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zone30

Member Since: 07 Sep 2012
Location: Gent
Posts: 669

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 X-Tech LE Nara Bronze

buy advice

Looking at 1998 TD5 Def 110, 207k kms (= 130k miles).

Anything particular I need to watch out for?
How is it's reliability?

Will be mostly used for fun, occasional mild to semi offroading.

Looks in mint condition, hardly any rust on pictures (of course need to check it out first).

As a go-see will take me half a day (quite some distance to drive first), I'd first make sure it's worth it.

FYI I own a Freelander 2, so I do know what the car is about.

PS I may be tempted to do some mods later (wading mods and maybe even raising height). Any comments on that?

7th Sep 2012 1:04pm

Dobby

Member Since: 23 May 2012
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 187

Head gasket, has it ever been done. Early TD5s had plastic head locating dowels that were a bit shoddy. Check for air in the rad top pipe after a good hard drive.

Oil in the ECU loom. Check the plugs on the ECU for oil, it blows through from the engine, doesn't damage the ECU but needs a new loom at a few hundred quid.

Smoke in the exhaust can be a sign of worn turbo. Black is overfueling, blue is wear and white is water in the engine.

And of course rust in the obvious places, bottom of doors, bulkhead etc.

7th Sep 2012 2:04pm

me@td5.org

Member Since: 16 Jan 2011
Location: Warwick
Posts: 856

Dobby wrote:
Head gasket, has it ever been done. Early TD5s had plastic head locating dowels that were a bit shoddy. Check for air in the rad top pipe after a good hard drive.

Oil in the ECU loom. Check the plugs on the ECU for oil, it blows through from the engine, doesn't damage the ECU but needs a new loom at a few hundred quid.

Smoke in the exhaust can be a sign of worn turbo. Black is overfueling, blue is wear and white is water in the engine.

And of course rust in the obvious places, bottom of doors, bulkhead etc.

Apart from all of the the great advice above an early TD5 is also very likely to have a poor rear cross member.

7th Sep 2012 5:03pm

bpman

Member Since: 21 May 2008
Location: Oslo
Posts: 8069

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black

and the fuel pressure regulator at rear end of cylinder head.

General leaks & water ingress

Make sure all the electrics work, especially things like central locking, alarm, heated screen, HRW, ABS/Traction.

Have a look under the seat boxes, should be clean and tidy

Open up the fuse box on the tunnel and make sure all looks ok

Lift the rear carpet/mat - make sure it's ok
(in fact lift all carpets)
Check A/R bar bushes, trailing arm bushes.

have a look behind the plastic cover where the tow electrics come from

test tow electrics - if fitted

wiggle propshafts and have a good poke around underneath

7th Sep 2012 5:20pm

chiefstoker

Member Since: 11 Oct 2010
Location: Weston-super-Mud
Posts: 893

Dobby wrote:
Head gasket, has it ever been done. Early TD5s had plastic head locating dowels that were a bit shoddy. Check for air in the rad top pipe after a good hard drive.

Oil in the ECU loom. Check the plugs on the ECU for oil, it blows through from the engine, doesn't damage the ECU but needs a new loom at a few hundred quid.

Smoke in the exhaust can be a sign of worn turbo. Black is overfueling, blue is wear and white is water in the engine.

And of course rust in the obvious places, bottom of doors, bulkhead etc.

A slight puff of blue may be present if they add 2T oil to the diesel

2005 TD5 90 Hard Top

Beer 'n Sex 'n Chips 'n Gravy

8th Sep 2012 8:49pm

ickle

Member Since: 22 Jul 2010
Location: South Vendee
Posts: 1728

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Alpine White

Zone 30, I'm glad you've got a FL2, we've got one as well.

So you'll be used to the levels of handling, smoothness of ride, quality of build, reliability, performance and economy the green oval can provide.

A defender won't give you many (any?) of the above, but many, many more smiles each time you drive it.

Enjoy!

Keith

8th Sep 2012 9:26pm

zone30

Member Since: 07 Sep 2012
Location: Gent
Posts: 669

Deal fell through, but I will keep looking for one.
Thx for all the great advice.

I'm looking mainly for one to have fun with. Not for day to day driving. I don't mind having to repair or better things as long as they are not a major cost or can couse major issues later.

If I don't find one that's lifted, I probably will do it myself at one point. I kinda know what's involved and I have a brother who isn't scared of taking a car apart and rebuild it, so on a technical side I don't see any issues. I prefer the D90 for it's better off-road abilities, but if anybody can tell me the cost involved of lifting one I would be gratefull. It could open some options for me to compare prices of lifted and non-lifted ones.

Looking at this one now. Though it's not yet kitted out, the basics should be done for about 2000 euro's (bumper with winch, protection where possible, snorkel, etc...). Leter I'll do the repaint and lifting when funds allow it.

There's of course this one but it a TDi, not a TD5, but appart from different tyres (not sure if it's lifted or not which could kill it for me) it's close to having everything I think I need on it. Just some minor things which would cost like 200 euros to fix (step on the back, light protection missing).

Fyi, I will make it a comercial vehicle so, in Belgium of course, it would cost me 156 euro ear road tax a year and I don't have to pay putting-it-in-use-tax, which normally amounts to +500 yearly road tax and 850 one time putting-it-in-use-tax. So should quite payable to use as a not really-needed-but-want-anyway type of car.

The want part grew after putting the freel2 off-road at the yearly LRD meet I attended for the 3th time.

Thx

11th Sep 2012 8:28am

zone30

Member Since: 07 Sep 2012
Location: Gent
Posts: 669

Guess i'm already too late. Man they go fast these days.

11th Sep 2012 6:31pm

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