Getting a Land Rover

[clanpowell]

Might seem unsual to talk about getting a 4x4 on here but I was wondering if anyone has experience owning a landy. Before we get to France I'm going to sell our current car and get a secondhand Landy. Reason being that, as far as I understand, you can be quite selfsufficient with the older models. A friend who is a mechanic told me that armed with a Haynes manual and a reletively simple tool kit you can run them yourself. I know they're not the most eco friendly in terms of fuel consumption but I think getting an older one and rescuing it might offset it. Once we're in France we don't plan on driving around much either. I might look into converting it to LPG or biofuel as well. Just wondering if anyone can offer some advice?

[boboff]

Umm, go and drive one, they are horrible to drive, cramped, crunchy gears, heavy stearing, rusty, drafty, did I mention you have to be under 5ft9" to fit in the seats that don't move, awfull.

But I would love one, I just need to shrink some fat and get my legs took up.

Did I mention that they are also really really expensive for what you get? Since they became Waitrose shopping trolleys that is.

I just bought a 1600 Susuki Vitara 4x4, 52 plate £1100 with 90k miles. Uses less fuel, is comfortable, still tows and goes on the field, for that money you would struggle to get a 25 years old rust bucket with double the miles.

If I were you I would get a Citreon Berlingo when you get over there, a van is so much more usefull on a small holding, and presumably it's drier/flatter so not so much need for the 4x4? It's french made, get a left hand drive one, cheap to get parts etc, and you won't get stopped by the old bill all the time!

[Odsox]

What Boboff said, especially the heavy non power assisted steering but also the atrocious turning circle. It's a standing joke that Landrovers are popular in Africa because you need the Sahara desert to turn round in.
I had a long wheelbase 4.8 litre that I used to tow our caravan when we were "of no fixed abode" but had to sell it as the road tax here is based on it's CC and it came out to some ridiculous figure, but I was sad to see it go. Very useful for chucking bricks and cement in the back, towing anything and quite easy to work on, plus you can still get all the parts.
Don't think I would want another one now though .....

[clanpowell]

Problem is that we're going to the corezze which is usually under snow 2-3 months of the year. The 4x4 is kind of a must. I'll look into the susuki, how easy is it to maintain yourself?

[oldjerry]

Everything Boboff said about the series 1,2,3.good in a field,and that's it.However fret not,non desperandum..etc,take a look at an older Disco,same engine, running gear,practically as good offroad,comfortable, drivable,and half the price of the same years defender.BUT,200s and the better 300s are getting pricier as the word gets around,'bout 1500 for a decent well serviced one with 100,000 or so on the clock.'Course the biggest prob still remains................build quality(well it is a Landrover!!)

[boboff]

Disco's are good, you can get them on ebay with the LPG already done for less that £2k.
I don't sell drugs, so wouldn't buy one.
With cars for me, maintenance is not really the issue, it's how often they go wrong, Land Rover go wrong allot.
When I went to test drive a 2 series, I took the kids, drove out the drive and within 100yrds came back, we were all very scared, it was quite funny really!

[oldjerry]

[quote="boboff"]Disco's are good, you can get them on ebay with the LPG already done for less that £2k.
I don't sell drugs, so wouldn't buy one.

That explains why all the farmers round here have stupid grins!!

[bill1953]

Everyone I know that has a Landrover spends years lying under it. Discoverys in particular have a little fault that makes engine seizure easy. Get a Toyota or a Nissan.

[boboff]

No not a Toyota!
Head gaskets blow for a past time, and they do have the habit of blowing three before they are fixed!
Old Import Hilux Surf I had, not good.

Anyway I have just come back from the field, my little Suzuki got stuck! Not much front wheel drive, slip dif on 4 wheel drive, and no weight in the back meant I just spent 2 hours with lovely wife, and various bits of old carpet trying to escape! All safe and sound now.

[bill1953]

Yes they weren't up to much, I meant more like a Landcruiser, the king of Africa these days.

[delineator]

Hi Bill
Would a 'vintage' landrover qualify for cheaper annual road tax in The ROI ? or if I really couldn't manage without a motor in Ireland would something with a 1L engine be advisable to keep annual cost as low as possible ( Other than walking everywhere of course)
Thanks if you can help

[Paul_C]

i had a defender and if i get enough money to run a car again id get another

they are specialist trucks mind, with sod all comforts and the chasis are prone to rusting. that said i offroaded hard in mine and never found something it couldnt beat.

fuel wise a NA or naturally aspirated engine SUCKS. you need a 200tdi or later engine. a 200 will run neat cooking oil in the warm or neat with adash of petrol in winter. saving mucho money on fuel biut sluggish but its a defender.

if you get one, learn to drive at 55, thats the best you will do for speed and efficency. mine at 70 was shit scary and it has the aerodynamic properties of an tower office block with a hangover.

[Paul_C]

i had a defender and if i get enough money to run a car again id get another

they are specialist trucks mind, with sod all comforts and the chasis are prone to rusting. that said i offroaded hard in mine and never found something it couldnt beat.

fuel wise a NA or naturally aspirated engine SUCKS. you need a 200tdi or later engine. a 200 will run neat cooking oil in the warm or neat with adash of petrol in winter. saving mucho money on fuel biut sluggish but its a defender.

if you get one, learn to drive at 55, thats the best you will do for speed and efficency. mine at 70 was shit scary and it has the aerodynamic properties of an tower office block with a hangover.

[Zech]

Get a 2CV!

They come apart like a mechano kit, so easy to work on once you've learnt your way around.

They're excellent in snow - I've heard that roads over the Pyrenees used to get closed in snow to all vehicles except 4x4s and 2CVs (this may be an old wives tale, but a 2CV is good in snow and if it won't move itself, it's light enough to push! Ask me how I know )

They were designed for light agricultural use - the spec famously included being able to carry a basket of eggs across a ploughed field without breaking any. The back seat comes out easily, so you can get a lot in them. The only downside is that it can be a bit tricky to get big things in through the roof. You might want to consider a dyane if the hatchback would be useful.

They're old, so you're recycling, as with the landy.

They use about half as much fuel as a landy.

They're a lot more comfortable than a landy (French suspension).

They're French.

They're loads of fun to drive

[oldjerry]

Seen the price of them recently??