I think I’ve brought a ringer……..

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The police have been round and are happy its not stolen, but it is not a series 3. I am assuming I just have to update the V5 with the DVLA now
If the police have said that is not stolen, they are incompetent. Your Land Rover WILL BE STOLEN. It is clearly a factory 300tdi, you can see the remains of the visible VIN in one of your pictures. It needs a specialist stolen vehicle examiner to look at it, to work out it's true identity. There is no way that someone has chucked a Series 3 identity onto it for free tax, as it would be worth a lot more on its proper ID when sold.
Don't fool yourself it is STOLEN..
 
Not necessarily stolen.
Maybe rebuilt in the past by someone who either didn't know, or didn't care about model variants and associated values.

My friend bought a 300tdi from a Land Rover trader in Bolton some years ago.

When she took it for an MOT the chassis number didn't match the V5, and the engine number was wrong (although it was at least a 300tdi engine)

Investigations revealed it wasn't stolen, just built up from various parts by either the trader or the previous owner.

However she wasn't happy and kicked up a fuss, and the trader eventually bought it back off her.
 
Iirc cars could have a new chassis number if built up from parts? From what I can recall they were unusual?

Can you date defender axles from serial numbers like you can series ones?
If you can't establish a vehicle identity then it will be given a Q plate. If you you build it out of all NEW parts then you will be given the current year registration letter. You'd have to prove that all parts are new by supplying DVLA with receipts. Oddly enough they don't want you to be able to use parts that are stolen. I had to go through all this when i built a kitcar many years ago.
Oh and if you can't prove the year they won't let you have free tax either...
I'm also pretty sure that even a legit car with free tax will lose that status if it's modified more than a little too
 
I know someone who did exactly this with a Hillman Hunter out of Linwood.
I worked with a whole crowd of guys from the factory on building sites after it shut and if even half of the stories are true then it is hardly a surprise it shut!
I know someone from 'the other side'. He started a job as security at Rover. A week later i saw him and he had his one leg from ankle to ball sack in a cast. He told me that they were watching someone who had been suspected of taking parts out. He was told to watch for him and when he approached the gate to stop him as they wanted to search his car. He saw they guy, stepped out into the road and put his hand up to stop him. He didn't...
 
Not necessarily stolen.
Maybe rebuilt in the past by someone who either didn't know, or didn't care about model variants and associated values.

My friend bought a 300tdi from a Land Rover trader in Bolton some years ago.

When she took it for an MOT the chassis number didn't match the V5, and the engine number was wrong (although it was at least a 300tdi engine)

Investigations revealed it wasn't stolen, just built up from various parts by either the trader or the previous owner.

However she wasn't happy and kicked up a fuss, and the trader eventually bought it back off her.
You have a different definition of 'rebuilt' than the rest of us. Someone might 'rebuild' a 90 with Disco axles, or change the engine and gearbox but when you replace the engine, gearbox, transfer box, axles, chassis, suspension, bodywork, bulkhead, it ain't called a rebuild...
 
Not necessarily stolen.
Maybe rebuilt in the past by someone who either didn't know, or didn't care about model variants and associated values.

My friend bought a 300tdi from a Land Rover trader in Bolton some years ago.

When she took it for an MOT the chassis number didn't match the V5, and the engine number was wrong (although it was at least a 300tdi engine)

Investigations revealed it wasn't stolen, just built up from various parts by either the trader or the previous owner.

However she wasn't happy and kicked up a fuss, and the trader eventually bought it back off her.
If you where building it yourself as a keeper and you had or could get I/D of a tax free land rover and think you could get away with it, which they where up until they sold it why not
 
You have a different definition of 'rebuilt' than the rest of us. Someone might 'rebuild' a 90 with Disco axles, or change the engine and gearbox but when you replace the engine, gearbox, transfer box, axles, chassis, suspension, bodywork, bulkhead, it ain't called a rebuild...

He may be thinking of the pre-199? whatever cut-off point for substantial changes ... :rolleyes:
 
If you where building it yourself as a keeper and you had or could get I/D of a tax free land rover and think you could get away with it, which they where up until they sold it why not
Errr, because it's against the law? Have a crash and get the book thrown at you. Void MOT. Void insurance.
 
If the police have said that is not stolen, they are incompetent. Your Land Rover WILL BE STOLEN. It is clearly a factory 300tdi, you can see the remains of the visible VIN in one of your pictures. It needs a specialist stolen vehicle examiner to look at it, to work out it's true identity. There is no way that someone has chucked a Series 3 identity onto it for free tax, as it would be worth a lot more on its proper ID when sold.
Don't fool yourself it is STOLEN..
Out of interest, how did the Police know ? Did you report it to them? If so, I’m surprised that they didn’t seize it for a proper inspection by a qualified vehicle examiner. The officers who came around likely weren’t. A vehicle examiner will be able to age a vehicle from components and tell if those parts are from a vehicle of the age that it claims to be. Police can seize the vehicle as suspected stolen, it doesn’t have to be confirmed, and if identified as stolen, it is returns the owner or insurance company. If not, you’d get it back.
 
lf the Police have inspected the Land Rover and have no interest in it, then what next?

The vehicle's past is obviously dodgy in some way, but what would you do with it? By contacting the Police, the O/P has effectively given it a clean slate.

lt's never going to have the value of a genuine numbers example, but also it's never going to get back to what it once was.

So is there a problem with the O/P keeping the vehicle, which he bought in good faith? He's done all he can to uncover its past. Something in writing from the Police, such as a record of their inspection, would be a good idea, in case it gets pulled up in the future.
 
Out of interest, how did the Police know ? Did you report it to them? If so, I’m surprised that they didn’t seize it for a proper inspection by a qualified vehicle examiner. The officers who came around likely weren’t. A vehicle examiner will be able to age a vehicle from components and tell if those parts are from a vehicle of the age that it claims to be. Police can seize the vehicle as suspected stolen, it doesn’t have to be confirmed, and if identified as stolen, it is returns the owner or insurance company. If not, you’d get it back.
You have got to say is it a good use of Police time? What is the normal outcome? Car is returned to the insurance company who do not really want it or if they find nothing back to the person that has it, do they ever catch a criminal out of these cases?, If you have not got the man power to turn out to a breaking where there is a chance of catching someone
 
Depends what the police did. If they couldn't find serial numbers then there was nothing to compare against their stolen motor list. Did they then assume its not traceable and therefore not detectable as stolen or made from stolen parts?

Did we ever find an engine number? If it's missing by force then it too has been hiden on purpose which is suspect.

How would the dvla react to this. I assume its the registered keepers responsibility to make sure the log book is correct. Are the weights correct on it?

How will the mot tester check the vin number at mot time if there isn't one?

In the OP's defence... it's not in his interest to prove it's stolen or made from stolen parts. If he does then it will be taken from him.

Also his insurance could be invalid if he has a crash and they check the identity of said vehicle. Repair workshops always check the vin number.
 
I agree, am trying to get them to correct a typo on one of my classic cars V5's, not the VIN plate which is correct, and a year later still getting more and more forms to fill out asking for more pictures and information.
All it is is the build location code at the end of the V5 which for every vehicle built at abingdon is G rather than the 9 on the V5, they all say G! so it is obviosly a transcription error or typo.
Isn't a "9" Very similar in appearance to a lowercase "g", are they really that lacking in brains at the DVLA? Don't answer that.
 
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