Evening all!
I’ve previously had an L405 and now own an L322 and a Td5 Defender. I really fancy buying a classic.

I’ve been offered a choice of two. Both are very solid and have stacks of history.

One is a 200 tdi that is very tidy and is a manual with 240k miles, K reg and has had a new engine at some point.
The other is a V8 auto, with 100k miles. Mechanically good, but needs a respray, M reg.

Approx 6k each and both have MOT.

What do you think of the price and which one is the better buy?

Cheers!

If the mileage is going to be low go for the V8. The 200 TUI was a good engine in defenders and early discoveries but is very agricultural compared to the V8.

Is the V8 fuel injection or on carbs? 2012 tdv8 Westminster arrived Jan 19 gone Dec 23

200 TDi discovery bobtail gone
RR classic v8 bobtail gone
300 tdi Discovery 3 dr gone

Are we talking suffix or prefix on the reg.
Either way V8, if your not sure have a think and then buy the V8 letters not necessarily in the right order

Always buy on condition, you can burn through your initial purchase price many times over in chasing tin worm. There's enough V8's and TDI's out there to swap the engine if its not right. As has been said, the TDI is very agricultural, not as bad as the VM, but doesn't suit the car.

I've got an LSE and a 2 door so I'm going to be biased, V8 everytime.

If it’s not an everyday driver I would go for the V8.

Jim

Had a K reg 200Tdi factory fit and an M reg soft dash 300Tdi.
Soft dash rot more Gone to a good home: 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
2025MY Defender D350 90 in Silicon Silver on coils
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
Many, many other Landies over the years
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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Whatever the question, the answer is always V8. 2012 (L322) 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE, RSE, Fuji White over Arabica.
Previous V8s: BMW 645Ci, P38 4.6, P38 4.0, Merc CL500
Previous others: Honda x1, Volvo x7, Rover x6, BMW x6, Ford x1, Mercedes x2, Skoda x3, VW x2, Renault x2, Citroen x1, Mazda x3, Nissan x1, Audi x3, Kia x1, Fiat x4, Subaru x3, Austin x2, Triumph x2, Jeep x2, Hyundai x2, Lexus x1, Mitsubishi x1, Saab x2... and some others I've forgotten!

Cheers chaps!
I do fancy the V8 over a diesel.

The seller wants 6k. I know it’s all about condition, but does that sound about right?

It really does depend on condition and what the current engine's like. Body wise, unless you're handy with the sparkly stick, its going to need some form of repairs in the first 12 months.

Every car rots in a different place, as had has been mentioned Soft Dash cars seem to rot more than Hard Dash cars. Difficult to say from the reg which it is, I saw an M reg LSE with Brooklands, Styled Cyclones, it was a Hard Dash pimped up by either Harwoods or the factory to shift it, its first owner was LR.

Good point thanks!
The diesel is a hard dash, but I need to check what dash the V8 is.

Having owned a number of Classics of different ages and worked on many, I would suggest you carefully look at the following:

Rear chassis cross member.
Rear floor.
Rear wheel arches.
Rear seat belt lower mounting points.
Inner sills.
Front footwells especially where they meet the inner upright A panel.
Front Inner wings everywhere.
Headlight metal frames.

The carpets and thick sound insulation hide areas that often have issues, as any previous water ingress soaks into the sound insulation.

...and boot floor rot plus saggy headlining.

All issues are not impossible to fix if you have time and ability. My 93 last of the hard dash was in a bit of a mess when I brought it but I 'invested' in a gasless welder and happy days followed.

As soon as you get the V8 (cuz it will be the V8 if you know what good for you) get a new battery and don't mess about chasing the usual ignition / running faults. Replace:
Ign coil
lead set (cost in manacor leads)
Dizzy with a good one (not the cheapest after market part you can find)
Rotor (lucas - not something made from butter)
Whole distributor if you want to push the boat out or at least a good ignition amplifier if you don't.
Stepper value
Water and fuel temp sensors

All very easy to fit a time up.

I spent literally months chasing ignition and bad running issues. In the end I have done all of the above and now it runs like a dream everytime (damn shouldn't of said that). If I had my time again I would just have set aside a few hundred qiuid and replaced the lot in one go saved my self so many evenings shouting at bits of metal and rubber.

My alternator and starter motor look old but function well. Coolant system not prone to issues.

The Diesel will just about pull the skin off a rice pudding also a sweet sounding motor it aint!

I had a go a painting too but got more orange peel than DelMonte - a job for the summer.

Good luck.

I think you took that photo in 1993 Adrian
It’s an absolute beauty and a credit to you.

Mike. G reg 2.5VM Vogue Portofino red 1991- 1999
V reg 2.5td P38 Rioja red 1999- 2006
53 reg td6 Vogue Oslo blue 2006- 2015
11 reg 4.4 TdV8 Vogue SE. Baltic blue 2015- date.
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic56162...tty+affair

Thanks for the advice everyone!
I will report back after the viewing.

Baltic Blue wrote:

I think you took that photo in 1993 Adrian
It’s an absolute beauty and a credit to you.

Mike.

Cheers Mike but not as nice as the blue one before hand.

I suppose one other piece of advice is, once you get one sorted NEVER sell it. I regret parting with the blue. It apparently spends all its time now pulling and pushing boats up a down a slipway somewhere in Twickenham!

This photo is at least 8 years old - I doubt it looks like this now. Still on the road though - fair play.

 405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown