Best model Defender?

[btm]

Can anyone tell what I would search the forums for to find out this information? I'm normally over in the REMLR section with my IIA. Finally after 21 years of driving my IIA, I have decided to buy a Defender. Just not sure which one? Ihave heard a lot about the early Isuzu engine countys, and would consider one, but I reckon most of those engines must have done a lot of Km's by now??

Can anyone recommend a particular model, I probably only want to spend about 20k, so it will have to be a used model. Is the 4 or 5 cylinder models better than the ols Isuzu engine?

Any help will be appreciated.

regards,

tim

[flagg]

Can anyone recommend a particular model, I probably only want to spend about 20k, so it will have to be a used model. Is the 4 or 5 cylinder models better than the ols Isuzu engine?

Hi Tim,

Welcome to the land of coil springs!

Of course, the correct answer is the best defender is the one that isn't really a defender! The One Ten County Station Wagon with an Isuzu up front will give you the best of everything.

I'm sure there will be a lot of people who jump up shouting in disagreement, but I wont be able to hear them as I'm going deaf due to driving my Isuzu 110. :angel:

[stig0000]

20k is realy tdi money,, theres very few td5s for 20k,, and if there is they woud be stuffed rust boxes that have lived on the beach,,

[isuzutoo-eh]

Sure, Isuzu powered 110s have a fair few km on them, but 200,000km to an Isuzu equals 100,000 to a tdi or td5 ;)

[one_iota]

I'd would have considered an Isuzu engined County except that while the motor is still good after 500,000km the rest is getting a little tired after at least 25 years of rattle shake and roll. Be prepared to work on everything other than the motor. I've worked on the V8 version.

But it depends on what you want. Some here think that it is the last true Defender.

[Tusker]

What Tdi or Td5 had 100.000 kms on it? Or more to the point, what mileage is on a County?

Reliabilty takes in a number of factors.

Regards
Max P

[Blknight.aus]

depending on your definition of best..... (ignoring county's and re-engined deefers)

the most fixable defender is the tdi300 version of it

the most powerful and most economical is the TD5 version of it and theres a few flavors of that. (these also have all the electronics

the most comfortable is allegedly the puma but thats really a ford. (and out of your price range anyway) so doesnt count.

other than that, they are more or less the same size wise and mechanicals wise.

I would suggest age and service history would be the 2 things you would want to consider most in regards to determining condition and the fit out would be your secondary concern.

[Fluids]

Something like this maybe ?

Land Rover Defender 2000 110 Td5 (4x4) - eBay, Passenger Vehicles, Cars, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 20-Jun-10 13:44:40 AEST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260617453670&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)

Kev..

[abaddonxi]

They're all good.

And owning is much more fun than looking.

[kaa45]

Isuzu powered anything....but you can't have one!!!! :p

[Disco44]

Attached is the results of a poll conducted on The UK Land Rover forum last year

[Bundalene]

Over the years, in the Defender department, I have owned an Isuzu (Series3 Stage 1) , a 200 TDi, a 1999 Defender and now have a 1996 Defender.

The Isuzu was a brilliant vehicle - probably the best all round car, bought it new, but a bit rough around the edges. We went to all corners of Australia many times with this and eventually parted with it when it appeared it would start to require a fair bit of maintenance (at about 350,000kms) - the hardening on the diff sun gears were showing signs of wear, the front guards were cracked again, the gearbox was whining, bushes were flogged, etc, etc. The engine was as good for another 350,000 kms. We bought a 200TDi with 30k kms on the clock.

When we sold the 200TDi, it had about 300k kms on the clock - again an excellent vehicle, brilliant fuel economy but a bit short on torque, especially for sand driving or taking off on steep inclines. This vehicle went everywhere - to the Cape 3 times, across the Tanamai and beyond 3 times, etc etc.

We bought a 1999 TD5, a much more sophisticated vehicle, far more power, a bit less fuel economy than the TDi but IMHO a better vehicle. We departed with this at 180,000k kms (still in the family)

We now have a 1996 TD5, which is very similar to the 1999 - a precious few refinements, but a great vehicle. We hope to keep this for a few years yet (currently just clocked 60k kms)

None of the cars have EVER failed to get us home. We have had a few issued along the way, but always fixed things as they came up. We have not been held up more than a few hours for any problem (except once - 2 days at Rainbow beach).

What ever vehicle you chose, pick a well looked after low kms vehicle, do your maintenance more often than required, rectify any problems immediately when they occur and you should be OK.

