4x4

[rorywquin]

Defenders were ok through to the end of the 300TDi (mid 90s). Fully mechanical and robust in my experience. The only issues I had with mine were a blown head gasket, broken CV, broken front propshaft and chassis rust.
To be fair that was a 20 year old Defender that was abused regularly and once those things were fixed was totally reliable.

The military used Land Rovers to do the first West to East crossing of the Sahara back in the mid 70s.
Tom Sheppard was a regular tourer of the Sahara in a Defender till he switched to a G Wagen for its more consistent mpg (his book Quiet for a Tuesday is a great read about his travels in the G).

Will look for that book - thanks. Yea, I recon the 70s was the last big decade for the LR. Most of my career (starting in the 70s) has been on jobs in remote places and we never had LRs. Always LCs.

 

[LostKiwi]

Will look for that book - thanks. Yea, I recon the 70s was the last big decade for the LR. Most of my career (starting in the 70s) has been on jobs in remote places and we never had LRs. Always LCs.

Funnily enough my Land Cruiser Colorado was less reliable than my Defender and 101s.

Failed alternator, viscous fan, starter motor, electric locking on rear diff and auto gearbox failure in the 4 years I had it.

The 101 ambulance had a paint job. That was it in 6 years. Oh... And a LOT of petrol....

The GS was bought as a wreck but only needed cosmetics in the 4 years I had it (canvas tilt, door tops, door skins and winch front swivel. I had an overdrive added and that made it amazing to use on the road - very capable of sitting at 80 mph all day if necessary (between fuel stops).

 

[Blobcat]

Funnily enough my Land Cruiser Colorado was less reliable than my Defender and 101s.

Failed alternator, viscous fan, starter motor, electric locking on rear diff and auto gearbox failure in the 4 years I had it.

The 101 ambulance had a paint job. That was it in 6 years. Oh... And a LOT of petrol....

The GS was bought as a wreck but only needed cosmetics in the 4 years I had it (canvas tilt, door tops, door skins and winch front swivel. I had an overdrive added and that made it amazing to use on the road - very capable of sitting at 80 mph all day if necessary (between fuel stops).

They will pass every fuel station, but the next one…

 

[NJS5]

Disco 3 or 4 or a 110 (if you find one you can afford…)

I agree entirely; I have had all three and am currently driving a D4.

I would go for a late D4, expensive but IMHO worth the extra.

I suggest you have a look here.

I hope & think that my next daily driver will be a 2023 110.

NJSS

 

[Blobcat]

I agree entirely; I have had all three and am currently driving a D4.

I would go for a late D4, expensive but IMHO worth the extra.

I suggest you have a look here.

I hope & think that my next daily driver will be a 2023 110.

NJSS

I wouldn’t entertain the new plastic rubbish they’re trying to call a Land Rover.

I‘d like to try a Grenadier though

 

[LostKiwi]

I wouldn’t entertain the new plastic rubbish they’re trying to call a Land Rover.

I‘d like to try a Grenadier though

I drove a new 90 recently. Have to say it was very nice and they weren't so expensive (even with MrsLK's discount) I would have thought about a new 110.

 

[sausage]

My family left Zambia in '70 to return to the UK so my brother and I did not have any risk of having to do national service, and to have an English education.

There were plenty of Land Cruisers out there, but the car of choice in Zambia was a Landy, or a Peugeot 505. Not quite the same as the wilds of Australia, but still an arduous environment where one would not want to break down.

Lostkiwi, I sense there may have been a LR related trauma in your past ;-)

 

[sausage]

I wouldn’t entertain the new plastic rubbish they’re trying to call a Land Rover.

I‘d like to try a Grenadier though

That Igneos Grenadier is an interesting looking car.

 

[LostKiwi]

Lostkiwi, I sense there may have been a LR related trauma in your past ;-)

Indeed there was.... I went from 4 Land Rovers to none in the space of 3 years. Very traumatic....

 

[sausage]

Indeed there was.... I went from 4 Land Rovers to none in the space of 3 years. Very traumatic....

Oh my I am laughing. Did they disintegrate or just refuse to work? I bought my 1995 Jeep Wrangler because I did not want to inflict a Defender on myself.

Another massive downside these days with defenders and their predecessors is theft. On Facebook I was a member of the local LR owners group and it was almost a daily occurrence to see another new post about "My Defender was stolen last night" and that was just a local group of Loughborough and immediate area.

