Want to buy my first LR 90
Discussion
Hi everyone, I'm am currently 20 and are on my second car which is an 07 plate fiesta! I've finally realised the obsession with defenders and want to join the party! I plan on selling my fiesta and buy myself a lovely 90 with a price range of 6k!! I'm very inexperienced in what to look for and would be hugely grateful if any of you more experienced driver could shed any light on what to look for when buying and any advice you could give me!!
Cheers in advance
Jon
Cheers in advance
Jon
LRs are so diverse and come in so many different formats it's pretty hard to sum up in print.
Depends what you envisage doing with it, how spanner-happy you are, how important things like MPG are and so on.
A good start thought would be to have a look in the classifieds of the LR mags (LRO or LRM) and see what you can get for your money, then see if any of them appeal.
6K is quite generous. Should get you a very reasonable TD5 which is what I'd go for.
Any minute now you'll be lectured at length about buying a Series 1 Discovery, which is the same, apparently.
Depends what you envisage doing with it, how spanner-happy you are, how important things like MPG are and so on.
A good start thought would be to have a look in the classifieds of the LR mags (LRO or LRM) and see what you can get for your money, then see if any of them appeal.
6K is quite generous. Should get you a very reasonable TD5 which is what I'd go for.
Any minute now you'll be lectured at length about buying a Series 1 Discovery, which is the same, apparently.
£6k will definitely get you into a nice 90.
Do you want a station wagon (hardtop, windows and seats in the back), van, soft-top or pickup? The pickups are a pain if you're tall because the cabin bulkhead means you can't slide the seat back as far as in the other models. Remember that they're essentially modular, a van can be turned into a station wagon or a soft-top quite easily (and cheaply).
The TD5 is a great engine, torquey and economical (ish). Very tunable too.
Have a really good look at the top corners of the engine bulkhead for rust. Check the rear crossmember. In fact, check as much of the chassis as you can. Get underneatch with a little screwdriver.
Check the door frames, they rust like buggery due to bi-metal corrosion. The rear door is a cheap replacement, the main doors are not (although they can be repaired.)
Be suspicious of lots of chequer plate, it's often used to cover up damage/rust.
Cheers,
Lefty
Do you want a station wagon (hardtop, windows and seats in the back), van, soft-top or pickup? The pickups are a pain if you're tall because the cabin bulkhead means you can't slide the seat back as far as in the other models. Remember that they're essentially modular, a van can be turned into a station wagon or a soft-top quite easily (and cheaply).
The TD5 is a great engine, torquey and economical (ish). Very tunable too.
Have a really good look at the top corners of the engine bulkhead for rust. Check the rear crossmember. In fact, check as much of the chassis as you can. Get underneatch with a little screwdriver.
Check the door frames, they rust like buggery due to bi-metal corrosion. The rear door is a cheap replacement, the main doors are not (although they can be repaired.)
Be suspicious of lots of chequer plate, it's often used to cover up damage/rust.
Cheers,
Lefty
Thanks for the replies lefty and crossflow kid!! My intensions were to get a hard top with seat based on the looking nicer and being a little more practical then say a pick up and I would be driving it largely on road! I am very happy to carry work on it when my u can save up enough money in order to mod it!! What are your thoughts on comverting to LPG as some but fewhave taken the idea?? What price are we looking at when trying to Convert it to say a v8??
I woul;dn't vert ne to v8, buy one that's already a v8!
Early 90's were available with the 3.5 which can easily be replaced with anything up to a 5.2 rover v8. LPG is fine but I've seen quite a few around with the tank in the back which takes up a heck of a lot of space and is a bit daft IMHO.
I saw one for sale locally with a galv chassis for £4k and it was in decent nick. They are generally quite cheap to buy because the horrendous fuel consumprion puts people off.
I've got an early 110 v8 and don't do much mileage so am not going to bother with LPG.
Early 90's were available with the 3.5 which can easily be replaced with anything up to a 5.2 rover v8. LPG is fine but I've seen quite a few around with the tank in the back which takes up a heck of a lot of space and is a bit daft IMHO.
I saw one for sale locally with a galv chassis for £4k and it was in decent nick. They are generally quite cheap to buy because the horrendous fuel consumprion puts people off.
I've got an early 110 v8 and don't do much mileage so am not going to bother with LPG.
From where I'm sat the whole LPG thing is a bit iffy really.
It's only worth it if you do lots of miles, and it's not more efficient, just cheaper so you still end up filling up as often. The conversion itself ain't exactly cheap either so do some careful maths regarding how long it'll take to claw back the conversion costs before assuming LPG is a quick'n'easy route to an affordable V8.
You'd be better off buying a clean, standard, un-f***ed-about-with truck IMHO.
At least you know where you stand with it and aren't relying on someone else having spent the right sort of money on the conversion, or not.
