I would like a Landy!

[pibbleb]

The electrics went on my car last week and I've been without a motor for over a week which is causing a few issues.

My Gran died recently and left me a little bit of money. It's not much this day and age£2000 but with a wife at Uni, two kids etc. It's a huge amount to us and I've been trying not to dip in to it.

Anyway, when chatting, the other day, with my wife about not being sure what to do about the car situation she said that she would like me to use the money to get something that would make me smile and recommended a land rover. She has defo gone up on my coolometer! Knowing that a landy is something of a childhood dream of mine.

I've started looking round but I'm starting to think I'm barking up the wrong tree! I'm looking for something that is basically sound, with at least three seats with seat belts, I need to be able to get the kids in it. Finally, I'd rather diesel. I'm in the Sussex area.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions and can they recommend anywhere to look?

Cheers.

P.S. sorry if this is the wrong place to post.

P

 

[JonnyP]

Hi Paul... I got mine from the friday ad. I paid £1500 for an 86 Landy 110. It has been the best motor I have ever had, and I have had lots, inc Isuzu trooper and Mitsi shogun. I love the thing.. Things to check are the bulk head and chassis are ok as these are prone to rust. The old diesel n/a engines are bomb proof but v slow. If you can afford one, go for a 200 tdi, v good engines too..

 

[fred gordon]

I don't want to be a party pooper as I've had several landrovers and loved them all. However, have you considered the other costs apart from the purchase price?

The cost of fuel?
The low miles per gallon?
The cost of spares as older vehicles are bound to break down more often?
The cost of Road Tax which is bound to rise for 4x4 vehicles?

I would love to have another and my heart jumps every time I see a nicely turned out series 3. If you have a family and other commitments I would think long and hard as once you get the bug it can become like a drug. It's very hard to shake the habit. IMO!! Off to the rehab clinic for Landrover owners anon now.

 

[scanker]

Just a thought - it might be nice to buy something you could keep/pass on to the kids with part of the money you were left - maybe something to remember your Gran with. Not trying to put you off a landy - I'd love one myself. I just think something a bit more permanent/sentimental might be nice. That said, there's plenty of people who are sentimental about landys.

Ah ignore me. It's not what you asked. Landy advice. You're a big chap, get a pad for your right elbow!

 

[Bushcraft4life]

Landy = expensive for a good one, car tax will go up majorly soon for 4x4 with big engines, big engines = lots of money in fuel.

Are they really a practical option for you?

Why not spend a quarter of that money on a nice hatchback with a small Engine.

Ignore me of course, but i bought one, in London and was crucifed with the cost of it, OK i am only 18................

 

[pibbleb]

Hi there Jon that'll be the red one I guess, nice! That's probably the sort of thing other than yours is a utility truck I seem to rememeber.

Fred, all well meant advice is good advice. I accept what you are saying and yes it is something I'm having to give some serious thought to. For the last 18 months I've bought long MOT cars for just a few hundred pounds neither have lasted the year. The first I had to pay out a couple hundred pound on reasonably early on, the second a 2 litre Laguna has lasted me five months so I can see some of the the short falls.

Scanker, the sentiment isn't lost on me and all advice is welcome. I have to say that I think my gran would like the fact that I/ we got something that would give me a laugh, but as this is going to be also used to help get the kids around as well as being a toy, I think she'd be chuffed to help out. I'd also planned to call it Mary if I got one! Seems a good name for a Landy!

P

 

[JonnyP]

Hi there Jon that'll be the red one I guess, nice! That's probably the sort of thing other than yours is a utility truck I seem to rememeber.


P

Was red, now its green....very green...

 

[Toddy]

I'd also planned to call it Mary if I got one! Seems a good name for a Landy!

P

Oi !!

I've just bought a nice green suzuki ignis and it's suiting me nicely thank you, though I do miss the extra wide tyres of the last car....this one doesn't feel quite as secure going over muddy grass, and I haven't tried single track hill roads yet.

Hope you get your landrover and that it proves to be bombproof, you'll certainly not be short of advice on this forum about them

cheers,
Toddy, aka Mary

 

[pibbleb]

Oi !!

I've just bought a nice green suzuki ignis and it's suiting me nicely thank you, though I do miss the extra wide tyres of the last car....this one doesn't feel quite as secure going over muddy grass, and I haven't tried single track hill roads yet.

Hope you get your landrover and that it proves to be bombproof, you'll certainly not be short of advice on this forum about them

cheers,
Toddy, aka Mary

Oooops!

P

 

[hiraeth]

Had a series 3 ( 2.25 petrol) Lara she was called, just as well i called her after a woman as she took me for every penny i had. She finnaly succomed to a terminal wiring loom fire, the repair of which was beyond me still miss her badly though and wish you all the best with yours.

