Help me choose / find a new vehicle

pricklyflower

pricklyflower

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OK, anyone up for a bit of window shopping? Or convince me what type of vehicle I need to do the following with:-

I need a vehicle that will tow my IW505 with two HW cobs, a vehicle to shove water butts, hay bales, etc in the back and one that is half decent to take me to work and back everyday.

Ideally would like a defender 90 station wagon (think those are the ones with the seats in the back?) but they seem to be like gold dust. Funds up to £12k but this has got to include a boat journey back, oh and I could go a bit more than that as I can claim back the VAT.

Will have to come to UK anyway to pick it up so anywhere not too far away from Gatwick, Southampton, Exeter, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle or Leeds Bradford airports. Ideally down South as I'd have to drive down to Weymouth, Portsmouth or Poole to get it home!

Thank you kindly
smile.gif


PF
 
Loads of nice Defender 90s in Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot around the £5 000 mark at Mike Harding. Website mikehardinglandrovers
 
Hmm give them a ring. We drove past today and there were Defenders galore. If not I've seen two around here at less than £5k
 
I've just bought a Nissan Navara and would recommend that or an L200 (can put upto a tonne on the back part and will tow 2.6tonnes). I spent lots of time looking on auto trader and made the search very specific and then viewed a couple of vehicles. We found a place just outside basingstoke called moorelands who seem to have a regular stream of vehicles coming in - timing meant we couldn't buy from them
 
hi hotdog

Many thanks for that. The L200 was, in fact, the first vehicle that I thought of (seems there are hundreds for sale at the moment and there are certainly lots here on the island) but how do you find it for towing?? I'm currently towing with a LWB Pajero which is OK but I believe the L200 is slightly longer and someone told me that a SWB vehicle would be easier for towing (especially for reversing which is what I have more of a problem with).



I saw a Navara for the first time tonight parked up at a shop I went into, certainly looked impressive!!
 
Origninally we were going for a L200 but ended up getting a Navara. From test driving the two of them the L200 was nice and slightly smaller than the Navara, one annoying thing in the L200 was the lights and wipers were the other way around from my other car where as in the Navara they were on the same side which made it easier! I felt the Navara had slightly more power than the L200, The interior is probalby slightly nicer in the 200 (if you get the animal version) but I think the seats are more comfortable in the Navara. So far we're getting 38mpg in the Navara - dealer told us that L200 wouldn't be anywhere near that.

We went for an adventura which is the top spec so comes with satnav and sun roof and six gears.

So far haven't towed with it - currently working on other half for a trailer
smile.gif
 
Had a look at private ones but all dodgy. Try White horse motors 01392 811581 whitehorsemotors.co.uk. I like the nissan too
 
Hi MilosDad (not always on here, honest!)

Have had a look at whitehorsemotors and completed their active search form. I think I need a defender station wagon (I think those are the ones with the seats in the back??) I will also give them a ring.

I heard that there was a 2003 Defender locally today so went and had a look at it this afternoon and it had already been sold this morning after only being on the forecourt for 2 days! Gutted! It was lovely too! Only 30,000 miles (over here you can't really clock up lots of miles).

You seem to know a bit about these motors, what's your opinion in towing with something like a L200 or the Navara? I'm a bit worried about it being too long? I have arranged to take a Isuzu double cab out tomorrow and I'm going to stick the trailer on the back to see how long it is.

Thank you so much for your help, it's much appreciated!

PF
 
I use LandRovers purely cos I like them and the 110 is the best of the lot. But I suspect that the Navara and L200 are slightly more user friendly. Length doesn't really come into it, what gets me is not knowing where the rear end is (Not a problem with the defender which is all verticals, or if you have parking sensors. Failing that you can, like me, abandon the car and walk to the kerb!)
 
lol oh yes walking to the kerb, I know that feeling!!

Do you not find reversing harder with something a bit longer?? That's where I have
the problem, especially at my local pony club where there's not a lot of room for manoeurvering (ok, I don't know how to spell that word!)
 
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