Erich

[EchiDna]

Attached is the results of a poll conducted on The UK Land Rover forum last year

where they could never buy a 4BD1 in a 110...

personally, I'd be buying a top shelf TDI300 or rebuilding a 110 with 4BD1t into something pretty special with my $20k

[loanrangie]

Attached is the results of a poll conducted on The UK Land Rover forum last year

That poll is so outdated as they didnt make V8 or petrol 4's for a long time and they havent included the 2.4ltr puma model .

[jerryd]

I've owned a few different models over the years, but the Isuzu County never fails to put a grin on my face :) and it's definately my favourite all rounder. 480,000 k's and still purring along ;)

[clean32]

with the sort of money you are talking about, get an isuzu and go over the running gear and cosmetic stuff, i have seen plenty of 110s 130s etc with only 150K on the clock haveing to fix much more than the isuzus seem to have to do

[lardy]

Hi Tim,

Welcome to the land of coil springs!

Of course, the correct answer is the best defender is the one that isn't really a defender! The One Ten County Station Wagon with an Isuzu up front will give you the best of everything.

I'm sure there will be a lot of people who jump up shouting in disagreement, but I wont be able to hear them as I'm going deaf due to driving my Isuzu 110. :angel:

Buy the best buy a 300 tdi 130 or a good 110 if you already do the mechanicals on your series you will have an ungradeable vehicle that you will be able to stamp elements of you all over it

[btm]

Thanks everyone for posts so far. I guess I mean the best defender in terms of the one that:

a) Doesn't require a lot of on going maintenance (other the the usual stuff on a LR)

b) Enough power to put the car along with my No 5 trailer on tow.

c) My old IIA, for example, has whats generally regarded as a better gearbox than the series III? So, are there better model defenders in terms of year model for drive train, engine etc. I hate going to the mechanic and he says "Oh you've got a 91 model, you poor bastard... if you had just bought the 92, you'd be laughing!" Grrr!

c) I'm a bit scared of all that 'electronic traction control' ****, sounds like just another thing that can go wrong, so should I keep away from the extreme models (asuming I could raise a bit more coin)?

thanks for your input.

tim

[PAT303]

Late model Tdi,don't believe the people who say they don't last. Pat

[vnx205]

There is probably something to be said for buying the last year of a model run or at least not buying the first year.

At least that is what I keep telling myself because I bought a 1998 Defender. I like to believe that by then they had sorted out most of the gremlins in the 300 Tdi motor and the gearbox. So far, so good.

As far as the gearbox in the IIA being better that the III, everyone says it is, but that does not mean that the III gearbox is inadequate. Mine was still going at over 300,000km. How much better than that does it need to be?

[Blknight.aus]

Thanks everyone for posts so far. I guess I mean the best defender in terms of the one that:

a) Doesn't require a lot of on going maintenance (other the the usual stuff on a LR)

b) Enough power to put the car along with my No 5 trailer on tow.

c) My old IIA, for example, has whats generally regarded as a better gearbox than the series III? So, are there better model defenders in terms of year model for drive train, engine etc. I hate going to the mechanic and he says "Oh you've got a 91 model, you poor bastard... if you had just bought the 92, you'd be laughing!" Grrr!

c) I'm a bit scared of all that 'electronic traction control' ****, sounds like just another thing that can go wrong, so should I keep away from the extreme models (asuming I could raise a bit more coin)?

thanks for your input.

tim

ID say you're looking for the tdi300 series, the later the better

[Xtreme]

Something like this maybe ?

Land Rover Defender 2000 110 Td5 (4x4) - eBay, Passenger Vehicles, Cars, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 20-Jun-10 13:44:40 AEST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260617453670&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)

Kev..

I'd be querying the model of that one.
Ad says 2000 Td5 but body markings indicate a Tdi which would be pre 1999

[MacFamily]

I'd be querying the model of that one.
Ad says 2000 Td5 but body markings indicate a Tdi which would be pre 1999


If you enlarge the fourth pic the front guard has TD5 on it I would say the owner put the defender sticker on it.

Looks like a good buy for the price but like anything get I checked by a landy mechanic before purchase.

Goodluck with your quest for a defender and I think all 110's,130's and 90's are great vehicles and we love our 300tdi defender.

