looking at maybe finding a landrover defender 2 for my next expo.

[firesq14]

hello all,

looking at maybe finding a landrover defender 2 for my next expo. wanted to know your thoughts on reliablity, cost on maintance, avaliblitiy of parts and toys?!

i love the defenders but those are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of my $$$, so the 2's might be the way to go. i have a 99 burb now.

thanks guys

 

[Mack73]

You mean DISCOVERY 2?

 

[Kgh]

Ensure you get a 2003 with CDL delete, and coolant release options.

But seriously... S-E-A-R-C-H. Search web, forums, read the online RAVE.

There is a ton of information here, discoweb, landroversonlne, etc...etc..

Read and search. The D2 is a fine vehicle if you buy right. Meaning the best possible vehicle you can afford, with good maint. logs, and minimal issues. And once you do get a D2 many would suggest changing every fluid and filter in the vehicle. That includes brake fluid, trans fluid, and PS fluids. Know where your local junkyards are. Understand about MAF, IAC, CDL, ACE, which wires and plugs are good, good vendors (forum sponsors).

Ensure all lights on dash illuminate prior to start (bulds are functional) and that there are no warning lights on. Take a code reader shopping. Take a Rover guy with you. If the vehicle is far away, ask on forums for guys to go look for you.

If you buy right, you will be hooked. If you buy wrong, PM me, I will buy it for parts.

Good luck.

 

[I Leak Oil]

What is a Defender 2? Sequel to the first smash hit Defender 1?

 

[sgtpoliteness]

Not trying to hijack, but, I too am looking at maybe buying a D1 or D2 for an overland/family camping rig. I'm not afraid of the electrical issues that some people say these all have, but I've read some horrific things about the engines. Something about porous blocks due to worn out tooling? That pretty much every Disco engine is a ticking time bomb if it hasn't been perfectly maintained, and even then. What are everyone's thoughts??

 

[Ray_G]

Not trying to hijack, but, I too am looking at maybe buying a D1 or D2 for an overland/family camping rig. I'm not afraid of the electrical issues that some people say these all have, but I've read some horrific things about the engines. Something about porous blocks due to worn out tooling? That pretty much every Disco engine is a ticking time bomb if it hasn't been perfectly maintained, and even then. What are everyone's thoughts??

There are a lot of threads on this site, and others, that dive into this. About every week we get into the merits of D1 vs D2 or the 'is a Land Rover reliable' conversation. Suggest a good search to see if your question has been answered. However the info on the pourous block is most associtated with the later Dii's (03 & 04) where the problems seem to be most acute. Every brand has a ticking time bomb...i.e. rust and toyotas.
r-
Ray

 

[JSBriggs]

Depends on where you plan on going. Unless you are doing actual trails, a Suburban is more than adequate, have more room, and will get better mileage than any Land Rover with a gas engine.

-Jeff

 

[wuntenn]

The bottom line answer to the question EVERYONE asks, is a Land Rover reliable? Is it more reliable than a Toyota?

My friend is 4x4 mad. He's a mechanic and agonized over whether to buy a Land Rover or a Toyota. He finally bought a Land Rover, but he kept on worrying about whether he'd made the right decision, maybe all those tales of Land Rover's unreliability were true........ then he got made unemployed and got a new job in a Land Rover garage. After a few months he was depressed, he was seeing nothing but Land Rovers with all sorts of problems day after day after day after day, nothing but broken Land Rovers. It REALLY got him down. So........

....he quit his LR job and went to work in a Toyota garage, and now all he sees day after day after day after day is broken down Toyotas and he feels much much better about his purchase of a Land Rover.

 

[robnmandy]

The bottom line answer to the question EVERYONE asks, is a Land Rover reliable? Is it more reliable than a Toyota?

My friend is 4x4 mad. He's a mechanic and agonized over whether to buy a Land Rover or a Toyota. He finally bought a Land Rover, but he kept on worrying about whether he'd made the right decision, maybe all those tales of Land Rover's unreliability were true........ then he got made unemployed and got a new job in a Land Rover garage. After a few months he was depressed, he was seeing nothing but Land Rovers with all sorts of problems day after day after day after day, nothing but broken Land Rovers. It REALLY got him down. So........

....he quit his LR job and went to work in a Toyota garage, and now all he sees day after day after day after day is broken down Toyotas and he feels much much better about his purchase of a Land Rover.

i may have to do this...

d1 engines assuming you can get a diesel are pretty much bullet proof with nothing more than regular servicing same as any car/ 4x4 i love mine to bits and have done for last 7 years. ive not spent £200 on repairs in that time, i have however spent more than i can remember to count on preventative maintenance, because i want to

 

[DNTL740]

My D2 went through 3 engines before I had the block top hatted, now its good, I have a land cruiser also, 95. I my opinipon, best damn car ever made. I guess am lucky, I get to drive both of my favorite cars.