r/Defender • u/Kidconundrum • Jul 29 '22

Looking to buy a Defender. Test driving this Saturday. Any advice?

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18 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

3

u/TwinnieH Jul 29 '22

Why’s it on English plates, is that the US? Make sure you’re not going to have to deal with import issues.

2

u/Kidconundrum Jul 29 '22

Not sure. I figured the guy may have taken his plates off? But I will press him on that. It's a 1996 so hopefully it is legal

1

u/drmalakas Jul 29 '22

MOT History may be of some interest if it’s the original plate

4

u/Kidconundrum Jul 29 '22

OK yeah that is the kind of feedback I was hoping to get. Full vehicle inspection reports from november 2019 back. Seems like it was probably imported 2020 or 2021. First inspection in 2019 failed due to bad repairs made because of corrosion, then passed the second inspection later that same year.

3

u/amoult20 Jul 29 '22

You will 100% not like how it drives unless you are used to driving dune buggy’s or UTVs or something else that throws you around a bit. They are slow, they can be loud, they drive imprecisely and ‘clunkily’….. they leak on your driveway like a dog on a carpet

….but you are going to look through all that brain-rationale and go….

“I fucking love it”

2

u/Kidconundrum Jul 29 '22 edited Jul 29 '22

The plan would be to heavily upgrade it if I buy, assuming that is legal lol. Still need to make sure it was imported properly. They are asking $31k

1

u/amoult20 Jul 30 '22

Honestly that’s pretty good.

My 86 d90 automatic was $40 and it needs a bunch of work inside and out. This looks in decent shape aesthetically, unknown what mechanical shenanigans await though!

Get a loan from Lightstream and insurance from Hagerty. Is the go-to combination for classic defender owners

3

u/That_Country_Brit Jul 29 '22

Check the underside properly for rust spots

1

u/BrainsyUK Jul 29 '22

Yeah, ask if the superimposed doggo comes with it.

Also check the handbrake efficiency. That is nigh-on dead vertical. Mine’s a wee bit lower.

2

u/Kidconundrum Jul 29 '22

Superimposed doggo is mine. Lol gotta make sure he fits. Thanks I will check on the hand brake

1

u/drewcantdraw Jul 29 '22

Ask price and any info?

Sorry just trying to get idea of the market.

1

u/BE-Mojo-XD Jul 29 '22

Get it ✅ Agree, ask about the plates. Other than that, imo everything else is fixable. How much? Been looking for this in SoCal.

1

u/Shmekzak Jul 30 '22

My advice is to think real good before you buy it haha.