The time has come. :(

Make: Land Rover
Model: Defender
Model detail: 110 Td5 County Sw
Year: 2001
Body style: RV/SUV
4WD: Yes
Engine size: 2495
Colour: Grey
Fuel type: Diesel
Import History: NZ new
Number of owners: 5+ owners
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9

This truck has taken us on many adventures, and I am sure it will do the same for you.

Want a vehicle that drips oil, rattles your teeth out, takes its time up hills, causes shin cramps, doesn’t have a single straight panel and turns like a battleship? How about one that is fun to drive, turns heads everywhere, and guarantees daily conversations with total strangers? Have I got the vehicle for you!

NZ new; I purchased this from a gentleman in Christchurch and got to know it, driving it back up the country. By the time I got back up, I already had a list of things to do to it and, as any owner of an older truck will know, have never stopped doing stuff to it.

This is a 2001 Land Rover Defender – it’s an early TD5 10P engine with relatively low mileage compared to some.

So – roughly starting from the front –

Terrafirma Winch Bar with King’s Spotties
Upgraded LED main headlights
Engine Save Low Coolant Alarm
EGR Removed and Blanked off
New Master Clutch Cylinder
Straight Exhaust Pipe – this is not a quiet truck – somewhere between a tractor and a warplane!
Snorkel and Diff Breathers Extended (to top of snorkel)
Syncro Gearboxes Short Shifter Kit – this thing is incredible!
MUD Defender Console and Instrument Pod, Cubby Box with Molle Frame, Mesh Roof Netting and Cargo Netts
Upgraded ECU (from a newer TD5) that allows reprogramming, with Storm Tuning Stage 2 on it and Nanocom with TD5 licence (and holder to have on the dash)
GME XRS-330COB UHF Radio with roof-mounted folding bracket (so you can still get through Macca’s)
Yakama Platform System, with extra bar on front for lights and aerial. Mud Ladder and shovel holders, 3 x Knucklehead Bike holders (not all installed)
Kiwi Camping 270 2.5 Self-Supporting Awning – this thing is huge and awesome!
Technically, it is a nine-seater (early enough to be still allowed to have the inward-facing ones) – I have all the rear seats still, but they are currently pulled out
Replaced the fuel pump and regular not long after getting it – managed to find the noisest fuel pump in the world – it’s never skipped a beat, but it isn’t quiet
Set of BF Goodridge A/T KO2 Tyes on it
Full set of carpet mats, and the rubber ones to go over the top of them, including a rear area mat
There is probably more I can’t remember now; I will add them as I do!

I don’t think a single panel is straight on this truck. A couple of spots of paint are missing here and there, standard rust. Anyone looking at a Defender will know the deal.

The clutch and gearbox are good, but getting into gear is notchy. I am so used to it that I don’t notice it anymore. As mentioned, the fuel pump is noisy – it sounds like a supercharger running. This hasn’t/doesn’t affect performance – just picking its noisy bearings. However, you won’t hear much of this over the exhaust and general noise while driving on the open road!

It’s certainly not a ‘fast’ truck. It tends to like cruising around 90, but the stage 2 remap makes it feel much perkier than others. It hasn’t been used for a lot of towing, but when it’s had a boat or a trailer on the back, you hardly notice they are there.

I have pulled off the ‘company branding’ – but will leave the window stickers on there – easy enough to remove if you want.

I will get it professionally groomed shortly – but I figured I would put it up now to see if anyone wants to save me the trouble! 😉