Defender as first car?
Discussion
Now that Quinn direct have gone into administration, the cheapest quotes I'm getting for small hatchbacks are around £3000 and tbh I could probably get taxi's everywhere for that kind of money combined with the cost of fuel, depreciation etc. I've read about quite a few people who have had defenders as first cars at 17 and from what I have read insurance seems to vary, some have spent less than a grand and some have spend over 2 grand. If I could get one insured for about 1500 or less I would be very tempted especially with the lack of depreciation. It wouldn't be used for any towing and it wont be used like a van so I would want a station wagon, if one came up at the right price, I would love a soft top one like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LANDROVER-DEFENDER-90-SOFT-T... although I doubt I'll see anything that nice within budget. I'm not sure on budget yet but probably about £4000 maybe more depending on how cheap I can get insurance. Do you think this is a good idea or do you think I'd be mad to do this? Would it be a money pit? I don't mind working on it because I would like to learn some basic mechanics and I would probably do it up a bit to get it looking a little better but I don't really want to keep having things going wrong which need replacing and I don't particularly want to be stood at the side of the road regularly. So what do you think, stupid idea or good idea?
Edited by v1paul on Sunday 11th April 18:44
Edited by v1paul on Sunday 11th April 18:57
It depends if you have any interest in defenders really, I absolutly love mine faults and all, but if I was only getting into it for the cheap insurance I think it may wik me off a bit.
Going classic or the like for first car is great plan, I started with a 78 triumph spitfire then a 72 gt6 and i've not had to pay over 700 for insurance yet even with some damn points.
Go for it
Going classic or the like for first car is great plan, I started with a 78 triumph spitfire then a 72 gt6 and i've not had to pay over 700 for insurance yet even with some damn points.
Go for it
Definitely a good idea, and will make a nice change as a first car from the bog standard Saxo, Clios etc that every other young driver buys.
Enjoy.
£4k should get you a pretty decent one - but look at other forums on here and Land Rover sites to check model variants (eg 200 TDi Defenders versus pre-1990 Turbo Diesel 90s incorrectly called Defenders but with much less power).
Enjoy.
£4k should get you a pretty decent one - but look at other forums on here and Land Rover sites to check model variants (eg 200 TDi Defenders versus pre-1990 Turbo Diesel 90s incorrectly called Defenders but with much less power).
From experience, insurance will be silly for anything except a boggo, most likely old gutless Defender.
My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
The Wookie said:
From experience, insurance will be silly for anything except a boggo, most likely old gutless Defender.
My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
But the 2.8i would e classed as an odd ball import surely, not standard UK model.My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
OP - try the NFU for insurance, but you'll need to phone them.
300bhp/ton said:
The Wookie said:
From experience, insurance will be silly for anything except a boggo, most likely old gutless Defender.
My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
But the 2.8i would e classed as an odd ball import surely, not standard UK model.My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
OP - try the NFU for insurance, but you'll need to phone them.
N.
heightswitch said:
300bhp/ton said:
The Wookie said:
From experience, insurance will be silly for anything except a boggo, most likely old gutless Defender.
My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
But the 2.8i would e classed as an odd ball import surely, not standard UK model.My 2.8i 90 (which was a South African spec factory model), was about 2.5 grand, and that was, depressingly, nearly 9 years ago. Insurance is still on a par with my 928, and I'm nearly 26 with a miraculously clean driving record.
Having said that, it was a great first car. Loads of character, no incentive to drive like a plonker, and room for lots of mates. Although try not to crash it, despite my Mum managing to write off a Lorry in our previous one without injury, they're not as safe as you might think.
OP - try the NFU for insurance, but you'll need to phone them.
N.
I had one as a first car (actually a SIIa 88" V8 hybrid, but similar idea). It was the most loved/respected car in the 6th form car park.
Far more fun than anything else you can insure at 17 and you can fit loads of mates in.
Save up the pennies for fuel though, and a soft top for the summer.
I still have mine 13 years later...(and I'm about to put it back in to daily use as our London runabout!)
Far more fun than anything else you can insure at 17 and you can fit loads of mates in.
Save up the pennies for fuel though, and a soft top for the summer.
I still have mine 13 years later...(and I'm about to put it back in to daily use as our London runabout!)
JimexPL said:
I had one as a first car (actually a SIIa 88" V8 hybrid, but similar idea). It was the most loved/respected car in the 6th form car park.
Far more fun than anything else you can insure at 17 and you can fit loads of mates in.
Save up the pennies for fuel though, and a soft top for the summer.
I still have mine 13 years later...(and I'm about to put it back in to daily use as our London runabout!)
^ That's stunning, haven't seen many red ones about. Far more fun than anything else you can insure at 17 and you can fit loads of mates in.
Save up the pennies for fuel though, and a soft top for the summer.
I still have mine 13 years later...(and I'm about to put it back in to daily use as our London runabout!)
I'd have loved a defender as my first car, far more fun and characterful than the usual choices.
My brother wanted one, but when my Mum found out it had no air bags, abs etc.. it wasn't allowed! Even the argument of 'it's one of the slowest cars ever' and 'I could make it safer by fitting bull bars' didn't work.
JimexPL said:
I had one as a first car (actually a SIIa 88" V8 hybrid, but similar idea). It was the most loved/respected car in the 6th form car park.
