Thread: so, im thinking of buyin a defender

Originally Posted by wally

Personally I'd go for a late 300. A Td5 will probably cost you more in the long run. Tdis are so much simpler, and easier and cheaper to maintain.

Whats more expensive on them to maintain?

The engines are just as bullet proof, apart from the oil in the harness issue, which is fixed for less than $150.00

You will make that up in fuel alone in a few months...

I can not understand why people here are scared of electrics .. from the sounds of his target 4wding, it makes sense to get the more modern engine.

just my 2.2c

Because us simple folk who drive landys can handle the logic of air, spark, fuel, bang engines when they go wrong in the bush. Throw in electrickery and engine mamagement computers that need a laptop download diagnostic program just to tell you what the problem is and we curl up in a ball on the ground and whimper.

Originally Posted by Cameron_Def

Whats more expensive on them to maintain?

The engines are just as bullet proof, apart from the oil in the harness issue, which is fixed for less than $150.00

You will make that up in fuel alone in a few months...

I can not understand why people here are scared of electrics .. from the sounds of his target 4wding, it makes sense to get the more modern engine.

just my 2.2c

Well I've owned 3 Tdis and 2 Td5s. They all have had their own issues but it is my experience that when things go wrong on a Td5 they are expensive. On Tdis it's usually less so. This has nothing to do with electronics by the way. None of my problems were related to electronics. My problems were ABS modules, fuel block leaks, fuel cooler leak, head gasket, oil pump retaining bolt, etc,etc,etc.. cost me a fortune. My other Td5, on the other hand was great. One fuel pump replaced under warranty, otherwise relatively trouble free.

Everyone's experiences are different, but as a result of my experiences I won't have another Td5. I'll probably hang on to my Tdi 130 for another 5-10 years and then think about replacing it with a Transit engine 130. In the meantime I'll see how they stack up for problems.

How do you make up $150 in fuel? My Tdis were / are more economical than my Td5s which in my opinion is another advantage.

Originally Posted by nibbsy

im looking at buying a wagon type 4wd, a defender has popped up on the radar as well as a 80/100 series cruiser or GQ/GU patrol. No older than a 95 model really.
here come some ideas and questions:
ive heard the TD5 (i think its called) is the engine to look for, true or not?

how strong are the mechanical bits and pieces, do they take some punishment before throwing in the towel?

what are they like on long trips, they look very simple and i know they are, what are the seats like and do they all come with with AC and power steering?

do they develop many rattles and bangs as the km pile on, also what is n acceptable amount of km on a 2nd hand one?

i would be looking to raise it up 2 or so inches, will this fit 33" tyres or how high do they need to go up to fit them. How wide can a tyre go without major modifications too.

is there plenty of aftermarket gear like bars, roof racks, drawers, suspension etc as that can be a big draw card to the nissan and toyota.

that is all i can think of right now, if anyone has any other helpful info of the pros and cons of defenders it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks heaps.
nibbsy

I have a 2005 TD5 Defender, and love it. Just over 60,000k's on the clock, and only problems have been minor "Lucas Electircs" issues. Nothing to stop me, but some minor annoyances. Have had the wires to the rear of the vehicle pinched between the body, and transmission. This was repaired under warranty, but took a long time to find the problem. Since it has been repaired, the reverse light has stopped working again. Maybe just a globe this time??? The car is noisy at highway speeds, but I also have a full length roof rack on it. Have put in sound insulation, and it has helped heaps. The car is more comfortable on my back than our BMW X5. I can take about 2 hours driving the BMW, before I have to get out and stretch. Last year we did a 5 week trip from Melbourne, to the tip of Cape York, and back. The Defender was amazing on how it handled the trip. From blacktop, to very corrigated dirt roads. Off road it was unstoppable, and a joy to drive. It is also nice to wave to all the other Defender drivers, and mostly get a wave back. People have complained about the Defender turning circle, but it has a narrow body compared to the Nissin, and Toyota. This makes, say the Vic. high country, winding through the trees, an enjoyable drive.

As to your questions:

Have had a 3.9 V8 Disco, and the TD5 pulls harder than it did. Much better fuel economy also. The Disco was on LP gas, so cheaper than Diesel, but not much range. I can get about 650k out of a tank fully loaded. No mechanical issues in 60,000k so far, and it has been driven like a 4X4 should.

On long trips, I find the car very comfortable. My wife finds the Air conditioner intrusive in the passenger foot well. She does also complain about the general noise at speed. I personally don't mind the noise.

Not sure if you need to lift the car for 33" tyres. I run 235/85R16 tyres, and have not had any issues. If wider tyres are put on, you might need to put flares on to make them legal. I have seen Jeep CJ flares on the defender, and they look o.k.

As for accessories, you can find anything you want that will fit the Defender, but you might have to buy new, as there are not that many around, and once the car is set up, people don't part with them, or sell them fully loaded.

Well that is all I can think of right now. Good luck in your search.

Cheers,

Ken

I will be howled down for this (as usual). The td5 is good but it does have an electronic component but not really much more than any fuel injected rover. However these electronics rarely fail (except for the injector harness - but this is well known and cheap to fix). They do need correct coolant etc. They have significantly more power than the TDI yet retain economy that is class leading.

However, the most recent TDI is nearly 10 years old now. It's my argument that if you've got the money I'd rather have a much newer td5 vehicle than a 10 year old tdi as the car is not just the engine and there are many items that are wearing in a 10 year old car. This argument is completely lost on most people on this site

We bought a new td5 defender to invest in it and keep it for the long run. So far so good

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

<snip>

However, the most recent TDI is nearly 10 years old now.

<snip>

Nine years young, thank you very much.

And please remember it is rude to mention a ladies age......

Originally Posted by rick130

Nine years young, thank you very much.

And please remember it is rude to mention a ladies age......

How many k's do you think a turbo good for (on either engine) before it is worn out.

I'll be looking for a Defender next year to replace the rangie.

Cheers Hayden