Highlights

1988 Land Rover Ninety in County specification, offering the more comfortable cloth-trimmed interior and four rear side seats
Long-term family ownership since approximately 2006, gifted to the seller in 2007
Discovery-sourced 200Tdi engine fitted following failure of the original unit around 2009/2010
Further mechanical upgrades include replacement gearbox and clutch, higher-speed differentials and a new Land Rover power-steering box
New radiator and heater matrix, with more recent tires and brakes
Replacement rear door, tow pack and swing-away spare-wheel carrier fitted
MOT valid until 8 July 2027

The Appeal

The Land Rover Ninety represented an important evolution of the marque's traditional utility 4x4 when it arrived during the 1980s, bringing coil-spring suspension, a revised front end and improved interior while retaining the familiar separate-chassis construction and rugged character of its predecessors. The Defender name would not arrive until 1990, making these earlier Ninety models a distinctive chapter in Land Rover history.

This 1988 example has an unusually personal history, having remained within the seller's family for around two decades. The seller's father, then the owner of a workshop and garage business, purchased the Land Rover from a customer in approximately 2006 before carrying out work and gifting it to the seller after they passed their driving test the following year. It has remained with them ever since, although periods of home working have meant relatively limited use during some years.

Considerable mechanical work has been undertaken during that ownership. Following failure of the original engine around 2009 or 2010, it received a Discovery-sourced 200Tdi, while subsequent upgrades and replacements have included a gearbox and clutch, higher-speed differentials, Land Rover power-steering box, radiator, heater matrix, wheels with safety rims and more recent tires and brakes. A replacement rear door, swing-away spare-wheel carrier, tow pack and heavy-duty battery have also been fitted.

Its 223,337 miles reflect a Land Rover that has seen regular use over the years, and the seller is candid about its cosmetic wear and current MOT advisories. With long-term family ownership, a useful program of mechanical upgrades and the more comfortable County specification, this Ninety offers a characterful and usable example of Land Rover's pre-Defender era.

Key Information

Mileage: 223,337 miles (indicated)
Country of registration: United Kingdom
Technical inspection status: MOT valid until 8 July 2027, pass with advisories for slight play in the front wheel bearings, a corroded bulkhead, a missing nearside center support bracket, and corrosion on the rear metal brake pipes and underside.
Technical specs: 2.5-liter inline-four diesel, five-speed manual gearbox
Paperwork: MOT certificate and V5C

The Detail

Finished in blue with 'County' graphics over a gray cloth-trimmed interior
16-inch steel wheels
County specification with cloth-trimmed seats and four folding side-facing rear seats
Seller describes the exterior as being in fair overall condition, with various areas of chipped paintwork, particularly around the edges of the front doors
County side stripes are peeling in places
Interior shows general wear consistent with age and use
Marks, scratches and dents visible to painted metal surfaces inside the cabin
Carpet staining noted
Some areas of the upholstery show tears and fraying
Acquired by the seller's father from a customer in approximately 2006
Gifted to the seller in around 2007 after they passed their driving test and retained within the family ever since
Original engine replaced around 2009/2010 with a Discovery-sourced 200Tdi unit
Replacement gearbox and clutch fitted during current family ownership
Higher-speed differentials fitted
Replacement Land Rover power-steering box
Replacement radiator and heater matrix
Wheels with safety rims fitted
More recent tires and brakes
Replacement complete rear door
Tow pack fitted
Swing-away spare-wheel carrier
Recent heavy-duty battery
Replacement front air vents
No service invoices available, as much of the work was carried out by the seller's father through his own workshop

BEFORE YOU BUY

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