Thread: Defender 130 pre purchase advise

I replied earlier today with a lovely long helpfull list etc but for some reason I keep needing to log back in after 5 min! Soooo very frustrating! Anyhow, White Td5.. Very similar to mine, kms the same etc. Look out for rear axle play, and rear axle shafts worn in the caps. How mine still drove I don't know. Pop the rubber center covers off and rock the vehicle back and forth looking for play between the shaft and caps. Shafts range from cheep chinese (avoid) to genuine.. $$$$. The britpart $200 ones did me fine! Look at the cooling system like a hawk. Mine had a 2 mm hole drilled in the back of the header tank to disguise the slight head gasket problem! We worked this one out 2 hrs south of Brizzie on our way back to Adelaide! One self tapper and a top up later and it did another 10000 kms b4 I had to change the gasket! Price is to high!

White Tdi. Good truck but lookin tired, needs a big price drop and TLC. Would come up well I think but budget for it. The Tdi has had to work hard in a vehicle of this size.

Red Td5.. This would be my choice. It's red.. It must be fast!! Jokes aside, it looks very clean, tyres are good, Kms are nice and low and the price is somewhere near. Test drive it (without the seller.. you'll relax not having to drive like an instructor so will be able to think clearly and test everything, listen for clunks, look for leaks etc etc). Good luck. Still love our 130 Td5, now with BFG 285's, alloys, new rear tray, roof rack, roo bar etc etc!

And a Happy Xmas to you to! As for dealers, I'm not going to comment on that as there are good and bad. I made the mistake of 'having to have that truck' (first mistake), so flew up to Brizzie, had a ten min test drive (second mistake), got him to knock several grand off the vastly over inflated price by not worryin about a warranty (third mistake), and then basically drove non stop from North Brisbane to Adelaide! Apart from a few little probs I got away with that one! So, what I'm trying to say I guess is don't buy for the sake of it, be picky and stubborn. There are plenty out there and you are in charge! Happy New year too! Simon.