Thread: buying used Defender

Hi all,

looking for your advise on 300tdi defenders. i have always owned an old toyota hilux but time has come to upgrade to something that will take us around australia and still hit the tough tracks as we find them. i also want it to last the next 20 years.

what i realy want to know is everyones opinion, will a mid 1990s defender last another 20 years? considering it will likely have over 200k on the clock already, can they last to 4-500k's. if not, im also willing to look at paying a little less upfront and having the engine rebuilt or buying a new one (herd about some 2.8td that swap in easy?)

Then if the engines are ok what about everything else? iv heard rust can be an issue, but is this just poor maintenance? how well built is the drive-line and suspension?

Finally if something was to go wrong in the middle of the simmo, what's the availability of parts/ service expertise?

Hope everyone is having a good summer

Took me two years to buy mine. The one I bought had the least rust of all the ones I looked at. Bottom of the doors, front floor and fire wall are where to look, if it is in the chasi, walk away. Mine had it in the doors and cost $1600 to get fixed.

Not having owned one before but driven a mates since 1997, I can confirm, well looked after they will last for a long time. There are all sorts of rumors about them, but good maintenance should see it through.

I will be rebuilding my engine before any long trips. Only because I want to know it is good and I didn't put the 244k on it that is already there. I have looked at the 2.8, but have decided to stay original so parts are more easy to come by.

Parts are great, there a number of good suppliers in Aus and stuff from the UK comes pretty quick.

So far I have rebushed it front and back, new front shocks, drivers side swivel seal, all new ball joints except A Frame and have no problem doing it myself even having not worked on cars for some years.

The axles can be a bit soft and I am putting in heavy duty and Maxi Drives to take care of that.

I too intend keeping this for some time if not 20 years and find that they are in some cases cheaper to repair than a toynissan or about the same.

Having driven Landys all my life including learning to drive in one, they are the best 4x4.