Importing a Defender 110 from the UK

[ZEVRO]

Hello,

My wife and I are looking to purchase a 1988 LHD Defender 110 Diesel. The truck is located in Sheffield England. We are looking to see if there are any fellow readers that live in the area would be interested in checking out the truck for us. If so please let us know. Thank You.

 

[Nonimouse]

Who are you buying it from?

Are you sure it complies with US legislation/import requirements?

A number of my fellow countrymen are keen to deprive US folk of their hard earned cash by selling illegal, bodged up rubbish

 

[gm13]

Another option if an Expo member is not local to your potential purchase is to google LR mechanics in the area and paypal them to give it a look.

Edit: and what Nonimouse said, anxiety around the bodgedness is expected but be sure it meets the specs for import, times ain't what they used to be apparently.

 

[Mack73]

Post this up over here: www.defendersource.com

You can read about import regulations and many there are willing to help.

 

[Ray_G]

Hit up Doug Crowther. He's on here (Dividing Creek). He is a well known member of the community who can get you sorted.
R-
Ray

 

[ZEVRO]

Thanks Guys,

The truck has to be 25 years old for a permanent regestration. Anything newer than that is only a one year regestration. After that it has to be exported somewhere else. I will look at Defender source and google. Thanks for the help.

 

[mongosd2]

It goes much deeper than that…the vehicle basically needs to be in the original configuration from when it left the factory. No engine swap, original frame and so on…

With that said, do some get thru customs, yep, but it's turning into a pretty big gamble

 

[tacr2man]

The chances of finding a original spec LHD 110 in UK is very slim . They will have been ex army , and quite a few will have been subject to a lot of abuse by the military . In UK they fetch quite high prices (any defender LHD or RHD ) for the year , and there is quite a lot of vehicle theft that is based on supplying the demand for used spares, that are needed for rebuilds , upgrades etc .
I would advise buying from a country where they are sold LHD . a lot of these are better value , as they will have been used in dry , or environments where the roads dont get buried in salt whenever it looks like dropping below freezing (as they do in UK) .

eg here
http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-insera...red=ALSO_DAMAGE_UNREPAIRED&export=ALSO_EXPORT



http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-insera...red=ALSO_DAMAGE_UNREPAIRED&export=ALSO_EXPORT

 

[TownDiver]

Issues

I would be very very wary of this actually making it in. Check the Vin number (Used this and a manual version Clifton that I cannot find again). I bought one that just made it back to England to get the engine swapped out as it wasn't original, and this is after fines and penalties plus shipping, but that's a story I've explained loads. Misread one major portion just before customs cracked down on everything and I'm still in the process of getting it. Hope whatever you do works out though!

 

[ZEVRO]

Well as it always goes the truck was sold out from under us. A guy from New York bought it sight unseen. I want to get the VIN Numbers and address so I could have a pre purchase inspection done but the guy just kept dancing around the issue. He kept wanting a deposit but I told he wasn`t getting one until I see the information. Needless to say he said he sold it and I was too late. What is with who buy things without even knowing what they`re buying. He must work for congress or something. LOL. Anyway Thanks to everyone for your help and advice. We`ll keep looking.

 

[Daddymow]

Hit up Doug Crowther. He's on here (Dividing Creek). He is a well known member of the community who can get you sorted.
R-
Ray

X2 I used Doug to bring in my D110 and his service is outstanding. I would not suggest trying it alone. Also, make double sure it is kosher with CBP as I saw at least 1/2 dozen that were seized at the Port Of Brunswick alone when I picked mine up.

 

[DividingCreek]

Thanks guys.
I have got my fingers crossed that the original poster finds another truck. When a seller isn't forthcoming with the most basic of details like the VIN its probably just as well the sale fell through.

 

[Russ.W.]

This is my first post on this forum. I quickly scanned for an intro thread but didn't find one. My apologies if this is out of line.

Can I ask, what is it about Defender's that makes them hard to import and register in the US? Is it an emissions thing? Safety standards? etc. I never understood it.

 

[Javelinadave]

This is my first post on this forum. I quickly scanned for an intro thread but didn't find one. My apologies if this is out of line.

Can I ask, what is it about Defender's that makes them hard to import and register in the US? Is it an emissions thing? Safety standards? etc. I never understood it.

All of the above.
Motors are not government certified
No airbags
No side impact protection
No rollover protection
Etc, etc , ect.

If they are 100% stock and 25+ years old then they are exempt.
I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of other things but that is pretty much it in a nut shell.

 

[Lnorthants]

I am based in silverstone, uk. If one pops up local I can give it a once over if needed.