Hey..

I'm not really into 4x4 and I really am not interested in a LR Vs Toyota thread highjacking...

I am a keen mechanic and looking for something practical and something fun to play for when the bikes just aren't practical. This was brought about by someone trying to flog me a Discovery for £500 lol.

Anyway, I've been looking at a few older landies but going from this section of the hubb, it seems i'd be lucky to get a landrover out of the country before it expoded into a ball of flames and thats only if the petrol tank hadn't fallen off on my drive way !!

Whats the deal with landies then ??? Is their reputation solely based on advertising ?? Are they the BMW's of the 4x4 world ?? All hype and no go ??

I know about Toyatas being the reliable choice but landrovers do seem to chug on forever too ????

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Ted, you really, really need to get out and go for a ride.

Please remit: $0.02

Mark

Teddy
Im with Mark.
Remit my $0.02 too + un pancho y una coca...

Saludos

__________________
Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”

Funny you should say that... I'm leaving for the Welsh Mountains in about 3 hours ! Have your $0.02 back

Don't worry though, i'll be back on Monday to whittle away my free time !!

Saving really sucks doesn't it !!!

DOS panchos y un vaso de Malbec por favour Senor Grinch ........ La ceveza de Argentina me hace las grasa !!!

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I've had a few Landies, not a single problem - ever!


Up here in the Lakes they are pretty much the vehicle of choice for most people, and there are 30 and 40 year old examples all over the place. If the farmers like them (and they aren't known for thier ability to spend cash, see 30 to 40 year old examples) then there must be something in it.

Maybe it's just the hotter climes that they struggle ?

Ted - if you are a keen mechanic and like getting your hands dirty, a Landrover's the vehicle for you!

__________________
www.overlandcruiser.wordpress.com

Of course some vehicles are good some are bad. I have never owned a Toyota, so can't comment, but .....


We bought a 17 year old land rover ( 110 200tdi) and had it properly serviced. We then drove 20k miles and the only problem we had was we had to change the horn fuse (drive in Iranian cities and you will know why). It started with 180k miles on the clock and now has (obviously) over 200k. Nothing ever feels like going wrong and he started first time, with no prior preparation, after 6 weeks in a container. He is now our run around as we start a new life in Sydney.

The conclusion than I have drawn is that certainly these old 200tdi's go on for ever if looked after, and if you can find one, ignore the miles on the clock and pay attention to the history. We will now never sell ours, as memories cost a lot more than the price we would get back.

We did travel with a friend, on and off, with a new BMW GS, and he is now constantly in and out of mechanics, so I would refute that (old) land rovers are the BMW of cars ..... loudly!

__________________
Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009

Hi Ted, I have had some right duffer landrovers s badly abused ex military things, high mileage loads of unscrupulous owners etc - they end up costing arms and legs as well as heads - and like a lot of things I am sure that a lack of proper maintenance along with silly improvements by over enthusiastic owners pushes the original format into the unreliable zone along with abuse and overstressing beyond reason. People do buy old abused examples and expect them to perform without fault. I currently run a bog standard (as it came out of the factory) 300tdi county its 15 years old has been serviced as Land rover dictated by a Land rover specialist (its a work landrover so I aint getting my hands too dirty doing the work) and the only thing to fail has been the Alternator ( replaced - with a good one not a cheap aftermarket copy) Obviously tyres/battery/brake pipes etc - service items have been done but basically its fine - would I use it to overland - probably if its what floated my boat but its not - I prefer the bike. As a run around vehicle I used for work and pleasure its fine does between 28 /34 mpg with an average of 31mpg. Land rover could make them a lot better and they have lots of failings in build quality - chassis rusting etc but hey this is made in England - what do you expect Quality ?. Keep its bits well oiled and greased , cover the underside and voids in Waxoyl and drive it with a bit of sympathy and it should keep going OK.

Ollie - glad to hear you're still alive. When are you going to update your website?

__________________
www.overlandcruiser.wordpress.com

How dare you! No really, I cannot accept any bad words about BMWs. They are wonderful machines and my heros Ewin/Churli use them.

__________________

Brighty's website: TheBrightStuffDotCom

CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

Soon Mark - soon! Currently the laptop is being rebuilt and then the software reloaded. Then I need to find some time to do it. Too much to do and so little time!!!

Back on topic - just been out in the landie and the pleasure that the simple roar of the engine gives me is wonderful..... and that is probably something to consider, if you aren't going to get that pleasure, a landie might not be the vehicle for you

__________________
Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009

I had a Series 111 lightweight for about 15 years and the only thing that needed proper fixing was after I drove through water that came up over the bonnet. It still ran perfectly fine, so I drove home from near Reading (peters Pit I think its called?) to Essex on M25 with gritty water not oil in the air filter. It didn't do as much as it could have, just wore the bores rather than bend anything. That was a daily driver for the best part of 80k.
A 200tdi 90 that was partner at the times daily driver stopped dead cos the clutch release lever had worn through at the pivot point. Its a flat ish piece of metal, with a recess pressed out for the pivot to rest in, so where its being worn is the thinnest bit! Genius!

So about 140k+ in both and one issue? Not bad I reckon!

I think that the most fun I have ever had on 4 wheels is driving my old Landies .If you're an XT600 or an Enfield Bullet addict ,you'll get a kick out of Series I II and III Land Rovers .
Early Range Rovers are good as well .

Generally speaking , the older the Landie , the better .

__________________
Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

To me, the throaty 6-cylinder roar, with the purposeful turbo whistle, from the Landcruiser 80 whenever you put your foot down beats any 4 cylinder engine hands down every time!

__________________
www.overlandcruiser.wordpress.com

to us the only thing to beat a landys roar is a mercedes benz 911 4x4. its noisy whether youre sitting at the traffic lights or driving down the road but we love our big nessie. but still have great memories of our little nessie defender.
mark hows things


Home