Reckon it all depends on just what you want it for, for me the 2.8 is perfect. Pretty good mpg, very reliable and tough as old boots.
Saying that, I did have a wee problem with the truck last night, picking up the misses and her mates from their Christmas works do at some god foresaken hour in the morning from a 'out in the sticks' Oxfordshire pub the O/S back door lock decided it didnt want to play and just would not lock the door. A 10 min panic ensued with me having to rip the door to bits to get the lock gubbins out, turned out to be full of Oxfordshire/Wiltshire mud and it had frozen up. Manaeged to get it all cleaned out and back in though so all was well in the end. Total time? about 30 mins start to finish including shoving the lock thing under the hot tap in the pub to defrost and wash the sh*t out.
Looking ot other 4x4's, having driven various different landrovers from the Petrol Series 2, the Lightweight Air Portable, to the Defender I can honestly say that mile for mile I've had less breakdowns or trouble from the 2.8 and it's far more comfy too.
I must admit though, I could be tempted with a 3.2 with a gas kit as a spare but it would be no good for work, being a petrol engine I can't take it into the fuel installations or bang storeage areas....
This posting may have been helpfull, on the other hand probably not... Either way, I may have had drink when posting it in which case it's probably not as helpfull as it could have been
Work safe, and remember all technical problems can be resolved with a hammer, the trick is knowing where to hit it and how big a hammer to use (I often find it may also help to have a spare bit in the shed to replace the bit you have just mullered

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Work in Progress (or not as the case may be) I give you....
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hereWork in Progress (or not as the case may be) I give you....
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hereOwning a 2.8 is a hobby in it's self...