Defender 110

[OctopusPrime]

Will be buying a fender very soon (as soon as my flat sells). Ive always wanted one, way before I started thinking about prepping as it's a motor that greatly mirrors my personality... Practical

Also it's a tough, reliable, go anywhere, fill it with shite and it doesn't care kinda car

Few questions that I can't find a definitive answer on

Biodiesel
Some sites say modifications are needed
Some say fill the tank and go

There is a biodiesel filling pump near me that is 70p a litre, wanted to keep 4-5 jerry cans on rotation, unsure of the shelf life of biodiesel

Theft
Fenders are easily stolen, what is your method of making it more protected against theft?

[unsure]

if you mean real bio and not veg oil , then it should run quite happily on bio , the older engines [ 200/300] tdi` s will run on veg .
70p a litre sounds cheap , too cheap really . is it a company selling it or a back yard mash up . ive only ever seen gas at that price .

as for stolen defenders , the best you will do is slow them down . if they want ti bad enough they`ll get it .
ive known people to remove the steering wheel , fit wheel clamps and cut out switch`s and still they`ve lost them . clutch claw are a good deterent but thats all they are . a decent quality alarm is worth the money .

[Survivalist85]

Hi,

Firstly can i say what a good choice of vehicle, they are so adaptable and versatile! If you want to invest a bit to save some cash there are loads of bio diesel machines on ebay and other sites to help you produce your own fuel forever. Obviously its not quite as simple as that but if you want it enough you will end up paying pennies per litre. google bio buddy.

On the security side of things, as said above if they want it enough they will get it. Maybe some form of bollard on your drive. Also its prob highly recommend to get a tracking device on it. There are loads on the market and most thefts of these vehicles are not for joy riding so there is a good chance you will get it back in one piece.

I was looking at the Disco myself due to the lower cost and its slightly more luxurious for going out to dinner and on holidays etc. There are lots of 4x4 groups around the country now assisting the emergency services with bad weather or hard to find locations too and they will take you off roading to test your ability. Obviously this is purely voluntary work but worth while in my eyes.

[Rearfang]

Just a note on the voluntary 4x4 work there was a discussion on radio last year after a appeal for help from meals on wheels
A insurance broker rang up and advised that normal insurance would be invalid and contact your ins before to check

[JOE90]

I had a 200 tdi defender and ran it on veg oil no problems and also ran it on bio diesel when Morrisons sold it and had no trouble whatsoever. I would get one that has no electronics as that adds to the unreliability. A very late 300Tdi would be the best bet.

[OctopusPrime]

yeah i have been looking to get a pre 1992 model, tax exempt and cheep insurance... and lets face it, they havent changed much since then anyway. the old ones

As for the voluntary work i think i will be doing a fair bit of that during the winter anyway as my house is up a steep hill that gets snowed in every year... theres about 30 other houses up the hill too, im pretty sure im the only one able to get in and out.

I will look into making bio myself, i did read a very good guide on it a few months ago... def worth learning pre SHTF and saving a few bob in the meantime. I was a bit optimistic about 70p a litre at this filling station, thats the price if you buy over 1000L

[bob the builder]

yeah i have been looking to get a pre 1992 model, tax exempt and cheep insurance... and lets face it, they havent changed much since then anyway. the old ones

Try pre 1972 for tax exempt might get an early series 3 but mlout theof them are too young if your really want an old one cant mind the date but no mot either. It's not too big a job to drop a 300tdi engine into a series minus the turbo not as quick without the turbo but more reliable and cheaper to run and def faster than the old diesel lump. All the series engines can be started with a starting handle for post emp if your built like a tank tho lol. This is actually my plan s3 lwb with a 300di engine with a second fuel tank for long range cruising run on biodiesel or veg, snorkel and spare set of off road tyres, full roof rack spare wheel on bonnet (supposed to increase aerodynamics) other on back with ex army shanky trailer (same wheels). Great for camping, scout camps, bov if needed, some off roading and fills a long time dream to have one lol

[unsure]

just a word of warning .
if your thinking about a series 3 and going down the 300 tdi route , be carefull the old drum brakes ware out pritty quick . and most were fitted with these on all 4 corners .

[Steveo82]

My 1988 300tdi van runs through the summer on used filtered veg oil then bio in autum and spring ,Cost 90p a litre form a local guy and runs great 207k miles. My only issue is my tdi doesn't really give out any heat through the heater, I've tried everything the only thing to work is covering half the rad but with this it soon gets to hot when offroading and it was a pain in the ass to change. The cure was to buy a 1989 defender 110 station wagon 4.0 v8 auto LPG 12 seater. I should sell one/both but I love them to much my daily runner is a l200 barbarian but it's got no character I had it two years and it's never broke down once.

[izzy_mack]

good choice, we've always had a defender, 90 &110s. hard top, truck cab & county. Every winter we've pulled neighbours out of ditches or snow drifts when their fancy 4x4s are stuck. our, sometimes old and battered, defenders have proved themselves time & again.
Don't know about alternative fuels as their are no suppliers near to us, so will read your replies with interest.