It's only worth it if you do lots of miles, and it's not more efficient, just cheaper so you still end up filling up as often. The conversion itself ain't exactly cheap either so do some careful maths regarding how long it'll take to claw back the conversion costs before assuming LPG is a quick'n'easy route to an affordable V8.
You'd be better off buying a clean, standard, un-f***ed-about-with truck IMHO.
At least you know where you stand with it and aren't relying on someone else having spent the right sort of money on the conversion, or not.
Ye i know and at the price of petrol at the moment and the fact i will be doing a reasonable amount of mile im not sure the V8 option is the way forward. When buying is mileage a massive problem, i know these cars run for a life time so wasn't sure whether to be scared at the fact that one would have 100,000+ miles on the clock??
Condition, every time.
150,000 miles on A roads with just the driver can be easier than
15000 miles lugging feed around Wales, which is considerably easier than
1500 miles working in a commercial quarry.
The variables are so vast and maintenance so haphazard the numbers in the box mean nothing.
150,000 miles on A roads with just the driver can be easier than
15000 miles lugging feed around Wales, which is considerably easier than
1500 miles working in a commercial quarry.
The variables are so vast and maintenance so haphazard the numbers in the box mean nothing.
I went to look at a 130 double cab td5 last year that had been a quarry truck. It was 3 years old, 10k miles, no service history and properly f
ked. Guy only wanted £4k for it but it needed a new chassis, every panel was f
ked, the interior was fked, it smoked like a fker, the tyres were ripped to fk and it felt like it had 30fbhp. 
To be honest, even at £2k it wouldn't have been a bargain although some profit could have been made by breaking it.
I've got an early 110 v8 (3.5 low-comp) which I've just put a new gearbox in (r380 and lt230) and am in the process of tidying. I bought it for £1900 with a galv chassis. I've got a p38 4.6 in a mates garage that needs an inlet manifold and a carb or two which I'll fit at some point.
I've got an early 110 v8 (3.5 low-comp) which I've just put a new gearbox in (r380 and lt230) and am in the process of tidying. I bought it for £1900 with a galv chassis. I've got a p38 4.6 in a mates garage that needs an inlet manifold and a carb or two which I'll fit at some point.
Jpvermont said:
Ye i know and at the price of petrol at the moment and the fact i will be doing a reasonable amount of mile im not sure the V8 option is the way forward. When buying is mileage a massive problem, i know these cars run for a life time so wasn't sure whether to be scared at the fact that one would have 100,000+ miles on the clock??
Hi.The best thing with 90's is EVERYTHING is either replaceable or repairable.
This means it doesn't really matter what you buy, you can always tailor it over time.
V8's are good, but to be honest the Tdi's and Td5's are an easy match performance wise unless you really mod the V8's.
LPG is fine, but it does cost a bit to convert.
I'd also think about what type of Landy you want. As in how you want it too look and perform.
This is because mods to make them better off road will likely make them less good on road and vice versa.
If you want it mostly as a road going Defender that could still go across a field or a mild lane. Then you can lower them 1-2" with stiffer springs and dampers and bigger anti-roll cars.
Fit something like 18" Disco II rims (need an adapter). Bigger brakes and up the HP.
It'll handle really well and will be quick enough to surprise a good number of people with the right engine mods.
But you'll lose axle articulation and flex.
Personally I quite like the look mini monster truck look and big mud tyres look.
There is a middle ground between these extreme too.
As for buying stock or modded. Personally I'd say, if you plan to mod. Then consider buying a modded one. It'll save you on buying and fitting parts in the long run. Just go in eyes open and know what you are buying.
Lift kits is a huge area of debate. But look at it this way, if you want to lift it and you buy one already lifted, but it turns out to be not that great a lift kit. It won't actually cost you anymore to re-do it.
If you do plan off roading head over to the ALRC website and find your local Land Rover Club. Next weekend (bank holiday) is the annual off road Rally in Norfolk - 4 day event. Which consists of several different off roading competitions. Well worth heading over if you think it'd appeal.
Jpvermont said:
I see by your previous garage that u mostly gone for 110, how come?
Unless you need the space or prefer the look, get a 90. Smaller, lighter, more nimble, faster and better off road.110's are great though, but mostly for their extra hauling ability. Although they have a slightly less choppy ride too due to the longer wheelbase.
Ye i think going for a 90 is the best option as I will be using it as a every day car! Can't wait to get it now but have been made by the rents to wait til my 21st which is in April next year til I get it!! How much are good paint jobs as I saw one I matte black and it was gorgeous??
Ye i think going for a 90 is the best option as I will be using it as a every day car! Can't wait to get it now but have been made by the rents to wait til my 21st which is in April next year til I get it!! How much are good paint jobs as I saw one I matte black and it was gorgeous??
Gassing Station | Land Rover | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff