DEFENDER AS MY EVERY DAY CAR?

[GUYZER90]

Can any body help me ? I desperately want a Defender 90 TDI 300 but to do this i need to sell my Ford Focus that i currently do 15k a yr in, my main concern is ,would a Defender be up to this reliably? .

Is there any body out there that uses a Defender TdI as there sole car covering this sort of mileage?

In an ideal world i should keep the focus as my everyday car and use the Defender to play in at weekends and evenings but i dont have the space to keep 2 cars 3 including the wifes! .

If any of you do cover this sort of mileage what sort of MPG do you get?

Look forward to your replies. Cheers. Guy.

[russ3120]

A mate of mine uses his 90 as a daily driver doing around 80 miles a day, however he netakes it in the mud

[white90]

I did and 15k in a defender won't be that much fun

keep the Focus for the journey and use the defender more sparingly

as for MPGs there are loads of topics on here for that subject.

BTW I retired the 90 recently and got a commuter car

[pux]

I do a 60 mile round trip each day to and from work in a 110 200tdi defender and go off in the mud as much as i can, only time it's let me down is when the alternator died on me. Yes they are rough and ready and noisey but i would not be with out it.

[GUYZER90]

I did and 15k in a defender won't be that much fun

keep the Focus for the journey and use the defender more sparingly

as for MPGs there are loads of topics on here for that subject.

BTW I retired the 90 recently and got a commuter car

If i was sensible i would get a disco but they just have'nt got the same appeal to me , Nick (tangoman) and i keep having this discussion but i keep coming back to a Defender.

cheers for ya help.

[white90]

He is a Bad influence

[simonr]

I did 60k miles over five years in my 200tdi 90 driving about 30 miles a day. It had a full service history and the only problem/failure I had was a head gasket at 150k. Apart from that it was supurbly reliable.

I think, if you can find one which has service history and you keep it up to date and don't off road it, it will go on for ever.

OK, it lacked creature comforts - but it made me smile every day! Don't know why really - but I love driving it.

Go for it!

Si

[landmannnn]

50 miles per day will cost roughly £10 in fuel in a 90 and about £6 in a focus. Round numbers about £1k per year more for the 90.

Off road pattern tyres will wear fairly quickly at that mileage so you would need to budget for 2 sets of wheels and tyres. Another £500.

Depreciation for a 90 will be negligable but a focus will loose £500-£1,000 per year.

The worst part of a 90 is that it is distinctly unpleasant to drive on a cold winter morning until it has warmed up.

So the head says no.

Life is too short - get a 90. Worst case, sell it in a year's time and take advantage of the residual values.

[jameslwt]

Yeah I used to drive mine on a 60-70 mile round trip every day and play with it in the mud. I was never that gentle off road - I avoided anything that was likely to cause problems but still got maximum enjoyment out of it. But then I looked after it and prepped it quite well, but made a point of not fitting a winch/cage etc as a discouragement to go too wild!

I was of much the same thinking in that disco just doesn't do it for me, and I used to love the drive. However I have had a 'normal' car for the last year or so due to job changes. Trying to arrive somewhere looking reasonably smart can easilly go out of the window in a 110! And now offroading can be undertaken at new levels.

It was a pain if anything broke, but most things were minor such as bearings etc so used to keep some spares lying around. However I found out how resiliant Landrovers are when I drowned the 300tdi at Seven sisters, and after we got it going again with much appreciated help I ran it as it was for another 1500 miles before we put another engine in - had one very bent conrod in the original but she kept on running fine - just a bit smokey.

[SteveG]

Off road pattern tyres will wear fairly quickly at that mileage so you would need to budget for 2 sets of wheels and tyres. Another £500.

Just changed out my BFG Muds after almost 2.5 yrs and ~35K miles. Sold all 5 for £250, bought 5 new for 535. So ~£300 for 35K of off road and on road driving over 29 months sounds good to me.

Cheers

Steve

[pux]

And if it's the cold thats bothering you get a diesel heater which i have makes one hell of a diffrence.

[GUYZER90]

Well wot the hell you only live once eh, im going to Wellington next week with Nick (tangoman)in his 90 so im sure by the time ive got home he will have brian washed me into getting 1 anyway , look forward to meeting some of you there , it will be my 1st experience of off roading so be gentle with me !!!

cheer lads for ya help.

