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i'm loosely thinking about selling my vw t5 camper and buying a new t5 to convert, but whilst digging the garden just now, as you do, i wondered about one of the longer landrovers instead.
i don't really use the t5 for camping, its more a vehicle to carry surfing kit, bikes etc and very occasionally sleep in. but i do need a small kitchen pod to make a brew now and again.
quickly looking there seems to be some good prices on them and for what my van is worth i could get one and also a small car as a run about.
just daydreaming really but does anyone live with a landrover?
Stoner and trailrat will be along soon.
If you don't need to go absolutely anywhere then I suspect the T5 will be much more sensible for what you want - cheaper to run, less time fixing it/repairing rust, comfier, better load space etc
What wins with a land rover is if you have a genuine need to go anywhere or you simply have to have one despite all rational reasons not to.
Agreed. Do you mean a Discovery, or a 110? A Defender 110 is not comfortable to drive any distance, is heavy on Diesel, depending on engine dear to tax. They are cold, draughty and not brilliant to sleep in. They are also very, very stealable. They are anything but practical (unless you are a farmer or live off road) , and there are far more reasons not to own one than own one. If you want one, get one... once the bug starts to gnaw away at you you won't rest until you've got one.
Anything would be more practical than a Landrover, unless you are a sheep farmer.
I love them, I would never own one.
Look at the smile they put on your face (especially when it is a hire wagon 😉 )
[url= https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5022/5681153590_cb2393ae28_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5022/5681153590_cb2393ae28_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/9E2p2Y ]Landrover 110[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
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[url= https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5024/5681176144_4816b193fe_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5024/5681176144_4816b193fe_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/9E2vJQ ]Noah[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
I said in a previous thread...
talking with my dad (a farmer) about the end of the defender, he felt like it was a shame, then I asked if he would buy one. HELL NO!
It's got more lifestyle points than a T5 but thats not a good thing
Put a Kitchen in a smaller van
Landrovers are brilliant but not practical
I have a 90
Unless your buying new , Defenders aint cars they are hobbies . - currently on a coffee break having rebuilt both front swivels , hubs and renewed the cv joints and rotors. - mot next week.
I like driving mine (i hate driving) but if i was going any distance i would take almost any other vehicle.
My mates trabant is comfier 🙂
But i like driving it.
Simply_oli_y is doing as you describe to his. Its snug.
How ever i wouldnt buy a t5 either.
We owned a 1986 Land Rover 90 for seven years and in that time we spent £7000 on servicing, repairs, upgrades and modifications so it wasn't a cheap vehicle, especially as it only did 26 mpg. It was also slow, smelly, cold, drafty, noisy and not very comfortable as well as having zero accident safety compared with a modern car.
But it was damn good fun!
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used to have one a few years ago, 3.9 V8 LPG. great fun to drive but if you've never had one you are in for a shock. they are unrefined, heavy clutch'd, harsh ride, heaters don't work bits break for no apparent reason, expensive to run, easy to break in to. would have another in a second. the more modern ones probably have better heating etc but also have more electrics and I'm not sure they have really got the reliability sorted with the defender but I could be wrong.
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Reliability is good as long as you keep on top of servicing and generally checking things.
friend of a friend rolled theirs on the motorway when a driver cut them up.
they were lucky to be alive: I don't think the body stayed intact. they wouldn't have another; after previously saying they wouldn't have anything else.
even the newest ones are a 30+ year old design. for reference this is the same age
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This question comes up fairly regularly. Apart from the LR obsessives who will defend them to the end of the world nobody else likes them. You need to be very special to use one as a daily driver.
For your situation, an 110 is a LOT smaller than a T5 in terms of luggage space. It'll be slower, noisier, thirtier, less comfortable and generally awful. You'll get to be on first name terms with your local specialist.
Go and have a look at one in real life before you waste time browsing ads online and thinking it'll be awesome. It should make up your mind pretty quickly.
I have a defender and a T4 camper.
I wouldn't drive the defender more than 50 miles in one go, and I wouldn't take the T4 into the wood and tow out 2tons of boiler fuel.
I enjoy tinkering on the defender but I hand the T4 to my LVWS for all servicing etc.
4 of us can sleep in the T4. No normal person could ever sleep in a defender 😉
I love them both, but wouldn't be without either.
No normal person could ever sleep in a defender
My Dad used to have one of these and took myself, brother and sister camping quite often. I only remember it fondly, almost as I remember talking to my dad as he worked on the broken down landy!
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strangely enough I was thinking of doing the exact opposite, swapping my 110 for a T5.
ours has been to Spain twice & northern France,
as well as all over the UK
if there is one thing you can't fault them for it is holding their value as long as you look after it.
here is my baby.
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do you want to swap ?
i love them
bought this one 2 years ago
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trading it in tomorrow,, got a new 90 xs on order for July, going to downsize to the 90, and get a little camper van too next year, so best of both worlds
Used out 110 van today for the first time in a few weeks. Slow loud and a very costly toy to have.
We tried having it as a daily driver but was not reliable enough although I think I've now got through most of those issues.
For me there just not enough space in side to replace a small van
Ours is a td5 so cheaper tax than some tdci ones
And to be fair to it we did buy to tow with and that's one thing it does very well
Don't think I will ever be with out a defender or series but would never recomend them to any one
Square Land Rovers are high-speed tractors based on a 1950s design. Early Range Rovers and Discos used the same ladder chassis and separate bodywork design until they went modern and monocoque.
Last year during the floods I spent 8 nights in a 110 but a bit extended to carry kit. Jesus the thing was uncomfortable, I have got broad shoulders and don't fit so have to keep my body turned slightly. Turning circle of a super tanker, but brilliant for going through flood water and what we were using it for.