 

[cakey]

get a damn bosch fuel pump and pipes,if its diesel you can run em on cooking oil ! mu old cav ran on cooking oil for yrs...arrrr the smell of freshly cooked chips is never the same.

you have to pay the tax......cough.....

 

[Martyn]

The electrics went on my car last week and I've been without a motor for over a week which is causing a few issues.

My Gran died recently and left me a little bit of money. It's not much this day and age£2000 but with a wife at Uni, two kids etc. It's a huge amount to us and I've been trying not to dip in to it.

Anyway, when chatting, the other day, with my wife about not being sure what to do about the car situation she said that she would like me to use the money to get something that would make me smile and recommended a land rover. She has defo gone up on my coolometer! Knowing that a landy is something of a childhood dream of mine.

I've started looking round but I'm starting to think I'm barking up the wrong tree! I'm looking for something that is basically sound, with at least three seats with seat belts, I need to be able to get the kids in it. Finally, I'd rather diesel. I'm in the Sussex area.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions and can they recommend anywhere to look?

Cheers.

P.S. sorry if this is the wrong place to post.

P

I'd think very carefully about this. Landy's are great, I love mine, but they are a purchase of the heart not the mind. They are certainly not the most practical family vehicles.

With a budget of £2000, you are going to be buying a project, rather than a reliable daily use vehicle and that will be the start of your expenditure. They are great fun, no question, but if you dont actually need one, then they are a huge indulgence and that may not be wise if your financial situation is tight at the moment. The old n/a diesels are terribly ponderous and thirsty, but there is a big price jump for 200/300 tdi's - especially tidy ones. You might drop on if you are prepared to do a lot of hunting around and traveling, but frankly with that budget you are not going to get much. If it's a second car, it's not mission-critical and you are prepared to spend time and money restoring it, then go for it if it's what your heart desires. If you spend enough money and do a good enough job of the restoration, you will build a vehicle that will outlast your kids. But if you need a reliable family vehicle and you have a budget of £2000, buy a Mazda or Toyota.

I would never criticize anyone for following their heart, but with a budget of £2000, you might just be buying heartache.

If you are determined to buy, get copies of Land Rover Owner International and Land Rover Monthly, both have good classified sections in the back.

 

[swagman]

Pibbleb dont be fooled by what landrove enchusiasts will say about them.
Landrovers are unreliable uncomfortable and the build quality is poor.
And they are not BOMB PROOF.

Go for the Japanese market .

 

[tyfy]

Probably outside the price range and area but looks nice.

http://edinburgh.gumtree.com/edinburgh/77/22077677.html

[EDIT]Just saw this is £4,995[/EDIT]

 

[bushyboo]

HI I always wanted a landy too but decided to go for a shogun for reliability/comfort my brother folllowed his heart and got a 110 he has had nothing but trouble with it and at the moment has bought another one for spare parts as his chassis has gone and none are are the road ,he has to borrow a motor to get to work
but if you were to ask him he would still say hes glad he got it
what im saying is just be carefull

Gordon

 

[robin wood]

Your wife has made a very generous offer and gone up in your estimation......why not do the same for her? Buy a diesel astra estate, the perfect family car, fill it with camping gear go anywhere without the worry of breaking down or how much it is costing and a smug look on your face for making such a wise decision. I used to run old British motorbikes when I had a lot of time to tinker, when I got the family I went japanese, the fun in vehicles is in what they let you do and a diesel astra will let you and your family have great times. I used to buy ex lease cars from the auctions, incredible value see http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/ for your local one and your £2K will get you what £3K would private or £4K on the forecourt.
My best mate is a big Land Rover fan and tell me how nice it is that they are built properly so you can keep it forever and replace all the parts. Personally I am aware of my mechanical shortcomings and would rather something that does not need contant loving attention and money.
Great to see the sound advice coming from the landy fans too.

 

[pibbleb]

This is all interesting stuff and as you say some sound advice. I've just been to a Land Rover second hand dealer. He has basically said that for the money, unless I'm really lucky, I'd be potentially buying myself something of a mission. I agree an affair of the heart!

What he has suggested is an old discovery if the dream is strong. He said that an old diesel version is basically a defender with a different body shell. Same 200TDi engine, Hardly any electrics, and whilst the mileage is usually higher the chassis is usually in better condition as mainly used on road for the the beginning of their life and therefore a better buy.

The general consensus here seems to be Land Rover bad, Japanese good, but aren't (this is a genuine question) fraught with dangers re the electrics etc?

P

 

[JonnyP]

Pibbleb dont be fooled by what landrove enchusiasts will say about them.
Landrovers are unreliable uncomfortable and the build quality is poor.
And they are not BOMB PROOF.

Go for the Japanese market .

