First Car Question - A Series 2a Land Rover?
Discussion
Hi
I am looking at buying my first car and have come around to a Series 2a or early S3 Land Rover as I can aford to insure one and parts are cheap.
Can anyone who has run one as a first car (aged 18/19) let me know their experiences, good or bad?
I would be looking to buy the best I can afford - ebay, or a classic car site - up to £4500.
I will have access to a family car too, but the Landy would be "mine"!
I haven't posted this in the Land Rover section as I am open to alternatives to a Landy, but insurance seems to be a killer.
Guy
I am looking at buying my first car and have come around to a Series 2a or early S3 Land Rover as I can aford to insure one and parts are cheap.
Can anyone who has run one as a first car (aged 18/19) let me know their experiences, good or bad?
I would be looking to buy the best I can afford - ebay, or a classic car site - up to £4500.
I will have access to a family car too, but the Landy would be "mine"!
I haven't posted this in the Land Rover section as I am open to alternatives to a Landy, but insurance seems to be a killer.
Guy
I ran one when I was 21, many years ago.
They drink petrol - think 15-20mpg - and the diesels aren't much better. It definitely hammered my impoverished youthful budget. You seriously need to think whether you can cope with that kind of thirst these days.
I learned to drive on old rubbish from the 60's and 70's, and even I found the brakes pretty poor. You will probably find Land Rover drum brakes truly scary if you're only used to newer cars.
60mph is about the max speed you'll want to hold. They will usually do 70, but you'll be deafened by engine and wind noise, as well as struggling to hold it in lane, especially if you have SATs or any chunky off road tyre fitted.
With hindsight, I'd be tempted by a decent V8 (or even a V6) conversion: fuel economy is no worse, but you actually have some acceleration plus a decent noise to boot. Worth looking at - the 2.25 engines are really dull old lumps, and one of the worst things about old Land Rovers, IMO. A later 300TDI conversion might tempt me, too.
If all that doesn't put you off, then they're ace. Good fun to drive, cheap and esy to fix, very tail happy RWD handling. I'd love another. Classic insurance or similar would be the way to go, surely?
They drink petrol - think 15-20mpg - and the diesels aren't much better. It definitely hammered my impoverished youthful budget. You seriously need to think whether you can cope with that kind of thirst these days.
I learned to drive on old rubbish from the 60's and 70's, and even I found the brakes pretty poor. You will probably find Land Rover drum brakes truly scary if you're only used to newer cars.
60mph is about the max speed you'll want to hold. They will usually do 70, but you'll be deafened by engine and wind noise, as well as struggling to hold it in lane, especially if you have SATs or any chunky off road tyre fitted.
With hindsight, I'd be tempted by a decent V8 (or even a V6) conversion: fuel economy is no worse, but you actually have some acceleration plus a decent noise to boot. Worth looking at - the 2.25 engines are really dull old lumps, and one of the worst things about old Land Rovers, IMO. A later 300TDI conversion might tempt me, too.
If all that doesn't put you off, then they're ace. Good fun to drive, cheap and esy to fix, very tail happy RWD handling. I'd love another. Classic insurance or similar would be the way to go, surely?
Hi
Thanks for your reply - I have driven a 2.25 and thought 60mph was fast enough!
I have done the sums based on 18mpg petrol and it still works out cheaper than buying a diesel (or petrol) Fiesta paying car tax (a series woud be £0 tax) and high insurance.
I'd love a V8 conversion, but that would knock out the insurance saving.
Guy
Thanks for your reply - I have driven a 2.25 and thought 60mph was fast enough!
I have done the sums based on 18mpg petrol and it still works out cheaper than buying a diesel (or petrol) Fiesta paying car tax (a series woud be £0 tax) and high insurance.
I'd love a V8 conversion, but that would knock out the insurance saving.
Guy
Do it they are such good fun. i wish i had got mine as a first car. Dont expect it to be a "normal" car and you'll be fine. £4500 will get you a really good example and id go for a 2 over a 3. they feel more classic especially earlier ones with lights in middle single wipers and the spoked steering wheel
GuyGhibli said:
Hi
Thanks for your reply - I have driven a 2.25 and thought 60mph was fast enough!
I have done the sums based on 18mpg petrol and it still works out cheaper than buying a diesel (or petrol) Fiesta paying car tax (a series woud be £0 tax) and high insurance.
I'd love a V8 conversion, but that would knock out the insurance saving.
Guy
Thanks for your reply - I have driven a 2.25 and thought 60mph was fast enough!
I have done the sums based on 18mpg petrol and it still works out cheaper than buying a diesel (or petrol) Fiesta paying car tax (a series woud be £0 tax) and high insurance.
I'd love a V8 conversion, but that would knock out the insurance saving.
Guy
Excellent - then do it.
Tell your mum they even crash pretty well. I T boned an old codger in a new Rover 800 at 30mph in mine when he ran a red light. I needed about a foot of front chassis leg, a wing and a headlight. The 800 lost most of its front end.
This is of no help to you whatsoever, but what a really, really cool first car. I just wish I had the mechanical ability to keep one going, but as I once badly electrocuted myself on a dishwasher I am best kept away from anything practical.
