Land Rover® 90 *Low Mileage & Late Release from British Forces* (AEO)

For sale, Land Rover® 90 Ragtop in Drab Olive (1992). 

Diesel 2495cc. Will Be Supplied With 12 Months MOT. Low Mileage – Only 72,963 Miles From New (KMH Speedo w/MPH Insert) – Just 2145 Every Year Since New! Late Release – Registered In April 2011 – Just 2 Former Keepers Since. Michelin 4×4 750×16 Tyres with Bonnet Mounted Spare. Military Screw Lenses. Rear Bumperettes. Internal Convoy Switch & Map Light. Deluxe High Back Front Seats & Central Cubby Box w/Cupholders. Khaki Canvas. Military Roll Bar w/Inertia Reel Seat Belts.

We are delighted to present for sale this 1992 ex-military Land Rover® 90, which was only released from British Forces in 2011, and has only had two civilian keepers since that point – this particular example also sports an incredibly low mileage of just 72,963 miles from new… this is just 2145 miles a year since built in 1992!

Externally, this truck has all the desirable military features an “in the know” enthusiast would hope to see – the galvanised front bumper with towing pintle, exposed galvanised (painted red) external bonnet catches, Michelin 4×4 750×16 tyres with bonnet mounted spare, military screw light lenses for bulb changes without any tools (very handy!), rear bumperettes, fixing points on the tailgate for pioneer tools, khaki full canvas – etc etc. This truck came into us almost entirely as you see it today – and due to its military life and low keepers and mileage – we have elected to just fettle and oil the bodywork for the next keeper, rather than carry out too much cosmetic intervention, as this would only serve to ruin both its patina and its heritage. We always like having a proper 90 ragtop in stock like this – exactly as they should be, and they look great no matter where they go – we will confess to doing our central Thirsk test route around the square twice, to enjoy our reflection in the recently cleaned shop windows… based on the smiles and waves from the general public – particularly the old boys who did National Service in the day – it is well received wherever it potters along.

On the inside, the original theme continues – there are a pair of deluxe high back front seats, with a central cubby box, complete with cup holders – very welcome for both keeping items out of sight and the morning coffee from the drive through – or McDonalds if you have your kid with you. Incidentally, this example has the full military roll bar fitted, which enables proper 3 point inertia reel seat belts for the driver and passenger – so if you do wish to fit a booster or child seat – you can do so safely and within regulations. There are a host of military features – the headlights are still controlled by the central convoy switch, as they would’ve been in the forces, and the map light for the passenger is still fitted and working, which is handy if you need to see at night without providing any glare for the driver. The rear is currently unfitted with the exception of a load mat – ideal if you plan to carry dogs, mountain bikes, logs, coal, hay – we’ve even known people use these for their vintage flower, gardening, or coffee business in times past. Of course, should you want to bring seating to six people including the driver – bench seats can be fitted for £595 in matching black vinyl so that the whole family can come along – these do fold away and the cushions are removable – so if you want to carry something which may damage them, you can do so with proper peace of mind.

We always find it best to be absolutely “straight up” on these Land Rover® 90s – whilst they will win no speed awards, they’re perfectly capable of the legal maximums, and they make up for this with being simple, rugged and having plenty of low down torque… this is why the military kept them “in the fold” until their hand was forced post 2010 – these engines are known for being good for well in excess of 300,000 miles with routine servicing, which you can do yourself at home with a £15 Haynes Manual from Amazon if you are handy. There is not a single item on this truck which isn’t mechanical – there are no ECUs, no sensors, and no computers whatsoever – everything can be fixed by any competent old school garage, no matter where you are in the world. As mentioned, you could work on this yourself easily – but if you don’t want to – you at least don’t need to be slave to extortionate main dealer labour prices to look after it. With coil springs, five speed gearbox, front disc brakes and very low mileage – this truck is barely run in, and doesn’t feel like a chore to get in and drive – those who have driven later Defender models would feel very much at home.

We often are asked the very valid question of “Why would I buy one of these over a later TD5 or TDCI” – and the answers, when distilled down, are quite simple. Firstly, for the reasons mentioned above – they offer far improved long-term reliability due to their non-reliance on computers. Secondly, whilst they certainly don’t have the horsepower of a turbo (if you want to go fast, buy a Porsche..), what they do have is far cheaper insurance premiums and the road tax is less than half the eye-watering £800 a year of their later cousins. But the most important thing is how they’ve been treated in their lifespan versus a civilian truck – these military 90s were massively over-ordered and under used, hence the low mileage, and were dry stored for huge chunks of their life – this means it hasn’t been pounding the salty British roads in Winter, and they also benefited from fastidious maintenance…. not the “that’ll do” approach or the “butter it up and get it sold” one – they were always required to be battle ready, in case of immediate deployment – they got serviced regardless if the mileage warranted it being done, and got major intervention as per the military programme, whether it was needed or not. This means underneath, at this price, a civilian vehicle will be much, much closer to the end of its life than this, which should stand the test of time far, far better.

In summary then – if you are looking for a proper Land Rover®, which can be used through the worst of winter, but also as a summer convertible – then this is well worth consideration. With low mileage, low owners, plenty of creature comforts to enjoy behind the wheel and those striking military looks – it should prove to be a good companion in the long term – whilst being cost effective due to the reasons above. Finding these trucks is becoming harder year on year as the public “cotton on” to these trucks – it’ll even be tax and MOT exempt in 2032, which isn’t so far away – further reducing ownership costs. There will be a day where low mileage military 90s like this cease to exist, and experience tells us we’re beginning to edge toward that point – so don’t miss the chance if one is for you.

Priced at £14,995