dannyboy Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Hi guys, I have been lurking about on the forum for a while. I have been working in America for a year, but get back to the UK end of May. I have been saving up whilst I have been here and I want to get a 4x4 for the summer and to take back to university with me. Main use of the car will be to drive around my fields, take on the odd off roading day, just do jobs around the 'farm'. I will only drive it about once or twice a week and then once a month to the offroad site if I was to go every month. I was looking at spending around 3-4k which would get a decent condition low mileage Fourtrak, it is meant to be reliable, gets 30 mpg. The defenders around that price not in the best shape, 25 mpg and i'm not that handy with fixing it all the time. Or do I blow say 7k get 2001 defender pick up, but go easy on the offroading as I wouldn't want to beat it up much. Benefits I saw for the fourtrak, only insurance group 8 compared to defender being 11, MPG is higher, much better condition car for the money. Benefits for the Defender, better off road and its a defender. I don't think off roading will be my main priority but my girl friends dad has a 90, I go along with him, so wouldn't mind getting involved as well. I am insured on all the cars at home so I won't be taking it on any long journeys just the 2 hours to get it to uni in the first place. Any advice or opinions, had both of them before what did you think ? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sco77w Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 £4k will get you a Discovery 2, either a TD5 or the mighty V8. you'll get the green oval badge and a bit of comfort with decent off road ability, loads of parts available and they can be modified to you liking (cash allowing) Worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedwards1966 Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 i'm not that handy with fixing it all the time. That basically means do not buy a defender. If you can't spend all your time laid under it skinning your knuckles mending it instead of ever driving it then buy something else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 That basically means do not buy a defender. If you can't spend all your time laid under it skinning your knuckles mending it instead of ever driving it then buy something else! No buy one and learn, they're simple to fix. At 4k you'll be looking at a 200tdi fender do NOT buy a TD5 at that price, it will be an early one or it will be ******** IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 have owned a Fourtrak and still own a Defender so can speak from experience. Fourtrak has more comfort and probably similar fuel consumption to the Defender. Fourtrak will maybe go places my 110 won't as it has a shorter wheelbase. If you want the best of both worlds get a decent 300tdi Disco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Fourtrak, I love it, small, nippy, good, mpg and will go anywhere with the right tyres on. But make sure you've got a welder, some steel and dinatrol handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 i had a fourtrak swb it was the muts nuts driven correctly would go anywhere no problem at all 2 yrs motoring with out a problem comfy the speed was there if required fuel was around 28 mpg with large genral tyres on it .great bus but as the shooting crew grew bigger a bigger bus was required as i turnd mine into a pickup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 There is a thread on here i started about defenders as cant understand why anyone would buy one as they are so expensive. Long and short of it was a heart over head thing, people who have them love them but still know deep down they were silly to buy it because of all the problems they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 How can you not get a decent Defender for 4k? Ive seen some excellent ones go for that money and less. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 How can you not get a decent Defender for 4k? Ive seen some excellent ones go for that money and less. Ben Then your view on a decent fender is warped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I have a Defender, bought it five years ago for 6K, it's an N Reg 300 TDI and it had 110,000 on the clock when I bought it. Other than a yearly service, it has not cost me anything,pulls a twin axle fully laden Ifor Williams and I use it for lamping. I always let the turbo simmer down and don't drive it hard. It's mostly poor or non-existent servicing that damages them. I'm afraid I can't comment on the fourtrack as I have never owned one. I hear what Dr evil says and I think if you buy a bad one then you are stuffed. It's all about choosing a good one. They have their faults as all cars do but they are no worse than anything else out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
682gold Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Value for money its got to be a fourtrak, buy a landrover only if you wont/can live with one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 £4200 will get you a very nice offroader thats doing the rounds on landyzone right now http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f59/sale-my-newly-rebuilt-landy-181275.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick miller Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I can no longer be fagged to reply to many more of these threads. If you want a Defender do your research and buy one. Much cobblers is spouted by idiots that have never owned one or their mate/ dad/ brother/ uncle had one and it was always broke/ broken/ unreliable etc. Most of these vehicles were probably poorly maintained, driven badly and abused. Having run and owned both a series and a Defender 300tdi for over 14 years between them I can say that driven and maintained properly they will out perform and outlast anything else. I find them perfectly comfortable and I'm over six foot. I've yet to experience a breakdown. Drive them through four foot of ****, then don't clean them and wonder why you get problems, or run them for years neglecting to do all the basic maintenance and servicing and think the same is about par for the course for many a moronic moaner. Brain surgeons these folk ain't. Of course you could easily spunk your cash on a P.O.S fourtrak but in two or three years your pride and joy won't be worth a carrot. Do your research, bide your time and buy an unmolested 200 tdi and you'll still be able to sell it for pretty much what you paid down the line. Personally I wouldn't touch anything td5 or later unless your happy to have someone else do the maintenance for you. Anyone that tells you that a rice burner is more capable or reliable is talking **** in my opinion. I know plenty of these drivers that have as many if not more problems when they use their vehicles in the same manner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Then your view on a decent fender is warped ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I can no longer be fagged to reply to many more of these threads. If you want a Defender do your research and buy one. Much cobblers is spouted by idiots that have never owned one or