Ex-Army vehicles-anyone bought?
Discussion
hora said:
Watching an old episode of Top Gear and they are walking through a huge warehouse of rows of Landrovers, Helicopters etc.
Anyone bought from this (direct though) sort of place?
Would love an ex-army Defender
Have bought lots of non vehicle bits and some tyres. Anyone bought from this (direct though) sort of place?
Would love an ex-army Defender
Always wanted some of the heavy stuff or the more interesting kit that pops up sometimes!
An army land rover isn't as much fun as you might think- they are all 24v and the older diesels are often non turbo so. Very slow and utterly asmatic
That would be Witham Army Disposal Units
http://www.mod-sales.com/
I wish I did! I bet one of those old Landies is a fair bit better than anything you'd find in a field. Plus, ATVs for as much as a Mondeo is... pretty appealing.
http://www.mod-sales.com/
I wish I did! I bet one of those old Landies is a fair bit better than anything you'd find in a field. Plus, ATVs for as much as a Mondeo is... pretty appealing.
Andurron said:
That would be Witham Army Disposal Units
http://www.mod-sales.com/
I wish I did! I bet one of those old Landies is a fair bit better than anything you'd find in a field. Plus, ATVs for as much as a Mondeo is... pretty appealing.
Anyone got any idea why would have a load of brand new LR/RR vehicles for sale, like this evoque ?http://www.mod-sales.com/
I wish I did! I bet one of those old Landies is a fair bit better than anything you'd find in a field. Plus, ATVs for as much as a Mondeo is... pretty appealing.
http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicle/,84,/53164...
If I remember right, the army land rover defender isn't actually a defender. It gets another name too, warrior I think? I could google to confirm but... :-)
The chassis isn't galvanised to allow for both weight reduction and simplified / safer welding repairs in the field when they get all bent up.
The hard point for the spare wheel is in a completely different place and this was because the traditional points (bonnet, rear door) weren't strong enough in the field.
These sound like very harshly treated vehicles, but if you can find a god 'un it sounds like its pretty much the best defender to own.
The chassis isn't galvanised to allow for both weight reduction and simplified / safer welding repairs in the field when they get all bent up.
The hard point for the spare wheel is in a completely different place and this was because the traditional points (bonnet, rear door) weren't strong enough in the field.
These sound like very harshly treated vehicles, but if you can find a god 'un it sounds like its pretty much the best defender to own.
ShaunTheSheep said:
If I remember right, the army land rover defender isn't actually a defender. It gets another name too, warrior I think? I could google to confirm but... :-)
The chassis isn't galvanised to allow for both weight reduction and simplified / safer welding repairs in the field when they get all bent up.
The hard point for the spare wheel is in a completely different place and this was because the traditional points (bonnet, rear door) weren't strong enough in the field.
These sound like very harshly treated vehicles, but if you can find a god 'un it sounds like its pretty much the best defender to own.
The name you're looking for is Wolf, but it is a defender at heart, just one that has an unusual spec and had a better than average PDI; the chassis will rust just like a civvy one(more so if the booties have ever chucked it in the oggin), the engine is a 300tdi and the gearbox is a R380.The chassis isn't galvanised to allow for both weight reduction and simplified / safer welding repairs in the field when they get all bent up.
The hard point for the spare wheel is in a completely different place and this was because the traditional points (bonnet, rear door) weren't strong enough in the field.
These sound like very harshly treated vehicles, but if you can find a god 'un it sounds like its pretty much the best defender to own.
Mandown46 said:
Bear in mind that the Landrovers ALL, without exception, have been ragged to within an inch of breaking, serviced by people who dont really know what they are doing, and have generally seen a lot of off roading, and more than a few bumps.
That goes for the majority of the trucks too :-)
I can't speak for the army, but I can assure you that other forces engineers are way more capable of servicing a vehicle than most garage mechanics.That goes for the majority of the trucks too :-)
The a forces engineers maintain/service/fix all manner of kit, and unless you think that they don't really know what they are doing when they service aircraft, ships, missiles, radar, sonar, electronic warfare, nuclear power, gas turbines, nuclear weapons etc, then a defender is well within their skills.
