cant hit rabbits 123 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Hi chaps, I would love a pre tax SWB Landy as a first car, probably with a 2L desiel engine, as a first car. If I was a tad sneeky and didn't run it totally on desiel, kept journeys short and traveled light, how economical would it be? Maintanance cost isn't a problem, niether are minor repairs or 'cosmetic' work. Any ideas as one as a first car? Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 (edited) very bad idea, economy is truly awful, dreadful to drive and the bits that make them even worse for a new driver are very poor brakes etc etc It will be one of the more expensive to run vehicles you could choose even if you run it on used chip oil. Its one thing as a second vehicle just for shooting but day to day transport its not a good idea Edited July 8, 2011 by al4x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletyne Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 I think it could work out very cheap to run depending on what type of car you might get instead No Tax and Classic insurance is very cheap so its just down to fuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silpig5 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 sorry , but i think if you check , the no tax and classic insurance is strictly plesure only . no comuting to work . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 sorry , but i think if you check , the no tax and classic insurance is strictly plesure only . no comuting to work . LOL so are most insurance policies for youngsters! IMO a bad idea my cousin who is 18 drives a G Reg 110 2.5TD (now a 200TDI) insurance is huge so are fuel costs it's noisey, a pain to park, slow and its a much newer model than the pre 1973? Tax free jobs? compared to the other factors a 1.0 litre corsa makes an appealing alternative, a Radio (you can hear over the engine, fast enough to get somewhere you in trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chally2 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 I did it when I was 18. I had a 1981 Series 3. We would spend one weekend fixing it and the tother breaking it. In the end, it was un drivable. I cringe now at the thought of it. It was a death trap. Breaks failed on me at a down hill T junction. Lights stopped working at night. The trouble is at 18 we don't have any money so repairs don't get done properly as we just bodge it. When I started earning I bought a 200tdi 110. Was great. Buy yourself a nice cheap normal car for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cant hit rabbits 123 Posted July 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 The trick is, I work with a tiny company that restores classic cars, and we spend half the time working on our own little projects. I'm confident the repairs would be done fairly well and at a low cost. Its just the running costs that I need to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 The trick is, I work with a tiny company that restores classic cars, and we spend half the time working on our own little projects. I'm confident the repairs would be done fairly well and at a low cost. Its just the running costs that I need to worry about. Not sure if it still holds but the 6 cylinder engines couldnt be converted to unleaded so were dirt cheap.... but can be run on LPG (as standard only came out as LWB) so were very cheap, if you restore classic cars get an original mini do the work and make a profit (cheap to run too!) or run them short term before selling, a "trade policy" may suit but look into it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 If you're not driving far then it could be ok I suppose. They're great little vehicles but are prehistoric regarding heaters, comfort levels etc. It would make a great shoot truck but if you have to drive more than a couple of miles on fast roads per day I'd forget it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Have you ever driven one? Try that first.Preferably in January when you will have to scrape the ice off the inside of the screen as well as the outside and wear your gloves & wooly hat fro the whole journey A daily commute would be character-building to say the least. However you will never run out of projects to improve the comfort and driveability, there are loads of mods available (if you can afford them of course) and they are very easy to work on. Plus it would would be way, way cooler than a Corsa. And very little chance of getting a speeding fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 If you're an enthusiast for the green oval, are reasonably competent with the spanners or have help, don't want to go long distance/super fast, IF you want something with character,ability to go almost anywhere you're brave enough to tackle, and that you can just wash out with a hose every once in a while then you can't beat the buzz of blatting around in an open top Series landy, wind in your hair/flies in your teeth. Making me all nostalgic just thinking about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_h Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 I had a classic mini as a first car and you end up pouring money at old cars (welding ect ect) there not reliable(dizzy Carb ) and you cant build up no claims on a classic car policy. I wouldn't recommend an old car to anyone unless you have another run around for when it brakes down get your self a little 1 liter and crack on with getting your no claims bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 The opposite of what al4x said. Great to drive as they're a machine rather than a car - where you're completely detached from the mechanics of the vehicle and feel of the road. Very cheap to run as you never need to take it to a garage. And no need for servicing as you can do it all yourself. A 2 litre diesel with give about 25mpg which is very good for a 50 year old engine and the weight of the vehicle. A 2 litre will cost more to buy as they're not as common and older than the 2.25 litre. If you've got the will to work on it and love landies then yes it's a brilliant idea. I've done exactly that and haven't regretted it once. You will be able to insure it as a daily drive too. Also cheaper to insure than hot hatches etc. I'm 21, only held my licence a week and got insurance for £900 which is far less than you'd pay for a car, and of course tax is free. Just do it or you'll end up having some rubbish jap tin box like everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 (edited) http://www.series2club.info/forum/index.php have a look around the series two forum ^^^^, if you restore to a high standard and may be even fit a more modern engine then reliability should be no issue you'll even find George's on there , along with many other 'daily drivers' p.s. heaters and demisters are for southen softies :yp: Edited July 9, 2011 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Team Fido Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 I have a 1960 series 2 SWB diesel that I used for my only car for years. Totally great car but as previous posts said not much in the way of refinement. I did a full rebuild and replaced the (knackered) 2 litre engine with a 2.25 diesel as the cost of parts for the 2 litre was more than getting a "new" 2.25. No probelm with fitting. It always