Land Rover Defender 90

[Gwozhog]

97 was the last year the defender was sold over her. I have seen them on the used market sell for as high as 150k usd. Just crazy. If your your short on space spend 100 bucks and pick up a hitch carrier. It solves all transportation woes.

[willk]

test post

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by willk

FTFY Boss.

Thank you. To be fair I generally left the driver's door top off to make a bit more elbow room. It was a IIA actually not a SIII, so had a bit more legroom than later models.

It was a god awful contraption but I thought it was great at the time!

[willk]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

It was a god awful contraption but I thought it was great at the time!

They call it "Land Rover Syndrome", Boss. I'm a former sufferer. There's a market for Interventions, IMO....

[lightning]

Discoverys are great, but they are not a Defender, which is why you can get a good one for £1500.

We've got two Defenders, the missus drives a 90 and l've got a 110.

The 110 has a lot more room, and it's not as big as you'd think. I do 1,000 miles a month in mine.

I took out the side facing rear seats and out a board across the back, as suggested above. I can get my SIB plus engine and everything for a week's holiday in no problem.

It can be done in a 90, we had just a 90 for eight years.
I've had two mountain bikes and a week's holiday kit in the back of the 90, and that's without removing the fold up rear seats.

If you don't want a 110, get a 90 hard top (basically the van version) as they are a fair bit cheaper than the station wagon anyway. You can always fit seats and windows if you want, and the road tax is cheaper.
I'd recommend a TD5 manufactured after the update in 2002 but before the road tax went up in early 2006.

[lightning]

Originally Posted by Max...

Not sure but I have a feeling that (with the diff lock out a Landy become a one wheel drive) - remove one wheel and tow it away will defeat that. Or remove prop in 5 mins or less. It's like all the gizmos with solenoids in the clutch or brake lines - thieves just cut the pipes and drive off without using the clutch. Not trying to be negative but I looked into all the stuff out there so much. The ones I listed are the accepted layers that most go for once they have had one nicked so do it all before it goes!

My 90 was stolen last year but the thieves did not get far. After about 100 yards the alarm went off....a ship's foghorn hidden in the cab with it's own backup battery. The guy literally fell out of the cab...he'd pressed the brake pedal when the alarm went off and the brakes had locked on anyway.
Another security system it has fitted. Yes l know it's illegal, but so is stealing a Land Rover, and if the Police can't stop these people then l have to take some action.

[mick]

Originally Posted by lightning

My 90 was stolen last year but the thieves did not get far. After about 100 yards the alarm went off....a ship's foghorn hidden in the cab with it's own backup battery. The guy literally fell out of the cab...he'd pressed the brake pedal when the alarm went off and the brakes had locked on anyway.
Another security system it has fitted. Yes l know it's illegal, but so is stealing a Land Rover, and if the Police can't stop these people then l have to take some action.

Quality 💪💪

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by mick

Quality 💪💪

Bloody Right GOOD ON YA!

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by lightning

My 90 was stolen last year but the thieves did not get far. After about 100 yards the alarm went off....a ship's foghorn hidden in the cab with it's own backup battery. The guy literally fell out of the cab...he'd pressed the brake pedal when the alarm went off and the brakes had locked on anyway.
Another security system it has fitted. Yes l know it's illegal, but so is stealing a Land Rover, and if the Police can't stop these people then l have to take some action.

Quality!

Do you have any technical drawings of this anti-theft device?

If only what I was looking at was petrol I could wire a circuit from the HT lead through the seats and steering wheel ;-)

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by lightning

If you don't want a 110, get a 90 hard top (basically the van version) as they are a fair bit cheaper than the station wagon anyway. You can always fit seats and windows if you want, and the road tax is cheaper.
I'd recommend a TD5 manufactured after the update in 2002 but before the road tax went up in early 2006.

Thanks, great advice. This is where I'd actually gotten to. A 90 "van" in 54 plate with 100k miles is going for around £8-£10k whereas the similar "station wagon" is going for £12-£16k... Makes one wonder if it's worth buy vans and investing the time & energy in converting to station wagon... As if I have the time ;-)

[Chris Caton]

at the age you're looking at, I'd be far more concerened about condition rather than if it's a hardtop or station wagon, the station wagons always hold their value as they are less likely to have been used by farmers etc than a hard top. unlike many on here, I like the later Puma engined versions just as much as the earlier TD5s etc, and bearing in mind it's 9 years since they built any TD5s they are starting to get a bit long in the tooth, although there are still plenty of good ones about! I guess one of the benefits of the TD5s is that there are plenty of opertunities for extracting a bit more oomph from the engine, such as cam changes, bigger turbo's and intercoolers etc, they can be made to be reasonably sporty if that's your thing still, I'll stick to my ratty old tdci puma for now, bought it 6 months old as a demo model from the local dealership, it's not missed a beat so far but it's not been near the dealers since I bought it, local garage does all the servicing etc as they know more about them than the dealers do! there again, it get an easy life, doesn't tow much and only the occasional bit of off-roading ............

