Spend Money On Keeping A High-Miler On The Road, Or...?

[John97Tdi]

Originally Posted by S60D5-185

I had exactly the same vehicle at the same time...........loved it.

So did I! had mine for about 5 years - bought it from Steve Parker LR in Rochdale and about 18 months in had them install a V6 Ford engine in it. Put a smile on my face every time I drove it.

[S60D5-185]

Originally Posted by John97Tdi

So did I! had mine for about 5 years - bought it from Steve Parker LR in Rochdale and about 18 months in had them install a V6 Ford engine in it. Put a smile on my face every time I drove it.

I bought mine in 1986 from Dick Graham Landrover specialist in Durham.

It had recently been decommissioned and spent most of it's service life in Edinburgh. It was still in Army Camo and looked in great condition especially the tilt. Loads of paperwork was made available to identify it's year of manufacture etc.

I stripped every bit of paint off it and painted it the standard civvy Landrover Green. Fitted free wheeling front hubs and a new Weber carb to the standard engine.
Did all the work myself and can only dream of having that amount of energy now.😁

I kept it about 3 years and even managed to get it onto a 1976 P reg plate rather than a Q.

I still have a soft spot for the lightweight and could have sold it a dozen times over.

[hicky70]

My experience was from a ‘05 1.6 petrol focus which served me exceedingly well for the 4 years I ran it with minimal problems, I put 50k on that car, I tend to drive with mechanical sympathy.
I decided to upgrade as I needed a larger car(in reality I could have just bought a large trailer(camping!)).
What led me to my Volvo...the local landlord has a 940 he’s owned since nearly new and out more or less all of the plus 200k miles on himself and sings the praises of Volvos to anyone who’ll listen. A number of other patrons bought into his waffle and bought D5’s.

I heeded his wisdom and narrowly missed out on a very tidy V70 D5 luxe 7 seater.
I then missed out on a local XC70 which ironically was readvertised on eBay as supposedly the winner didn’t turn up.
I bunged on a cheeky 1K bid and forgot about it. The pictures made it look clean and tonnes of history was included. I forgot about this and went about my business....a few days after the closure of the auction I received an email questioning when I was going to pay for it. I'm sure the vendor had enough by now.

Anyway, totally my fault for buying blind off ebay......it was very good photography and an inaccurate description!

As I drove away the abs light came on, I went back argued £100 back and went on my way with a nagging feeling I'd bought a lemon....this remained for a few months!!!!
He stated he'd done the gearbox oil and a few other things and on closer inspection he either didn't have a clue, was lazy or full of ****.
Missing bulbs(found in the glove box along with trim parts simply not put back in place along with a spare "new" abs sensor(5 min job to sort bulbs and trim! Again this didn't help my spidey sense!)).
I had a full service done and gearbox oil after a few weeks as the box cluncked when slowing to a stop, the abs ring had cracked so that was an easy fix.

Fast forward 5 years and I've had relatively cheap motoring,
I've replaced both seized rear callipers, recently new battery/thermostat housing replaced. Beast from the east split the washer bottle so I assume he'd put too much water on and not enough fluid(still have to get that fixed)....then tyres/pads n discs on the front and nothing else....40K later!
I hope to get it to 300K....it's currently on 209K, it has faults but I never worry about someone dinging it in tesco.
VERY comfortable, when and if it dies I hope to find a decent 940 or buy the landlords!

If I was to rely on bangernomics....I'd go back to Ford, parts are peanuts from scrapyards and they're much easier to take apart....ie removing the rear light cluster on an XC70 is a pain, on a Focus its a couple of easily accessible torx!

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by S60D5-185

I had exactly the same vehicle at the same time...........loved it.

We ran a '76 SIII 88" petrol LR from around 1984 til about 1985. Immaculate in all respects except the chassis was in a sorry state as we found out later. Outriggers, rear cross-member, welding every MOT, bone-jarring leaf springs didn't help my back problems. Eventually put a half chassis on it. Intended to keep it, but wifey had other plans (don't they always?).
Later came across another SWB - 2000 vintage. The owner had spent a load of money putting a 90 chassis on it and done an all round renovation of steering, brakes, the lot. It was a very nice vehicle, but whereas our earlier SWB ran perfectly mechanically, this later one had had a reconditioned gearbox and something wasn't right. Clutch judder due to oil on the plate from leaky crankshaft seal which was replaced, but leaked again. And again...and again...

Always fancied a Lightweight though.

[S60D5-185]

Without doubt, one of the best cars I've ever owned was a 95 SWB Pajero 2800 Turn Diesel with manual box.
It was a high spec Japanese import and had the twin batteries as well as a 2.5inch lift.
Bottle green over silver and in immaculate condition.
Sold it in 2009 and really wish that I hadn't.

[S60D5-185]

The Pajero that I mentioned. 😊

[silestanix]

Originally Posted by S60D5-185

The Pajero that I mentioned. 😊

Good motors, my old man had one back in the 90's, never ever let him down, bought with 9k on the clock and he sold it in 2003 with 280k, still ran well and had no leaks. He bought a Kia to replace it and that was a POS lol.

[silestanix]

The V70 I have (well, currently don't have as the insurer has lost it somewhere), has 186600 miles, I've always bought high miles because the odd time I've bought low mileage cars they've always dropped a bollock somehow.

Much rather buy a cheap high miles, fix up bits and just use it.

Well, that was my plan. Depending on whether Esure, Copart and co can find my car. Else I'll be looking for another one.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

We ran a '76 SIII 88" petrol LR from around 1984 til about 1985. Immaculate in all respects except the chassis was in a sorry state as we found out later. Outriggers, rear cross-member, welding every MOT, bone-jarring leaf springs didn't help my back problems. Eventually put a half chassis on it. Intended to keep it, but wifey had other plans (don't they always?).
Later came across another SWB - 2000 vintage. The owner had spent a load of money putting a 90 chassis on it and done an all round renovation of steering, brakes, the lot. It was a very nice vehicle, but whereas our earlier SWB ran perfectly mechanically, this later one had had a reconditioned gearbox and something wasn't right. Clutch judder due to oil on the plate from leaky crankshaft seal which was replaced, but leaked again. And again...and again...

Always fancied a Lightweight though.

'84 to' 85 should have read '84 to '95.

[SnineT]

If anyone has a good reliable and in reasonable cosmetic condition car I'd advise they keep it as long as the Greenzealot's haven't outlawed its use without a fine.

Why?

It won't be loaded up with electronics you don't need nor want, parts and servicing will be cheaper, if you are lucky you won't have adblue to contend with and you'll know that car inside and out, used and new prices are being held at stupid levels and if it's less than 4 years old every bill is a 4 figure one.


It really is a time where the early adopters are re-paying the research & dev costs but will they drop or will inflation make them meet in the middle?


I got rid of a good 11 year old car that side by side without number plates on you wouldn't have been able to tell which car was the new one condition wise and now highly regret it, someone somewhere is bouncing around in an economic Euro 5a that was as economic as anything like for like today and still only looks 2 years old to the eye, thanks Mr Khan.