[rangieman]

In my opinion and ive only had two Defenders first a 300Tdi (slug) and now a Td5 (rocket ship) , I love the Td5 it is worlds apart from the Tdi in engine refinement and perfomance :D
In saying that there are the dinosaurs on here that say the old fashioned Diesels are the way to go due to simplicity(none electronics), But come on they own computers dont they because they are on here , Or we would still be waiting for their snail mail to come in :p

Its not a dig at them who like their dinosaur diesels they have a place in the world still i guess:cool:

But honesty how much of our lives are controlled by electronics these days and half the time we dont even know it:eek:

I have done over 40 thousand ks with my Td5 Defender hassle free and still loving it :D

[JDNSW]

............
I have done over 40 thousand ks with my Td5 Defender hassle free and still loving it :D

I have done over 400,000km with my Isuzu 110 largely hassle free (as far as the engine is concerned, starter, alternator, three thermostats, crankshaft seal). Still loving it.

John

[Hendrik]

I heard a rumour that all IZUZU county owners are deaf and have loose teeth :p
......Ducks for cover......

[rangieman]

I have done over 400,000km with my Isuzu 110 largely hassle free (as far as the engine is concerned, starter, alternator, three thermostats, crankshaft seal). Still loving it.

John
And i should have said ive added 40,000 ks now reading 147,000 ks:cool: yes its still a baby , Yes the simplicity of the isuzu truck motor will keep going except for the ear drums the rivets and bolts and rover gearbox,s that rattle apart , Yes truck motors are built for durability and reliability but they come at a cost , The isuzu motor has a high chance of out living your county for reliability :p

[rangieman]

I heard a rumour that all IZUZU county owners are deaf and have loose teeth :p
......Ducks for cover......
I remember seeing a isuzu county driver years ago wearing ear muffs while he was driving , When i caught up with him down the road i asked why the ear muffs ,

Mmmm its already been said (the noise man from the motor) :p

[Landy Smurf]

20k that will get you a good vehicle i reckon a defender 110 about a 1996 model they are pretty good i heard they were the best out of all of them.....oh it has to be a white wagon.......ill stop playing the trumpet now

[clean32]

AHH how usually you can see the jealousy coming out, no hearing lose teeth earmuffs etc,

The Isuzu rocks about at idle, its also at idle that it tends to chew out gearboxes, its an easy fix just wind up the idle by 100 rpm.

The day a 300 tdi or a td5 passes me on the road or can pass me with over 1/2 a million klms on the clock and original running gear, including head etc and loom. I will eat your hat, because I can as i have all my teeth

[Scallops]

I think we all know which model certainly isn't! :whistling: I know I do. :(

[Blknight.aus]

I heard a rumour that all IZUZU county owners are deaf and have loose teeth :p
......Ducks for cover......

you forgot low moral standards anda penchant for rubbing it in.

[sashadidi]

I know in southern africa and nambia they all loved the 2.5 diesel (non turbo) would last forever and run on crap african diesel that was diluted with pataffin or any other stuff, overlanders loved them for sure went for ever and easy to fix in the bush

[lardy]

In my opinion and ive only had two Defenders first a 300Tdi (slug) and now a Td5 (rocket ship) , I love the Td5 it is worlds apart from the Tdi in engine refinement and perfomance :D
In saying that there are the dinosaurs on here that say the old fashioned Diesels are the way to go due to simplicity(none electronics), But come on they own computers dont they because they are on here , Or we would still be waiting for their snail mail to come in :p

Its not a dig at them who like their dinosaur diesels they have a place in the world still i guess:cool:

But honesty how much of our lives are controlled by electronics these days and half the time we dont even know it:eek:

I have done over 40 thousand ks with my Td5 Defender hassle free and still loving it :D

-- .- - . / -.. --- -. .----. - / -... . / .-.. .. -.- . / .. - --..-- / .. / -.. --- -. .----. - / --- .-- -. / .- / -.-. --- -- .--. ..- - . .-. --..-- / .. / .- -- / -... .- -. --. .. -. --. / - .... .. ... / --- ..- - / .. -. / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / -.. --- - / -.. .- ... .... / -- .- - . -.-- / .-.. .- -. -.. / .-. --- ...- . .-. / ...-- ----- ----- / - -.. .. / - .... . -.-- / .- .-. . / - .... . / -... . ... -

[seano87]