So many people are saying things that are so not my experence....
I have had 4x4's for many years now... First was an isuzu trooter citation, It was great and very reliable, but the chassis fell to peices and while towing my trailer I managed to pull the rear assembly away from the chassis....Not good..She also rusted quite badly despite my constant waxing...
Next I spend a lot of money on a mk 3 mitsubishi shogun gls which came with a full mitsubishi service history that its one owner had always kept up. It was mint and I felt very confident in buying it....That car cost me more money than proberbly all my 4x4s put together, the heads (two of them, it was a v6) had to be replaced twice, it got through tyres like you wouldn't believe, it spent so much time in the garage having bits replaced like radiator, water pump, alternator, steering box etc etc. It was a beautiful car and I always kept her polished up, but wow, what a money pit... I also had a suzuki 410 which was fun but cost me a lot of money too as it was my off roader..
Anyway, along came the landy for £1500, it was not a project Martyn, it was used a lot before I had to spend anything on it and I totally disagree with what people say about them being uncomfortable.. I have spent a lot of time driving from sussex to cornwall and in different vehicles and I was not more tired or uncomfortable from driving the landy as I was in the shogun. Ok the landy was much slower, but it always got there and back, unlike the shogun, or even the smart car which I chopped the shogun in for....
Martyn, the old n/a are no more thirsty than the newer td5's which I think your is isn't it..? My work mate has a 1 year old 110 and we both get similar results in mpg, which surprised me...His is a lot faster though..
The landy has been by far my most reliable 4x4, it always starts fine and has never broken down or over heated etc and after four years of owning it, it still has the same tyres (with good tread on still on it. It flys through the mot most years, but I will admit I had to spend £200 on welding for it one year..
Driving the landy itself has to be mentioned, even though mine is slow and has no power steering and I am constantly being overtaken by all the other 4x4's, lorrys, coaches, milk floats, tractors, snails, etc, I bet I am the one out of all of them with the biggest smile on my face. They are great fun to drive...

Paul, at the end of the day, its your choice and I would hate to recommend sommit that you go and buy and get a heap of crap. Everyone has different experences with cars and what works for some won't nec work for you...

 

[robin wood]

This is all interesting stuff and as you say some sound advice. I've just been to a Land Rover second hand dealer. He has basically said that for the money, unless I'm really lucky, I'd be potentially buying myself something of a mission. I agree an affair of the heart!

What he has suggested is an old discovery if the dream is strong. He said that an old diesel version is basically a defender with a different body shell. Same 200TDi engine, Hardly any electrics, and whilst the mileage is usually higher the chassis is usually in better condition as mainly used on road for the the beginning of their life and therefore a better buy.

The general consensus here seems to be Land Rover bad, Japanese good, but aren't (this is a genuine question) fraught with dangers re the electrics etc?

P

I didn't say Landy's are bad, just they are bad family cars. As a farm vehicle or as I used to use one when I worked for the National Trust a primarily off road work vehicle they are superb. I your hobby is green laning in a 4X4 again great. If more than say 40% of your mileage is off road go for it. For picking the kids up from school, popping to Tesco's or a 200 mile round trip camping or visiting the relatives with kids and wife happy, warm and comfortable lets say its not what I would choose.

 

[rancid badger]

About 15 years ago, I bought a 90 diesel from a dealer for £4200 including my knackered cavalier. It was sold with a brand new m.o.t. cert. Quite a lot of money for a B plate.
I was assured that several problems, such as; leaking master cylinder, fuel leaks, seat belt issues and a simple electric fault would be sorted out as requirements for the m.o.t.

The seat belts were ok but I arrived home with brake fluid all over the footwell, a trail of diesel you could follow for at least 50 miles and brake lights that were intermittent.

I phoned the dealer, pointed out the issues, explained that this could go one of two ways:

A: He would take back the 90, complete with falsified m.o.t. and would return my old car and cash-no cheques- and I would make no more comment.

B:I would simply tootle along to the local government test centre at Sandy Lane, explain that I had just purchased the vehicle, who from and that they might like to take a look at it.

one or two people I knew suggested asking for a partial refund and keeping the 90 but that would have been like Russian roulette

We settled on option A without a squeak from the dealer!.

Basically, what I'm saying is; that I would go with Robins suggestion, and wait until your in a position to buy something decent-at least a good runner-to start with.
Have you considered that the dealer who suggested an old discovery, might just have a couple of old lags waiting to be got rid of? ( I know-I'm a cynical little xxxxxxx! )
The disco will be more comfortable but just as big a money pit.
An old diesel Astra estate would be bigger inside than a 90 anyway,more comfortable and with a spare pair of rims with M+S tyres for the winter, every bit as capable on the road.

best wishes
R.B.