Anyone here with Defender 130 driving experience/owner

[PH4]

Looking at a Defender 130 and would really like any advice/thoughts from anyone who has owned or used the 130. Would be a daily driver. Engine is a TD5. Any advice appreciated.

[ThePhotographer]

I've only driven one briefly, but it drove like a limo, very smooth. Plus it's an amazing looking and capable truck. I know one person who daily drives it, and I don't believe he'd ever get rid of it.

[rwollschlager]

look over at d-90.com in the forum sections, this is a frequently discussed topic over there. Doug from Dividing Creek Rover Imports drives one, he might be able to answer any questions you might have.

-Rob

[Maryland 110]

look over at d-90.com in the forum sections, this is a frequently discussed topic over there. Doug from Dividing Creek Rover Imports drives one, he might be able to answer any questions you might have.

-Rob

I do and have for years. I actually have two @ the moment, a Defender 200 tdi, and my 300 tdi. There are no differences between a 127 and 130 other than what land rover called them-ie nomenclature, no physical /mechanical differences. These early trucks were UK registered as 110's as they used 110 VIN's and were all built by the special vehicles division to order-they were not production vehicles. I have made sure that when I title them here the title reads 130. I'm doing a full frame off restoration on the 1987 and will be galvanizing the frame, bulkhead, t posts etc. Truck is being built for sale if anyone's interested. Happy to discuss legal importation with interested parties having done hundreds.

Doug@
DividingCreekImports.com

[derekchace]

Doug can we see some pics of the 130 being built? Also any idea on price range so I can pass it along if any one calls looking for one.

[greenroverguy]

I am in British Columbia and have a 127/130 single cab with the 2.5 diesel turbo and an "Autolift" brand dumper box. I find that it is a very handy, general duty truck and I drive it a couple of times a week. The tipper box is great for hauling firewood and rover parts so if you are considering importing a regular cab I would recommend that dumper box addition. It isn't really fast but will cruise at 55mph without trouble and the ride is very smooth. It doesn't compare to Disco or RRC smooth but with the long wheel base it is a comfortable ride. I find the truck is quiter than any of the old series rigs I've had in the past and the small cab is easy to keep warm. Off-road it does alright as well. I took it out a few weeks ago up into the mountains along with a D90 and other than one tail-dragging session it went everywhere the 90 did without problem. The 2.5 turbo has lots of torque and has been a good engine for me but it has very low miles... if it were a high miler I would look at a 200 or 300 TDI swap as the 2.5 turbo was not the best rover diesel but for now my plan it to maintain the 2.5 and enjoy the ride.

Cheers, Rob

[Maryland 110]

Doug can we see some pics of the 130 being built? Also any idea on price range so I can pass it along if any one calls looking for one.

Not yet still pulling it apart. I'll start the pictures when I have a pile of freshly galvanized oarts.

[Calef]

I have a bit of experience driving a 127. The one I drive from time to time is a 200 TDI. I have always been impressed with the power, it does not seem too much pokier than my 110 with a 300 TDI. The ride is fantastic, the double cab is super convenient as is the truck bed. I did a 3 hour trip to retrieve a wood stove in it and it rode even better on the return leg with the 450 lbs. stove in the back.

The TD5 is not my favorite Defender engine. I drove a new TD5 a good bit in the early 2000s. It has most of the complexity of the Puma, with a fraction the benefit. The "drive by wire" electronic throttle felt disconnected and doggy... like you go deeper in the throttle and the engine does not react. The top end felt gutless and the speed is electronically limited. The power felt comparable to my 300 TDI (which has a full length intercooler and the boost turned up). Although the TD5 I drove was stock, I think you could "chip" it to get a bit more out of it. On the other hand the Puma is AWESOME! Snappy response, the electronic throttle does not feel weird at all. Technically I think the Puma and the TD5 make the same amount of HP, but the Puma makes more torque and it does it in such a way that it feels much quicker and more powerful.

Back to the TD5, Fleet users in Africa and other remote regions really had trouble with the TD5 coping with poor fuels etc. So I would not get it if you plan on moving to the bush. Stick with a 300 TDI. All in all, not a bad motor, I just think the 300 TDI and the Puma are better.

Motor aside, I might choose a TD5 vehicle over a 2 or 300 TDI vehicle, simply for the other upgrades they made over the years. I liked the interior and dash of the TD5 I drove and I know the front axles and brakes were upgraded. Plus a TD5 is bound to be a newer vehicle less apt to have old truck woes.

All said, I think you would be really happy with a TD5 Defender 130. The real question is legality, I have heard of a few stories of happy "grey market" owners that had their truck for years until they got in a fender bender and customs showed up a week later and confiscated the truck... yielding an an unhappy no longer owner.

[kels]

I'm a 130 (TD5) owner, it's my daily driver. I live in Sydney (Aus) - its the worst road network in this country (tiny, windy streets everywhere) and I have no dramas getting the beast around.

A rear-view camera is a must.

They are lower geared than a 110 because of the extra towing and carrying capacity, so not as economical on the highway as the 110. You can fix that with an overdrive or new gears in the transfer case.

I wont go back to a 110 now, I love my 130.

Cheers,

Adam

[texrover]

So what's the definition of 'gray market'?

I'm looking at a rig built up from a D90 donor. My concern is I hit someone and get into the situation mentioned above.

Other than buying the rare jewel--an original 25 year old factory-built 130--what are the 'legal' options?