Thread: help!!

Tdi 200 are very solid but can be a problem with spares. Do not overlook a County diesel if a good example is available.
If you find a nice Tdi300 look for the history of the vehicle.
If there is none be prepared to do the timing belts as soon as possible.
Depending how many kls, think in doing the head gasket and possible look the valves.
Have a look the belt tensioner and inspect all the belts.
Do the full service and make sure that there is plenty lubrication on the rear hubs axels.

When you have time install a engine heat/water level alarm on it.

Cheers

Body condition will generally give you an idea of how the car has been looked after.

The mechanicals are pretty strong but look out for signs of neglect (major oil leaks or engine caked in gunk).

Check under the mats for signs of water damage. Check the body cappings (the horizontal strips betwen the upper & lower body sections) for rust.

Im in Perth as well and sold my 130 and bought a 110 about 1 year ago. Theres a few out there for sale but look at its general condition and it will give you an idea on the rest of it. I was lucky to find a good 96 defender with only 2 owners and full service history (i mean full). even all repair reciepts from 1996 to 2008, it had a lot of work done and went around australia but at least i knew the lot. Its a great runner and i am glad i took my time and made sure i checked out 4 or 5 defenders before i committed. Anyway look around as i have seen some the same price but miles apart in condition. Black smoke is good, white smoke is bad-- Timing belt every 100k or so is essential so if its not documented get it done ASAP--As mentioned by previous posts, look for rust under carpets as all defenders leak ( i de-rusted mine and sprayed with rubberised tar stuff (rust was just starting so not too bad). I managed to find mine at 12 years old and only 140k so km is important. Everything else can be fixed so i would say- look for lowish km, keep an eye out for engines that have just been cleaned, and finally rust.

Hi Sped & welcome to the forum.

As stated, try to get a reasonably good body. Most Defenders will have some dimples, so learn to live with that, but major damage or corrosion means you'll be forever more patching things up - not good when you should be forever more accessorising.

Look for a vehicle that already has some accessoires on it, and weigh their value against other mechanical issues. For example, is it worth getting $5,000 worth of accessories and having to fix an oil leak or do a timing belt that's due? I'd say YES, as it's a fiscally positive move that lets you become better aquainted with your vehicle, but decide for yourself, as repairs to a newly aquired vehicle may ruin your enthusiasm or that of your spouse.

Service history is important, but remember that most Defender owners are enthusiasts and so carry out their own servicing, so there may not be a stamped log book. Talk to the owner, ask what they've done, and you'll get an idea from how much technical detail they go into.

Find a couple of local people with well looked after Defenders and drive them, so you know what to expect about the "feel" of a vehicle you're test driving. Make sure you compare like for like (don't compare a TD5 to a Tdi for example).

When I was looking I found a '98 300Tdi for $7,500 with no accessories on it (except a towbar). Every panel was dented, and the inside was filthy. I knew that I'd be forever "improving" this vehicle if I bought it. I settled for a '97 300Tdi for $18,000 with $18,000 worth of accessories on it instead. Serviced by the owner, except for major mechanical issues and with adventure dimples on most panels. To me that was very good value, because say you wanted a $500 cargo barrier - it would take 3 days of research to choose one and get the best price, and then another day to fit it. The accessories saved me years of "development".