Far more fun than anything else you can insure at 17 and you can fit loads of mates in.
Save up the pennies for fuel though, and a soft top for the summer.
I still have mine 13 years later...(and I'm about to put it back in to daily use as our London runabout!)
That's the sort of thing that I'm talking about. Just out of curiosity, how do you get in the back when the tops down?Far more fun than anything else you can insure at 17 and you can fit loads of mates in.
Save up the pennies for fuel though, and a soft top for the summer.
I still have mine 13 years later...(and I'm about to put it back in to daily use as our London runabout!)
What a great idea.
I wasn't flush enough to have a Defender as my first motor but had an 88'' Series 2a. I put a soft top on it and had endless hours of funny.
Albeit it a long time ago now I paid £800 insurance in my first year. I added a 2.5 petrol from an early 90, which turned the old 2a into vertable racer (for a lanny).
Managed to cram loads of mates in the back with BBQ's, bags and bikes. Go for it. If it goes wrong there is always your local Landrover club who are more than willing to help you out.
Post some pics if you decide to get one.
I wasn't flush enough to have a Defender as my first motor but had an 88'' Series 2a. I put a soft top on it and had endless hours of funny.
Albeit it a long time ago now I paid £800 insurance in my first year. I added a 2.5 petrol from an early 90, which turned the old 2a into vertable racer (for a lanny).
Managed to cram loads of mates in the back with BBQ's, bags and bikes. Go for it. If it goes wrong there is always your local Landrover club who are more than willing to help you out.
Post some pics if you decide to get one.
My First car was officially a Dihatsu Fourtrak but after 5 weeks It came to a nasty end on it roof in a field. My mother had had it for yrs and it was perfect until I got hold of it.
The defender compared to the fourtrak handled like it was on rails, you could always do as I did and buy a standard van to get you started then get modifying it.
I put on:
11.5inch wide tires
Snorkel
Induction kit
Upgraded the Turbo
running boards
bull bars
I had a light bar for the roof and at one point that had 4 spots along with 2 on the bumper and 2 on the bull bars. People saw me coming.
I put MG bucket seats in with 4 point harness
Momo steering wheel
Rear windows
and a sweet stereo.
Why oh why did i sell it,
I want another.
The defender compared to the fourtrak handled like it was on rails, you could always do as I did and buy a standard van to get you started then get modifying it.
I put on:
11.5inch wide tires
Snorkel
Induction kit
Upgraded the Turbo
running boards
bull bars
I had a light bar for the roof and at one point that had 4 spots along with 2 on the bumper and 2 on the bull bars. People saw me coming.
I put MG bucket seats in with 4 point harness
Momo steering wheel
Rear windows
and a sweet stereo.
Why oh why did i sell it,
I want another.
go for it!!!!!!
defenders are cool. you will get the most attention out of all the other first time cars.
3-4 grand should get you a good one. they are cheap to fix when "not if" they break. as long as you dont mind getting your hands dirty. and hey get some AA cover on it about 30 quid a year then you wont spend to much time at the side of the road.
On a the AA i just covered all the cars in house and they offered me a cover for 100 quid which if any of the cars break they pay the first 500 quid of the repairs.
back to defenders look for one that is standard this will keep your insurance down. you could also fit an imobaliser or alarm.
other things to consider
series 1,2 or 3 anything over 25 years gets you into classic insurance which is a lot cheaper. all of these are just as simple to repair and you might get away with sticking a 200tdi in.
i have used adrian flux for insurance on all my cars and landies from the family c max to vauxhall engined mini they have been cheap
good luck
post a pic of whatever you get
defenders are cool. you will get the most attention out of all the other first time cars.
3-4 grand should get you a good one. they are cheap to fix when "not if" they break. as long as you dont mind getting your hands dirty. and hey get some AA cover on it about 30 quid a year then you wont spend to much time at the side of the road.
On a the AA i just covered all the cars in house and they offered me a cover for 100 quid which if any of the cars break they pay the first 500 quid of the repairs.
back to defenders look for one that is standard this will keep your insurance down. you could also fit an imobaliser or alarm.
other things to consider
series 1,2 or 3 anything over 25 years gets you into classic insurance which is a lot cheaper. all of these are just as simple to repair and you might get away with sticking a 200tdi in.
i have used adrian flux for insurance on all my cars and landies from the family c max to vauxhall engined mini they have been cheap
good luck
post a pic of whatever you get
I have had all the Land Rovers now and Defenders are CRAP!! they are slow , drafty , leaking rotting sheds My 330 TDI 110 was the worst of all .
BUy a Discovery 300TDi auto best car Land Rover ever made , if you're not a farmer or work in forestry then defenders are tractors with four evenly sized wheels for Ray Mears wannabes ...
It's all about image, the best one is people who say they are full of character ... I havenow learned that ' character ' is just another word for faults .
Poorly designed and built , build quality is atrocious and road manners even worse , way over priced
another great idea ruined by Land Rover ..
BUy a Discovery 300TDi auto best car Land Rover ever made , if you're not a farmer or work in forestry then defenders are tractors with four evenly sized wheels for Ray Mears wannabes ...
It's all about image, the best one is people who say they are full of character ... I havenow learned that ' character ' is just another word for faults .
Poorly designed and built , build quality is atrocious and road manners even worse , way over priced
another great idea ruined by Land Rover ..
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