The Defender is a car which needs very little introduction. You'll already know what you think of the Landie: whether you subscribe to the idea of it being a pioneering piece of British engineering that enabled all to travel where few had yet dared to tread, let alone take a motor vehicle; or think it's an unreliable, uncomfortable pig of a thing, usually found riven with rust and more prone to leaks than Trump's White House, which should have been consigned to the scrap heap 20 years ago.
National treasure? Or an overrated relic?
Whichever side of that fence you fall, it's hard to deny the incredible popularity of the Defender. It goes without saying that it's a classic; indeed, even the newest examples became instant collectibles the moment they rolled off the production line.
As a result, prices are relatively high. You probably already knew that - but you might be surprised to find out how cheaply you can get hold of a usable Defender.
As long as you're prepared to put up with a panel van or a pick-up, you can still nab yourself a scruffy, late 1980s or early 1990s 90 with an MoT on it for as little as £3,500, if you're lucky; however, if you're being sensible, you should probably up that to £5,000 for something a little more respectable. For that, you'll still end up with a car that won't win any beauty contests, but should be solid enough underneath and won't have travelled to the moon and back.
Move up to the £7-8,000 mark, and you're starting to get into the territory of good, tidy 90s and 110s with reasonable mileage and an MOT; alternatively, if you must have a clean, low-mile example, you'll find one at this price range with a van or pick-up body.
From £8,000 up to £12,000, you should be able to find yourself a decent TD5. For most enthusiasts, this is the sweet spot of Defender ownership; the TD5 had the driveability to make the Defender a genuinely usable proposition, while retaining enough simplicity to make it workable on at home. It's proven dependable, too. However, if you're a TD5 detractor, this sort of budget also gets you a clean, late, low-mile TDi if you're so inclined.
Plenty of choice, that's for sure
Upward of £12,000 come the post-2007 facelift models. Diesels come equipped with a Ford-sourced 2.4-litre unit (later refined to a 2.2-litre), but the big news is the updated interior. Along with the more refined driving dynamics of the newer engine, that makes this Defender the least agricultural of all - though it's more complex to work on, and some enthusiasts reckon it's actually too powerful for the Defender, making it less controllable.
What about the older stuff, though? Well, as with any classic, prices vary wildly - but as a guideline, we found a Series One 80in, very much for restoration only, going for around £6,000 - while an 86in of the same generation will set you back anywhere between £25,000 and £35,000 fully restored.