Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Mon 10 Nov 2014 13:48
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - Desk Pilot

I understand that next year production of the current Defender range is to cease. I want to buy a used model 90 County or above (with passenger windows) with a budget of 10-12K.

It is very difficult to assess the market because values seem to be all over the place, making finding one pot luck. Even then, it could be a dog.

Should I forget trying to buy one? What would your buying advice be?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 10 Nov 2014 14:29
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - gordonbennet

Its a difficult one, whilst they have a fantastic parts and specialist back up industry, they do need it more often than i could accept, and chassis corrosion is a big problem, but it doesn't stop them being a fashionable and valued accordingly.

My biggest probelm with Defender is there simply isn't enough room in the front for me behind the wheel and i'm no giant, if its got manual windows its almost impossible to open or shut them whilst sitting in the seat with the door shut.

The nearest vehicle to a Defender is a 70 80 or 90 series Landcruiser, more durable in every respect, and thats where my money would go....Merc Gelandewagen is even more fashionably overpiced than LR's products.

On your budget i would direct import a 70 series from Japan, and yes the 70 series is still made more or less the same as when launched, currently with a 4.0 litre petrol which would be a perfect LPG'd tank, i had a 70 series and it was without doubt the most simple robust reliable capable and durable vehicle i've ever owned....a mechanic's dream too, every electrical item stamped in English with its voltage and use, eg 12v Glow Plug Relay. Cambelt engine with 1 hour official labour time to change the belt, the whole vehicle made to be fixed in the field.

If you don't want to go down personally importing one of your own choice then a 90 series (either Colorado or Prado grey) would be the next best choice IMO, if you want to spend the full budget you could go for a LC4/5 with the D4D engine (beware this engine has injector seal problems up to 2008 which may or may not have been rectified, so do your research), or you might like to look at the slightly more agricultural Hilux with the same engine.

Edited by gordonbennet on 10/11/2014 at 14:41

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 10 Nov 2014 15:32
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - RobJP

If you are buying a Defender privately, then buy it 40% on looking at the vehicle, 30% the paperwork (all the jobs that have been done, etc), and 30% on how much you trust the owner. Assume that the vehicle is an absolute dog, unless you have lots of proof to the contrary.

You can get good ones - don't discount buying one that has been customised a bit in terms of off-roading gear - you'd be surprised how many people get them, spend mountains on them, and never use them.

Also, don't discount ex-farm vehicles. However, if you are looking at one of those, then unless it's got proper receipts from servicing garages, then assume it's never been serviced properly. Stamps in service books should be treated as lies.

Lastly, if you are buying one, then get it expertly inspected. They are easy to steal, and easy to re-identify. Be incredibly cautious of anything cheap, people wanting a quick sale, people leaving the country who have left it with a 'friend' to be sold, etc.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 10 Nov 2014 16:02
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - Desk Pilot

Thanks gordonbennet. Driving position not a problem - my wife will drive mostly and she likes to sit right up to the steering wheel. I take your point aboput manual v. electric windows though. Haven't checked out a Landcruiser so I'm off to do that now.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 10 Nov 2014 19:51
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - brum

Driving position not a problem - my wife will drive mostly

You cant like your wife very much. Surely she deserves something better (i.e. anything) than a defender?

Or is she a farmer thats constantly taking poorly livestock back and forth?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 12 Nov 2014 21:25
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - Ed V

I'd suggest a lie down for a few hours, until the desire for a Defender disappears.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 12 Nov 2014 22:41
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - jgrahampo

plus will perform very badly in any type of accident. Do you not value her safety and wellbeing?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 13 Nov 2014 09:46
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - madf

Turning circle of a bus. Bus looks better.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 13 Nov 2014 12:07
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - Eddy56

I know a Defender owner - they are unstoppable machines off-road, and an iconic farm/rural workhorse but also noisy, uncomfortable, slow, uneconomical, easy to steal and targetted for theft, hard to buy used unless you know what you are looking at, and really not nice to ride on the motorway/A roads. My friend loves his for all those faults but he likes gettng the spanners out (and regularly has to).

If you genuinely need a battle axe farm wagon (maybe you just purchased a hill farm in Cumbria!) then I'd say it is worth considering, but if you just fancy a 4x4 for the lanes and a bit of light/medium duty off-roading there is a massive list of alternatives that will be cheaper to own, more refined and still very capable off-road.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Nov 2014 00:05
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - Eddy56

thought I'd add a short update after a couple of pints in the local this evening with the Defender owner I referenced in my earlier post:

"you have to love them (Defenders) but when I drove through Africa I got sick of w***ers in Land Cruisers waving as they pased me while I was fixing the b***** thing."

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Nov 2014 11:07
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - NARU

My eight year old landcruiser landed me with its first repair this year. It needed a new aircon pipe.

Apart from one set of tyres, and annual service no other costs or mishaps in seven years (I bought it at 11 months old).

Cost me £24k (good price, other dealers were looking for about £27k). WBAC have offered £15k for it. That's pretty good depreciation. Mileage is low (45k) as I mostly use it during the winter and for towing the caravan. I have an MX-5 for the summer.

Just deciding whether to keep it longer, or to go for something s little different. Perhaps a 3 series touring 330d Xdrive. One things for sure, I'd be paying a lot more in depreciation and bills if I went to the BMW.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Nov 2014 12:58
Land Rover Defender - Bizarre used values - madf

My eight year old landcruiser landed me with its first repair this year. It needed a new aircon pipe.

Apart from one set of tyres, and annual service no other costs or mishaps in seven years (I bought it at 11 months old).

Cost me £24k (good price, other dealers were looking for about £27k). WBAC have offered £15k for it. That's pretty good depreciation. Mileage is low (45k) as I mostly use it during the winter and for towing the caravan. I have an MX-5 for the summer.

Just deciding whether to keep it longer, or to go for something s little different. Perhaps a 3 series touring 330d Xdrive. One things for sure, I'd be paying a lot more in depreciation and bills if I went to the BMW.

Sorry you cannot be correct. We all all know that Toyota are unreliable from the detractors on this forum..

Only one problem in 8 years?

I can't believe it !!!

:-)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Choosing a child seat can be a quite baffling experience – there are so many sizes, types, brands and price points available that you might not know where to start.

How to choose the right child seat