So my first proper car was a 1991 defender 90 pick up. Loved it. Got it for £1600, rough and ready. Growing up in the countryside, trundling round the country roads, across the fields to see friends, it was great.
Then life happened and I needed something more sensible (fuel wise) for the commute to work. Didn’t want to sell it as I was too attached to it, so covered it over and parked it up.
Fast forward 10 years to 2024, and I was in a position to do something with it. Finally got the means together to send it off to be refurbished. Full galvanised chassis, new bulk head, sand down and repaint, new brakes, tires, diesel lift pump, intercooler, radiator, original wheels blasted and refurbed, new interior, etc etc the full shebang! Cost me a pretty penny(£25k+), took 6 months longer than they said, plus a seemingly endless list of added extra parts, but I put it behind me and I was chuffed to bits when I finally got it back.
Since then though there has been issue after issue. The rear door wouldn’t shut properly, the passenger door wouldn’t shut properly, the speedometer stopped working, the internal lights stopped working, the new entertainment head unit (Chinese but their recommendation) stopped working, the new paint had split where they adjusted the bonnet, windscreen wipers didn’t work properly and then needed a new motor, indicators stopped working and now the windscreen wiper (new) came off while I was driving along.
Now I know there is going to be issues. It’s an unpredictable old vehicle which hadn’t been driven for an age but I’m just feeling a little bit down about how long it all took, how much I spent and now how many issues keep popping up. When the windscreen wiper fell off I was just told “old style wiper arms do that”….. Don’t get me wrong they have put things right when they happen but it just seems to be one thing after another.
Am I right to feel a bit disheartened or should I just suck it up and be happy with what I have and accept there will be ongoing issues?