Defender 90 tdi

[mark_j]

As the title suggests, looking to purchase one for a bit of fun, but boy do they seem to hold their money compared to a Range rover of similar vintage, anyone know where to get an ex mil?

[BogMonster]

Try the disposals agencies like L Jackson & Co, Babcock, PA Blanchard, Withams etc? Most of them go through one of those I think. However be aware most/all of the cast mil vehicles will be the 2.5 naturally asthmatic engine not a 200Tdi or 300Tdi. Or you might end up with a carb V8 which at the current fuel prices will kill you. You can put any engine in any vehicle if you know what you are doing so no reason why a 2.5NA could not be re-engined to a 200Tdi or 300Tdi, it's a bit more than nuts and bolts (may need to cut off and move the engine mounts on some combinations) plus wiring and plumbing, but its not rocket science. A quick plug for our forum - www.lr4x4.com is a good forum for advice

[Nos4r2]

Or Milweb (Google it).

[Mollers]

A decent cheap 90 is a very rare thing. My neighbour's lad has just sold his hammered to death 1990 200TDI for £3k.

[verstappen]

Owned a 90 tdi think it was a 1999. Four pump injectors type.
Lubricating the vacuum mechanical wastegate in the KKK once a day got boring. No 140kmh when ECU detected overpressure.
Fuel consumption was very good. Can be compared to large passenger car.
Left it. Noise at 120kmh was also boring.

Now own a 25 yo G-class not rare overhere. Lucky to be on CNG/LPG it does lots of it..

[Jono Garton]

We got this ex military, Land Rover Special Vehicle built for the military, civilian spec with a few goodies, 11 seats, low miles, its been on a runway in the Bahamas all its life, the chassis is like new. 300 Tdi's are shooting up in price.

Jono

[Jono Garton]

after a few months in the workshop.

2 new wings
new bonnet
new powder coated hinges and window brackets
bit of chequer plate inside and out
new interior
full service

Jono

[Jono Garton]

http://www.mod-sales.com/

[tony t]

Originally Posted by mark_j

As the title suggests, looking to purchase one for a bit of fun, but boy do they seem to hold their money compared to a Range rover of similar vintage, anyone know where to get an ex mil?

here's mine..great tow vehicle, i enjoy driving this more then the discovery not an x mil but i have done a little work on it to get her looking good

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

We got this ex military, Land Rover Special Vehicle built for the military, civilian spec with a few goodies, 11 seats, low miles, its been on a runway in the Bahamas all its life, the chassis is like new. 300 Tdi's are shooting up in price.

Jono

Did you have any insurance issues with it having a 2 door van body and 11 seats (ie it not being a 'standard' LR)? I was toying with the idea of building a rough camper out of something similar, but I had some insurance issues (like, they refused to insure the vehicle at all) when I tried to buy a minibus to convert a few years ago.

[Jono Garton]

Was more expensive on standard insurance, but the landy is on Limited use as we only use it around the shoot, so full comp any driver with NFU is £60 inc any trailer up to £3500. Also being on limited use no MOT, Free TAX and can run on red legally!

[Anchorhandler]

I have owned quite a few Landy's over the last 15 or so years including several 90's (200 and 300tdi), a 'Land Mark' discovery TD5, a classsic Rangie which i converted to a pick-up truck and for a brief amount of time, a P38 Range Rover.
I hate to say it but, after owning all these, i actually find LR's to be over-rated (cue the frantic typing of reply's to the contrary )...
For the same money that an abused 90 will fetch you could pick up something japanese that will provide better towing charachteristics, be infinately more reliable and not steam the inside of its windows up as soon as you get withing 10ft of it!

When i went through my Defender 90 phase,i looked at quite a few x-mil examples but was quite dissapointed with what you get for the money.
As Bogmonster said, the engines are underpowered and the interiors were dreadfull. 'basic' doesnt even come close to acurately describing the interior of an x-mil Landy!

I suppose if your buying it just to throw it around some greenlanes or test its wading ability on a regular basis then fair enough but if you want to use it for regular towing of your rib any distance over 10miles then be aware of the above mentioned points. You will probably have to spend quite a bit of time and money making it 'comfortable/practical' which begs the question "should i have spent a bit more and opted for a decent civilian model instead?"

One positive point of buying an x-mil 90 is that many of them are soft tops...Something i always thought LR should have offered to the European civilian market and not just the US.


Simon

[Dirk Diggler]

This should be good.

[Anchorhandler]

[Jono Garton]

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

I have owned quite a few Landy's over the last 15 or so years including several 90's (200 and 300tdi), a 'Land Mark' discovery TD5, a classsic Rangie which i converted to a pick-up truck and for a brief amount of time, a P38 Range Rover.
I hate to say it but, after owning all these, i actually find LR's to be over-rated (cue the frantic typing of reply's to the contrary )...
For the same money that an abused 90 will fetch you could pick up something japanese that will provide better towing charachteristics, be infinately more reliable and not steam the inside of its windows up as soon as you get withing 10ft of it!

Totally Agree We also have a nissan terrano for JG Marine, better lock, comfortable, better off road, better on road, doesn't leak water in or oil out, only 1 problem! Its not a land rover!

A few of my past Landys

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

We also have a nissan terrano for JG Marine, better off road, better on road,

Better on road maybe, not off road though!

[Jono Garton]

Originally Posted by chewy

Better on road maybe, not off road though!

Terranos got diff lock and traction control so 4 wheel drive, defenders got a diff lock so 2 wheel drive when 2 wheels are spinning, unless you get traction control, a detroit diff or arb air locking diff defenders arnt as good as people think in the slippery stuff.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

Terranos got diff lock and traction control so 4 wheel drive, defenders got a diff lock so 2 wheel drive when 2 wheels are spinning, unless you get traction control, a detroit diff or arb air locking diff defenders arnt as good as people think in the slippery stuff.

Would have thought approach and departure angles would be better as would clearence under the diffs, on a Defender.
If you end up with a wheel on each axle spinning pressing the brakes will stop the spinning wheel and put equal power to each wheel.

[willk]

Originally Posted by chewy

Would have thought approach and departure angles would be better as would clearence under the diffs, on a Defender.
If you end up with a wheel on each axle spinning pressing the brakes will stop the spinning wheel and put equal power to each wheel.

By that I take it you mean "bollocks!"?

[Anchorhandler]

Dont get me wrong, i will always be fond of Defenders, i particularly like the fact you can fix them with the tool kit's you sometimes get in a Xmas cracker!! but truth is, unless your a Farmer or forestry worker or have bought one just for offroading then you'le probably feel that your having to compromise on certain things....like comfort and reliability.

Last year as a sideline, my little workshop exported 6 vehicles to Africa...Congo to be precise. This was made up of two pajero's, a Hilux Surf, a Land Cruiser Amazon, and an old Nissan Patrol. The final vehicle was a laguna 3.0v6...but thats another story. The point is, the demand 'over there' is for Jap 4x4's..and not the Defender. Part of the reason is the strong re-sale values in UK/Europe but mainly the reliability issues. Shame really i just wish LR would get their act together.

Aparently in Oz they have a saying that goes something like..."If you wanna go into the outback, get yourself a Defender.........if you wanna make it back out, get yourself a LandCruiser!!"

Anyway, enough LR bashing, this is our workhorse that we have owned for some 8 years now...best vehicle i have ever owned...pulled things heavier than i would care to admit on a public forum and in the all the years of owning it, it has never skipped a beat...and believe me, it has to work hard for its keep.

Simon