their mate/ dad/ brother/ uncle had one and it was always broke/ broken/ unreliable etc. Most of these vehicles were probably poorly maintained, driven badly and abused. Having run and owned both a series and a Defender 300tdi for over 14 years between them I can say that driven and maintained properly they will out perform and outlast anything else. I find them perfectly comfortable and I'm over six foot. I've yet to experience a breakdown. Drive them through four foot of ****, then don't clean them and wonder why you get problems, or run them for years neglecting to do all the basic maintenance and servicing and think the same is about par for the course for many a moronic moaner. Brain surgeons these folk ain't. Of course you could easily spunk your cash on a P.O.S fourtrak but in two or three years your pride and joy won't be worth a carrot. Do your research, bide your time and buy an unmolested 200 tdi and you'll still be able to sell it for pretty much what you paid down the line. Personally I wouldn't touch anything td5 or later unless your happy to have someone else do the maintenance for you. Anyone that tells you that a rice burner is more capable or reliable is talking **** in my opinion. I know plenty of these drivers that have as many if not more problems when they use their vehicles in the same manner. Agreed, as said make sure its well looked after. If you buy from an enthusiast you're more likely to get a good one, check that link I put on above as thats been fully rebuilt. Now as to a slitty outdoing a fender…..yes and no, some will some wont and some will match them. However for anything light I'd say a slitty is better as the fender won't be used to its full on a muddy field plus in general you get more comfort, more extras and more MPG on the road. BUT. A landrover is a way of life and I love it, wouldn't consider any other mass produced 4x4 that you can get in the UK…….if I was in the states though I would go for something bigger and more powerful due to the vehicle sizes over there a fender feels a little like a jimney does over here when stood by a hummer or ford superduty. Do your research and google defeneder buyers guide as it will show you all the key points to check when buying and what to watch out for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted March 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) Thanks a lot for the replies everyone, very insightful. Quite a mixed response, I was in no way being negative towards the 90, I do love land rovers, infact I buy land rover monthly every month. So that would be my natural first choice, I just thought considering the position I am in, I'm 21 so the insurance for a fourtrak is a plus, also having the slightly higher mpg as I will have no income when I get back to uni, that a fourtrak might be the better choice. However, as mentioned in my first post my girlfriends dad has a 90 that he takes off road, classic enthusiast has built it from the chassis up. I could definitely have him help me find a decent 90 as he will know what he is looking for, also help me with any maintenance issues. (handy girlfriend, better try and hold onto this one) Still a relatively split decision, proving a hard choice I have 2 months left and I will make the decision, I will definitely keep my eyes peeled, possibly get my gf's dad to have a look around for me. As a side note, I currently driving a 2001, 4 litre jeep wrangler over here, great little car 175,000 miles I have had it for 8 months no issues. The mpg is 14 :( but thats fine with the fuel price over here 60p a litre It very similar to the defender for driving, performed well on an off road day and great in the snow. Only trouble is the front drivers side wheel arches are started to rust, jeeps are pretty prone to rust, if only they had used aluminium like the landys. Dan Edited March 23, 2012 by dannyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 chedck the loink i posptedc thaltkp; suit youj plsssssss ik;m slightly druhnk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Haha yes you seem to be. The 90 in your link would be perfect but I'm still in America atm, but I'll definately be checking back there for something nearer my return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshLamb Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 I can no longer be fagged to reply to many more of these threads. If you want a Defender do your research and buy one. Much cobblers is spouted by idiots that have never owned one or their mate/ dad/ brother/ uncle had one and it was always broke/ broken/ unreliable etc. Most of these vehicles were probably poorly maintained, driven badly and abused. Having run and owned both a series and a Defender 300tdi for over 14 years between them I can say that driven and maintained properly they will out perform and outlast anything else. I find them perfectly comfortable and I'm over six foot. I've yet to experience a breakdown. Drive them through four foot of ****, then don't clean them and wonder why you get problems, or run them for years neglecting to do all the basic maintenance and servicing and think the same is about par for the course for many a moronic moaner. Brain surgeons these folk ain't. Of course you could easily spunk your cash on a P.O.S fourtrak but in two or three years your pride and joy won't be worth a carrot. Do your research, bide your time and buy an unmolested 200 tdi and you'll still be able to sell it for pretty much what you paid down the line. Personally I wouldn't touch anything td5 or later unless your happy to have someone else do the maintenance for you. Anyone that tells you that a rice burner is more capable or reliable is talking **** in my opinion. I know plenty of these drivers that have as many if not more problems when they use their vehicles in the same manner. Agree with what he said ^ ^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 i had an ex army 90 21 year old ran well be carefull what you buy one thats been jacked up huge wheels big winches roll cages etc look fantastic but might have had a hard life or had more strain put on the diffs drive shafts etc as welsh lamb said get a standard ish one thats been looked after they are a way of life but are great to own the 200tdi is a great engine too good luck in your search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Haha yes you seem to be. The 90 in your link would be perfect but I'm still in America atm, but I'll definately be checking back there for something nearer my return. I shouldn't be allowed online after a night out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpy Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Having been a mechanic for 20yrs the Defender win's hands down !! If fourtrak's were any good why dont the army use em ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 I have worked as a linesman for 26 years...Other than the few Unimogs we have the only other serious vehicles we use are Land Rover Defenders (130's Special Vehicles). All have Mud Terrains, winches and all loaded to a maximum which is 3500. All well maintained and there's nothing else to touch them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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