Car History

My Series 3 was made in South Africa then moved to Spain before UK. I have the engine and chassis numbers on the log book. Is there any way of finding out any history of the vehicle. Like where it was sold or who to etc.

No as it's been re-registered twice and the engine number on V5 might not be the original and the chassis number could also be different to UK built..post first part of chassis number and we can see if it matchs UK...

Jimmiboy said:

My Series 3 was made in South Africa then moved to Spain before UK. I have the engine and chassis numbers on the log book. Is there any way of finding out any history of the vehicle. Like where it was sold or who to etc.

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Doubt it. Unless you can make contact with any of the previous owners via the person who sold it to you.

It is important to remember that Series were made by the millions, including many built or assembled abroad, so except for a few prototypes and vehicles that were involved in important events, or owned by the Queen or other VIPs, nobody bothers much to record what happens to them.

I seem to remember reading that there is register of Historic Land Rovers, might be at the motor museum at Gaydon, but I don't know if Series 3s are historic enough to be included.

On the other hand, I might not even remember right about the register.

Turboman said:

Doubt it. Unless you can make contact with any of the previous owners via the person who sold it to you.

It is important to remember that Series were made by the millions, including many built or assembled abroad, so except for a few prototypes and vehicles that were involved in important events, or owned by the Queen or other VIPs, nobody bothers much to record what happens to them.

I seem to remember reading that there is register of Historic Land Rovers, might be at the motor museum at Gaydon, but I don't know if Series 3s are historic enough to be included.

On the other hand, I might not even remember right about the register.

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They do have a register but it doesnt include SA build which is why it's hard to import them here if built there...

A lot of left hookers on the continent were made as knock down kits then reassembled, badged as Santanas in Spain. Gaydon or LR might have info

As three different countries are involved, the problem has three distinct parts, as there are three separate and distinct national registration systems involved.

For UK built vehicles you can get a BMIHT heritage certificate for £46-odd, but the records do not include vehicles exported from the UK disassembled in crates and assembled in overseas locations (CKD vehicles).

How long has it been in the UK? You can obtain information from the DVLA using a V888 form, and MOT history including mileages is available online.

Many Land Rovers were built in South Africa including specific local market variants, with different engines and the like. You might get lucky as some UK vehicles were exported to SA, either as private imports or initial supplies before local assembly was ramped up. Try the VIN calculator here https://www.clifton.nl/index.html?calvin.html and it should tell you if UK or overseas assembled. If UK assembled, get the heritage certificate and send a completed V888 form to the DVLA. If overseas assmbled it will be more difficult, depending on what you have already.

I also am interested in the history of the vehicles I own, and have managed to recover a decent mount of history on most cases, but in your case with it having been in three different countries, it will be much more difficult, depending on how much information you have already, registration documents and the like.

You should do a google search on how to obtain vehicle history in SA and Spain.

For example, much MOT history and motor vehicle registration data is now available online. If online searching brings no joy, you could contact Land Rover clubs in SA and Spain for advice. The Facebook Land Rover groups have members from dozens of countries, someone on one of those will point you in the right direction.