LR Defender vs Series?
 

Could anyone tell me roughly what my LR Defender might be worth in the UK? It's a left hand drive 1993 V8 station wagon, with 280000km on the clock but no rust or corrosion because it's spent its entire life in Jordan. The only extras are a long range tank (120 litres) and roof rack. After my forthcoming budget trip to Australia (see recent LWB Suzuki Sierra post!) I'll be ending my contract in Amman and returning to the UK. I've therefore got to decide whether to sell the LR locally (where I'd get around £2500)or ship it back, the cost of which would be covered by my employer, and try to endure the fuel consumption! A quick look on the Internet suggested that all I'd be able to buy with £2500 in the UK would be a Series LR, which seemed endurable until I saw in the 'Sahara Handbook' that fuel consumption for my existing V8 is marginally BETTER than for the 2.25 petrol in the Series LR. This leaves the 2.25 diesel, which seems a bit underpowered at 62hp. I'd really welcome any advice as to whether I should stick with the vehicle I've got (which after all is a great machine for the desert) or sell it and buy a cheap but reasonably desertworthy 4wd in the UK. I'd also be grateful for any comments about how much longer the V8 in my Defender might be expected to last before needing a major rebuild!
Alex

Alex you would be better off posting this on the LRE forum, its a very active and helpful land rover forum, www.landroverenthusiast.com
you may get some good feed back there.

Col Campbell

Alex,

The V8 is a very good engine when serviced well (oil-changes and oilfilters) : should last at least 400.000 kms.

Fit in a 200 or 300tdi and keep it.

Karel

Alex
Keep your V8. Ship or drive it to the Uk and then convert it to lpg. Cost of running is then about the same as a 300TDI but you stil have the V8 power and sound :-). Cost of conversion varies from £650 doing it yourself, which is quite easy, to £1200 getting it done professionally. LPG is now easily available in most of uk and even cheaper in France, Holland, much of East Europe, Italy etc. If you do run out then just flick a switch and you are back running on petrol. For great advice on V8's contact Chris Crane at RPI (V8engines.com)

Many thanks for your replies. I'm convinced! The Defender will be coming back to the UK. Does anyone have any experience of this. I've checked the DVLA and Customs web pages and I think the only modifications needed will be an imperial speedometer and left dipping headlights. Will the fact that the vehicle was registered by LR when new with UK plates for the drive out to Jordan back in 93 make the whole importation process easier? I have the original registration document.
Alex

[This message has been edited by Alex Wasse (edited 06 February 2002).]

Was it fitted with domestic plates or "export only" plates?

Domestic plates could only be fitted to a vehicle that complied with EU regulations. Export only means that domestic taxes were not paid and probably means that the vehicle did not comply.

Look under the bonnet. If the vehicle does comply there should be some black and white EU stickers near the VIN plate. They will say E11 and then a bunch of numbers. If you haven't got these stickers then you will have to get your vehicle tested and approved at one of the regional test sites.

If this thread is still open, then...

I was particularly interested to read Malcom Woodruff's reply regarding installing a V8 (oh, such sweet music...) in a Disco and converting to LPG. I note his suggestion of asking Chris Crane, at RPI (V8engines.com) but I'm asking Malcom as he might be a user as opposed to a seller. I did have a Disco myself four years ago and liked it a lot, but still have reservations re build quality.

Alex- I'd be interested to know what you decided, did you go for the V8/LPG option?

Cheers
John

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Johnefyn

If it's left hand drive how about selling it in France, Switzerland or Germany? Daerr (in Munchen) might be a good place to test out the market.

Finally having driven back from the Middle East, I would highly recommend taking a few weeks to a month off and driving your vehicle back yourself!

with regard to DIY LPG, your insurance company may want to see prrof that it was professionally fitted or has been inspected by a suitably qualified person. Mine did. On my 101V8 it paid for itself in less than a year, but they do like their juice! I get 10-12mpg on petrol and 8-10 on LPG. It seems to run better on petrol but this is no problem on long main road/motorway runs. I think this may be helped by a lambda sensor whic more accurately regulate the gas flow, but I haven't really looked into this. It is essential to have a lambda sensoe on a fuel injected engine, which pushes the price up quite a bit.
I flick onto petrol everynow and then to try and prevent any problems from long term gas useage

Landrover 110 (in bits)
Landrovr 101 ambie (not in quite so many bits!)( I love the pain)
Daihatsu fourtrack (not in bits at all)
www.plymouth-dakar.com

Yes, take the equvilent money for shipping, drive it back to the UK - its a great trip as ctc says, and get an LPG conversion - especially if its as clean and corrosion free as you say.
It would be worth about £5 - £6000 pounds over here especially if you advertise it in the overlanding websites like here.

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Ex RAF Regt, Ex Dragoman, LRE Instructor,
LR 90 300 Tdi Overlander
Suzuki DR650 Overlander
..and Bloody Nice Bloke!