drb5

iTrader: (4)

Looking for a Defender 90 as a towing motor, but unsure what is best to look for.

Older motor with less miles or newer with more miles?

I understand a lot of Landy owners prefer the older 200 or 300tdi units, but are the td5's really that bad?

nik52wrx

Can't give any direct advice but I'm a member of a Range Rover Sport forum and there's a link at the bottom of the home page which may be of use to you....

http://www.defender2.co.uk/forum/

Nik

Kev_turbo

Most old men with beards prefer the 300tdi's as the 'new fangled' (1998 onwards) defenders have electronic management and may need metric spanners to work on them.

I have had 2 TD5's and they pull like hell. You will find a 110 better for long distance pulling as the extra wheel base makes them a bit more stable if less manoverable when parking/reversing.

If it's for on road pulling consider a discovery as you will get newer and less miles for your money and they are much more comfprtable to be in

drb5

iTrader: (4)

Nik, will have a look round the site, thanks.

Kev, it won't be used for long distance and the reliability issues have put us off going for a Disco. I know I'll struggle to get comfy in the 90(I'm 6' 2"), but the old man is determined for a Defender and values seem to hold very well with them...even though they are expensive IMO.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Rust is the one to watch for, the chassis are iron so rot if damaged, cost a fair bit to sort out (chassis replacement) and look at the none alloy bits, my mate had the 50th anniversary version of the 90, 2 years old and rusting on the rivets

Kev_turbo

What's your budget?

riza

imo td5's arent that bad, and depending on budget the newer defenders use the puma lump so basically a tranni.

Altho if it were me id look for a disco as driving a defender on the road is horific!!

richs2891

There are plenty of good towing 4x4's, Mitsubishi Shogun, Kia sorrento (not current shape one), Hyundai terracan, to name but few - depends on what towing though.
Have to agree Land Rover 90's are just plain bad on the road, hate having the drive the one we have on the family farm on the road (a 60 plate one). If your adamant that has to be a LR product then echo what's been said and go for a Discovery - pre 05 plate from mem, still a proper 4x4.
Richard

drb5

iTrader: (4)

Budget is around 7k+vat.

Read about a few month old with rust starting. Don't understand why they are so wanted, when they rust as badly as they do. Thankfully we do bodywork, so it won't bother us.

riza

if you are dead set on a land rover id try and go for a disco 3 but for that money its gona b a bit of a risk

drb5

iTrader: (4)

We need the max towing of 3500kgs and will fit a tacho to whatever we get. Got an 800kgs trailer to begin with, so a LR fits the bill best.

We could probably find a damaged Disco 3, but we couldn't trust them enough. Had a RRS a while ago and it had its problems. Not wanting that again.

IWatkins

Def90 is too short would be my suggestion for towing 3.5 tonnes+ unless you have mad skills. Look at a 110 if you can.

Ex. MOD 110s are going cheap just now if you don't care about creature comforts.

If you care, a 110 or a Disco3 is a minimum for that weight.

I often tow 4100kgs on an ex-MOD 110 for about 30 miles (glider tow + glider trailer + glider), but wouldn't want to go much further or heavier.

Cheers

Ian

hodgy0_2

If it is just a low mileage but reliable towing workhorse I woul go Japanese

You can pick up shogun/Palero's

Proper 4 wheel drives with mechanical diff locks

howellsy42

At work I had a 2004 110 td5 we had it from new always serviced and I towed nearly every day 6 days a week 3500kgs other than run of the mill stuff it was trouble free I put 155k on it and at 140k it had to have gearbox and transfer box I now have a 110 2008 With the transit engine it's gutless for towing so we had it chipped and was ok then the egr valve went then the ecu fried its self it's crap give me my td5 any day

riza

td5's are pretty bombproof as long as they are serviced well.iv seen defenders with 290k on and still on there original engine!!
one of the reasons they were used over the tdi's is because they have better/more consistant power thro the range. so prob even better for towing.
think the main reason they are not loved as much is because they are not as nice/easy to work on.injectors are internal, fuel rails are part of the cylinder head etc

if you are not going to be using it as a daily or for long journeys then id say you are on to a winner but if i was you id definately drive one before you buy as i find even brand new ones are just pure nasty on the road!
turning circle and ride worse than a boat etc

oh and if you are testing one dont forget that land rover put all the ignition barrels in backwards


technically land rovers are alot more 4x4 than shoguns/pajero's as land rovers are constant 4x4 where as shoguns are rear wheel drive when being used on the road but have all the bits there when off roading

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

Might have a 2006/06 plate animal for sale in the next week ......
Don't know what they are like for towing?
Got a truck man top on it and full towing gear........no vat

hodgy0_2

With the shogun mk11 onwards you get superselect, so it has 2 wheel then 4 wheel (open diff same as rr) then you can lock the centre diff

So best of all worlds, I have just been given one, had a blown turbo, which I have just replaced with a new one, going for an mot tomorrow

I have a Landcruiser amazon so don't really need it, will either sell it or take it to my brothers villa in Italy

drb5

iTrader: (4)

It won't be myself using it daily, but only of the odd recovery really.

Old boy is stuck on the Defender 90, so no other options really.

Went to see one yesterday, but a pile. Every panel had been repaired barr the bonnet.

SPEN555

Recently I got told my GF's friend's BF was staying overnight at his GF's. Next day he went out to his Defender 90 to find the doors had been unbolted and removed

joey_turbo

iTrader: (26)

I heard about a lot of people nicking the doors. Scumbags.

riza

haha yep they are pretty much a real life lego car. everything unbolts or rivets on.

something to watch out for when viewing them is watermarks inside, as most of them leak, as long as its not anywhere near the windscreen you should be ok, its just there are a few computers bolted to the back of the bulkhead behind the dash that dont mix well with water.

drb5 where abouts in the country are you?

drb5

iTrader: (4)

Just North of Glasgow fella. And that's half the trouble...

toneh

iTrader: (1)

I would go for a 300 tdi , but which ever you go for make
Sure it's very secure / tracker ect because they are a massive target for tea leafs
I've been off roading on and off for a few years and the amount of dodgy landrovers I've come across is frightening

Tony