Land Rover Defender 90 TDI 300

[mick miller]

I'm having problems finding a landy to replace my recently sold car. I'm after a particular type of Land Rover, I've scoured AutoTrader and Google'd every type of search I can without success and so I'm appealing to the greater PW community to help me out if possible.

 

What I'm after is a: Defender, 90, 300 TDI (1994-1998), County spec or panel side (not bothered), not a bazzed up example with winches etc. but a nice original, cared for landy (and not a *** bought and tarted up to look like a new one with a £12k price tag). My budget is sub £7k, I can travel a reasonable distance, ideally the chassis won't be rotten as a 4 week old peach but I don't mind of the rear x-member has been replaced. Some service history would be nice.

 

Now, have any of you seen a lonely landy sitting on a forecourt someplace? Do any of you know of land rover dealers that I could try (there ain't much round these parts)? Have any of you got one lurking in a garage that you could realise into a cash sum?

 

My thanks in advance,

 

Mick.

[HDAV]

http://www.landroverman.com/ have a 110 to your spec and a 90 over budget, worth a call to see what they havent put online.

http://www.exmod.co.uk/defender90.html also worth a call.

 

Defenders are the kind of motor dealers will wait on for the right the price

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130457413919 have a few

[mick miller]

Ta, HDAV. I'm familiar with the eBay traders, I always keep an eye on those. What I'm after is some numbers or names of land rover dealers that don't make it onto the web (many aren't all that web savvy from previous experience) or if anyone's come across one on their travels.

 

I understand the resale on them is quite high, that said, some dealers take the michael!

[ProteuS]

It is getting a bit late in the year to find a bargain 90 now, particularly with the spec you mention. The summer / end of summer seems to be the best time to make a splash.

Saying that I would expect for sub 7k you should be able to find something reasonable, just have patience, it took me 6 months to find what I was looking for and it is still far from perfect. But, it was relatively unmolested, and had the side windows but as a van conversion although advertised as a county. Bad weather drives the prices up though. Last year they virtually doubled whilst I was watching them.

[stokie]

LRC 4x4 in cheshire hold some good stock . Craddocks in Cannock although the last seem pricey on motors but good cheap for most spares. Both have websites just google em

[al4x]

blimey 7K and you can't buy a 12 year old landrover for it :blink:

 

my main advice would be buy something else but assuming that isn't an option then have a look here

 

http://www.brightwells.com/Vehicles/Default.aspx

 

have one of the bigger auctions of 4x4's

[HDAV]

http://www.brightwells.com/Vehicles/Default.aspx

 

have one of the bigger auctions of 4x4's

LOL have you seen the prices they are going for!

1999 T Land Rover Defender 90 Swb Diesel Hard Top Td5

205856 miles warranted, Red, Two Owners, MoT 28 Jul'11, Tax Oct'10, Tow Bar, Radio, Dog Guard, Side Steps, Sold As Seen, No VAT.

 

£4,200

227% of CAP Clean

 

2006 56 Land Rover Defender 90 Swb Diesel Hard Top Td5

69500 miles unwarranted, Black, 3 Services, Two Owners, V5 here, MoT 2 Nov'11, County Pack, Electric Windows, Alloy Wheels, Dealer + One Owner, No Major Mechanical Faults, Plus VAT.

 

£9,900

146% of CAP Clean

 

002 02 Land Rover Defender 90 Swb Diesel Pickup Td5

70636 miles warranted, Blue, V5 here, MoT 03 Aug'11, Ifor Williams Canopy, Adjustable Tow Bar, 5 Previous Mots, Sold As Seen, Plus VAT.

 

£6,000

126% of CAP Clean

 

The last one is top of budget (with VAT and Fees) but seems OK for for a TD5 some go for silly money but other quite reasonable (if in good order) it would take time and lots of viewings to pick a good one up at auction. These days little garages are all on the net, and I have seen a few about on forecourts in little rural garages but at MEGA money with a £7k budget i would be tempted to look for one at £4k and spend £2k on it, keeping £1k back for engine or gearbox rebuild in near future look for a 96-99 for around £4k

Edited November 22, 2010 by HDAV

[AlistairB]

Try these guys, i got my Disco from them. they're well known round Bedfordshire for being a good bunch to deal with and will generally haggle a bit. Also, not to far for you to go and have a look. They often have stock in that isnt on the website so might be worth a call. Much better than Marshalls in Bedford who are the main dealer.

 

AB

 

http://www.rogersofbedford.co.uk/used-land-rover-cars-for-sale-in-bedford

[mick miller]

Thanks everyone for your input, I'm specifically after a TDi not a TD5 so everything between '94 & '98. I'll give Rogers a buzz in a mo. That said I may have found a nice example (top end of my budget but low mileage and on a galvanised chassis) oop north. I just need to persuade someone to take a road trip with me now!

