Big News For L.R Lovers

[Z O O R O P A]

I found a place in Vermont no less that is importing Land Rover 110s in Diesel form. The vehicles are all from Argentina. THey will continue to import them all year and seem to do 3 at a time. I will go check out the first one next week. Evidently it is a '96 and 2 more on the way are 98s or 99s. I specifically asked if they passed all DOT etc. and they said yes.

802-438-4445 OR 802-442-0095 are the phone numbers.

My conversation was brief and I will go get the details if there are any questions you would like me to ask please post them here.

Price for this one is 37000$ US which I suppose is reasonable for a 110 in the US. You may also make requests and they can accomodate so a crecab is possible

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4606148771&fromMakeTrack=true

I love 110s and Land Rovers and you may find finances for special vehicles for those who can't pay cash but I just want to reiterate that if there are ANY questions about any of these vehicles it is YOUR ***! You might want to contact ECR and see what they think of all of this since they are specialists in that department.

Besides, fro 37K$ you could import a 1980 110 on your own that might run you 5grand to buy out right, upgrade everything on the truck since the fundamentals really has not changed and have an almost brand new 110 for like 25-30k and it would be completly legal no questions.

Thought I would share since the DIESEL engine would be very very nice

[gjackson]

Wow! If they can really do it that would be pretty cool. But given the the fact that they are not all the same year, I somehow doubt that they had them crash tested and verified by DOT and EPA. Makes no sense to get 3 different model years past DOT spec rather than just concentrating on one.

But, on the other hand they may be a step ahead. Hope it is true. Would be pretty cool, but they are expensive.

cheers

[Z O O R O P A]

hmm good points. Of course, for 30K you could have a 2005 version of X-Wests Tacoma in any color with a Wrnty and all the goodies :arabia:

But sometimes fun costs you; and when it comes to anything British ( and I love British design) it REAALLLY costs you! :exclaim: I guess I have reached that penultimate point where it is more important to me to know in the back of my mind, I just don't have to worry about my rig. Could be maturity although I doubt it lol sounds more like commonsense

[Scott Brady]

They might be bringing them in as 1 1/4 ton rated units. That greatly reduces import requirements.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I just checked the eBay auction page at the link above.

It looks to me like they ended the auction early!:rolleyes:

They only ran it for two days. I bet they had a good cash offer and just pulled the truck off eBay. I don't really like it when a dealer plays games like this. Don't really trust them. If it's really an auction......play it until the end!

Really nice truck though!

[Nullifier]

Those are around the years that the d-90 was here so maybe they are working around that with the passing of the d-90 since they are relatives

[Z O O R O P A]

well they said the truck would be in Vermont next week and they would call me. So I will go speak to them and get the details but the sales associate I spoke to said they will be ordering them all year

I don't really blame them selling the rig if they got an offer. Most auto auctions on ebay reserve that right and having a truck like that for sale requires a special buyer so they take a fair amount of risk getting stuck with it. In my mind they will have to continue to beat the natinal prcies of 40-45K$ in order to sell the trucks anyway and market later models years

I am also questionable as to how good the builds are since they come from Argentina, not very familiar with the quality of construction there but then again, hey they couldn't do much worse than the ones we get from the UK LOL :hehe:

[gjackson]

Those are around the years that the d-90 was here so maybe they are working around that with the passing of the d-90 since they are relatives

That could be their plan, and that is how ECR registers theirs. They get a NAS D-90 title, and then build a 110 and apply the title to that. Only works through 1998, though, 'cause that is when the last D-90s came into the US. After 1998 all vehicles were required by DOT to have driver side airbags. The design of the Defender bulkhead means that airbags are impossible to fit. When they tested airbags in Defenders they found the bulkhead buckled forward, unable to resist the pressure of airbag deployment. So no airbags in Defenders. ECR also had problems with EPA and diesel engines. Don't know the details on ECRs side, but the LR diesels (200tdi, 300tdi and TD5) have never gone through EPA emissions testing, so are not really legal here. They do pass emissions with flying colors, but they have never officially gone through the process. The 2.8 Powerstroke from International is just an upgraded 300tdi, and was supposed to go through EPA testing with the Cross Lander, but I think they have killed the diesel for the Cross Lander and are using petrol engines now. (Somebody correct me if you know more).

I have spend a lot of time looking into getting diesel 110s into the US, so if anyone has specific questions, fire away!

cheers

[pangaea]

The design of the Defender bulkhead means that airbags are impossible to fit. When they tested airbags in Defenders they found the bulkhead buckled forward, unable to resist the pressure of airbag deployment. So no airbags in Defenders.

I didn't know that the Defender bulkhead was unable to withstand airbag deployment. Any idea on when the UK will begin requiring airbags on all vehicles. I'd imagine when they can no longer sell the Defender on home soil, a redesign would be in order.

[Z O O R O P A]

Pangea, first time I've spoken to you but I have followed your adventures from the begining. Wouldn't it be great if that were true and the requirements actually got LR to redesign the Defender so as to allow its import. I saw a Defender 110 NAS go for 32K$ tonight on ebay, not bad I suppose

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4605682553&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

[cruiseroutfit]

That could be their plan, and that is how ECR registers theirs. They get a NAS D-90 title, and then build a 110 and apply the title to that. Only works through 1998, though, 'cause that is when the last D-90s came into the US. ...

