Land Rovers (Car thread)

[Cigaro]

Been offered a 1985 Landy 110 TDI for £400 - got 6 months MOT. Thinking of getting it as a runaround (and also because I've always fancied one). Need a motor for the summer and it'll do until I get round to my full bike license.

Anyone had any experience of these? Anything to watch for?

[Ant]

wouldnt a 85 model be a series 3? if so my dad had a swb one (1983) it was uncomfortable but he loved it and to this day regrets selling it wven tho he brought a discovery 3.5 v8 as a replacement. There also ment to be really easy to work on!
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04 ZX10R ~

[.Chris.]

If it's a 110 then it won't be a Series III as the LWB SIIIs were 109s. If it has coil springs then it's a 110, if it's leaf-sprung then it's a Series III. The coil sprung models ride and handle much better than the earlier ones.

Look for rot in the chassis and bulkhead, and excessive smoke from the engine under load.

Ask exactly what engine it has, as if it is a Land Rover TDi engine in an '85 model then it's been retro-fitted. If it was originally a diesel it would probably have had the 2.5 N/A engine, which is OK but quite slow. In the late(r) 80s they bolted a turbo onto that engine to make the TD, which had a habit of blowing up. In '89 they brought out the 200TDi, which is a brilliant engine but completely different to the earlier ones.

Even though it's a diesel don't expect good economy - my brother recently bought a nearly new TD5 model and it still only does 25-28mpg. The LWB models also have a huge turning circle and are quite difficult to park.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[Endless Nameless]

Is it a tdi? If it's an 85 it shouldn't be, but it could be a retrofit. It might be the "Turbo" engine though, in which case check it's a good 'un as a they aren't the most reliable engines. Any one that's still working OK now should be fine though- the general thing seems to be that if it was going to blow up it would have done so by now.

If it is the TDi engine, buy it. The engine is worth the asking price!

If it runs and drives fine then it should be all right mechanically. Has it got power steering? I know that let go on my mates.

The big thing to check though is for chassis and bulkhead rust. Check this very carefully, especially the chassis. The 6 months of MOT is meaningless here, pretend it doesn't really have one and take a damn good look. They DO rot underneath, and '85 is still the BL years too.

What is your budget? £400 is a good price, but make sure you put a bit by for when it goes wrong. Might be lucky of course!

They are absolutely brilliant fun and really not that bad to work on. I say go for it!
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A2 passed 22/07/08; restriction up 22/07/10 (just so I don't forget)
'79 Suzuki GS550E. Yes, that's a GS550, not a GS500.
Supersports "In a video editing competition I'd kick your sorry ass"

[Endless Nameless]

Chris beat me to it...

If its the non turbo they are slow, very slow, but strong.

And yes, turning circle of a barge (literally) and they are a pain to park, but you get used to it (i drive a 2a 109", learnt to drive in an '85 90). And any Land Rover is thirsty. The enviromentalists hate us for a reason
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A2 passed 22/07/08; restriction up 22/07/10 (just so I don't forget)
'79 Suzuki GS550E. Yes, that's a GS550, not a GS500.
Supersports "In a video editing competition I'd kick your sorry ass"

[Johnny GSX-R]

As said by the previous few (and very well i might add)

I just sold my 90 TD.....the TD engine is crap but useable, if its a TDI (ribbed rocker cover) then buy it without question.
Look out for the front swivels (big chrome steering balls) and see if they are pitted with rust or leaking oil.. its not a nice job to replace.

Look out for bulkhead and chassis outrigger rot, again a crappy job not easily DIYed on the driveway.
It sounds very cheap for a 110 but if its genuine then buy it.
Don't worry at all about body damage as no one else with care, its a Landy at the end of the day.

[G]

Don't expect it to be a great daily car - there's much better out there for your money if you ignore the style aspect.

However, that does seem a decent price if it's ok - they rarely seem to go that low.

[thx1138]

I got an ex-field ambulance LWB series IIa for my 18th birthday, with a sticker in the back window "when I grow up i wanna be a tank"

[freestyler_onli]

[Endless Nameless]

Oh fuck off with the all 4x4's are murderers thing already. I've never seen a school run mum or a city boy in a bloody 1980's 110. Only farmers...

I know a lot of people who drive Land Rovers and in my opinion there are far more careless dicks on motorbikes than driving Land Rovers. Real Land Rovers at least...
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A2 passed 22/07/08; restriction up 22/07/10 (just so I don't forget)
'79 Suzuki GS550E. Yes, that's a GS550, not a GS500.
Supersports "In a video editing competition I'd kick your sorry ass"

[G]

[Endless Nameless]

Well, admittedly I do live in the sticks. I imagine that any 20 year old + landy is going to be a bit too agricultural (slow, noisy, leaky, smelly, rough, uncomfortable) for most city types though. Half the kids at 6th form loved mine- the "upper class" stuck- up snobby kids turned their noses up at it. suited me fine

Anyway. Point stands. Not all 4x4 owners are complete cocks, so don't tar us all with the same brush. Bit like saying all bikers are pedboys really.
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A2 passed 22/07/08; restriction up 22/07/10 (just so I don't forget)
'79 Suzuki GS550E. Yes, that's a GS550, not a GS500.
Supersports "In a video editing competition I'd kick your sorry ass"

[freestyler_onli]

Maybe, but when theyre 72, uninsured and nicked for being over the limit, common sense would suggest a smaller vehicle!

Besides, the older Land Rovers are well built and quite nice!

[Endless Nameless]

You could have said that in your post... I wouldn't have had my little rant then

That's a little different.
Mine is such a bitch to drive stone cold sober I don't understand why anyone would even consider driving one drunk (I assume thats what you meant by over the limit. speed limits tend to be irrelevant in a landy), it'd be nigh on impossible.

To the lad with the 2a ambi- good man! Enjoy it!

Thought mine was bad, an ambi is even harder work. Big buggers!
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A2 passed 22/07/08; restriction up 22/07/10 (just so I don't forget)
'79 Suzuki GS550E. Yes, that's a GS550, not a GS500.
Supersports "In a video editing competition I'd kick your sorry ass"

[G]

[Johnny GSX-R]

[Charlie]

Take a torch with you and take a really good look at the chassisffx give it a good poke/tap. Our old 110 had LOTS of rust and the last two MOT's needed a HUGE amount of welding. Ended up selling it because the chassis was just dropping to bits.

Bought a 90 Tdi (cant remember the engine now) any way it had been chipped apparently and had a Discovery transfer box put in it. Went like shit of stick till about 30mph lol. Was a really nice one with a custom paint job and alloys. Dad put some bench seats in and rear windows. Great landrover.

Then it got nicked.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere