any advice?

bought my 110 2.5 years ago..basic model purchased, but then supposedly rebuilt in order for me to go on overland trip from uk down to gambia...broke down as pulled out of Calais...needed new gearbox, which the company who did the refit, under pressure did replace in a car park in france! then the power steering pump seized because the pipe to it had been caught when replacing the gearbox...a week later, managed to catch up with the others in morrocco..then when partner was driving back, was unable to get it into hardly any gears, especially reverse, not great on the ferries! again the company had it back and fixed the problem... but now the back door is rotted, the rear body capping is also rusted and has now spread onto the main bodywork, have just found out that the rear half shafts have been welded to the drive flange...so in order to get back on track, need a new back door, and to remove the roof etc etc...is this usual or have i been completely had in the net?
I have little to no mechanical knowledge, but i love my landrover and the things it can do still amaze me, but feel i have been sold down the river

ooh half shafts welded? common practice when stuckin middle of nowhere and have to make a plan, in no way a pro job if you sk me. But i would be carefull and have a look at what the job instructions were to the company that did the ''re-build'' for you. as for the rust again see the instructions, rust doesnt happen over nite, specialy not your kind of rust! i would feel cheeted also if all that happened to me...

Send it back, not fit for the job or not as described


Guessing it was a trader not private so I think they should have to fix it under trading standards if they lied about condition or didn't disclose all

where you bought it from..... was it the same company that rebuilt it for overland?

defenders rust..specially the areas you mention, so its not something the seller can control....
if it wasnt like that to start with... there isnt much you can do about it.

fair play to the company that rebuilt it, to replace a gearbox in a car park in France and do other repairs.... i think most companies wouldnt do that at all..

rust is common... a mate bought a brand new defender 110 2 years ago... there's areas already rusted

But if rebuilding they should have replaced the welded pieces and treated the rust with something like krust then painted over it to reduce the chance of restarting

I dont think its something they would do or look for unless instructed, to rebuild it to overland, they'd just bolt bits on to make it more capable...

not necessarily to a restoration project and look for bits of surface rust, or else they'd be taking the whole thing to the bare chassi as all Defender have rust

how old is your defender?

They said it was a complete restoration. Was stripped down to the chassis and rebuilt. Cost approx £9k for restoration and £6k for initial vehicle...was under the impression it was all new parts ie doors etc...hence the cost, but now looks like it was for paint work and to make it look pretty...appreciate that defenders rust, but was thinkin I had a new one which would take a tad longer to rust that much and door almost fall to pieces! They came to France because we were doing a blog. Also had a 12 month warranty on the vehicle, which at one point they did say woul only cover me in the uk... But I pointed out I was 100 miles into a 4500 mile trip with a newly built vehicle that had no gear box...

If it was a chassis up rebuild I would expect a lack of rust, they've tried to pull a fast one IMO, what they've just done is to replace any major parts that were in need of repair, probably patch the chassis up badly if it had any holes and then as you said make it look pretty

I'd tell them it's not what you were lead to believe it was and want a refund rather than to keep finding faults with it until the day your warranty runs out


Buy a good base model 110 and build it up to your own spec


If you paid 15k for it I would expect the vehicle to be near new as for 5K more you could have picked up a new one or for less an ex demo model

Dr Evil, don't think I could part with her now. They reckon it will cost approx £1000+ to get it done, haven't had the best relations with the company as you can imagine....thinking of askin them what they think of it and whether this is what I should expect from their workmanship? Just wanted to know if anyone who lives and breathes landrovers would expect this to have happened? Course, know they wouldn't have used these people anyway, or rather the company would suss that couldn't pull the wool over their eyes!

Btw it's 1995 n reg

Name and shame

Was it simmonites ? or a similar over priced place

I'd be inclined to take it up with them pointing out all of the faults (welded pieces should be replaced in a full rebuild)

Rust is a given as it could happen whilst on the lot waiting for a buyer but not replacing and rather bodging parts together is not part of a full rebuild and should be questioned.

Thanks guys for your input, i really appreciate it.

Perhaps you oght to have a word with your solicitor and the Trading Standards Office as it looks to me that they saw you coming.

I don't think you should be sentimental. Take it back, get a cheap sound one. My 90 was 2500 quid. With galvanised chassis, doors and bulkhead will be naff all to rust, recon 200tdi conversion and will come in at bout 10 k with a respray.
I would send it back, learn a lesson and find a worthy project. Put all ya toys in etc and will last a lifetime.

Who did the work?

Sent a PM my reply will be with MHM input, I didn't realize the cost involved and think you may be able to go for Sale Of Goods Act
satisfactory quality and fit for purpose-
the time scale is a concern as mentioned in PM

Thanks again guys....would prefer not to mention company name... Yet! Am tempted to pull some strings and get picture of rick waksman from watchdog looking at my landy...what do you think? Ask them want they can do to put right and if no joy, casually pull out the picture?

Well it's not like the company can do much if you do, its a public service mentioning them really


Anyway as said before, see about returning it as its not fit for purpose. You're far better off buying a landy you know is decent rather than one that a company has said they've rebuilt. A lot of them will not do anything more than make it look pretty and that seems to be what has happened to the one you bought, if I was spending 15k I'd go to a trusted garage with a cheaper solid one and get them to mod it if you cant or buy a 10k one (you'll be getting a good one for that money) and mod it yourself with the remaining 5k.


They sold you something unfit and you are entitled to complain and should hopefully be able to get your money back. If that much went wrong with it so quickly imagine what else its hiding

As I mentioned to fanatic in pm found it's actually been 3.5 years not 2.5! Have had a good look at sales of goods act and costs in trying to get it sorted would be damn site more than getting it sorted once and for all. Have posted some pics of rebuild that we were able to take on a couple of occasions ...company is Liveridge. Sure they have done good job for most folks, maybe we have just been unlucky. Wish I had known about this forum when I first thought about getting landy...lots of good folks with top advice.