There was a company that popped up here in SLC doing just that... They were importing 110 chassis and fitting them with "some" of the drivetrain and parts out of D90's & re-selling them. I had a freind working there for sometime... he bailed before they ever completed a unit (they had 5-10 in buid).They either ran out of money, or were shut down by the DMV depending on whom you chatted with.

Such "swapping" is not legal in Utah, it could be done legally, but called a "kit" or similar...

[gjackson]

Quite a few people have tried to make a business of building 110s. There is certainly enough demand and they catch premium prices. But I think ECR is the only place that has done it fully on the up and up? They are high profile enough to catch a lot of government attention. I got a quote from ECR on my truck (or one just like it). I kid you not, the quote came out to $110,000!! Now that is one heck of a base model truck!! :smilies27

cheers

[Z O O R O P A]

mmm the guy in Utah was named Abraham and he built the Defenders on his own with importing chasis from the UK and parts. He used Range Rover seats (WOW) and premium eveything from steros to removable roofs on 110s and crewcabs with soft tops all fully loaded and ready for off road use or on road. They sold for 60$

I think ECR is a joke myself. Defenders are not exactly complicated vehicles and for the kind of money and TIME they take to refurbish Rovers, your local dealer could do it for alot less than 6 figures.

But hey, the premier hotels in Paris said that the reason they raised the rates of their service was because Americans just didn't feel as though a place was good enough unless it cost alot of money. So a room I used to get in Paris for 350$ for 4-5 Stars, now costs me 1200-2500$

Maybe I should start a business in Alabama or some place where the taxes are cheap refurbishing ... hell I don't know .... early 90s Jeep Wranglers or Saab SPG Turbos for a mere hmmm 45000$ and a delivery date of 18 months and I will give it a 1 year bumper to bumper just for giggles. That way I can do it on Monday nights! After I pick girls up from the local pub. Nothing brings a new relationship around like a lil grease! :o

:bowdown:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/jpatrisi/25DSC_0078.jpg

[Scott Brady]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/jpatrisi/25DSC_0078.jpg

I normaly stay out of the conversations that go this way, but that picture is smokin' hot...

:campfire:

(must be a Monday thing :orngartis )

[Scott Brady]

Oh, now I remember what I was going to write before ZOOROPA distracted me...

The Defender has the unique appeal of a high dollar sports car. They look great muddy or clean, and even in stock form turn heads all day long. People are willing to pay big money to have the privilege of driving and owning one.

Other than the FJ40, the Toyota's are all pretty sterile until you kit them out. Land Rover has always nailed the *****'in/funk factor!!! :archaeolo

Even though I had a poor experience with the quality of my 2001, I would probably buy another one.

[Z O O R O P A]

Amen brotha!!

Please don't let my disparaging remarks mislead you. You put it very well in the post above. Despite my experience with my first, like you would, I bought a second one which I love. I feel the same way about Defenders as any owner might feel, they are what everyone visions when you say the words "expedition vehicle"

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/jpatrisi/001__scaled_600.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/jpatrisi/July4th.jpg

[gjackson]

Scott,

That's interesting you had problems with a 2001. Mine is the same year, and the gearbox went because they 'forgot' to put the drive key in for the oil pump! I haven't had any electrical gremlins show up, but then mine has minimal electronics on it. I thought the quality had gone up since the mid-90s, but that may not be the case with all lines. I think Defender were better in the late 90s. Don't know about Discos though.

In general LRs quality seems to be erratic. Some cars are great others are not. Maybe they drink too much beer in Solihull on some days?! They say never buy a car built on a Friday.

There are 2 man made objects visible from space -- the great wall of China and the gaps around the door seals on a Land Rover. :D

cheers

[Scott Brady]

IMO, Disco I's and Defenders are quite dependable. Nearly all of my issues were electronics related. All told, the vehicle had 35 repairs under warranty in 25,000 miles. Seven trips to the dealership in 2 years.

I know of 98 Disco owners that have passed the 100,000 mile mark without a single issue.

I believe that much of it is as you describe. Just variable little issues.

[colvere]

My 97 has 120K and runs very strong, other then a bad MAF sensor in Utah I have never had to do anything but change fluids.

[The Swiss]

When I moved to the US to Virginia in 1999, I brought my Defender 110 TurboDiesel with me because I was told by a customs attorney that according to whatever rule, Me as a legal alien could drive her here as long as I was on a Visa, and as long as I would not sell her. When the vehicle then actually arrived in the US, it turned out that this rule just applies for legal aliens working for the gouvernment, not for people working for the private industry. I was able to import the Defener for one year declared as a tourist vehicle as I still had a valid address in Switzerland at that time. After that one year, I had to send her back to Switzerland. I sold her then to my dad.

What I did not know and just learned when the Land Rover already was back in Switzerland, as a tourist vehicle, my Defender would not have been entiteled to US license plates and a US title. However, unaware of this, I went to the DMV with the Swiss car papers to get VA plates because the US insurances in Virginia would not insure a vehicle that had not VA plates, and the Swiss insurance insured the vehicle for the entire world except the USA. I got VA plates and more importantly a VA title without the slightest problems!

So my dad has now a Land Rover Defender 110 (with Swiss license plates) that has a valid VA title; I wonder if with that title, I would be able to get her back to the US ...

[gjackson]

Wow. If you had VA plates and a title then you should have just kept it here. Should be able to re-import with no problems, but I'm no lawyer. You are set because they obviously accepted the original VIN! Very cool.

cheers

[The Swiss]

Well, I might one day be looking into getting her back into the US, after consulting with some experts.