Hello all ................ observations & comments welcome too !!!

[boogieman]

Hello from me, Phil  (this is my 1st post!)

 Well, I'm new to off-roading so I'll just tell you about my situation & look forward to any feedback.

 I've been buying different off-roading mags for some months now just 'cos they looked interesting, which they definitely are 

 About a year ago, I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee, because I loved the looks of them, I preferred the higher driving position & I'd always promised myself a big, powerful, fully loaded motor when I could afford one !! Well, it wasn't long before I was seeing the ads for pay & play days & thinking ................ mmm - wouldn't mind a go at that  :) So I went along to Weston Coyney to have a go & I bloody loved it  :lol: I think I've got the bug & I can't wait to go again !

 Incidentally, there were 4 of us - me, my girlfriend & her 2 kids. Girlfriend & her son were terrified & hated it, which resulted in us having to leave them by the snack van so we could have another go. Girlfriend's daughter absolutely loved it & my questions 'Do you think we can tackle that hill ?' or 'How about that slope ?' were all met with a big grin & an enthusiastic 'Go for it !'  :D

 The Jeep was great - 1st time off-road & handled everything with ease - I was impressed !

 Now the dilemna - what do I go off-roading in ???

 The Jeep's a 2001 3.1td in excellent condition with only 47,000 on the clock & I'm thinking it's a little too nice to start roughing up - we already scraped the bottom twice at W/C ! Apart from that, we travel alot around the country gigging & I'm worried what damage we could do to the suspension/steering components & tyres by going off-road, which may then compromise safety at high speeds on motorways etc. My 3 passengers are precious to me !

 So, I'm thinking of keeping the Jeep for on-road use & buying a dedicated off-roader. From what I see in the ads on ebay, Autotrader & the 4x4 mags, Defenders in particular seem to hold their value, so I wouldn't lose too much if I bought the right one. At the moment I'm leaning towards a Defender (90) short-wheelbase  with the 200tdi engine & hopefully all the guards,snorkel,big wheels etc already sorted. There seem to be plenty about. One thing I haven't yet been able to suss is the difference between the 200tdi & the 300tdi engines ?

 And that's me ! Your comments/advice are welcome. Thanks for reading my ramblings !!! 

[sleeplessparadise]

Hello and welcome :D
Jeeps are great, have a friend who took his cherokee everywhere till he ran into the back of another friend's 90 ;) Difference between 200 and 300 from what people tell me is that the 300 has a bit more go, can't say I noticed much difference in them when drive the other half's discos but I drive a td5 which I much prefer although am pretty scared of taking it in too much water....... so a 90 yes! Go for it although discoveries are very capable too if you want a landy........ 200 or 300 I can't say for sure but I know there are plenty on here who will :D

[karlo]

Howdy  :hat:

[TDi90]

good man.
well if you NEED reliability, i would keep your jeep as a road car... so at least if one breaks you have something else to run around in till you have time to fix your "off road car"
things to think about when buying a "toy":
land rover - parts are cheap  :lol:
GET ADVICE - there is so much advice on here about what engine what car etc... just use the search function and when you have a question ask!!
dont rush into buying anything... for all you know a better one could come up one week later  :roll:

all the best from rainy HAMPSHIRE
Rob

[corrosiverob]

Hello and welcome

[boogieman]

Thanks for the welcomes 

 Still haven't had the definitive answer as to the difference between the 200Tdi & the 300Tdi 

 What do you do - use your everyday road vehicle for off-roading, have a dedicated off-roader that you drive to venues or trailer an off-roader to your chosen site ?
 
 Still leaning towards the Defender ...........................  :)

[Range Rover Blues]

Rather than buy a Defender and Hope you don't loose too much money, think about a Range Rover classic and get it for not too much money, then spend the rest on bits.

Every bit as capable as a 90 (the coils sprung Landy was after all based on the long-established pattern) except for the rear overhang you'll get more car for your money, room for 4 of you and a nicer ride.

[Lincs niva]

Hello and welcome to MC  :D

Cheers Gav

[lee celtic]

Hello and welcome to the club

200-300??

well the power is about the same but the 300 runs smoother and quieter however the 300 has more electrikery to go wrong so if you want to fix it yourself and want to play in water I'd go 200 as it's all mechanical.

Hope this helps

[boogieman]

Thanks again for the suggestions & welcomes - and yes Lee, that does help !! cheers  :)

[SteveW]

Hello and welcome.

Steve