Defender

How many miles is too many miles for a defender?

With these motors on the way out for something more 'modern' i'm tempted to get one of these as my surf wagon and just keep it - forever.

I was thinking a 90 station wagon green with big beefy tyres.

but how reliable are these and what are the costs of a fix? - how many miles is too many, there are loads with 150,000 miles on for not much money at all.

Still plenty of Series 2, 3, and early Defenders around - some with very high mileage.

Don't bank on Defender disappearing too soon - now it's EU5 compliant it's had a bit of a stay of execution and even then it will probably continue to be built overseas somewhere.

From what I've heard they're pretty easy to fix - at least compared to their more modern cousins.

How many miles is too many? Well if it is a Series 1/2/2A/3 (ie pre defender) Land Rover they only had 5 digit odds so it's a case of knowing how many times it's been round the clock...........
My 1996 TDi300 (last engine without lots of electronics), 79000 miles (average for privately owned and age but very low it what you are looking at is ex Utility Company or ex MOD)), County Hard Top (Van to you and me) converted to a Stationwagon - had two cambelt changes, new chassis 4 years ago - have been offered £7500 for it as apart from some scratches it is in great nick. There is a lot of over-priced dross out there, but there is also a huge choice. No need to put monster wheels on either, the standard size 16" AT's are pretty good and you should see about 60k miles from a set.......... Putting much bigger on means all sorts of suspension problems, and fitting conversion bits. BTW there is a cult following for old Land Rovers, they are never "on their way out" might be crude and uncomfortable to drive any distance but they are always in demand. I brought mine in 2002 for £10k, it had the £700 conversion to a SW, £4000 for supply/fitting of a galvanised chassis, all new braking components, all new suspension components and a hydraulic winch fitted for that price. Mine has never broken down, it did get the rear hubs drowned (I did that!) and once you have one you never stop spending money on them as there is always something else you want to fit. It is reckoned that like Rolls Royces 80% of production is still running, and they started making them in 1948!




For a surf wagon what you want is an ex-Electric company 130, you can get your boards safely locked up in the back where the 'lecy company stored ladders, but a 110 would do as you don't then have to climb on the roof (and they are high!) I used to carry two windsurfers on my Defender................ one got badly damaged when it got caught by the wind before I could get up there to tie it down and it flipped onto the edge of the roof rack. Land Rovers aren't keen on salt water, rots the chassis very quickly! If you have to have huge wheels then a Disco1 3.9 V8 EFi would be a cheaper buy than a Defender, fuel consumption is crap (petrol and mine one could get 25mpg fully loaded up on a long run, but normally 16-17 round town)but comfort is huge and you can stack stuff on the roof and not make the fuel consumption any worse.

So how uncomfortable are we talking? i.e i'd happily go down to biarritz in a wrangler.. so i'm guessing the defender wouldn't be too much different..

The longest trip I have done is from Central Scotland to the Lake District................ Tdi300 sits happiest at 55-60mph on the motorway, but I HAD to stop
every hour to 1.5 hours driving as there is nowhere to rest your right arm and unless you can wind the drivers window down (most times when it is dry!) there is no arm rest on the door casing. Defenders are not nice to drive fast (and mine now has no anti-roll bars on it for off road wheel articulation) and they roll, bounce and are not called deafeners for nothing although the current Puma 2.2 engined Defenders are much much more civilised than mine is! For that sort of drive a Disco1 or 2 would be much more comfortable - or a Range Rover "Classic". Buying a used one then a full service history and minimal previous owners is the key. It is very easy to make a bad one look great unfortunately, and many people do just that to make a tidy profit. Older Land Rovers were never fitted with a radio - no point as you couldn't hear it anyway........................... They are great vehicles for covering huge distances, but not if you are in a hurry!
Take a look here -http://www.lixtoll.com/Land_Rover_sales.htm it will give you some idea of what you are likely to spend and what you will get for your money - this is my local used Defender specialist and I reckon they are well overpriced, but they will take in a car and completely strip it and fix it up before sale, they will also convert one to what ever you want
If you are looking at 2007 -2010 Puma 2.4 Defender2's then be aware that VED is £425 pa.............. the more recent 2.2's are a lot less because of their lower emissions, my oldie is £185pa for VED and £298pa fully comp insurance with offroad use