[ProteuS]

A galv chassis is a big bonus, but only if the job has been done well. There are some horrific botched jobs about, including people having pretty ropey chassis dipped. Best of Luck.

[Billy.]

I got mine on eBay. Good things come to those who wait. Don't jump at the first one that comes up, as I can assure you that your perfect Landy is out there

 

The PW crowd will hopefully give me some feedback.... I'm tempted to spray my 90 matte black. Any thoughts?!

[mick miller]

Hmm, thank goodness for experian. Always a good £20 spent. My ideal landy with a galvanised chassis turns out to be a cat D write off. £7k for a cat D write off? I think not. My poke will be staying in my pocket for a little longer!

[Sinistercr0c]

Don't write off (sic) Cat D's as a potential purchase. This type of write off has only been deemd uneconomical to repair by the insurer. Armed with the information you have, you could actually turn it to your advantage to drive the price down. The seller should provide you with a full breakdown of the repairs undertaken, with evidence that these have actually been completed.

 

You might also consider a full once over by an independant mechanic. Armed with the report and the spectre of the 'Cat D' write off, I would expect you could shave a substantial sum off the £7k asking price.

[mick miller]

Oh yes, I'm aware of that. A cat D is only ever worth 60-70% of an equivalent aged vehicle in an equivalent condition. In this case 4k ish as genuine vehicles without those repairs in excellent condition (I'm not talking complete, ground up refurbishments but original, cared for examples with service histories) make 7k or so.

 

What worries me is that the write off occurred when the vehicle was only 6-7 years old, must have been severe (probably requiring a new chassis). Since then no one owner has kept the vehicle for more than 3 years. Bearing in mind my old series land rover I owned for 12 years (and that was a shed when I bought it but the running gear was sound) and the chap I sold it to 12 years ago still owns it, everything about this vehicle screams lemon to me.

 

There will be others and I cannot be fagged with a trader that neglects to mention the fact that something is Cat D (but advertised at top end prices) or be bothered with a full mechanical inspection (MOT's being worthless)...nope, I'll wait for another.

 

(I'm also aware of the fact that a seller is not obliged to mention that a vehicle was a cat D write off unless asked directly).

Edited November 23, 2010 by mick miller

[Paul223]

a local well respected landy dealer

 

http://www.jonesbros4x4.co.uk/newstock.php?car_stocktype=defender

 

they have a td5 in stock almost in your price range, can you get the vat back??

Edited November 23, 2010 by Paul223

[Gully]

I sold a very sound 1996 Defender 90 Hardtop in the summer for £6k, so they are out there. I wish I'd kept it now.

[mick miller]

I wish I'd bought it

Edited November 23, 2010 by mick miller

[Gully]

I did advertise it on here but had no takers. Sold it on autotrader in the end.

 

First person to see it bought it and paid the full price.

 

here it was

 

defender

[decoying mad]

nice one on ebay item number

130454641146

[al4x]

nice one on ebay item number

130454641146

 

 

I love adverts for land rovers where they have fitted them with mud tyres and then say never off roaded, you wonder if they are telling the truth why they bought one in the first place

[mick miller]

Re: 130454641146 I don't want a TD5 thanks.

 

Compootahs don't mix with bumps, water and mud, besides if it goes wobbly the first thing you have to do is plug it in to an expensive diagnostic machine. If I wanted that I would buy a Shogun, L200, Navara etc...

 

TDi 300's are my target; Gully if I'd had the wonga back then I would have bitten your arm off fella!

[al4x]

a 2001 L200 4 work doesn't have any of that computer marlarky and would be half your budget for a decent one

 

have to say if you can find one as clean as that one it would look good on the drive

[mick miller]

Trouble is it wouldn't fit on the drive! Wifey has bought a behemoth 4x4 for towing the horse box, so I sold my Passat estate with a view to getting a stumpy little 4x4 of my own, shogun 3 door, trooper & 90 fit the bill. The attractive thing about an 90 for me is that they hold their value, parts are cheap as chips, I can fix and service it myself and, if I'm honest, I've missed my old series land rover since the day I sold it.

 

(I must be a masochist as they're not exactly the most comfortable drive for a 6 footer).

[al4x]

or the warmest in this weather! if you don't go far in them they are ok and as you say hold value pretty well. A bit too well if you're looking for one

[mick miller]

Yes I remember well the freezing winters I spent in my old one. The heater is actually testament to a brummie engineers sense of humour. But that said, they are immense fun and I'll only be using it within a 50 mile radius. If I want comfort on a long drive I'll jump in the wife's leather heated seated, air-conned, sat-navved pokey 4x4.