Whats the best diesel Land Rover ?
Discussion
200tdi or 300tdi. Both are pretty much bomb proof with regular oil changes.... & will happily run on half a tank of diesel topped up with another half a tank of veg oil (rapeseed oil) with NO fancy pre heating system etc installed. Just do a fuel filter change after 2 weeks of 1st adding the veg oil as it drags the gunk out of the tank/pipes through the system.
I looked for a 200tdi due to it being more resilient to overheating than the 300tdi and an incredibly strong unit.
It does though have a weaker gearbox than the 300tdi though which uses a R380 box as apposed to the LT77 in the 200.
Mine has a slight pump tweak but is otherwise standard.
The 300 and TD5 are quieter but the TD5s I've driven aren't much of a step up in Performance unless tuned.
Dave!
It does though have a weaker gearbox than the 300tdi though which uses a R380 box as apposed to the LT77 in the 200.
Mine has a slight pump tweak but is otherwise standard.
The 300 and TD5 are quieter but the TD5s I've driven aren't much of a step up in Performance unless tuned.
Dave!
SimonV8ster said:
A long trip probably on a load of crap roads, middle of nowhere sort of stuff, best mpg I can get basically (40'ish on a long run).
Right - pretty much NO proper 4x4 will get anywhere near 40mpg - ever!!!! This won't matter what make, model or country of origin it hails from.A Tdi Landy will be a 24-26mpg vehicle in normal use, or if loaded up. It is theoretically possible to see 30 maybe even 32mpg, but I suspect in most cases such claims come from mileometer error readings.
A Jap 4x4 will be similar.
SimonV8ster said:
Don't actually care what sort of Land Rover but must be a 4x4 and capable of being fixed at the side of the road or by a basic garage.
Do you have a budget in mind, is this a custom built vehicle?Will you be "off roading", if so of what kind of nature and terrain?
Will you be carrying spares? Or want to fix it yourself?
Most 4x4's are simple, but parts supply is likely to be an issue.
If it's Russia you'll be in, have you consider maybe something like a Lada Niva, as I'd have thought parts supply would be better for them there.
I would just take the common spares and be prepared to have weird items flown out as/when they're needed.
I reckon a rebuilt gearbox, transfer box and diffs would be a good idea before you set off, along with a new clutch. Don't want something crapping out on you when the going gets rough.
All depends how hardcore you're going though!
I reckon a rebuilt gearbox, transfer box and diffs would be a good idea before you set off, along with a new clutch. Don't want something crapping out on you when the going gets rough.
All depends how hardcore you're going though!
300bhp/ton said:
The R380 and LT77 are basically the same box and neither is better than the other, although the R380 has additional fail points that the 77 didn't.
Not according to both the 4x4 specialists I've used and Ashcroft transmissions. 5th gear failed on me in Nordkapp on a long uphill climb.
As someone mentioned cold starting then mine with no modifications mechanically did an easy start at minus 36 degrees (that's as low as my gauge went) and worked flawlessly inside the arctic circle with just good quality and proper spec fluids.
You won't see more than 30mpg out of one on a run though, we averaged 26mpg with a roof rack and an all up weight of 2.7 tons but this was over hilly regions on a metaled road.
There are loads of vehicles to choose from but on long trips then repairability and being able to keep moving are the biggest factors. Both of which a Defender is great at providing.
When my gearbox lost 5th, I had to do the last 2000 miles in 4th and it behaved faultlessly being abused like that.
Dave!
Howitzer said:
I looked for a 200tdi due to it being more resilient to overheating than the 300tdi and an incredibly strong unit.
It does though have a weaker gearbox than the 300tdi though which uses a R380 box as apposed to the LT77 in the 200.
Mine has a slight pump tweak but is otherwise standard.
The 300 and TD5 are quieter but the TD5s I've driven aren't much of a step up in Performance unless tuned.
Dave!
The Td5 is a huge step up compared to the 300tdi IMO, although there is a bit of a hole at low revs which can catch you out if you're in too high a gear.It does though have a weaker gearbox than the 300tdi though which uses a R380 box as apposed to the LT77 in the 200.
Mine has a slight pump tweak but is otherwise standard.
The 300 and TD5 are quieter but the TD5s I've driven aren't much of a step up in Performance unless tuned.
Dave!
OP, what's the budget? And what are you planning to do? If you're not planning on going proper off road there are more reliable, more comfortable options.
Budget would be about 3-4K. Not a custom build but want to find something that has something that has been upgraded a little, like better shocks/springs/tyres. I won't want to do proper off roading but will no doubt face a load of gravel/dusty roads, have to cross a few streams/rivers, broken tarmac.
will carry some spares that I can deal with myself but certainly not gearboxes/diffs !!
just looking at those Mitsubishi L200's, look quite cabale and various options of crew cab/pickup, seem to be reasonably economical too.
will carry some spares that I can deal with myself but certainly not gearboxes/diffs !!
just looking at those Mitsubishi L200's, look quite cabale and various options of crew cab/pickup, seem to be reasonably economical too.
SimonV8ster said:
I was going to ask about the Jap stuff. Can you get a Shogun fixed in the depths of Russia ?
Are they very reliable vehicles, will they go on as much as a Landie ?
As far as I am aware, most older used Japanese cars now end up in Russia. Id be extremely surprised if people werent familair with them now.Are they very reliable vehicles, will they go on as much as a Landie ?
SimonV8ster said:
Budget would be about 3-4K. Not a custom build but want to find something that has something that has been upgraded a little, like better shocks/springs/tyres. I won't want to do proper off roading but will no doubt face a load of gravel/dusty roads, have to cross a few streams/rivers, broken tarmac.
will carry some spares that I can deal with myself but certainly not gearboxes/diffs !!
just looking at those Mitsubishi L200's, look quite cabale and various options of crew cab/pickup, seem to be reasonably economical too.
£3-4k will get you in a 90 or Defender, but only just. A Disco 1 would be a better bet tbh, basically the same under the body, but more comfy, more room and better VFM.will carry some spares that I can deal with myself but certainly not gearboxes/diffs !!
just looking at those Mitsubishi L200's, look quite cabale and various options of crew cab/pickup, seem to be reasonably economical too.
Landy's are pretty stout and certainly up to doing this.
CV joints, half shafts and diffs are the weak points in terms of drive train.
A 200Tdi would probably be your best bet, very few electronics. There really isn't a huge amount to go wrong on them.
Not sure what you mean by better shocks/springs. Better than what at what???
Stock shocks and springs are more than up to the task.
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