Running Cost of a Defender

[110WestCape]

Hi folks, as I live in SA I thought it to be a good idea to share / compare running costs of my 110 Td5 to others ..... or simply provide some detail of what to expect when one wants to own such a vehicle.

Mine was bough new in 2004 and currently has 64000 kms on the dial.

Total running cost life to date : ZAR 60 301 or BP 4 020 (ermmm ... excluding the cost of my "improvements" which in many instances can be attributed directly to this forum ) or 93.7cpk or 6.3 ppk

Fuel Cost : ZAR 40 230 (62.5cpk) or BP 2 682 (4.2ppk)

Maintenance cost : ZAR 17 401 (27cpk) or BP 1 160 (1.8 ppk)

Licence & Reg : ZAR 2 670 (4.1cpk) or BP 178 (0.3 ppk)

Fuel (dis)Economy : 11.4 L/100kms or 8.8 kms/L ....... average over life to date and not increasing yet.

Kilo's on 1st set of tyres = 62000kms (Crappinentals 235's ... not by choice, was factory fitted). Steering shakes disappeared when BFG AT 265's were fitted. Conti's could not be balanced properly after 30 000ks as they were said to be "out of round".

Average kms travelled per month = 1 262 kms, which includes Etosha (Nam), Moremi (Bots), Richtersveld (SA), Cederberg (SA) several times + around town stuff.

Price of diesel was ZAR 3.80 or BP 0.25 in 2004 and is now sadly ZAR 11.95 or BP 0.80

Fuel is 67 % of the cost to keep this pleasurable hobby going.

Maintenance cost include a replacement alternator at ZAR 3 200 or BP 213. Agents here wanted to charge ZAR 9 500 or BP 633 for the alternator

Lessons learnt :

1) Stay away from service agents if you value your hard earned moolah (only for those that do not know already)

2) Warrantee services in this neck of the woods means MAOWN "minimal attention .... only where necessary". This cost you plenty after the warrantee has expired .... you WILL be paying for lack of attention later on. (only for those that do not know already), BTW they do a reasonable wash

Cheers

Wikus

[sgnas]

In the UK, based on 10000miles per annum

1998 110CSW

£0.20 per mile Fuel (at ~£1.34 per litre and 30mpg)

£0.02 per mile VED (road tax)

£0.03 per mile insurance

£0.01 per mile tyres (£500 of BFG do 50000miles)

£0.05 per mile maintenance (servicing, MOT, toys etc)

£0.08 per mile depreciation of asset (£800 per year sound right for a 110?)

£0.39 per mile total

2004 Focus TDCi

£0.12 per mile Fuel (at ~£1.34 per litre and 50mpg)

£0.01 per mile VED (road tax)

£0.04 per mile insurance

£0.02 per mile tyres

£0.03 per mile maintenance (servicing, MOT, closer to £0.05 if I let Ford do it)

£0.18 per mile depreciation of asset (£150 per month?)

£0.40 per mile total

I'll add the 90 just for fun

1989 90 (5000 miles per year)

£0.28 per mile Fuel (at ~£1.34 per litre and 22mpg)

£0.04 per mile VED (road tax)

£0.04 per mile insurance

£0.01 per mile tyres

£0.09 per mile maintenance (servicing, MOT, a lot of work for the MOT this year!)

£0.00 per mile depreciation of asset

£0.42 per mile total

Much, much, much closer than I expected.

However, for the 80mile daily commute I much prefer to spend £9.60 in the Focus than £22.40 in the 90.

I share the vehicles (bar the 90) with my wife and aim the per annum mileage at

12500 for the Focus (fits the service interval)

10000 for the 110 (family car, wife, 2 kids, dog, baby buggy etc)

5000 for the 90 (no real practical use anymore but I am fond of it!)

Once you factor in depreciation I don't see that a large estate or MPV are cheaper in the long term than our 110. I replaced my V40 with the 110.

[JimAttrill]

My 110 Tdi has done 10.3 litres/100 km in the last 234 000 kms (I bought it at 36k, now totalling 270 k). Of course, if you factor in a 5% overreading odometer it is more like 11.

Maintenance has been high in a way with 49 oil changes, lots of filters, couple of fan belts etc. One clutch complete at 180k, two sets of pads, one set of disks, rear wheel bearings, about 8 glow plugs, 2 batteries although current one is 7years old!, three turbo hoses, four cambelt kits, thermostat, 2 clutch m/c, heater matrix.

What hasn't been changed:

alternator, fuel pump (amazing!) water pump, p/s pump, any diff or gearbox bits, radiator, vicious fan, turbocharger and all hoses (though maybe I should replace them), vacuum pump, aircon pump.

Injectors replaced at 160k, removed and old ones put back after about 10k.

Apart from the first cambelt change and the clutch all work done by self so cheap.

Engine will have to be reconditioned soon but I bought all the parts 2 years ago and I will also do that myself.

First tank of fuel was R2/l and the last was R12/l

I started with General SAG's, replaced a few and then sold. Wolf wheels fitted with Conti Cracks, cost R2800 for four new but 2/h tyres. After 32k they all cracked and Continental paid me out R3500 hahaha. BFG AT's fitted now, nearly worn out now but I have 4 new Cooper Discoverer S/Ts in the garage. I like to buy tyres a while before I use them as firstly they cost less and I think the rubber hardens with age, so they last longer

[Exmoor Beast]

Fascinating stuff.

I am still charging mileage out at 45p based on what I used when I was working full time a few years ago and wondered how far adrift that was from what I was actually spending. Seems I may be making money as my ole 110 is way beyond depreciating, still reliableish and still doing 29+mpg.

Will