 | Home > My Defender > 4th one, am I mad? |
 
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| chris bb Member Since: 14 Feb 2014 Location: South Hampshire Posts: 28   
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We started our married life with a Series 2a hard top. This was eventually sold and many years passed until I was able to afford another Land Rover, this time an ex military Lightweight. We loved this and it stayed with us for twelve years or so until it became beyond my limited mechanical abilities and wallet to maintain and needed a more experienced owner. I lasted four moths until No 3 entered our lives, an early 90 soft top refitted with an ex Disco 200TDi plus RR rear axle.
I recently realised that we didn't need two cars for my use so sold a perfectly good estate car and the 90 to buy a newish Defender. We looked at a 7 year old TD5 to avoid the £500 tax bracket but they wanted £17K for this! I decided that for a few K more I could have something much newer even if more costly in RFL. Much hunting revealed that Defenders are becoming like chicken's teeth, eventually we found an 09 plate top of the range only 40 miles from home which we bought. The salesman told me that they'd had to do nearly £2K's worth of work on the vehicle. On a 4 year old car? Once home I found a few faults and contacted the dealer who most willingly agreed to rectify them. The main one was that the heated rear screen didn't work. They fitted a new one. I mentioned that the towing electrics were somewhat "iffy", they replaced the entire towing pack. Finally I commented that the gear changes were somewhat violent, "No worries, we'll change the clutch.", they did. I've since noticed that the passenger carpet was soaking but think I've cured this by "tweaking" the water release rubber gadget in the heater intake, I love having to get under a 4 year old car which cost over £20K! So, have I now got the ultimate Defender with all faults cured or am I deluding myself? I do hope not as we both really love driving around in it and it ticks all the boxes for what I need in a car. Your thoughts?  Click image to enlarge Series 2A 88, 1976 - 1980 Series 3 Lightweight, 1999 - 2011 200 TDi 90, 2012 - 2014 Puma 90, 2015 Wolf 90, 2017 - |
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4th Mar 2014 8:08pm |
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| SailingTom Member Since: 19 Nov 2013 Location: ESSEX Posts: 1709 
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Very nice, your not mad at all! I'm on my 4th soon to be 5th (Maybe were all mad though
 )
Love the look of your soft top and the sign, the new one will be just as much fun 
Cheers Tom Defender puma dormobile camper |
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4th Mar 2014 8:38pm |
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| steve E Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Tenby Posts: 2073 
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Not mad at all
I've had four and still have number 3 and 4 but wish Id kept number 2 |
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4th Mar 2014 9:18pm |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555 
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Not mad, sensible!
An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948" |
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4th Mar 2014 9:23pm |
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| Cheshire110 Member Since: 26 Jul 2013 Location: Cheshire/London Posts: 2725
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both look great!
I'm just 19 and have already owned 3! Cheers, David
Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8. |
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4th Mar 2014 9:34pm |
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| Dave-H Member Since: 08 Feb 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 1507 
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Yep, i'm on my 5th one now ... owned nothing else for the last 25 years
Guns and Landrovers .... anything else is irrelevant. |
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4th Mar 2014 9:38pm |
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| david mitchell Member Since: 01 Jul 2012 Location: Meath Posts: 418  
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On my 2nd, and like you, I love them
we are a special breed |
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4th Mar 2014 11:44pm |
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| chris bb Member Since: 14 Feb 2014 Location: South Hampshire Posts: 28
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Here's the one that started it all off, bought for a fair price and sold the same way to my next door neighbour, his wife used it as her daily transport. It was a hard top but, being young, I removed it in summer. Click image to enlarge Like you, No 2's my all time favourite. Click image to enlarge I paid too much for No 3, I had to pay quite a bit to keep it running and sold it at a stonking loss, I'd have been better off if I'd kept No 2 & spent the money on it, hindsight, eh? When I advertised it for sale for £3K a dealer contacted me, on the phone he sounded OK. He came to look at it and told me the bulkhead was shot (it was rough, not shot), first offer £2K. After a satisfactory test drive he told me the head gasket had gone (it hadn't), second offer £1K. I explained to him and his monkey that as it was so shot I'd take it to the breakers where I'd be guaranteed £300. They asked why I wanted to throw away £700, I told them that it would be better than selling it to them. It did sell and the bloke who bought it agreed that he was buying a 25 year old LR and expected to have to do work on it, he went away very happy. The reason for No 4 is that I really don't need two cars and I'm hoping that the Puma will be a long term affair. OK, it's admission time. I did buy a new 53 plate Freelander. Three clutches in 10K miles; the day it went out of warranty it was part exchanged for a Ford! That's why I'm a little nervous. Series 2A 88, 1976 - 1980 Series 3 Lightweight, 1999 - 2011 200 TDi 90, 2012 - 2014 Puma 90, 2015 Wolf 90, 2017 - |
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5th Mar 2014 8:45pm |
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| steve E Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Tenby Posts: 2073
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Hey Chris
Hindsight is a wonderful thing If only, what if and maybe
Your lightweight looks to be awesome. (Those number two's) Mine was a 55 plate td5 county 110. Loved the aircon flaps and the simplicity of it really. Bought a new 110 xs last year but then had to get a 90 pick up to have something I could play with. I think buying second hand is definitely the way to go as most niggles have been ironed out by the previous owner. Seems all yours have been sorted and the dealer has been good to his word. Time to enjoy your new toy |
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5th Mar 2014 10:22pm |
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| Nidge Member Since: 27 Jan 2008 Location: Kildare Ireland Posts: 810 
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Well I just bought my 15th Defender .....just can seam to find the right one....and when I did find it I had to sell it on cause I needed the funds due to the downturn.
To be fair most I bought to tidy up and sell on.....usually at a loss...but what the hell... I enjoy working on them 
Here is a pic of No - 15...is it a keeper 
Nidge. Click image to enlarge [/img] |
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6th Mar 2014 10:19am |
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| steve E Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Tenby Posts: 2073
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Might be when you've finished
keep us informed of its's progress Nidge |
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6th Mar 2014 12:37pm |
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| Cheshire110 Member Since: 26 Jul 2013 Location: Cheshire/London Posts: 2725
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ooh, that chassis looks rusty... Cheers, David
Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8. |
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6th Mar 2014 12:54pm |
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