My lad is determined to buy a TD5 Defender 90!
Nothing I say seems he have put him off!
All joking aside, I quite like them, but want to avoid him making a mistake in buying a severe money pit.
He is in his gap year working on a farm in Lincolnshire, whilst studying at agricultural college. Whilst only 18, he's had the experience of driving various Defenders and prefers the TD5 to the later Transit engine Defender and I know he has wanted one since about age 5! I blame myself for buying him Britain's 1/32 LR toys...
I have no experience of them at all, except a friend whose TD5 Discovery blew up! A TD5 search gives lots of negatives about the TD5 engine????
It seems though the older LR fraternity prefer the simpler mechanicals of the TDi engine?
Anyone know anything we should particularly watch out for?
Either way I would prefer him to wait (he has a tidy 2009 VW Polo), but we have all been 18 once!

Has he looked at insurance? I think its quite high for defenders?

In my experience the TD5 can be unreliable and the engine is not great in the towing department unless it's only a half ton or so.
Can't fault the vehicle but I would want a L 200 or L300 lump in it.

I don't know much about the more recent engines.

We have insured his Polo via a multi car policy and it came out quite reasonable(ish), for his first year.
The elevated quotes might be enough to put him off, yet I'm afraid he has money burning a hole in his pocket!
Anything over £1k should do it though!

I have heard the same, but I think he just likes the 5 cyl growl.
Wonder where he got that from?

If you have a spare month or two, I could run through the bare bones of the reasons why I wouldn't buy a Defender again. Might need longer if you want more detail...
In brief, to show him the experience:
1. Make the vehicle permanently unavailable to drive anywhere. You can either do this at home or in the garage of your choice.
2. Ensure the vehicle is dangerously corroded, through the mysterious alchemy of combining aluminium with cheese.
3. Ensure the vehicle is hysterically poor on fuel (possibly this only applies to petrol versions)
4. Whack your son repeatedly on the right shoulder, elbow and arm with a sheet of toughened glass. (This replicates the experience of driving a car narrower than your body).
5. Add some baffling technical problems that make a mockery of the old "repair with string" folklore
6. Empty your son's wallet each week and burn the contents.

That should do it.

I'm happy to supplement Jims's post above with regards to my one years Land Rover (Discovery) ownership...

Some of the tails and woes and costs incurred!

Virtually all of my dads shooting (Clay and real Pigeon) group have Japanese 4 x 4's.

Almost as good off road and a damn site more reliable and cheaper to run.

My dad runs a shogun which is excellent in any conditions.

Try and get him to look at a Mitsubishi Pajero SWB diesel there are some low mileage imports knocking about and they seem pretty reliable. The MPG is not great but neither was my 300 TDI Disco which had multiple wheel bearing, gearbox issues and that was a vehicle bought new! I hate to think what the repairs cost LR but fair to say it went before the warranty ran out.

Thanks for all of the real life experiences, you seem to be confirming my fears!

Well it looks like I have at least managed to kick the can well and truly kicked down the road, because I ran a comparison quote for him (admittedly not on my own multicar policy) , the lowest quote for which came out at £2400pa for a telematics policy. Other quotes where between £4500-7500pa!!!!

Here, local farmers seem to fall between two stalls.
Those who can afford a Land Rover Defender as a work vehicle, regardless of any issues and everyone else who typically run recent Mitsubishi L200s or Ford Rangers?
I am sure the Defender is more of a fashion statement than anything else????
Aside from carrying a Collie and a bail of straw, the SWB seems pretty useless for carrying much more. They will admittedly tow a cattle trailer.....

Wow. Defenders must be bloody dangerous!

I think the land rovers get nicked for spares, a lot.

Ah.