 

[LostKiwi]

Oh my I am laughing. Did they disintegrate or just refuse to work? I bought my 1995 Jeep Wrangler because I did not want to inflict a Defender on myself.

Another massive downside these days with defenders and their predecessors is theft. On Facebook I was a member of the local LR owners group and it was almost a daily occurrence to see another new post about "My Defender was stolen last night" and that was just a local group of Loughborough and immediate area.

They were all working perfectly when sold. They funded my MBs....

I moved from the NW so no longer had easy access to the lakes and hence no real need for them. Made sense to replace them with something I'd use more often.



The Ambulance was a fully operational as it left Gulf War 1 time warp, just exterior paint refreshed. It was one of three that went and the only one to return I believe.

 

[M80]

What's the budget?

Up to 2005 Gr Cherokee. 2.7 5 pot MB engine, and auto box.
Later (but pre VW) 3 litre V6 MB engine and box.

No need to worry about MB rust.
Consumption pretty much the same as the equivalent ML's.

 

[sausage]

Serious set of vehicles there LostKiwi, very impressive.

 

[LostKiwi]

Serious set of vehicles there LostKiwi, very impressive.

Cheers. Can't find the one of the RRC.

 

[sonic]

I had a new works Mitsubishi Shogun in 2005 for 5 years, never had any problems with it.

 

[LostKiwi]

A little agricultural but a Nissan Pathfinder might be an option.

 

[sausage]

I had a new works Mitsubishi Shogun in 2005 for 5 years, never had any problems with it.

I had a mid 90s shogun, 3 door, thought it looked really nice. It was OK, failed alternator, failed RMS (not cheap), failed power steering pump and all in a short space of time. However, this is not to suggest unreliable, a friend of by brothers uses nothing else on his farm and swears by them.

 

[Dringo]

This is going to get a lot of replies, i think.

Vehicle needs.......
4x4
big enough to tow an ifor williams 506 horse trailer with two horses.
needs to be a vehicle not a hobby ( getting a bit old to do all the work some need)
Not overly complicated
would prefer before 2008 (cheaper road tax)

What i have considered so far....
Landrover Discovery 3, meets all the needs, but worried about all the reports of un reliability, seen loads advertised requiring replacement engines due to crank seizure also very complicated on electronics
Rangerover TD6, same as above except engines are better but let down by gearboxes and again. lots of electronics
Kia Sorento, older versions up to 2009, meets the needs, but again horror stories of engine failure and rust
VW toureg ( think thats how its spelt) again, has the needs but seems not to last
BMWx5 dont like them.

We have at the moment our old trusty ML270, but it cant go on for ever, we have had Discoveries in the past , the TD5 being the best, but tin worm got at it.

Does any own, have owned, know of the above vehilce

Just re-visiting this post. I can't believe no-one proposed the OP consider a G-Wagen.
Just a couple of suggestions of the R-Class, another ML or a GL.

Since the OP posted this in a MB forum, I would have thought he expected some other MB alternatives from the list offered.

So I would say, get a pre-2019 463 model G-Class (they are all LWB). It doesn't need to be the mad G63 or anything AMG. A G350 V6 diesel would give 250HP and 600Nm and they made them from 2012 (earlier too but less efficient). And not much more money than Defenders.

 

[joderest]

I agree, but all a bit rich for me, I am running a 20 year old ML270 at the moment, and cant afford a G Wagen or a newer defender, unless someone leaves me an awful lot of money, and i will only be on pensions soon, as i cannot see me working much longer (well over retirement age now )

 

[Fessel]

Can't really go wrong with a Discovery 2 td5 if you can get a good one. Mines a mishmash of a '99 sitting on a '71 chassis (for tax purposes where I live) jacked up 4" , coil springs all round, winch front and rear, big wheels and tyres, rock guards etc. Engine re-mapped and exhaust de-catted. Great fun but doesn't get taken out so much now although driven 'sensibly' will get over 40 mpg., and 45 mph in 5th is only1500 rpm, Speedo obviously inaccurate so has satnav type speed thing sitting center dash. Has 2 big advantages, no one tries to force their way past me on our narrow roads and most of the work was completed by previous owner before I bought it over 4 years ago. Has never let me down and is maintained by a good friend who owns a fully equipped commercial garage.
Mind you , I must admit that my Mercs are more comfortable!
And joderest. don't let your age be a problem..... I look and sound younger but I'm 79 this coming Friday and definitely still enjoying life. My ambition is to live for another 20 years and eventually be a burden on society ;o)
Fessel