I can confirm that forces vehicles are ragged to withing an inch of their lives though
chris333 said:
Anyone got any idea why would have a load of brand new LR/RR vehicles for sale, like this evoque ?
http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicle/,84,/53164...
Because some incompetent civil servant in purchasing doesn't know the difference between an Evoque and a Defender would be my guess.http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicle/,84,/53164...
"So, that's 200 Evoques then, or was it Defenders or Freelanders? Ah, b
ks to it, that'll do, it's not my money and the Army will know what to do with them"Asterix said:
Hope you don't mind me saying you're talking out of your hat. The REME VM's are trained to a standard your average dealership fitter could only dream of.
Agreed, I used to work at a REME depot (in electronics) and the vehicle workshops were excellent. The techies were fastidious, especially if one of the vehicles was coming up for disposal soon, and they had "ahem, an interest" in buying it !Needs a new motor guv ! Drop one in and then pay peanuts for it.
Mandown46 said:
Bear in mind that the Landrovers ALL, without exception, have been ragged to within an inch of breaking, serviced by people who dont really know what they are doing, and have generally seen a lot of off roading, and more than a few bumps.
That goes for the majority of the trucks too :-)
"Haynes, why are you changing the suspension on that landy?" That goes for the majority of the trucks too :-)
"To look busy because you are here sir!"
See. Plenty of extra servicing!
My only real comment would be to make sure you have examined the vehicle before buying - buying unseen is a huge, huge lottery.
One careful, (full-on maintenance, no short cuts), owner, but dozens of drivers varying from the best in the world to the worst on the planet! (20+ years ago I was a REME TA VM).
If it is sold after being released from long term storage, it's likely to be the best LR you can own; if it is directly sold after release from unit, it could be intact but about to rust away after a lifetime driving in the sea off Plymouth, or suffering major accident damage on Salisbury Plain/Otterburn or in Afgan or the Falklands.
I'm looking for a LR90 NA diesel for my son to learn to drive in.
One careful, (full-on maintenance, no short cuts), owner, but dozens of drivers varying from the best in the world to the worst on the planet! (20+ years ago I was a REME TA VM).
If it is sold after being released from long term storage, it's likely to be the best LR you can own; if it is directly sold after release from unit, it could be intact but about to rust away after a lifetime driving in the sea off Plymouth, or suffering major accident damage on Salisbury Plain/Otterburn or in Afgan or the Falklands.
I'm looking for a LR90 NA diesel for my son to learn to drive in.
PugwasHDJ80 said:
An army land rover isn't as much fun as you might think- they are all 24v and the older diesels are often non turbo so. Very slow and utterly asmatic
They are not all 24v. I used to work on TA Landrovers (90's, 110's and Defenders). From my experiences, only the ones with cut away wings and previously setup for radio comms were 24v. They also had screened HT leads and a wacking great alternator with twin belts. 
Personal observations regarding servicing/maintenance
REME Vehicle Mechanics - mixed experiences, but mostly very good. 'Cannibalising' or transfer of parts from one vehicle to another used to be rife to maintain serviceability targets. These days VERY frowned upon so any parts/assemblies replaced will be new or properly reconditioned. No hourly labour to charge, so vehicles tend to get time spent on repairs as required, jobs not rushed. Workshop areas always spotless, in my experience.
Unit Servicing - routine servicing (at least in all Royal Engineer units) was mostly carried out by drivers. Some units have dedicated 'Central Servicing Bay' personnel, but they are drivers themselves, centrally employed for a 6 month period, usually supervising sub-unit drivers doing their own servicing. Quality of a service varies proportionally to whether the driver a)gives a toss b)their Section Commander is a dick c)the room inspection/PT regime is too draconian d)CO/Catering Officer have cut chips to once a week e)how hungover the driver is (morning servicing) f)how close to knock-off time it is (afternoon servicing)
Servicing Intervals - These motors are SAVAGELY over-serviced. Always done on time rather than mileage, sometimes covering relatively little use between periodic servicing/inspection. Good drivers will always carry out a full 'Daily Pre-Use Check' or 'First Parade' and as a result all the small niggles usually get sorted PDQ. Elsewise, they'll be noted and sorted when the thing gets PRI'd (Periodical Routine Inspection) by the VMs in REME Wksp.
