At long last my winter hack is sitting on my drive. Regular readers will know already that it is a 1999 Land Rover Discovery 2.5 Tdi and in its original Alpine White paintwork. In fact it was last used on the roads in 2009 and since then has been left standing in the open.
First thing to try was a jump start thanks to a Citroen Berlingo diesel van, but even after leaving it a while the best I could get was the dash lights working. The lights and horn functioned fine; it just would not turn the engine over.
With the Discovery looking like it had just been 'Discovered' from some swamp, an important step was to give it a good clean. Then I could have a better look at the bodywork. The interior is also in need of a clean, but other than cleaning the steering wheel that can wait. For now a combination of bin bags over and on the driver's seat can suffice while I concentrate on checking all the oily bits and getting it to start.
One nice discovery I made was that this two-owner-from-new off-roader had a brand new clutch fitted just prior to it being left to stand in the elements. Combined with four good tyres and what appear to be good sharp brakes that haven't seized up, it seems in pretty good shape.
Having the later model dashboard that came from the Range Rover Classic, it does have a premium feel inside. Indeed climbing into this gargantuan from a little Fiat the build quality actually impresses. Apart from the lower panel in the driver's foot well that keeps falling off and fouling the pedals that is. I'm sure I will find other little foibles in time.
There was a small knock to the front passenger side that has cracked the front direction indicator lens and no doubt put the headlight aim out of kilter. The same side rear corner has also had a slight bang and just deformed the rear corner of the plastic bumper. Other than some very slight rust scabs on the top Safari windows in the roof (as Land Rover call them) and one small dent in the driver's side front wing the body seems remarkably tidy for a thirteen-year-old car that lived on a farm and has over 200,000km on the clock. Even the underside isn't covered in ancient dried-on mud.
Hopefully the gearbox and differentials are fully functioning and the engine itself is in reasonably fine fettle. The tyres have all held air and none have gone flat or appear badly cracked. Early signs are it is not leaking fluids and isn't a rust heap so you have to say it bodes well for getting it cleaned up and then checked over pre-NCT.
Meanwhile the little Fiat, with the equally tiny foot pedals, continues to perform well and my unscientific fuel economy test results are in. Filling the tank to the top I put in 35 litres to brim it. I managed 611km on that 35 litres and could have got a little more but for my better half not wanting to run out of fuel and walk. Either way that's not too shabby is it? That's 5.7 litres/100km - or 49mpg in old money.
More importantly perhaps, given this is bangernomics cheap and cheerful motoring, is that these little Fiats are fun. While they may not excel at any specific area when compared with rivals they do have a certain character not too dissimilar to an Alfa Romeo. Small cheap cars should be fun after all, especially when darting in and out of city traffic and slotting into tight urban parking spaces; and in that respect the Fiat ticks all the boxes. You can do it all in a little Fiat with a smile upon your face. Yes you might need the recovery guy's number on speed dial, but the fun you will have in between such trials for me makes it worthwhile. Once you get fed up or it costs too much to fix - just move on. Simple and gratifying.
Now then, bring on the winter.