New To Forum: Looking for Advice Buying a Series

[vlad_d]

About parts:

This is just my opinion, and I don't mean offense to any people or nation. I think any place is capable of good parts, it just comes down to economics- and often it's the lowest cost option that ends up coming from some place the cost of labor is low.

Genreally speaking...in order of preference:
1) "Genuine" Land Rover Parts. Will fit great and last as long as your original. Can be WILDLY more expensive! If it's an extra $50, okay, I'll spring for Genuine. But sometimes it's like hundreds more.

2) OEM or "G" Part numbers. These are often whitebox parts from the suppliers who supply Land Rovers. So, great savings can be had by just getting directly from them. GKN bearings, Lucas electrical components, etc. You can see in the photos for products marked "genuine Land Rover" stampings for OEM suppliers. Save some cash and order direct from the supplier.

3) Brit-Part. Most of these are made internationally, so each part is different. But I find quality okay with Brit-Part. Some call them "Sh** part", but they are much better than most.

4) Baermach. Garbage. Absolute garbage. I have ordered several harder-to-find machined parts from different retailers selling Baermach and 2 out of 3 came back machined off-center. I won't buy their stuff anymore.

5) For bearings, get them if they are made in Japan or England. I wouldn't trust the Taiwanese ones. They're precision parts. Also, they're deep inside other parts. Pain in the ass to replace again. Spend $10 more and you're worry free.

6) Rubber seals, door latch hardware. Get the Genuine stuff. The aftermarket stuff doesn't fit right. The rubber is too rigid and won't let your door close right. The door locks and latches are poorly cast and dimensionally different. You'll be taking a grinder to them to make them fit.

This post is getting long. I'll stop. Good luck! ;D

[tirconnel]

Vlad:

Thanks for all this information. It is very helpful.

I received an owner's manual yesterday so am getting better acquainted with th vehicle's basics. I've watch a few videos, which also helps.

Regarding parts: I did begin looking at the parts links. Am a bit taken by some costs, but it's only the beginning. The below information helps, too. Are there very common parts sourced through Auto Zone/Advanced Auto? I can still buy some parts (e.g.: spin on oil filters) through them. Another example; My 1964 Sunbeam Alpine was positive ground with a generator. Owners found you could convert it to negative ground and substitute a Mazda Miata alternator for greater reliability and power. I'm considering replacing my existing alternator but am seeing $250+ replacements. LR parts aren't treated like Porsche parts, are they?

Thanks again for getting me started. I certainly appreciate all the resources.

Mike

About parts:

This is just my opinion, and I don't mean offense to any people or nation. I think any place is capable of good parts, it just comes down to economics- and often it's the lowest cost option that ends up coming from some place the cost of labor is low.

Genreally speaking...in order of preference:
1) "Genuine" Land Rover Parts. Will fit great and last as long as your original. Can be WILDLY more expensive! If it's an extra $50, okay, I'll spring for Genuine. But sometimes it's like hundreds more.

2) OEM or "G" Part numbers. These are often whitebox parts from the suppliers who supply Land Rovers. So, great savings can be had by just getting directly from them. GKN bearings, Lucas electrical components, etc. You can see in the photos for products marked "genuine Land Rover" stampings for OEM suppliers. Save some cash and order direct from the supplier.

3) Brit-Part. Most of these are made internationally, so each part is different. But I find quality okay with Brit-Part. Some call them "Sh** part", but they are much better than most.

4) Baermach. Garbage. Absolute garbage. I have ordered several harder-to-find machined parts from different retailers selling Baermach and 2 out of 3 came back machined off-center. I won't buy their stuff anymore.

5) For bearings, get them if they are made in Japan or England. I wouldn't trust the Taiwanese ones. They're precision parts. Also, they're deep inside other parts. Pain in the ass to replace again. Spend $10 more and you're worry free.

6) Rubber seals, door latch hardware. Get the Genuine stuff. The aftermarket stuff doesn't fit right. The rubber is too rigid and won't let your door close right. The door locks and latches are poorly cast and dimensionally different. You'll be taking a grinder to them to make them fit.

This post is getting long. I'll stop. Good luck! ;D

[charles1943]

I've coached innumerable folks on the perilous pursuit of a good used Land-Rover. i don't have time to go into detail now but if i had only 1 piece of advice I would say, DO NOT even consider a SANTANA!! They may seem attractive and it MAY seem 2 B a bargain but FINDING PARTS CAN BE HELL. and some aren't even available anywhere that we've been able to discover. 'Nuff said!!

You may also find this enlightening. The feedback is often "Best advice I could find!!"

http://www.darebritannia.com/dont-buy-a-land-rover-until-you-read-this.html

[vlad_d]

About parts availability....

Again, just my experience, but I live in the Western US. To be honest, I can't get parts locally. Full stop.

I order nearly 100% online from either our hosts, or like 2 or 3 other suppliers I like. Even when I order from a US parts supplier, it takes 2 weeks to get parts. Don't even get me started. I order on a Monday, get a "confirmation" on Tuesday...but the part doesn't show up for 1.5 to 2 weeks. I can't find a postal service that takes 2 weeks to go across the US(and I challenge anyone to as well). Basically, I'm saying the parts suppliers ALL fart around the wherehouse for 1 week before they dispatch your package. That's right. I said it.

Anyway, DHL shipping from the UK paradoxically costs the same and gets here sooner. Weird, huh?

So, I just order parts online from wherever is cheapest and has stuff in stock, with some personal choices about brands.

For me, my experience with Land Rover Series trucks has been like:

Plan ahead two weeks. It's a bit like working in a mechanic shop for one car. Order parts you'll need in 2 weeks. Plan my weekend mechanic adventures to time with parts coming in. Have 2 or 3 projects going at the same time(currently working on the gearbox and heater).

I can't find parts at Napa, Auto Zone, O'Reilly's and the like. Their computers don't have Land Rover Series trucks in them. That's because Land Rover only imported some very few years to the US back then. The other guys on this forum can tell you more about that, but I've gathered that alot of the LR Series trucks in the US came by way of Canada. So there seems to be a pocket of enthusiests and parts suppliers in the North Eastern US. But I'm pretty much alone out here in the West(someone shout out if I'm wrong). Basically, I figured out that I had to work on this thing myself and order parts online. There's no mechanics I trust to understand all thise British stuff, and several have outright said they won't work on them because they can't get parts. A shop can't make money if one of their bays is tied up waiting 2 weeks for parts...so I get it. But that's what you're looking at. Roll up your sleeves and get dirty Luckily, it's not that hard. They built these to be rebuilt in the African bush with nothing but gas and wrenches.

Another thing is, even if you find some mechanics willing to work on it, beware! Some don't even know how to work on drum brakes, or older tech. One brake guy tried to tell me there's no adjustment on the brakes! There's weird little British-isms in the design. Shims you put in the front suspension/steering. An oil bath air cleaner. Paper element oil filter. Some of the mechanical designs are from the 1930's. So, some kid at Firestone just won't know how it works. Its almost better if you do it yourself. You'll take it seriously and do the research. They'll just assume it's the same as a 2013 Honda and mess it up.

[jimrr]

2 weeks about right advance notice. My 3 gets beet to pieces driving ditches and all around the ranch but nothing has ever happened that dead lined it. after a while you have spare points, and the usual stuff that might slow one down.