It used to be that you could get lucky and find a diamond that had been the CO's Rover at a TA unit that was cleaned and serviced more than it was used, but since the Army moved to 'Whole Fleet Management' those little used gems are like hen's teeth. Most units hold a smaller peacetime fleet which is topped up from a central pool for exercises/operations, so that the usage is spread around the whole fleet.
All Army units are subject to Logistical Systems Inspection annually. A team of 'subject matter experts' from Royal Engineers Made Easy and the Really Large Corps arrive to sample inspect everything from rations/ammo to vehicles/weapons systems, and submit their findings in writing. Commanding Officers REALLY detest amber gradings, and heads roll if they see any red in the report, so pressure is applied to ensure all equipment is properly serviced/maintained according to it's schedules.
Ex-Army kit is generally good. But it will have had a hard life, so inspect it yourself before you commit. And one final note. Check the fuses. All of them. The old 'chewing gum wrapper' wrapped around a failed glass fuse is a 'field repair' that is easily forgotten and not sorted on return to barracks. Lots of Squaddies bh about the kit, and will claim it 'breaks down all the time'. I retired last year after 25 years and only had 1 Landrover go U/S on me, when the gear lever became detached from the gearbox on the M25 leaving me to drive all the way back to Aldershot stuck in 5th gear.
REME Vehicle Mechanics - mixed experiences, but mostly very good. 'Cannibalising' or transfer of parts from one vehicle to another used to be rife to maintain serviceability targets. These days VERY frowned upon so any parts/assemblies replaced will be new or properly reconditioned. No hourly labour to charge, so vehicles tend to get time spent on repairs as required, jobs not rushed. Workshop areas always spotless, in my experience.
Unit Servicing - routine servicing (at least in all Royal Engineer units) was mostly carried out by drivers. Some units have dedicated 'Central Servicing Bay' personnel, but they are drivers themselves, centrally employed for a 6 month period, usually supervising sub-unit drivers doing their own servicing. Quality of a service varies proportionally to whether the driver a)gives a toss b)their Section Commander is a dick c)the room inspection/PT regime is too draconian d)CO/Catering Officer have cut chips to once a week e)how hungover the driver is (morning servicing) f)how close to knock-off time it is (afternoon servicing)
Servicing Intervals - These motors are SAVAGELY over-serviced. Always done on time rather than mileage, sometimes covering relatively little use between periodic servicing/inspection. Good drivers will always carry out a full 'Daily Pre-Use Check' or 'First Parade' and as a result all the small niggles usually get sorted PDQ. Elsewise, they'll be noted and sorted when the thing gets PRI'd (Periodical Routine Inspection) by the VMs in REME Wksp.
It used to be that you could get lucky and find a diamond that had been the CO's Rover at a TA unit that was cleaned and serviced more than it was used, but since the Army moved to 'Whole Fleet Management' those little used gems are like hen's teeth. Most units hold a smaller peacetime fleet which is topped up from a central pool for exercises/operations, so that the usage is spread around the whole fleet.
All Army units are subject to Logistical Systems Inspection annually. A team of 'subject matter experts' from Royal Engineers Made Easy and the Really Large Corps arrive to sample inspect everything from rations/ammo to vehicles/weapons systems, and submit their findings in writing. Commanding Officers REALLY detest amber gradings, and heads roll if they see any red in the report, so pressure is applied to ensure all equipment is properly serviced/maintained according to it's schedules.
Ex-Army kit is generally good. But it will have had a hard life, so inspect it yourself before you commit. And one final note. Check the fuses. All of them. The old 'chewing gum wrapper' wrapped around a failed glass fuse is a 'field repair' that is easily forgotten and not sorted on return to barracks. Lots of Squaddies b
h about the kit, and will claim it 'breaks down all the time'. I retired last year after 25 years and only had 1 Landrover go U/S on me, when the gear lever became detached from the gearbox on the M25 leaving me to drive all the way back to Aldershot stuck in 5th gear.parabolica said:
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