Thread: need help buying defender

No need to post twice mate...people will reply in time.

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on the TD5's, but having bought a Defender last year (200TDi 110) and spending a while looking for the right one here's my $0.02.

1. If it's in good condition $18k is a bargain! If it's not, then it really depends on the condition it's in - service history and the like. FWIW, I paid $12.5k for my '93 model Defender (mainly because of its very good mechanical and chassis condition)
2. I don't have any experience with the '04 TD5 Defender so can't really give you any help there.
3. Things to look out for in just about any Defender: Rust in firewall/bulkhead & chassis, cracks/large dents in chassis (from overly hard off-road driving - rare, but make sure you check anyway), corrosion between steel & aluminum (especially in doors), leaking clutch master cylinder, leaks in bodywork seals (but this seems to be feature hehe)...I'll let others with more experience add to this.
4. See question 1 - if the engine has been looked after then 172,205km is only just warming up the engine, if it hasn't then it could be on its last legs. My Defender had 300,000km on it when I bought it - but it's been looked after and has easily got another 300,000km in it if I look after it.

Hope that helps a little!

Check the engine very carefully for signs of overheating! If a Td5 has been overheated, matters can get very expensive.

That is low mileage unless it has been badly abused. The Td5 engine is durable but is expensive to repair, particularly if overheated.

Apart from the points mentioned, there are a couple of Td5 specific problems - some (should not be this late a model but some reports have indicated they are not immune if I remember rightly) have had an inadequately secured oil pump bolt, the loss of which has wrecked the engine. A persisten problem with this engine seems to be that oil seeps back along the wiring harness from the injectors to the ECU, and causes all sorts of problems when the oil starts interfering with electrical contacts at the plug into the ECU. Fairly simple, but not very cheap fix by replacing the harness, but can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms depend on what contacts are bad and how bad.

A documented service history is a big plus, and if one that new does not have one, it would be interesting to know why. Most of us would be very reluctant to buy one this new without.

John

John

Willie, if you buy it have the sump removed and that oil pump retaining bolt (which JD mentioned) adjusted to the correct torque, and the appropriate loctite applied. It's very important. It's more important for earlier Td5s but I would do it as a priority on any Td5. The kms are not high if it's been maintained and I think the price sounds OK.

Agree with the above. Johns post is good, and covers the main bits.

thanks to everyone for your help, just some more questions
1 what would be the signs if the engine has overheated
2 apparently the services was done by the owner, except the last 2 which were done by a mechanic, should i be concerned?
3 a bit of 4wd has been done in the vehicle is there anything i should looking out for or concerned about

i was selling my defender 04MY, its got 82k on the clock now, seveiced every 5k at the dealer no beach work, yes i take it off road but its looked after, i see it as im using it for what it was meant to do,

I can understand owners servicing their own cars once the new car warranty period runs out, however while the car is still under warranty, I would expect that the service manual would be stamped by an approved dealer/mechanic.

I guess you are never going to know if the servicing was really done or not (you’d only be able to make an educated guess).

If the owners manual has been stamped and maintained during the warranty period, and there are invoices for the last two services, then the ‘story’ is conceivable. I would still have reservations and be asking myself why someone who has never had a car serviced by a mechanic all of a sudden sought a mechanic for assistance?????

At the end of the day it is your decision. I think the price is very reasonable however without a service history, I personally wouldn’t take the gamble. I am however fussy and have been looking for the ‘right defender’ for about 7 months....... it’s still out there somewhere

Just my two cents worth.

Best of luck and let us know how you go.