Thread: late td5 or early puma?

35 K is one expensive TD5 Defender

Originally Posted by Samblers

So, I'm considering late td5 (i.e. $35k ish) vs. early Puma (i.e. $40K+ ish) for my first defender and my young family... I drove both yesterday, back to back. Well, I drove a new Puma at the dealership as this was all I had at my disposal - I presume the difference between early and new Pumas is not huge (?).

2006 td5 came first, this car i'd had my eye on for a short while was low km and had some extras I wanted but turned out not to be the best example i think (had been a little negelected). Still, driving was good fun - felt suitably rugged and truck-like. Performance was nothing to get excited about, but it did the job and would cruise comfortably at speed (once it got there). Gbox was reasuringly mechanical and clunky, interior was fine by my standards. Aircon I had cranked the whole drive... on a 25deg it managed to keep me (and my legs) comfortable... on a 40deg WA summers day i think my young passengers faces would still melt. Rear seats were basic which i liked, as they folded up neatly and created a lot of load space.

So, to the dealership, and a $55K plain-white 110, vanilla flavour with no sprinkles on top (basic). Difficult to fall in love with.

Wow what a difference. A meaningful one as well... Drive was a LOT more refined, gearbox smooth, interior was pleasing, steering wheel lower with a more car-like driving stance, engine much perkier. Aircon seemed OK, if a little meagre. Rear seats and load space from the td5 i prefered... Puma rear seats seem a little further back?

OK, so this is a 2012 model, but same experience as a 2008 model i presume...?

Overall it left me feeling that with 35k to spend, i'd find another 5-8k and get a Puma even if i had to wait a little while to buy some fruit. I would consider an older, less expensive example of the td5 if I could find one that had been well cared for... but wouldnt spend as much as 35k and it just isnt worth it when this puts you in reach of the Puma.

Fair?

I think you should be able to get a Excellent Td5 with all the fruit for the 30k region, 35grand seems too much, that does put you into Puma territory & that does make more sense.

Originally Posted by Samblers

[snip]

Drive was a LOT more refined, gearbox smooth, interior was pleasing, steering wheel lower with a more car-like driving stance, engine much perkier.

[snip]
Fair?

Luckily you've never tried a Tdi or an Isuzu powered 110.

'Truck like', 'rugged' and 'utilitarian' would be the correct euphemisms, 'refined' would not get a look in

Yeah thats what I was getting at, though from the other direction I guess... i.e. why get a 35k td5 when you can get one for 25k and put yourself outside the Puma temptation range!

Samblers - the 2012 engine is slightly different (a 2.2 litre version) to what will be in the 2007 model - but yes - the experience you noted in the "drive one then drive the other" test will be the same for an early Puma - and that was just what I expected you to discover. They are chalk and cheese.

Either are good vehicles. You'll end up loving either - but you now know how different a Puma is to a Td5 and you need to decide if it warrants extra cash. It sure does to me.

And as above - a 2006 35K Td5 is expensive. It would need to be loaded with extras and be perfect.

Thanks fellas.

Hmm, so now its early td5 vs early puma ...

More of a philosophical question for me and SHMBO I think...

Originally Posted by Samblers

Thanks fellas.

Hmm, so now its early td5 vs early puma ...

More of a philosophical question for me and SHMBO I think...

Theres a good 2002 one on ebay.
Bonus is he told me it has a Salisbury AND Traction Control - they are few & far btwn, If I was in the market I'd be on a plane (one way ticket) to have a look.

Land Rover Defender 110 Td5 (4x4) (2002) 4D Wagon 5 SP Manual 4x4 (2.5L -... | eBay

pre 2002 had Salisbury but no TC post 2002 (inc Puma) have weaker P38 rear diff but do have TC

during the honey period (the end of eu2 spec engine in the my02 build spec) after they did the tombraider editions you could get them with sals and TC... at the end of the run a very few had the sals and the EU3 engine As soon as you have the EU3 in a 110 then you get TC and ABS.

That is essentially the holy grail of the defender a relatively simple electronic diesel engine that can be fixed without plugging a computer into it if you knew it well enough with the toughest diff available from factory.