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Thread: Importing 25 year old Defenders

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Missoula Montana
    Posts
    13

    Default Importing 25 year old Defenders

    I have been looking at Defenders for sale in the U.K. through a man named Doug Crowther. These are right hand drive 25 year old vehicles. Claimed to be straight forward to ship and register here. How many of you Defender owners have done this? Im a Series owner, and it seems it might be worth it if one can be had at a reasonable price. What do think?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    People's Republick of Cambridge & Malpais CR
    Posts
    175

    Default

    While I have not done what you are looking to do, and others on the forum have done it many times, I have explored it in a slightly different manner.

    What I found, with few exceptions, was that all the Defenders >25 years old that were with my price expectation (<$15K) were simply poor condition old trucks. Akin to what a 25 year old F250 would be here in the US. However some had very nice new paint, which looked great in photos.

    What I did find was that, for well within my budget, I could get a restored Series III in much better shape; but it just doesn't come with the Defender cache.

    The variable in my experience, to what you are considering, is that I was looking in Costa Rica and Belize, vs UK.

    That said, I've known of 3 guys who have brought series Landys in from Costa Rica with no problems registering in US, but each state is different. I'll be bringing in two this year.

    If you are buying from an importer, be sure terms of sale are FOB US, customs cleared.

    Something I've been warned about is that US customs are well aware that, (being so high value in US), non >25 year old Defenders are being altered overseas and imported into the US. And, as result, all Defenders imported are highly scrutinized by US customs; pretty much considered contraband until proven otherwise.

    If confirmed as contraband they are confiscated, destroyed and the person importing is charged with a felony. There are Defenders out there that are registered, and appear, as being >25 years old but are not. I would not want to have the US customs be the bringer of that very bad news to me.... I've also heard of this going on with JDM super cars too, i.e Skylines and Evos.

    Thus, this is a very good reason to apply a lot of caveat emptor when looking to import a vintage Defender. Also, no doubt others here on the forum have imported successfully many times and that there are lots of legit vintage defender out there--I'm just offering a risk data point for your consideration.
    The Toltec Coffee fleet....
    96 FZJ80: 3XL, lifted, and shaved
    94 FZJ 80: our Costa Rican coffee and surf mobile
    70 Series IIA 88: After 18 months of wrenching, its alive and legal to drive!
    70 Series IIA 88: in US on H-1B visa
    56 Series I 86: a whole new type of rover hell....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Charlotte, VT
    Posts
    463

    Default

    Douge is a great guy. I would use a importer like him or my self. It's a lot more then the shipping and customs you need to worry about. The is a major pain but finding the right Defender is even more important. Alot of people are selling some great looking but poor mechanicly trucks. You really need some one to check it out and do a pre buy on it and such. I have seen far to many people get screwed with bad Defender or even worse illegal Defenders.

    If stuff with Douge does not work out let me know

    Derek

    greenmountainrovers.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Portsmouth, VA
    Posts
    321

    Question question

    Why, aren't older (25 yr) good condition Spanish Santanas being looked at? They are left hookers to start with and did (I think) have good quality diesels and 5,6 speed gear boxes.
    Just my 2P
    Jim Wolf

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    1,199

    Default

    I can vouch for Doug. He will not screw you over and will treat you fairly. On the other hand, if you are a tire kicker or otherwise a time waster he will not be pleased.

  6. #6

    Default

    I imported one last year myself, and getting ready to bring in another. It is not difficult, but can be a little more than some people want to deal with. You can save yourself quite a bit of money if you do it yourself. You will need someone on the other end to help with the paperwork and delivery to the dock.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Concord, Va
    Posts
    111

    Default

    Not sure who Baja GS is but I haven't sold anyone a defender in 3 years. I don't recall working with anyone in Montana in 2012. I generally don't sell trucks. The last truck I sold was my personal 110 to a friend when I decided to upgrade to a 130. By all accounts that friend got a screaming deal on a solid left hand drive tdi truck.

    I am a shipping logistics and import service and go to great lengths to distance what I do from the sales transactions. I import 6-8 trucks per month for buyers that have already made their purchase from foreign sellers-not myself.
    DividingCreekImports.com
    Tdi 130 Crew Cab x2
    110 V8 5 door

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Knox TN
    Posts
    133

    Default

    I have imported 5. Shipping from Southampton to Ga is around $2k. I do it all myself. Easy

    Nate B
    88 D90 RHD, V8 Present
    84 Defender 110 3 Door RHD Petrol in 2012
    80 Merc 230GE Petrol in 2011
    78 SIII 109" RHD Petrol in 2011
    82 SIII 88" RHD Petrol in 2010
    82 SIII 88" RHD Diesel in 2009
    92 Range Rover - In the 90's
    cuis2000@yahoo.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Knox TN
    Posts
    133

    Default

    jeremy@shipit.co.uk can give you a quote out of Southampton.

    Nate B
    88 D90 RHD, V8 Present
    84 Defender 110 3 Door RHD Petrol in 2012
    80 Merc 230GE Petrol in 2011
    78 SIII 109" RHD Petrol in 2011
    82 SIII 88" RHD Petrol in 2010
    82 SIII 88" RHD Diesel in 2009
    92 Range Rover - In the 90's
    cuis2000@yahoo.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Boyle Heights, Ca. (L.A.)
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Senor baja.... just curious... why aren't you going through jackson, witham or blanchard?

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