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

at the age you're looking at, I'd be far more concerened about condition rather than if it's a hardtop or station wagon, the station wagons always hold their value as they are less likely to have been used by farmers etc than a hard top. unlike many on here, I like the later Puma engined versions just as much as the earlier TD5s etc, and bearing in mind it's 9 years since they built any TD5s they are starting to get a bit long in the tooth, although there are still plenty of good ones about! I guess one of the benefits of the TD5s is that there are plenty of opertunities for extracting a bit more oomph from the engine, such as cam changes, bigger turbo's and intercoolers etc, they can be made to be reasonably sporty if that's your thing still, I'll stick to my ratty old tdci puma for now, bought it 6 months old as a demo model from the local dealership, it's not missed a beat so far but it's not been near the dealers since I bought it, local garage does all the servicing etc as they know more about them than the dealers do! there again, it get an easy life, doesn't tow much and only the occasional bit of off-roading ............

Been around Landys for many, many years, owned a few and currently run two TD5's - however never ever heard of TD5 cam changes???? Enlighten me..............

[Stigomery]

So I'm currently considering 2 local ones. Although different accounts I'm almost certain they're for the same "dealer":

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152048071527

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/272220607673

And the reason I think they're the same "dealer":

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152061894940

(Love that pick up but too impractical)

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by Fender

Been around Landys for many, many years, owned a few and currently run two TD5's - however never ever heard of TD5 cam changes???? Enlighten me..............

not something I've done myself, but I'm led to believe that there are "options" for sportier cams, the TD5s have been around for a while now so the Land Rover clubs who race them will have explored any opertunity to tweak the motors, even just a mild tweak of the box of tricks under the seat, with a bigger intercooler and turbo adjustment will liven the performance, without going daft n risking any engine problems, plus a good aftermarket exhaust will let it breath easier the last of the TD5 discos were very different to the earliest ones, so there's room to improve the same motor in a 90

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by Stigomery

So I'm currently considering 2 local ones. Although different accounts I'm almost certain they're for the same "dealer":

54 reg land rover defender 90 td5 | eBay

LAND ROVER DEFENDER TD5 90 VAN | eBay

And the reason I think they're the same "dealer":

Land Rover defender pick up TD5 90 | eBay

(Love that pick up but too impractical)

I'd go for the pickup and just take the truck cab body off n fit a full canvas, would look great with that body colour, plus it's got the body colour wheel arches so may have been ordered with other factory fitted extras
and yes, does look like they're from the same dealer

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

I'd go for the pickup and just take the truck cab body off n fit a full canvas

I would love to, trust me... However, SIB plus engine under a canvas cover... No thanks... These things lack security as it is without worrying about what can be lifted from the back.

Also need to fit 1 extra seat.

So why do you think the vehicle with more mileage and steel wheels is more expensive?

(The guy is away so I've not spoken to him/them or viewed yet)

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

not something I've done myself, but I'm led to believe that there are "options" for sportier cams, the TD5s have been around for a while now so the Land Rover clubs who race them will have explored any opertunity to tweak the motors, even just a mild tweak of the box of tricks under the seat, with a bigger intercooler and turbo adjustment will liven the performance, without going daft n risking any engine problems, plus a good aftermarket exhaust will let it breath easier the last of the TD5 discos were very different to the earliest ones, so there's room to improve the same motor in a 90

Thanks - but I understand how to tune a motor, one of my current td5's is naughty, but as I asked, where are these performance 'cams' that can be purchased and fitted to a TD5 - never seen them either fitted to a landy or advertised?

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by Fender

Thanks - but I understand how to tune a motor, one of my current td5's is naughty, but as I asked, where are these performance 'cams' that can be purchased and fitted to a TD5 - never seen them either fitted to a landy or advertised?

I doubt the bits would be available off the shelf, most likely a limited number built to order, but I'll ask for you

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by Stigomery

I would love to, trust me... However, SIB plus engine under a canvas cover... No thanks... These things lack security as it is without worrying about what can be lifted from the back.

Also need to fit 1 extra seat.

So why do you think the vehicle with more mileage and steel wheels is more expensive?

(The guy is away so I've not spoken to him/them or viewed yet)

think the canvas is probably more secure than the locked doors to be honest, n at least they'd do less damage getting in it's definitely going to be snug in the back with an additional seat + outboard + sib

maybe the one with the steel rims is in better condition than the one with ally's, like I said earlier, condition is far more important than mileage or trim level at that sort of age, I'd be giving them a really good looking over before buying, especially as it's sooooo easy to swap bits about to make them appear to be something there not ..........

[rocknrolla]

Originally Posted by Fender

Thanks - but I understand how to tune a motor, one of my current td5's is naughty, but as I asked, where are these performance 'cams' that can be purchased and fitted to a TD5 - never seen them either fitted to a landy or advertised?

you can't get performance cams for the td5 Looeylike yoda sed pipe, egr, injectors, hybrid turbo,ford ranger 3.2 ltd lump