Buying first Defender

Evening gentlemen. I'm aware there are numerous threads on buying a defender and I've read a lot of them and am happy with what to look for mechanically. I've seen a nice one just 2 miles from my house, a 1989
90 4c Sw Dt Diesel. It is good order underneath and only real items requiring attention are a rear crossmember in the future, and an odometer that has stopped working about 5k miles ago.
It has been resprayed a different colour to standard, it is black and registered blue, and the engine has been changed to a 200tdi unit. I believe the V5 still shows 19j 2.5TD.

The seller has been quite open with me and is happily providing information for me, including the V5 which he is getting a copy of for me so I can check the history etc. The sale price is 4k.
Is there anything mentioned there that should be alarming me assuming an HPi check returns ok? How commonly are these sold as stolen or copied vehicles?
I'm led to believe that the changing of engines is quite common with the defender and to get the V5 changed to reflect the new engine and vehicle colour should just be a paperwork exercise?

Any thoughts? Anything else I should be checking in light of the above?

NormalforNorfolk said:

Evening gentlemen. I'm aware there are numerous threads on buying a defender and I've read a lot of them and am happy with what to look for mechanically. I've seen a nice one just 2 miles from my house, a 1989
90 4c Sw Dt Diesel. It is good order underneath and only real items requiring attention are a rear crossmember in the future, and an odometer that has stopped working about 5k miles ago.
It has been resprayed a different colour to standard, it is black and registered blue, and the engine has been changed to a 200tdi unit. I believe the V5 still shows 19j 2.5TD.

The seller has been quite open with me and is happily providing information for me, including the V5 which he is getting a copy of for me so I can check the history etc. The sale price is 4k.
Is there anything mentioned there that should be alarming me assuming an HPi check returns ok? How commonly are these sold as stolen or copied vehicles?
I'm led to believe that the changing of engines is quite common with the defender and to get the V5 changed to reflect the new engine and vehicle colour should just be a paperwork exercise?

Any thoughts? Anything else I should be checking in light of the above?

Click to expand...

Check records carefully, they are often stolen and ringed. MOT records are online too, can be revealing.

I didnt have a problem getting engine number changed when mine had a recon. I bought it with the new engine, just sent off the form it came back no problem.

I haven't looked at prices recently but 4k for a motor that'll need work doing to the rear cross member seems a bit on the high side. check under the bonnet and inside of the doors for some proof that it once was blue

As above, plus the boys in blue might be able to assist with any relevant theft history...
MOT history can be revealing and quite funny at the same time - and also give you some history - for instance, if it failed numerous times of corrosion in the same area, or had essentially the same advisory year after year, you can guess that the servicing and maintenance of the vehicle wasn't the PO's highest priority....

There's other stuff you can see online too, but someone else will be along shortly to remind me what this is .....

There's some been sold recently on e-bay round here in good nick, for less than that I believe.

almost any old tat goes for 4.5K now. its not worth it.

Thanks chaps, I've seen a few others for less money that look a bit more 'used' but that's due to original paint. Will slip this one down the list a bit and keep searching for the one I need rather than the one I want because it's shiney and looks nicer

A rear cross member isnt the end of the world, get a price to supply and fit a new one then knock that off the price of the car.
Odo not working is pretty much irrelevant as you buy a land rover on condition not mileage.
The engine change and dvla not notified wouldnt bother me as Ive done the same with the series.
The colour changed and not notifying the dvla would concern me some.
Add the two together and the doubts start to form, but again it could be genuine and if the guy has owned it for a few years ( like many of us have) it sounds like a typical land rover owner, ie I will do that later honest!

As for the stolen bit I think you need to join landywatch and after reading a bit you may not want to own one!

NormalforNorfolk if your not to far way I would be happy to have a look over any if your not sure what to look for.

I'm, located near Thetford pm me
cheers Andy