Let’s say both are in pretty good condition. Would you rather go for the older one with fewer kilometres or the one that’s six years newer but has 100,000 km more on the clock?

Also, do you think the asking price is fair/ good deal, or a bit too high?

Hi Everyone,

I’m considering buying an older 5-door Defender 110, but I can’t decide between a 300Tdi and a TD5.

The intended use would be as a do-it-all hobby vehicle, that include mostly camping (~100km ride each time), occasional towing, and sometimes longer trips (1,000-2000 km) where I’d be cruising at a steady 80–100 km/h on highways, mixed with green lanes and harder gravel roads.

I’m based in Central Europe, where the better-looking examples are generally north of €15k, and even at that price they’re far from pristine. It is rare to find one with below 250,000+ km on the clock.

I’m also looking for something I can keep for a long time — ideally 10+ years, while only putting around 5,000–10,000 km/year on it.

Here’s how I’m currently thinking about the two engines:

1. Performance: From what I've read, for my use case there isn’t a huge difference in real-world performance between the 300Tdi and TD5. I assume steady cruising at ~90 km/h shouldn’t be an issue with either. Is that a fair assessment?
2. Fuel consumption: Also fuel economy should also be fairly similar between the two in real-world use (?)
3. Mechanical simplicity / reliability: I really like the idea of the 300Tdi having a mechanical fuel injection vs the more "delicate" system of the TD5. I also like the relative lack of electronics on the 300Tdi. I’m not really planning on going extremely remote places where being unable to diagnose/fix the vehicle would mean a life-or-death situation, but I still really value simplicity and ease of maintenance. I have the tools and skills for basic vehicle maintenance, so being able to do more of the work myself is also a significant advantage. For someone planning to keep the vehicle for 10+ years, is the 300Tdi's simplicity actually a meaningful advantage, or is the TD5 electronics/fuel system generally reliable enough that this shouldn't be a major concern?
4. Noise: I suppose the older designed 300tdi is noticably noisier at every rpm/speed. Is it something that I can solve by installing noise dampening mats in the cabin? Would that reduce the noise significantly or just make it more bearable during a longer ride?
5. Air conditioning: A lot of the Defenders I’m seeing don’t have AC. Given that I’ll be using the vehicle in summer too, I’d consider AC almost a must-have. If I find an otherwise good vehicle without AC, which is easier to retrofit with a factory-style used AC system/conversion — 300Tdi or TD5? Is it worth specifically holding out for a factory AC-equipped vehicle instead?
6. Other differences: Aside from the engine itself, are there any important differences between late 300Tdi and TD5 110s that I should take into account when choosing between them?

And perhaps most importantly: if you were buying one today as a long-term 10+ year hobby vehicle for this kind of use, which would you choose and why?

Thanks!