Buying a Defender 90. old/new
 

Thinking about buying a Defender 90 from 03. Is that a good or bad idea considering all the electronic in new cars.

Hi,

I personally would go for an older Defender. If you get water in the ECU's then you are stuffed. Depends if you can afford to pop an extra thousand in your budget for trips for a new one.

I had a Cavalier with all the latest ECU's a wire broke between the ecu and the engine and the car completely shut down.

My Defender broke down a few days ago and it was fixed in ten mins with a Lump Hammer and chisel.

I am running a 1991 Defender and it is excellent. No worries about water or electronics and a very solid reliable car.

Yours

Andrew

Four kids wife and Land Rover - Africa bound in Jan 2006 from Hartlepool UK to Brikama Gambia.

Thanks I will have that in my mind. I just found a Defender from 97 that I will have a closer look on. The thing is that I´m not an expert on engines so I´m a bit worried to buy something a bit older.

Mike.......

Hi,

If there's choice, I'd go for a 200/300Tdi. Some say the 200Tdi is better, but I found spares for 300Tdi's are more available (I was traveling with a 200Tdi)

300tdi is still produced in brazil so you could always drop a new engine into an older vehicle

The 300tdi is also used by the bitish military so will be supported by Landrover for many years to come, I put a brand new 300tdi into my 101 a few years ago and its well worth the peace of mind of knowing how the engines been treated (or at least you know when its been maltreated).

I wouldn't go with a td5 as I'm just suspicious of the electrics and you could need a pile of expensive test kit if it breaks down



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Rich
LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'

You can still get 300tdi from landrover new, they are used for export models as I believe they do not meet emissions regs for uk sale. read recently about vince cobley et al (a guru of moroccan travel and all things landrover) taking 2 of the new discovery's to morocco. One developed a problem and he had to return to uk to get it fixed, ok if you can but not much good in a mauritanian outback. IMHO landrover have lost the plot with the TD5 and are chasing a fashion trend at the expense of their core market.
there is an ongoing debate about which is best, landrover or landcruiser. IMHO if you are good with the spanners landrover is ok, but if your life depends on your vehicle starting in the morning get a landcruiser. I am confirmed landy nut, but have just bought a 1990 landcruiser

1990 landcruiser
landrover 101 ambie
ford escort, morris minor traveller!!

ps hello to tiguurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!