Is a Series Rover a good choice for a newbie?

[Paul S. Thronburg]

I have been thinking of joining the Land Rover family, and have my eye on a Series III (I think) 5-door, diesel, RHD. Would it be too much for me to handle as a first vehicle? It would definitely have more room for my dogs than my 2004 Mini Cooper-S. Thoughts, comments, suggestions??

[Mercedesrover]

Find or make a friend that owns one.
Drive it a bunch before you buy one for yourself.
Be ready to spend lots of time getting to know it and working on it.
This long wheel-base diesel will be the slowest thing you've ever driven.
It's not like a regular car/truck. You need to understand that very clearly before you commit to one. Seriously.

[greasyhandsagain]

Oh YES! by all means. Jump right in and enjoy. If youre lacking "something to do with your spare time" or "something to get obsessed about"................a series land rover is for YOU!!

[yorker]

You really should find one to drive first. I used to recommend them but over the years enough people have been pi$$ed off by them that I don't anymore. You have to be a certain eccentric mentality to deal with them- it is difficult to explain. Take Jim's advice above.

[LaneRover]

If you are looking at it as an only vehicle then DEFINITELY drive one first.

If you are looking for one as a 2nd vehicle for taking the dogs to the park, driving around on the week-end and as an introduction into vintage vehicles then yes a series Rover is a very good for a newbie. They are about as basic as you can get mechanically. Since they went through more of an evolutionary process through the years, parts are generally not specific to any one year (there are a few exceptions of course I am sure) and thus are pretty available as the part for a 1960 may very well fit a 1970 or even a 1980.

But drive one and look around.

And Mercedes Rover is right, unless it is a diesel transplant (which may come with its own problems) the original Rover diesel in a long wheelbase will be pretty darn slow. Think an old VW bus full of linebackers slow - OK maybe an old VW bus with just a few linebackers in it.

Brent

[bmohan55]

Before I bought mine I read EVERY post here in the Series forum...but I bought one anyhow.

Read this:

http://www.fourfold.org/LR_FAQ/Series/FAQ.S.look_for.html

BTW I love my truck, mostly for what it has taught me.

[superstator]

If you are looking at it as an only vehicle then DEFINITELY drive one first.

If you are looking for one as a 2nd vehicle for taking the dogs to the park, driving around on the week-end and as an introduction into vintage vehicles then yes a series Rover is a very good for a newbie. They are about as basic as you can get mechanically. Since they went through more of an evolutionary process through the years, parts are generally not specific to any one year (there are a few exceptions of course I am sure) and thus are pretty available as the part for a 1960 may very well fit a 1970 or even a 1980.

But drive one and look around.

And Mercedes Rover is right, unless it is a diesel transplant (which may come with its own problems) the original Rover diesel in a long wheelbase will be pretty darn slow. Think an old VW bus full of linebackers slow - OK maybe an old VW bus with just a few linebackers in it.

Brent

++

I've enjoyed my diesel LWB experience, but if I didn't have a backup vehicle that can handle urban freeway driving, it never would have worked out.

[Jeff Aronson]

It's hard for me to imagine a Land Rover 2.25 L diesel 5 door as the ideal vehicle in which to enter the Land Rover world.

The reasons have been outlined very effectively above. The diesel alone makes the car fall into the "Molasses, Slow As.." category. There's a chance that you would starve to death on a trip across Texas just trying to reach your destination. Your Mini Cooper can likely roll faster than the Land Rover can accelerate.

If the car spent its life in Texas, then possibly some of the rust issues that confront northern Rovers will be absent here. It's clearly not a US import, given the RHD [which can be a real pain the neck in traffic] and Series III identification. Rover brought very few diesels to the US, so it's important for you to find out which diesel engine is in the Rover, and whether you can get parts for it.

Do take a LONG drive in one. A gas engine Series Rover is a noisy vehicle at speed; the Rover diesel of the 60's - onward takes the decibel levels to a new high. Make certain your dogs don't mind the clatter.

Diesels have some real advantages in daily use, but they require a different level of mechanical expertise and tools to maintain them [or a good friendly diesel mechanic]. Compression means everything to a diesel and regular oil changes are an absolute must. You should want to see a full service history of the vehicle and take it to a Land Rover expert for evaluation.

