Suspect purchase

Hi guys, new here and looking for advice.

Bought a lovely Defender 90 last week from a reputable source (not private). In the moment I failed to check VINs and engine numbers feeling very safe in buying from said source. My wife had HPI'd the previous night and all came through ok. Since taking the Defender I have found that the engine number has been ground off, although not happy about this I have been assured that this is all ok and nothing to worry about by seller.

The 90 is on a raised suspension set up that is very squeaky. From the docs that I have I decided to contact the guy who built it on a new chassis to ask what height lift it is before I go ahead and purchase new bits. It turns out that the car I have is not what it seems.

Its on a J plate now and the guy who built it sold it on a G plate. Ran a car check on the G plate and it comes back as a cream colour, the J plate is blue! Also the VIN on the G plate check is different from the VIN that has been riveted on to the new chassis on my car. The G plate has had 8 previous keepers and according to my V5 only 4 on this current J plate?! WTF is going on? Have I bought a ringer? Im gutted as the 90 is a beaut. Ive informed the seller and am waiting for a response.

New to Land Rover and appreciate that they are made up of loads of different bits but can't help think that this stinks. What do you think?

Cheers

I'd be contacting the place you purchased it from and if all else fails threatening them with the rozzers

Where are you getting the registration details from?

Yeah Im sick as I love the motor, Its a Land Rover specialist too I can't believe it! Just found out tonight and have emailed the garage, looking for a response ASAP tomorrow.

The reg I have is on the V5, I contacted the guy who built it and he said thats not the reg he sold it on?

Cant be a plate change as J is 91 and G is 89.

Does the reg on the v5 match the one on the vehicle?

Yes.

I have seen the vehicle before, I have been looking for ages and remember viewing it last year. I remember then that is was on a G plate but didn't twig straight away when buying it last week. Now its on a J, how can the same car suddenly become something else? Its a rebuild, the car check I ran on the car when I bought it came up as registered 91, four previous keepers and blue in colour. The reg I got off the guy who built it (and who sold it last year) was a G, I ran a car check on that reg and it came back as registered 89, 8 previous keeper and cream.

Then I can't see how the previous owner says he had and built a vehicle with a different registration number to the one on your v5

I know, I can't come up with an explanation, it looks very dodgy to me. Im going to get shod and ask for my money back.

What engine is fitted to it?

The guy who sold it me said that it was a 300 gold? Apparently the correct engine for it. Now the V5 says it should be 200! Its actually got a Discovery engine fitted, the guy who built it told me this evening.

At that age I would have thought that it would be a 200. Has it got a serpentine belt (300) or v shaped belts (200). The position of the turbo on a 200 will indicate if it's a Defender or a discovery engine although transplants are fairly common. How long ago did the previous owner sell it?

Take photo's of the evidence in case it suddenly disappears.
There's only one reason to remove the engine number = hide the identity.
Yer can get the history of mileage against registration numbers at the time of mot's ere:
https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

The vin is on chassis rail/ dumb iron on drivers side also dependant on age the chassis can be stamped with year on inside of chassis near transmission brake.

Engine number ground off is suspicious and can often be acid etched to recover number as metal is compressed in stamping process.

A re body on a chassis and matching engine number is a non issue, ground off numbers or welded in chassis number should ring alarm bells. A stolen vehicle the seller and buyer never gain good title and may be seized by police or repossessed by insurance company

Thanks guys, I have ran mileage checks on both the reg's that I have. Im dealing with it this morning, will update you all when I know. Thanks for the input.

Wish you Luck

Dropped the Landy off and got a full refund, he didn't even quibble. Showed him pictures of the same car with the G plates on that I got off the guy who built it. He said he still had that same car in the back; I said that car I have just brought you back is that car!! "You don't understand land rovers" was his response. Then he Told me that it was going straight back on eBay.

Dutifully reported all this to the law. If the car was legit then surely he wouldn't have just given my money back so easily?

I guess two years newer is an easy grand?