Looking at buying a defender...got a £5k budget. HELP!!

[JimsMowing]

As above im looking at buying a defender and have got a max max budget of £5k. I've spotted something not far from me...perhaps you guys can give me your feedback just from the pics. The main detaiols im waiting to hear back on. Basically its from a family run dealers taken in p/x. They didnt have a clue what it was which i think is good for me. its up for £4995 no vat.

What do you think. Its a 1 owner, with from what a quick hpi check reveals is 90k on the clock. I would have thought a 300tdi on this reg with these miles in what looks like decent condition would be up for more???






Your thoughts are very much welcomed.

Cheers

Geoff

[TDi90]

looks ok on the bodywork.
look underneath.
get under it: get some pics from u nderneath...
show us the engine bay too but looks atm like a 300tdi - good engine.
R

[Rasbo]

 :-k
as above, but it looks like its been cared for very well, again get underneath and have a poke around with a screwdriver looking for rust.  If it looks brand new look harder, covering rust is easier than getting rid of it.

as for the 300, find out when its last major service was, with 90k you should be fine, just check the cambelts been done.

also check for exessive play in the steering. not many people replace bushes etc. not hard to do, but concider bits that may need doing in your price it all adds up

110 for 5k in that cond. good price

[Porny]

Also... with the 110 - budget for some new tyres.

At the moment is has a mixture of crossply's and radials (in fact, it looks like it has an illegial mix at the back)

£5000 is not the cheapest price in the work for an early 300Tdi - but it does look tidy (or resprayed) - also possibly looks like a new rear crossmember (or freshly painted)... which is possibly good and bad.

Is def. a 300Tdi... if it was a 200Tdi, the air intake would be on the passenger side (and it's too new)


Ian

[JimsMowing]

Ok guys, thanks - some good tips there. Im hoping that when they get back to me with more information things will stack up well. I mean its a one owner from new, i'd hope to think that its not just a polished up turd!!  :shock:

[Dave K]

Roof rack is worth a few bob anyway!
Give the rear crossmember a good prod, take a torch & look at the area behind the fuel tank.

[sas pinkie]

Looks clean enough....BUT.... Your money will go further in my opinion. I have a 110 2001 td5 van body for sale which is in a similar condition, I am willing to let it go for £4500...... I can get it to East Grinstead which is only 30 odd mins down the M25 from you. It too has a roof rack, but has an immaculate and unmolested chassis, and 5 very good BF goodrich mud terrain tyres. It also has wing top checker plate and is overal in a clean original condition. There are  rovers around cheaper than that 300tdi, in the same condition.

[JimsMowing]

Im interested...

Any chance of some more details like history, colour, mileage? You can email me at geoff.clement@gmail.com

Cheers.

[TDi90]

300TDi IMO is better then the TD5.
think carefully about which engine you want...
Rob

[pux]

td5 is a good engine and i would say at the price the  sas is asking that its a good price, just ask ian aka porny he knows td5's inside out. I drive a Td5 at work its a 110csw i think it's cracking.

[Rasbo]

i agree td5s are good engines, theres alot of say about early heads cracking and the ecu etc. but at the end of the day if you treat it like a landrover and not a ferrari it'll be fine. dont think ive heard anything but good from them recently. if you are planning on going swimming put the ecu up nice and high.

[JimsMowing]

Still hoping to hear from the chap with the Td5.

Anyway....just went and viewed this tonight. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250234337992&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

Thought it could have been half decent. Unfortunately the rear cross member is rotton on the left hand corner and corroded all allong the inside. The auxiliary? belt is cracked so would need replacing. All window rubbers are split and perished. Needs a new prop as stated, play in both the lhs wheels (although its supposed to have had a front lhs wheel bearing).

There is no service history bar what the owner has had done through a mechanic mate. Unfortunately he doesnt know if hes done a cambelt on it, although he apartently has done a major service on it, inc filters, adjusting tappets.

Onwer had only had it a just under a year, wasnt sure how many mpg it'll do nor how many miles to a tank...not sure but got an overiding feeling that something was amis. Maybe im being paranoid.

Looks good in pictures..but i think not for me. Anyone else seen this?

[TDi90]

if it doesnt seem right... walk away.
you never know the week after something even better might come up  :roll:

[Rasbo]

i'm with rob, bought mine from eblag with a "perfect" chassis, 2 months later it snapped on an incline and caused me to stick the 90 on its rear end :oops: what was a bargin turned out to be the most costly investment ever... still got her tho :roll:

[pux]

http://www.mud-club.com/forum/index.php/topic,58602.msg516631.html#msg516631

[sas pinkie]

I have emailed you about the Td5. let me know if you didnt get it!