Defender advice required
Discussion
Each model variant has its own idiosyncrasies and they all tend to share some common ones
Common: Chassis rust, bulkhead corrosion. Alloy over steel eletrolytic corrossion of the alloy (doors etc) . Argicultural steering handling though some see that as a plus.
Of the issues known to affect the TDCI range I would say there were a few reports of unexpected grenading engines , The heater resistor pack fails leaving you with only max fan speed and its usually corroded in and a pig to swap. The earlier TD5 engined defenders had thier own engine issues such as heads moving on the block due to poor locator dowels, oil pump failures though most that are still running would hopefully had fixes by now (post 2002 Td5 supposedly better sorted) . Earlier again TDi engined defenders had fans (for the engines fix in a field basics?) though Imo slower and more agricultural than later TD5s or TDCis ... I think to have to really really want a defender and then love its features to use one as a daily . Buying one as a fashion statement would be a hard to live with lifestyle choice. I owned my TDCi 110CSW for 2 years during which the heater pack resistor failed 3 times , 1st two picked by the supplying dealer after that it was declared out of warrenty cover even though it was under LR extended warrenty cover. Engaging Low range was symphony of grinding gears regardless of technique used . Lots of people love them obviously , I think in the end I preferred my old disco 11 for its better useablity, though these have no coolness factor these days .
Common: Chassis rust, bulkhead corrosion. Alloy over steel eletrolytic corrossion of the alloy (doors etc) . Argicultural steering handling though some see that as a plus.
Of the issues known to affect the TDCI range I would say there were a few reports of unexpected grenading engines , The heater resistor pack fails leaving you with only max fan speed and its usually corroded in and a pig to swap. The earlier TD5 engined defenders had thier own engine issues such as heads moving on the block due to poor locator dowels, oil pump failures though most that are still running would hopefully had fixes by now (post 2002 Td5 supposedly better sorted) . Earlier again TDi engined defenders had fans (for the engines fix in a field basics?) though Imo slower and more agricultural than later TD5s or TDCis ... I think to have to really really want a defender and then love its features to use one as a daily . Buying one as a fashion statement would be a hard to live with lifestyle choice. I owned my TDCi 110CSW for 2 years during which the heater pack resistor failed 3 times , 1st two picked by the supplying dealer after that it was declared out of warrenty cover even though it was under LR extended warrenty cover. Engaging Low range was symphony of grinding gears regardless of technique used . Lots of people love them obviously , I think in the end I preferred my old disco 11 for its better useablity, though these have no coolness factor these days .
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