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any good these 90 series???

TobyJug

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Mar 31, 2010
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Don't rip into this poor 80's owner just yet......

I am only asking because I am thinking of getting one as well as keeping the 80....

Basically I need a cheaper form of transport to do the daily running around as the 80's consumption with my driving around town is pretty well lets say heavy-ish....
plus the 80 will need to go off the road for a while to do some re-building and modding...

Now I could of course get a petrol 80 on LPG but it will still be a fair bit on fuel costs and we would not keep it after as "hers" so I was thinking of getting something like this..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 041wt_1165

and then lpg convert although it's a little pricey...

or this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 161wt_1165

so enlighten me please mighty knowledgeable 90 owners..... is it worth a think about?
What are known issues with the 90's and that engine, other issues, things to look for etc....
 
Well of course £.5 would buy you a lot of fuel plus the tax and insurance etc. A Fiesta would be more sensible too. But those are sensible arguments and that's not what we're about is it.

The 90 is essentially a very comfortable large car, with really good off road ability when you think 'Oh heck, I'd better go off road here'. With centre and rear diff locks they are in a different league to many in their class. But they are NOT an 80. We know that. Granny and sucking eggs comes to mind when I say the newer the better. The three speed (+OD) gear box is very good, very strong and good ratios. But these cars are not F1 racers. But the 3.0 lump pulls like an elephant.
Can't tell you anything about the petrol model. On the black one, I dunno where the LPG tank is but that could take up room. The silver one looks very nice.

With a newer diesel - say W,X Y and on, there would be almost nothing wrong I should think. Now as to economy, with good road tyres 28mpg is possible. The more lumpy the tyres, then the MPG drops. The auto in my experience seems better than the manual. It has a lower rev rate at cruise. My manual is doing nearly 3000 at 70. (speeds are correct) and I get 24-25 with a following wind. 20 if towing my quad. My old auto I have had 32 on a run.

Early ones do have a couple of weak(er) points to look for. These are really covered in the sticky on the 'old' forum. But can be summarised.
Diesel engine 1KZ-TE head can crack. Terminal. New head needed
Auto - radiator core goes, dumps coolant into auto box. Not good - preventable. This would go for either fuel I would think
Rear diff lock - rots off - £300 fix
Handbrake's a bit crap - tools out on the drive
Brake pistons need a work out to get the best from them. They tend to stick in one or two pots
Rust not a problem. Electrics sound.

Chris
 
Battered and Blue said:
Well of course £.5 would buy you a lot of fuel plus the tax and insurance etc. A Fiesta would be more sensible too. But those are sensible arguments and that's not what we're about is it.

Nope not at all + the 80 needs to be off the road for a while for work that needs to be done...
like galvanising the chassis etc... :lol: and I am not driving a little car again....

Battered and Blue said:
The 90 is essentially a very comfortable large car, with really good off road ability when you think 'Oh heck, I'd better go off road here'. With centre and rear diff locks they are in a different league to many in their class. But they are NOT an 80. We know that. Granny and sucking eggs comes to mind when I say the newer the better. The three speed (+OD) gear box is very good, very strong and good ratios. But these cars are not F1 racers. But the 3.0 lump pulls like an elephant.
Can't tell you anything about the petrol model. On the black one, I dunno where the LPG tank is but that could take up room. The silver one looks very nice.

I want petrol and LPG..... The 80 will stay so the 90 is not going to be used for a lot off off-road... mainly road use and as cheap as possible...
am I right in thinking that the 3.4 petrol should achieve 25-30-ish mpg? That would be the equivalent of doing 50-60 mpg due to the lpg... :mrgreen:

Battered and Blue said:
With a newer diesel - say W,X Y and on, there would be almost nothing wrong I should think. Now as to economy, with good road tyres 28mpg is possible. The more lumpy the tyres, then the MPG drops. The auto in my experience seems better than the manual. It has a lower rev rate at cruise. My manual is doing nearly 3000 at 70. (speeds are correct) and I get 24-25 with a following wind. 20 if towing my quad. My old auto I have had 32 on a run.

I get 30mpg out of the 80 towing long distance though.... only about 16 around town though... :lol:

Battered and Blue said:
Early ones do have a couple of weak(er) points to look for. These are really covered in the sticky on the 'old' forum. But can be summarised.
Diesel engine 1KZ-TE head can crack. Terminal. New head needed
Auto - radiator core goes, dumps coolant into auto box. Not good - preventable. This would go for either fuel I would think

I do know about them problems on the diesels as they are the same as the Surfs...
and I have had a couple 2.4's but done loads of research into the 3ltr....

Battered and Blue said:
Rear diff lock - rots off - £300 fix
Handbrake's a bit crap - tools out on the drive
Brake pistons need a work out to get the best from them. They tend to stick in one or two pots
Rust not a problem. Electrics sound.

Chris

Right they are things to look out for then....

thanks mate...


anyone else....??
 
I have t reg 90 which is the family motor - got the 80 to abuse & be my plaything.

Ours is a 3 litre diesel - its great. Tows the 'van where it needs to be towed & packs us six ( :roll: ) into it no worries.

Love 'em both :D
 
Gav, is yours an auto or manual and what kind of mileage do you get? Also, whats the towing capacity?

I need to start thinking about swapping my van for something with 4 seats and no dearer to run. Whatever i get has to be 4x4, auto and do at least 25mpg but the more the better.

Cheers G
 
Gavlad said:
I have t reg 90 which is the family motor - got the 80 to abuse & be my plaything.

Ours is a 3 litre diesel - its great. Tows the 'van where it needs to be towed & packs us six ( :roll: ) into it no worries.

Love 'em both :D

I am thinking of doing the same... only then with a LPG converted petrol...
sounds like a 90 might be the way to go... :mrgreen:
 
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Graham Stirling said:
Gav, is yours an auto or manual and what kind of mileage do you get? Also, whats the towing capacity?

I need to start thinking about swapping my van for something with 4 seats and no dearer to run. Whatever i get has to be 4x4, auto and do at least 25mpg but the more the better.

Cheers G

Hi Gray

Ours is a manual... Haven't done a mileage check for yonks as its the wife's car but on our first ever trip we did towing the 'van from Wirral to Tenby the day after I bought it, we were averaging 22 mpg (ish) but thats towing an Eldiss Avante 556 on A & B roads (& smaller...) Capacity wise, it was like there was now't on the back... Ate it up!!! Well chuffed with it.

I've had a feckin big roof rack on it since then & since dropping it off to get into Manchester Airport carpark to pick me folks up, its loads more sprightly...

They are good motors, no question ;-)

TobyJug said:
I am thinking of doing the same... only then with a LPG converted petrol...
sounds like a 90 might be the way to go... :mrgreen:

Why the hell not ;-) Let me know if you want to have a potter out in mine some time dude...
 
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