AMB Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I agree, it's like any car new or old, get someone who knows about them to crawl all over them, ask the owner when the axle oil change is next due? when is the timing belt due? Find a well mod'ed 110 and there's a fair chance it will also have been well maintained and worth buying, but probably outside your price range. I'm a comparatively new owner and still have a lot to learn, but have seen an awful lot of bad workmanship on pimped as opposed to working off-roaders whilst looking for my 110. It's tempting to go for the chequer plate, big alloys, raised suspension etc, but it doesn't beat an engine and drive train that have been lovingly maintained sitting on a galvanised or waxoyled chassis. You want to know how bad you can get? Have just seen a disco with a "slight suspension raise" and large tyres. Nominal 2" raise, but brake pipes stretched as a result and will probably fail fairly soon. Just when you think that something is idiot proof someone invents a better idiot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Just when you think that something is idiot proof someone invents a better idiot! Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutz Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 What pic of a 110? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 in the original front post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor_32 Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Great to see the replies are still coming guys. Keep them coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Need4speed - the point is that assuming insurance is comparable in operation to the UK, and I'd imagine it is, then most insurers will refuse a quote for a modified vehicle while all others that will quote will bump up the premium. As the vehicle is to be driven by a new, young driver, then the premium will also rocket to cover that, and even more so for the combination of new driver and modified status. That's before he even considers getting his own policy, which he would have to in the UK and would be well advised to double check in Ireland. If you are an experienced driver and have a modified vehicle, non of this should be news to you, so why is your advice so contrary? I would hope that if you have altered the suspension or wheel/tyre dimensions in any way on your own vehicle, that you have notified your insurers as required in law (and paid the resultant increased premium)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Snagger i think you have misunderstood me. Im not taking insurance into consideration. If anyone wants to buy a modified vehicle, im presuming they have had the foresight to research insurance issues beforehand! The point ive been (repeatedly) making is that i wouldnt let minor modifications put me off buying a 1st time LR. Now. Im sure ive seen a wall round here somewhere i can bang my head off..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kierran.M.110 Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 victor_32, its nice to see another irish young lad i'm 19 and i rebuilt mine over the last 3 years, i would advise you to stay away from anything cheap as i have been to look at a few and they have been only fit for the scrapheap, definitely buy a standard one first as a lot of people bodge them over here for example when i said to a local i was going to put on a 2" lift they said it would be easy, just stick a bit of 2" box section under the spring seats and its job done. What part of ireland are you in i have a 1989 110 myself havn't put it on the road yet though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor_32 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 victor_32, its nice to see another irish young lad i'm 19 and i rebuilt mine over the last 3 years, i would advise you to stay away from anything cheap as i have been to look at a few and they have been only fit for the scrapheap, definitely buy a standard one first as a lot of people bodge them over here for example when i said to a local i was going to put on a 2" lift they said it would be easy, just stick a bit of 2" box section under the spring seats and its job done. What part of ireland are you in i have a 1989 110 myself havn't put it on the road yet though Im living around tipperary , how much did your defender cost you if you dont mind me asking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocklandjohn Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Just how bad can you set about fitting slightly larger tyres/wheels? There really isnt much to bugger up. Same with a slight suspension raise. Like i said i get the argument but each to their own i guess. Also, a standard vehicle really should be inspected as thoroughly as a "modified" vehicle, so if any modification was done to a point of being dangerous, it really should be noticed anyway. Well I was renovating my 110 and replacing the wheels and decided to replaced the springs with supposedly correct aftermarket ones. Jeez it was nightmarish. First drive down hill from my house and round a corner nearly tipped the whole van over into a garden the springs were so soft. I complained to the vendor (a large UK LR specialist) and they said no-one else had complained and "we've sold dozens and dozens of sets with no issues" but they agreed to replace them. Long story short - they replaced them three more times for me - and after fitting the second set I was so concerned I took the 110 to the local independent Land Rover garage and asked the owner to drive it. He came back 2 minutes later after the first corner ashen faced and said it was so dangerous he'd not allow it on the road. I ended up with original parts LR springs and it was fine, drove perfectly and could go round corners without falling over. I guess the point is what might seem a simple upgrade is not just dependent on the skills and ability of the 'fixer' but on the quality and suitability of the parts. And buying someone else's budget-buys may give you problems that might be more hassle than you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Like i keep on saying. I understand the argument for buying unmodified, but ive seen countless standard-spec vehicles that would stick you in a hedge as well...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Like i keep on saying. I understand the argument for buying unmodified, but ive seen countless standard-spec vehicles that would stick you in a hedge as well...... Agreed. But modifications open up a whole new can of worms - you'e not just dealing with badly made or fitted parts, but badly matched design ideas too, and tracing the causes for problems becomes harder because of the non-standard nature of the vehicle; a standard vehicle will have a finite and well known set of causes for given symptoms, but a modified vehicle is a mine field. It's fine to buy modified if you know what you're looking at, but for a novice, it's not worth the gamble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor_32 Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 Love the way this has turned into a thread about buying modified vehicles can be a bad choice, but very interesting to read. Keep them coming guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Love the way this has turned into a thread about buying modified vehicles can be a bad choice.... Well some are saying that Victor. Im not. Im saying you need to be careful whether modified or standard. Wise people would take the vehicle a drive before they buy. This way if something is dangerously wrong it will be obvious.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMB Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Well some are saying that Victor. Im not. Im saying you need to be careful whether modified or standard. Wise people would take the vehicle a drive before they buy. This way if something is dangerously wrong it will be obvious.... I think that most people would agree, it's just that there's a lot more that you need to know about a modified vehicle (and its previous owners) than about a standard vehicle. Anyone who doesn't take a vehicle for a test drive before buying deserves everything that they get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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