Defender's - Winter hack

[KevD]

The sensible ( boring) options would be a cheapish rav4 or CRV with decent winter/all season tyres. Sorry it's not exciting

Less sensible - Mitsubishi Delica, but it's not short wheelbase and they are rare/sometimes a bit of a lemon. Good ones are great and flexible as, we had one for about 5 months and lived in it for a few of those lucky months. Miss it!

Petrol X-trail maybe?

[Digital]

I´ll be selling my 2003 Impreza WRX 5 door shortly for around the 3k mark, it's the SL spec (full leather interior, heated seats and sunroof) with 78k miles and full service history, has been ideal for dog transport in all weathers

[Ferg]

Jago?

This one's a kit based on an SJ413 - Knocking bottom end, but MOT'd till Feb 2015 and at £650 plenty of scope to repair?

Love the Jago Jeep. I built one when I was 15 years old using a Mk2 escort as a donor. Sacrilege when you think about it now.

[smoo25]

I live a mile up a hill track and my Skoda Octavia with winter tyres on is pretty unstoppable...
Sent from my RM-941_eu_euro1_217 using Tapatalk

[Sanjøy]

My old Rav on std tyres got through a hell of a lot of snow. Stopped by drifts above bumper height. Was a fun thing too.

Grand Cherokee Boag style? Too big?

[r055]

The defender is a tool... I have a bit of a love:hate relationship with mine which was very similar to my elise ownership...
Its so different from anything else out there. It gives you the back to basics the elise does, without the speed, of course.
I just love the workhorse nature of it. I have chequer plate all over and it gets a fair amount of abuse with towing and carrying building materials recently.

I have a decent one that has a heater and although not a daily drive, I never experienced the ice on the inside of the windscreen... well... not for long as my heater melted it!

Not sure how tall you are... im 6'3 which ruled out the 90 as there isnt enough room to get seat back far enough... unless you get a van style 90 and you can hack away the lower bulkhead.

Again, lots of dogs out there. Chassis is the weak point. For 3k you could get a solid one, but be prepared for it to look awful.

Reliability wise, ive only had one issue breaking down which was the fuel pump. Ironically thats what was attributable to 90% of my elise flat bed experiences!

[Shug]

It's not pretty and it's not cool, but we have a LWB Shogun for the worst of winter. Not so much for snow, round here (although it is on 4 season tyres, should that occur) but flooding that can happen on the access road to the village. The Shogun can wade up to the top of its headlamps (which is pretty far up) so it's the tool for us - Elaine scared herself a few years ago on the drive home from work (in Stranraer) when she tried to wade an Astra and it very nearly didn't make the other side. Comedy handling and it's not fast, although it pulls fine - it's just overtaking around the speed limit where you wish for more poke - from a standstill, it's actually pretty brisk.

Since sprog arrival it's also seen majority use as the tool for going anywhere - isofix rear seats and so much room you don't have to be picky about what you take, just chuck it all in.

I haven't (yet) been asked to lay a driveway for someone, either.

[Stephen]

I think Ross is talking about mine when he says solid but ugly. We both got a defender around the same time Ross got a lovely 110 and I got the ugly wee sister (90).
I have managed to cook a head, but that's about it. Repairing the head was a doddle and only cost about £200 in bits and having it skimmed.
We both hung out for ones with galvanised chassis. If you are looking for one to sit around a fair bit I would say that is a must. Also you won't find yourself in a position where it has rusted out from under you and you are either stuck with it or a big bill.
I have a 90 with a 200tdi disco engine and a galv chassis. As far as o know that combination is regarded as bomb proof and easily fixable should anything go wrong.
Mine is ugly but the looks and interior are a work in progress.

[Dave]

In one of the publications I regularly read it says that the values of Defenders have gone up in value by 20% over the last six months! seems there's more demand for them now as production is due to finish in the next year or so, one guy has actually bought a warehouse and is currently filling it with Defenders, sees it as a good investment, so If you can find a good one now you should be laughing come the time to sell it.
One thing I would say for anyone thinking of buying one, if you've never driven one it might come as a bit of a shock when you eventually do, very basic, very few creature comforts and very slow, well all apart from the V8 that the bomb squad would let me drive now and then, that was mental.

[douglasgdmw]

Have driven a Defender before but it was purely on the Land Rover experience so I don't think I managed to get out of 1st/2nd low ratio gear during that time. At least we know we fit.

Not too bothered about the on-road driving experience as we realise that it will be agricultural and not exactly swift (did think of a Twisted one instead of the 335D but that would easily blow our kitchen budget!!!).

Having a chat with Sandra last night her stipulation is that if we get another vehicle it must be something we both want (so out goes any left field suggestions that I would want to make).

Must admit that a V8 does appeal as a lot of people will be put off with the fuel bills, as its not going to get used very often (or short trips) then it may be an possibility (as people probably don't want those as everyday cars).

However is a Galvanised chassis in my budget? If its not then I would probably be better off with the Japanese equivalent (although a Range Rover Classic does appeal but suspect it will be even more expensive than the Defender).

We did think of a Shogun but Sandra likes the short wheel base but they stopped doing those a while back (she does not like the looks of the Pinin ).

George

[Shug]

We did think of a Shogun but Sandra likes the short wheel base but they stopped doing those a while back (she does not like the looks of the Pinin ).

George

You can still buy an SWB new? And they've always done them - although £3K won't get much recent. We spent nearer £9K to get one that wasn't intergalactic miles, came with a good warranty and we could just rely on for some years until it dies of old age.

Current SWB:

[Shug]

Just had a quick look and this doesn't look awful:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MITSUBISHI-SH ... 27e95e3dc3

[H8OAG]

Jago?

This one's a kit based on an SJ413 - Knocking bottom end, but MOT'd till Feb 2015 and at £650 plenty of scope to repair?

Love the Jago Jeep. I built one when I was 15 years old using a Mk2 escort as a donor. Sacrilege when you think about it now.

That is like taking a hacksaw to a Purdey to rob a bank

[twisted2fit]

I have a murano for the winter:-) cheap second hand.. and come with bose, leather electric seats, nav, reversing cam, auto and a sunroof. They r cheap because they have a 3.5 L petrol V6. Very reliable but not a hardcore 4x4. ...

[douglasgdmw]

Well this was well over budget but would have certainly managed to survive the winter with it:
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm?itemId=281203747108

With the removal men coming tomorrow things have been put slightly on the back burner. However the Defender is looking the preferred option.
George