn't face having to work on one, they're so bad.

 

Whatever you buy will be a money pit but the Defender has less to go wrong...

[J@mes]

I'd rather a ****** defender than a good RRC.

 

But I'd take a 300TDi Disco out of all of them (and did)!

[cocker3]

defender 300tdi defo bought mine for £2500 4 years ago granted just had to put a new gear box in it but at £75.00 no big problem

 

just make sure the chassis is sold the rest can be pimped up cheap and easy .

 

Edited October 27, 2010 by cocker3

[Tom&Dexter]

Nice truck cocker

[Dempy]

Only one correct choice here!

 

BUY MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ProteuS]

If you know what you're doing then a 3k defender can be serviceable, however I would say you could buy a far better RRC for the same money. Also the RRC is less likley to have been thrashed off road, or dragged around overladen trailers for a large part of its life.

 

Having owned and currently owning both (RRC is sorn) I can say, the RRC is a much nicer machine generally, super capeable, and the 100" wheelbase is about the perfect size. The big overhang at the back can be a bit of a pain on very steep stuff, and if you want to go bigger in the tyres it requires a little bit of thinking but the standard setup up with the soft springs and lots of flex is superb. The quiet smooth v8 is very enjoyable to use although mine was painful on fuel, and not quite as painful on gas.

 

The defender does have a certain agricultural charm . and let's face it most people don't care if it gets a knock here or there.

[docholiday]

defender 300tdi defo bought mine for £2500 4 years ago granted just had to put a new gear box in it but at £75.00 no big problem

 

just make sure the chassis is sold the rest can be pimped up cheap and easy .

 

 

You have made a nice job of that

doc

[Drive By]

I bought a 200tdi defender for 3k this time last year (with the r380 gearbox and later rear axel with disc brakes) and use it for shooting every week. When it had the mot done it needed a bit of welding on the suspension mounts but other than that no issues. Parts are cheap and even for someone with limited mechanical knowledge like me most fixes are possible with the assistance of my haynes manual! Some panels have slight marks/dents but proper defenders should so i'm told...

 

It is slightly agricultural to drive (but does have power steering) for me that's part of the charm, i don't do long motorway mileage in it but it is perfect for what i need it for. One of the most fun things has been saving peoples who's van's/jags etc get stuck in fields or can't do slight inclines when its frosty!

[chunkyed]

Get a hybrid. There meant to be the best off road. Or a Suzuki sj haha much better and much cheaper

[chunkyed]

Also there both made by land rover. Land rover have a bit of a reputation for breaking. But when they do break there easy to fix and the parts are cheap. Thats a good advantage of both. I'd say the range has more comfort than the defender. But looks wise the defender wins hands down.

[Luckyshot]

I too was in the same boat as yourself needed a shooting bus and always wanted a defender from being a teenager. Around 2-3 years ago I bought my 95 (N) Defender 300tdi for just over £3000, in that time it has gone through two MOT's needing only rear shock absorber bushes £4 on the bay. So yes you can buy a defender for your money and it wont always be a dog.

[cocker3]

Nice truck cocker

B)

thanks buddy

 

 

You have made a nice job of that

doc

have,nt done anything to it bar a respray at work and fitting a snorkle but thanks anyway

[RED BEARD]

you can have mine for £4250.300tdi,r380 box,uprated intercooler,uprated suspension,winch,very good tyres,12 months MOT,taxed and much much more.

[ProteuS]

you can have mine for £4250.300tdi,r380 box,uprated intercooler,uprated suspension,winch,very good tyres,12 months MOT,taxed and much much more.

 

I like the snorkel top RB, does it have a loudspeaker in it too?

 

Also I see you have a straight up stack behind the cab, out of interest how did you route the exhaust?

[RED BEARD]

I like the snorkel top RB, does it have a loudspeaker in it too?

 

Also I see you have a straight up stack behind the cab, out of interest how did you route the exhaust?

its got a K&N inside the snorkel top,and the exhaust is a standard front pipe,then into 2"3/4 flexi-pipe up over the prop,and then into 3" stainless stack.it sounds lovely and is very free flowing.