And heed the cautions stated above; a Land Rover will absolutely seduce you as a car, but if you don't like maintaining an automobile and becoming intimate with its innards, then the Series Rover is the wrong first Land Rover. All models are more labor-intensive than their competitors, but few marques elicit the same level of appreciation and affection as the Land Rover.

If you don't buy this one, look around. There are several Land Rover clubs in Texas and a great annual event {SCARR} to find alternative Rovers, and to find helpful enthusiasts.

Jeff

Jeff

[derekchace]

I bought mine after only one test drive. It was a 1973 RHD 24v Lightweight. After letting my British wife drive I had to have her stop as she kept trying to drive on the wrong side of the road! Once I started driving I could not stop laughing so I had to buy. I never look back. I only ask if you are going to buy a 88 or Lightweight please install a roll bar! Trust me on this.

[thixon]

Any old british car is a "contraption" that requires tinkering.

I'm sure I'm about to ruffle a bunch of feathers, but I think others on this board will agree. A series rover is not a good "first" project car. Compared to other british cars, and many from other countries, series trucks have way more pieces and parts, and are a bit more complicated for the beginner in some respects.

Don't get me wrong, I love 'em. Just be sure its what you want. Really spend time reading posts on this, and other boards. You'll get a feel for the frustrations of other newbies, as well as what old hands think about various issues.

Also, do you own tools. If not, don't think the cost of rover is where it ends. Unless you plan on having someone do everything for you (and trust me, you won't) you'll have to invest in tools.

[JackIIA]

A series rover is not a good "first" project car. Compared to other british cars, and many from other countries, series trucks have way more pieces and parts

Travis - this made my day. I now have an excuse for why my rover is a permanent unassembled jigsaw puzzle

[brucejohn]

My 82 Series III 2.25 petrol RHD is my first project car and while it has been from complete to chassis and almost back to complete in 5 months it has been WAY more work than I hoped for. If I wasn't stubborn and unwilling to lose my 'investment' I would have likely given it away to someone willing to haul it off a time or two. I have purchased a mig welder and added to my general tool collection significantly. I have every receipt from our hosts and as yet am afraid to go add them all up.

After all that I have gotten to the point where I am upgrading and chasing down rattles. Last weekend I didn't need to do anything but a little maintenance.

I drove it last night around the Texas hill country backroads with a blanket on my lap because at 30F I was freezing with the heater on high and came home relaxed with a huge smile. I am looking for an excuse to go for a drive today.

I love it and will either continue with this one until I reach a point of satisfaction or trade for another.

...bj

[Apis Mellifera]

In this day and age, there is no absolutely reason to own a Series Land Rover. They leak oil out and water in, they are slow and noisy, and the parts that inevitably fall off are expensive and/or impossible to find. They will emit vindictive fumes meant to seek and destroy you, they will salt your wounded wallet, they will torment and defame your sanity, and they will cut a jagged, bloody swath of smoldering mental and physical turmoil across you so deep and wide that you will be forever lost in heartache, desperation, and crippling ruin. These, of course, are also precisely the same reasons you should immediately go buy one. Try to find a Series I that's been soaking in mud and salt water for the last 40 years. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a challenge.

[superpowerdave]

While I appreciate the above advice ... I say go for it!

My only regret in buying a Series is that I didn't buy it sooner. In hindsight, I wished I'd had it before everything else started filling the driveway. In foresight, I'm glad I bought them soon enough to figure out what the heck I was doing before my kids were old enough to know better

You'll learn more about mechanics and auto operation in your first year of ownership than an auto-tech class could teach you in five. You'll become familiar with the ingenuity of how simple these things can be, as well as curse them at every opportunity when things don't go just right.

As stated, you'll be forced to enjoy the ride rather than choosing to enjoy it. You'll come to relish the looks of people who pass you slowly, just staring at amazement. You'll bring charm to your neighborhood each time you take her out for a Sunday stroll. People will find a reason to talk to you about your truck because of its nostalgia and unique qualities.

Yes, it will have its issues, as anything old will. You'll either learn to love it as it is meant to be loved or you'll pass it on to someone who will ... either way, someone will keep that old beast running for years to come

Do what feels right. I've always felt that a Series chooses its owner, not the other way around. You'll know if it's right for you.

[Bostonian1976]

I bought mine on a whim after admiring them for years! Jump right in if it's a second vehicle