LR Virgin

[zacspeed]

I've posted this on A.N.Other forum, but I really would like as much feedback/opinion as possible:

Hi folks, be gentle with me here, as the title suggests - I'm a complete noob to all things green & ovular.
I currently own a fairly capable soft top Vitara which I love to pieces, but I really need something a little bigger (I'm also a little concerned that the local scrotes have discovered they can gain entry to this vehicle by simply unzipping the rear door     ). I have my heart set on either an LR 90 or early Defender.
I have a strict budget of £2k & I have my eye on a bog-standard 1987 LR90 4C 1987 2.5 petrol with 98k on the clock. The bloke is asking £1600 for it & I think he'll take about 13-1400 for it. I've not had a good poke around underneath yet, but he reckons the chassis, outriggers & bulkhead are all solid. What else should I be looking out for?
My real concern is the fact it's petrol. What are the 2.5's like on economy? Are they horrendously bad (I get 17-20 out of the Vitara).
Also, an MOT tester mate of mine who used to work for a LR dealer told me to avoid the early diesels as they are rubbish.
One more question for now, What size tyres are best for a 90? I don't plan on lifting the body or modifying the suspension, as it's mainly going to be used for green laning & commuting locally. I run Greenway Macho 31x10½x15's on the Vit, will these be any good (I know I'll need diffrent rims)?
Thanks for any advice I may get & Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh – don't tell anyone on the Suzuki section, they'll never let me live it down

[MY90 MY LIFE]

well the 2.5 petrol engines arent brilliant about the same mpg as a V8. look underneath take a screwdriver anbd stab it alot hard round anywhere looks muddy or rusty.check the bulkhead around the front windscreen same again stab with screwdriver. take for a test drive trying diff lock and low gear box. check in the foot wells for corrosion and the bottoms of the doors. for the 2000 mark i would look for a n/a diesel or a turbo diesel 90 stronger and better engine plus then if you want to change the engine for a ti at later date will be easier. dont rush into buying and dont buy one with a bad chassis chek also rear cross member. hope ive helped, i had a vit then a 90 hten a disco then a 110 now a 300tdi 90 love em mate realy do. try and get classic car insurance too lowers it no end!!

[Tommo]

2.5 pettys arent too horiffic. about the same MPG as your vit. i could squeeze 17mpg out of my V8 110 if i really tried.

The pre tdi diesels are horriffic though (in my opinion) good for going in and out of fields all day and stuff like that as the non turbo ones are quite bomb proof but for the performance you get they return awful MPG.

I say go for a test drive and see what you think.

If the chassis and bulkhead are sound then its the basis of a good truck as everything else can be easily fixed. Unfortunatly you dont get quite as much for your money as you will be used to with the zooks. But celebrate in the fact that you can probably keep it for 2 years, bash it up and pretty much get your money back at the end of it.

[tonycougar]

I used to have a 2.5 petrol one. It wasn't too good on the fuel, but you could get 20mpg-ish out of it. It sounded brill though, better than diesel sound, had better acceleration due to twin webbers, and was ace off road. It often got mistook for a V8 cos of the way it burbled. I loved it, and would have kept it, but we needed more low down power for towing a horse box, which is one thing it wasn't good at. So ended up with a 200tdi.

[crazymac]

For that sort of money you could get a reasonably tidy Discovery that will do all the laning you could want in comfort!

[Guardian.]

2k will buy a defender tdi easy, they all at that money will be in need of work to some degrdee so thats pretty irrelevant just pck the one with the best looking! chassis.

[CanIBeFrank]

I'd go for a TDI Def if posible, prices vary massively depending where you are in the UK.

A mate of mine flew to Scotland to pick up his truck as it saved him a couple of grand on the prices in Dorset, obviously its a bit of a gamble but it paid off.

I've had 2.5 N/A Diesel it was workable but my TDI is a lot better, that said a good old Diesel is better than a bad new one ;). Cant comment on petrol as I've never had one.

I'd go for a sound chassis and bulkhead over a truck with a great engine and nothing else going for it, as it's easier/cheeper to swop out an engine than a chassis, it's not that hard to upgrade an older truck to a newer engine, just ask/search around this forum you'll be amased at the amount of info/help you can find.

Good luck.

[V8MoneyPit]

I paid way over the odds for a 1988 2.5TD. You live and learn!

As said before, if you can get a 200tdi with a half decent chassis, go for it. The 2.5TD's are OK, but you need to be sure it's a good one. Mine's tested OK, just needs the injectors refurbed. But it was a bit of luck really because I didn't know what I was looking for.

Is the 90 local? If it helps, I can come and poke around the structure with you if it helps. Can't make too much of a judgement on the petrol engine, but basic tests should show if it's OK.

[zacspeed]

I'm off to look next Tuesday with my MOT tester mate who's owned tons of them (I can't think of anyone better qualified to take). Thanks for the offer though Steve, it's appreciated.

Completly off topic, did you sell yours on eBay in the end?

[Eightpot]

I had a 2.25 petrol S111 , one of the last, and that was awful on economy, did less than my rangie.
I picked up an ex mod early 90, which had the non turbo engine- yes it was slow, but it did 30-35mpg.  Took it to Africa and back with that engine and it was totally bomb-proof.
I've now dropped a tdi in and not looking back mind you - a lot of the old non turbo engined 90's will have been upgraded by now.
Given the choice though, I'd still rather have a non turbo diesel than a 2.5 petrol - not much difference in power really but loads better on fuel.