If you do get one, then stick it in readers cars!
If you do get one, then stick it in readers cars!
youngsod said:
This is of no help to you whatsoever, but what a really, really cool first car. I just wish I had the mechanical ability to keep one going, but as I once badly electrocuted myself on a dishwasher I am best kept away from anything practical.
If you do get one, then stick it in readers cars!
I'm not sure about "cool", but it really is different to the standard choices.If you do get one, then stick it in readers cars!
I like the idea that if I need to replace the girder thatis the front bumper, that'll cost me 40p (well, ok, £40) compared to £400 on a shopping trolley car.
I also know that it's not something I am going to hoon around a car park in, trying to hand-brake turn, just learn some mechanical sympathy (eg double de-clutch), minor spannering skills (I have a hammer, that should be enough?) and it is big enough to throw my bike in the back too.
Downside is fuel (although that is only part of the cost of running anything), upside is patriotism!
I ran a '63 IIa as my first car in the late 80's. Even then, it was slow, uncomfortable, noisey and leaked like a sieve when it rained. I LOVED it! If you don't have to do too many miles, or have access to another car then go ahead. Zero depreciation, cheap insurance, fix it with a hammer maintainability etc!
However, the thought of having to drive it say 40miles cross country in the dark and rain in the winter, on roads with modern cars doing 80mph at the drop of a hat, er, no thanks.......
It also depends upon your friends, will they put up with being ferried around in that sort of luxury or not?? ;-)
However, the thought of having to drive it say 40miles cross country in the dark and rain in the winter, on roads with modern cars doing 80mph at the drop of a hat, er, no thanks.......
It also depends upon your friends, will they put up with being ferried around in that sort of luxury or not?? ;-)
Not sure what it would do to your insurance, but I stuck a 200tdi into mine (bolts straight in, more or less) and now enjoy 30+mpg.
Whether you can enjoyably use one everyday will, IHO, depend on what sort of journeys your making. Around town is fine, Motorways less so...
Get a canvas top if you can and use it all year round - I found the tin top that I had felt colder than the rag top in the winter!
Here's mine
Whether you can enjoyably use one everyday will, IHO, depend on what sort of journeys your making. Around town is fine, Motorways less so...
Get a canvas top if you can and use it all year round - I found the tin top that I had felt colder than the rag top in the winter!
Here's mine
How much do you actually need a car? If the answer is you can't get to work/ college without one, then an old Landy is not for you! Yes they are easy to fix, but they need to be, they break, a lot.
My current toy car is a lr90, it has been on and off the road since June. It's covered about 200 miles in that time, because its a series (sorry for the pun) of little niggles. It's had a battery and starter, a few hours spent in the earth points all chasing a problem. Couple that with a supposedly easy cam belt change, which thanks to rusted bolts through very old design meant the entire timing case coming off to fix, it took hours.
Fair enough I don't get much chance to spanner it, but, since June, for that 200 miles I've worked on it for around 20 hours or so.
All that said, if it isn't an essential part of getting to work or college, go for, because every time, and I mean every time you drive it, it will make you smile.
My current toy car is a lr90, it has been on and off the road since June. It's covered about 200 miles in that time, because its a series (sorry for the pun) of little niggles. It's had a battery and starter, a few hours spent in the earth points all chasing a problem. Couple that with a supposedly easy cam belt change, which thanks to rusted bolts through very old design meant the entire timing case coming off to fix, it took hours.
Fair enough I don't get much chance to spanner it, but, since June, for that 200 miles I've worked on it for around 20 hours or so.
All that said, if it isn't an essential part of getting to work or college, go for, because every time, and I mean every time you drive it, it will make you smile.
Max_Torque said:
I ran a '63 IIa as my first car in the late 80's. Even then, it was slow, uncomfortable, noisey and leaked like a sieve when it rained. I LOVED it! If you don't have to do too many miles, or have access to another car then go ahead. Zero depreciation, cheap insurance, fix it with a hammer maintainability etc!
I also quite like the idea of being able to take the roof off in the summer (I can park it under a car port) and getting a bikini top (roll of "waterproof" canvas and a set of sticks). I know I have to watch Classic Insurance - some won't quote for under 25's, but those that do, some don't let you build up any NCB. That may not be such an issue - once you are over 21, even with no NCB, cost starts to come down (but not much!).
Getting free tax feels good too!
DO IT! I had one for my first and loved it. Petrol 2.25, wasn't too bad as it wasn't driven too many miles but enough to teach me a lot about driving.
No power stearing, rear wheel drive when in 2wd, no traction control etc loved it. So sad it had to be sold
.
WILL be getting another one, just for the hell of it have a pic of mine in it's form!
No power stearing, rear wheel drive when in 2wd, no traction control etc loved it. So sad it had to be sold
. WILL be getting another one, just for the hell of it have a pic of mine in it's form!
Generally, and following the usual rules of classics, the more you use it, the more reliable it will be! Classics that only get driven occasionally seem to suffer from many many more faults. I had my IIa, a 100" hybrid, and then an Integrale as dailys, and they were very reliable. Now, that doesn't mean skimping on normal routine attention, but keep on top of it and you can rely on them to work when you need them too!
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