[simonr]

Come & say Hi at Wellington!

I forgot to mention, that all of my 60k miles were on one set of tyres - BFG All Terrains. Last year I replaced two of them - and now all four look like new.

Over that mileage, I averaged 28.4 mpg. I was running it as a commercial and needed to keep mileage and fuel records - so the figure is spot on.

Si

[Les Brock]

Don't believe a thing that Nick bloke tells you !

[GUYZER90]

Don't believe a thing that Nick bloke tells you !

oh yes, you know him well dont you!!!!

[GUYZER90]

Come & say Hi at Wellington!

I forgot to mention, that all of my 60k miles were on one set of tyres - BFG All Terrains. Last year I replaced two of them - and now all four look like new.

Over that mileage, I averaged 28.4 mpg. I was running it as a commercial and needed to keep mileage and fuel records - so the figure is spot on.

Si

I will , what vehicle will you be in? does Nick know you? He did say he will introduce me to a lot of people!!

[TJ101]

Nick who,,, never heard of the bloke,,

But no doubt he will show you a certain orange Rangie at Wellington, still being driven poorly,, so no change there then !!!

[Projectblue]

Nick who,,, never heard of the bloke,,

But no doubt he will show you a certain orange Rangie at Wellington, still being driven poorly,, so no change there then !!!

So Nick got his 90 then? Wonder how long before he beats the sh..carp out of that as well?

Back on track. I run my 90 most days on a 40 miles round trip. it's a td5 and on big MT's. It's not quick, quiet or economic, but I love it. The landrover will take the mils no bother. Chap at the Daily Driver Challenge had a 110 300tdi R plate with 235k on the clock.

If you can afford it run a cheap daily driver (like a £500 diesel peugot) and the 90 for high days and holidays (you'll save the extra insurance and tax in the lower fuel bill).

Oh and I'll see you at Wellington next (got worried and had to check the calendar for a moment) but I'll talk to you if you not stood near Nick cos once he sees me we will NEVER shut him up.

[TheRecklessEngineer]

To quote a sticker "One life...Live it."

Go for it! Practicality has got nothing to do with it.

[GUYZER90]

Nick who,,, never heard of the bloke,,

But no doubt he will show you a certain orange Rangie at Wellington, still being driven poorly,, so no change there then !!!

Looking forward to actually seeing the beast , I've had such an ear bending about it over the last 9 months I've known him , oh and he has never said he's a carp driver , but he has bashed the s..t out my truck at work!!!. lol.

[smo]

On the original topic, i had an 04 TD5 90 CSW -i used this doing 25K a year, it was my work car, our family car and our off road toy, getting used (and abused) every weekend in the mud/rocks. It performed flawlessly, there was never a problem, it was comfortable, quick enough and i used to get 26+mpg on local and combined runs, and well over 34mpg on a motorway trip when being conservative. So in general a big thumbs up from me.....however....i wouldn't drive a 200 or 300tdi on that sort of mileage for love nor money, the engines are chalk and cheese, one archaic beat it with a hammer type engine, and one modern diesel, almost car like in many respects and imho much better to drive.

[neil00001]

On the original topic, i had an 04 TD5 90 CSW -i used this doing 25K a year, it was my work car, our family car and our off road toy, getting used (and abused) every weekend in the mud/rocks. It performed flawlessly, there was never a problem, it was comfortable, quick enough and i used to get 26+mpg on local and combined runs, and well over 34mpg on a motorway trip when being conservative. So in general a big thumbs up from me.....however....i wouldn't drive a 200 or 300tdi on that sort of mileage for love nor money, the engines are chalk and cheese, one archaic beat it with a hammer type engine, and one modern diesel, almost car like in many respects and imho much better to drive.

Funny that, I drive 200 miles a day in my 92 Disco 200tdi, put nearly 30,000 miles on it in less than a year and running better now than when i bought it. OK I have replaced most of the consumables. I also run BFG's for the last 20,000 miles, they still look new.......

[Gromit]

I've had my 200tdi 110 for about 6 years now, as my sole transport.

Used every day to commute to work, it has taken me around France, and up and down the Alps and around Ireland.

At the moment I'm commuting 140 miles every 2 days or so.

It has been off the road a few times waiting on parts (CV starting to go, springs to mind) but it has never died or broken and left me stranded somewhere.

Wouldn't be without it.