returned 27 mpg. If you take it off-road quite a lot (as I did) you will also need to spend quite a lot of time fixing it. You could also fit a tdi which makes it quite a bit quicker. The insurance companies don't seem to mind too much for me as I'm so old (I have now fitted a 300tdi), but the premiums would probably be quite high for a new driver. If you can get classic insurance that is great (about £130 per year fully comp for a restricted mileage) but they tend to be only for over 25s. Also Footman James now won't insure if you ever take the vehicle off road. Even though it's a Land-Rover!!!!! If you do get one you can now get heated windcreens (yes even for a series 2) which are ideal to get the ice off the inside of the windsceen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Driving an old car as a first cat isn't sensible, but it does teach you a lot about motoring. I started off in a 1955 Austin A30 which had no seatbelts, 28 horsepower and no real brakes. I learned to double declutch, plan my braking, cope with cross ply tyres and always cancel an indicator as there was no auto cancel. I also learned that nobody notices a trafficator any more so turning right at a roundabout was a little like Russian roulette. After six months of that I progressed to a 1959 A35 which had flashing indicators and had had seatbelts added. I drove this car until I was 24. I did all of the repairs on it myself and learned a hell of a lot in the process. I'm not saying I'm the Stig, but I'm reasonably handy in the twiddly bit. My opinion is that if you survive driving an old car as a first car, you'll be better off for it, but pre 1974 vehicles didn't have anywhere near the safety features of a "modern" car (post 1990). Good luck with whichever way you decide to go and above all, enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 We would spend one weekend fixing it and the tother breaking it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soreshoulder Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 i was in your position and looking at landys such as the defender and s3 but i found it to be equal with insurance with a disco commercial or (what i have now) a mitsu pinin van, 2.0L petrol 03. Believe it or not also cheaper to buy outright £1800 and it has simple luxurys such as heater, radio and digital display etc. My insurance with the NFU commercial is £1300 17 no ncb just driving for 4-5 months. Also it handles most off road stuff aslong as your remember to be gentle and careful with deep ruts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch66 Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 I remember my old man had a late 60s SWB with a BMC diesel in it, nightmare :o !!!!! It was like driving a garden shed with absolutley no suspension, very little in the way of steering & rather noisy at a top speed of 45mph wind prevailing !! thats when we didnt have to stop & wait for it to cool to avoid over heating, yeh it would pull a house wall down but hard going unless you just want a weekend shoot truck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Depends how well maintained they are. If the springs are full of rust then it'll be a jolty ride. Good for 60 with a proper 2.25 motor in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 One of my first cars was a 1969 Series IIA, 2.25 petrol. I only ever went about 20 - 30 miles in it in one trip each way, to and from work everyday and shooting at the weekends. I am guessing but about 8000 miles a year. It was very cheap to insure, repairs were fairly easy as everything is where it should be under the bonnet and i could do it myself. It also had one of the best self repair modes on any car, basicly if something minor goes just carry on as normal and in a couple of days the landy has fixed itself. If you want to be different and don't mind working on it now and again get a Landy. I kept mine for about 14 years, although i did get a company car and used the landy less, but when we moved to Cornwall from Bucks it came with me. Sold it about 4 years ago for more than i had bought it for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springer75 Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I drive a S3 lwb '73 evert day and love it! But then again I just like landrovers and old cars (some say classics...):-) I also drive a def90 truck cab and a freelander (I know landrovers are not the most reliable cars in the world, but freelanders have to be the most unreliable LANDROVERS there are). Oh, did I mention I also drive a Peugeot partner? Far more reliable! And cheap in fuel as well... So if you like a lr and you can repair it yourself: buy one. If you want a reliable car buy something else... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al88 Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 For what it's worth I've got a very early, modified 110 V8 (factory) with all the mods declared, which I have owned since I had just turned 18 and held my license for a month, and it's cheaper to insure than my missus' polo which I recently acquire. That's with a couple years no claims. As long as the chassis is fairly solid or you have some fabrication background then you won't need to take it to the garage as OME parts are easy to come by, with lots of competition, so fairly cheap and most jobs are relatively simple to do. You can feel your way through with alot of things as they tend to be quite linear and logical, like big mecanno kits! I think there's a lot to be said from having one as a first car as you must have insurance and tax (or tax free) but you can scrape together the odd bit of fuel money as and when if needs be. Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Insurance, try Sure Term direct, the wife just bought a Vitara 4x4 average insurance £800, for third party, tried Argos compare. A company called Sure Term, over at Huntingdon, same cover £202, now this is being run as a second vehicle so zero no claims bonus. She decided to insure with them, they upgraded the insurance from third party to fully comp, at the same price!!! Crazy! They only insure 4x4s and they aim to be the cheapest! So give them a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 My very first car was a S2A air portable landrover, 24volt electics i can still hear that big 3 belt genny humming away now if i close my eyes. Petrol cost my a £5 a week to run to work and back 5 days, couldn't get to the end of our track now on that It was the first of many, but not owned one personally for just over 20yrs now. Its a great way to learn mecanics, had many a laugh in them. My eldest daughter is just 12 and has requested one for her first car and me and the farther in law will build it some day soon. Was thinking something a bit different in bright pink and chrome myself, but she is horrified just wants a green one like "normal people" I told her we aint Normal but she just rolled her eyes and said "GREEN"! For most town dwellers not very practical, the std Small 1.0 ltr hatchback is far more practical and economical. But it depends if you want to actually travel very far very often in it and were you live. Doing 100miles a week with a fair amount of off road/rough roads a good choice i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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