-- .- - . / -.. --- -. .----. - / -... . / .-.. .. -.- . / .. - --..-- / .. / -.. --- -. .----. - / --- .-- -. / .- / -.-. --- -- .--. ..- - . .-. --..-- / .. / .- -- / -... .- -. --. .. -. --. / - .... .. ... / --- ..- - / .. -. / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / -.. --- - / -.. .- ... .... / -- .- - . -.-- / .-.. .- -. -.. / .-. --- ...- . .-. / ...-- ----- ----- / - -.. .. / - .... . -.-- / .- .-. . / - .... . / -... . ... -

:D:Rolling:

[klappers]

:D:Rolling:

:Rolling::Rolling::Rolling:

Now that is funny stuff

You could always buy a County 110 with a 4DB1T and then put one of these in.. much smoother I think.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/209523893/ISUZU_4JB1T_diesel_engine.html

[HUE166]

Can anyone tell what I would search the forums for to find out this information? I'm normally over in the REMLR section with my IIA. Finally after 21 years of driving my IIA, I have decided to buy a Defender. Just not sure which one? Ihave heard a lot about the early Isuzu engine countys, and would consider one, but I reckon most of those engines must have done a lot of Km's by now??

Can anyone recommend a particular model, I probably only want to spend about 20k, so it will have to be a used model. Is the 4 or 5 cylinder models better than the ols Isuzu engine?

Any help will be appreciated.

regards,

tim

Definately the 300TDI. Simple yet functional and turboed. That's the best way I've found!!

[Troy]

Hi all I'm new.
It seems reasonable that you should get a 300tdi Tim
Unless you have time to endlessly rattle your way from the gearbox shop to the welder in your County or buy a rust-bucket TD5
More important for me though is the reassuring evidence that there is a whole community here that doesn't rate personal comfort with enjoyment at all.
I've recently changed my 350k 300tdi in for a Puma. Other than the warrnty and the noise, there isn't much difference and it's certainly no more fun
I know it's not a real Landrover because the engine is ford, not Isuzu or VM!?
But when the defender replacement is released, it will probably take over as the last real Landrover.
Great forum
Cheers
Troy

[Landy Smurf]

strong words for a newbie.just joking. i agree with what you said though

[Troy]

Sorry, I'll try to be more controversial in future

[3.9County]

I drive the V8 County on the weekends and the 130 300tdi to and from work due to better economy.

I had the pleasure of owning an Isuzu 4BD1t for a short while and was also impressed with overall torque and reliability despite the tractor like noise.:)

All these vehilces will all have their little faults but everything is simple if you have a little know how and correct tools.

I have not however had the pleasure of ever driving a TD5 but as from what I have heard they have considerably more power than the 300tdi 2.5 and the Isuzu 3.9.

I being a little superstitious with any electronics on any vehicle would rather stay with more simplified vehicles.. Besides, isnt that what a landrover is supposed to be?:)

[Didge]

At least you're not likely to get booked for speeding in a 300 TDi, except in a school zone and even that's probably not likely.

[roverrescue]

who cares what engine is in it... as long as it is a 130 then you will know you have "the best defender" :)

Steve

[boger]

hi spent a lot of time looking and got a 2001 110TR 175000 new clutch and gear box, mint nick, couple of problems 500 later!! 21500 all done. think it is the best thing i ever done :cool: . next is of course was getting married!!! (bought the110tr first):D

[boger]

Spent a lot of time looking (6 months!) i got a 2001 110TR td5 ,175000k new clutch and gear box couple of problems $500 later all fixed .I think it was the best thing i ever done!!:cool: apart from getting married.bought it the week before:D

[Didge]

The Def will give you less trouble and you'll be able to tinker with it and touch it up for years and she (the Def) won't complain, won't expect anything in return and won't make you feel guilty. :)
oh, and you'll be able to stay late in the shed with her and buy her trinkets and stuff and even if she doesn't really need them, she'll wear them without complaint

[JamesH]

20k that will get you a good vehicle i reckon a defender 110 about a 1996 model they are pretty good i heard they were the best out of all of them.....oh it has to be a white wagon.......ill stop playing the trumpet now

Yep 96 white wagon is my best Landrover ever. Worst too.

And no they never complain, but gees they shouldn't, either. They say a minor service is very cheap but I wouldn't know; never had one. But it's what they drive in heaven. No lie.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mick-Kelly]

My choice would be a perentie or a tdi. If you want the computer driven electronic wonderland go buy a daewoo.

[The ho har's]

who cares what engine is in it... as long as it is a 130 then you will know you have "the best defender" :)

Steve


^^^^ what he said:D

Mrs hh:angel: