How to assess a Land Rover

Thinking of buying a Land Rover, or spending money on the one you have? Trevor shows why a careful assessment is the crucial first step

Buying a Defender or spending money on your own? Careful assessment is the first crucial step

DURING the pandemic, motor vehicles in Northern Ireland that have a current MOT in force are being issued with automatic extensions to their MOT expiry date. Initially a six month extension was added, and now a second six month extension has occurred in some cases. This means that a motor vehicle being offered for sale with a valid MOT in place, may not have been officially safety inspected or tested for more than 18 months. The Land Rover Defender 90, which is the subject of this short series, is just such a vehicle. It possesses a current MOT, yet it has been off the road due to various issues for quite some time. While the Land Rover is definitely not for sale, and was booked in to my workshop by the owner for a new chassis from the outset, it is worth a thorough inspection to show what potentially could be on the market for sale in this current environment.

So this first instalment will show why this Td5 Defender might need to have a new chassis fitted, and also what to look out for when buying a vehicle in these uncertain times, or even assessing the vehicle you already own prior to major work being done.

Fine-looking truck 1

From the front, the Land Rover looks to be in very good condition for its age, with no obvious dents or scratches in the body panels.

Cared for 2

The rear and side views also show that the vehicle has been well looked after throughout the 20-year lifespan, although the Safari door has corrosion.

All can be sorted 3

The interior has not been badly abused, although aspects are very tired, such as these front seats which would certainly benefit from a retrim.

No surprise 4

As well as the corrosion noted on the safari door, the front doors are showing typical rusting along the bottom section of the frame.

Water ingress 5

The station wagon’s rear seats are all intact, serviceable and not in bad condition, although the carpet is quite damp and musty in large areas.

No costly replacement 6

Crucially, the rear body tub cappings are in excellent condition, showing no signs of rust along their length. One less job to worry about!

A simple fix 7

The radiator surround panel has a strange bend at the bottom area and looks like it was perhaps not re-fitted correctly at some stage.

Good boots 8

The tyres are of high quality and have lots of life left in them, while the alloy wheels are not showing the usual signs of unsightly corrosion.

Sign of things to come 9

The bulkhead outriggers both have rust that has penetrated right through the steel structure. This is repairable, if it is the only issue with the chassis.

Extra protection 10

Station wagon models have this additional rubber wheel arch fitted each side for sound deadening, but they also provide protection for the footwells.

It lasted well 11

On the inside of the rear crossmember, rust has really taken hold. The crossmember appears to be the original item and not a replacement.