Sold a death trap. pre purchase inspection con!

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How long had the previous owner had the tratter?

Does the mot history for the registration match the vehicle?
mileage?
colour?
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Use the vin to find original spec details:
https://www.vindecoderz.com/EN/check-lookup

Have yer searched on the web for the registration on the vehicle plates and windows, and vin number/registration marked on the v5 log book, to see what comes up?
registration "aa33 gkn" is different to aa33gkn when searching, as the space makes a difference sometimes

If it is stolen or you think it may be stolen then you need to contact the police. On a technicality you would be handling stolen goods, if it were stolen, as you are in possession of the vehicle (you bought it and have it currently). At the point/time of sale the seller would also be in trouble for handling/selling stolen goods, if it were reported stolen at that time. If you choose to go to the police yourself it will hurt less than them pulling you over, or seeing it outside yer house and choosing to do a spot check.

If you contact the seller or anyone else that may be involved in it's theft... make sure yer tratter is hidden/protected. It (the evidence) may suddenly disappear if they're worried.
 
We need pics now to see what you got for your money. The list of faults from the last inspection was nowhere near as bad or as long as the list I had when I bought mine, even the wheels were faulty, the stud holes were all oval. Still, the main reason I bought it was so that I could tinker.

Col
 
What is the mileage and pics pics pics. Prices are still inflated and if you want a decent one you have to pay decent money. £5400 is a lot of money but it is roughly what you have to pay.
 
Pictures when I'm in from work, I'll get rear crossmember, bulkhead, chassis, engine bay, interior. Any other bits people would like pics of so they can advise on the price I paid in relation to the condition?
 
I paid 4000 for a heap of a 300tdi 110. 1998.

Richards chassis for 2000 and an additional 3k on bits and pieces and I've now got a solidish Defender! Still work to do. But for the money you paid you can't expect concourse!

None of the jobs are beyond the ability of the average bloke at home with a great deal of forethought and time.
 
Last edited:
J_Swan said:
Things picked up at this weekends inspection, not picked up initially:

Swivel ball seals corroded/not effective
Rotted bulkhead in need of repair/replace (I knew this already)
Rotten footwell
Battery box completely rotten
Radius arm bushes ineffective including rear
Rear crank seal gone
Gear box fluid leak
Front and rear bearings gone - wheels loose & dangerous
Front hub bearings gone
Rear cross member corrosion
Rocker cover leaking
Steering box fault (as discussed)
Click to expand...
Those faults dont really add up to much in the big scheme of things LandRover.......... my advice for what its worth is work through the faults untill all is well .....AFTER establishing the legality of ownership
 
lynall said:
Has the op looked at the stamps on the chassis rails yet or have I missed that post?
Click to expand...
Apologies, I forgot to respond to this. I got under truck but couldn't find any stamps for the life of me.

I'd be lying if I said I knew where to look though, if someone could provide more detail I'd appreciate it!
 
J_Swan said:
Apologies, I forgot to respond to this. I got under truck but couldn't find any stamps for the life of me.

I'd be lying if I said I knew where to look though, if someone could provide more detail I'd appreciate it!
Click to expand...
Off side front chassis area, can't remember if it's in front or behind the spring hanger but it's probably covered with waxoyl anyway
 
Oh and the mad thing about defenders is I paid a tenth of the price for this :p
DSC_1027.JPG
 
**UPDATE REGARDING POTENTIALLY STOLEN**

I paid for a full HPI check prior to visiting the car. The registration number had no associated thefts/write offs etc associated with it. At the time of purchase this was satisfactory for me to purchase.

After all your helpful info, I've learned about VIN number etc and have been back on to my HPI report where i could update the report with VIN number, which I did just. Obvisiously I couldn't do this prior to purchasing as I didn't have it.

Pleased to say the HPI report came back saying it was a match for my vehicle. It also is the same number on the logbook.

Please bare in mind now that the reg etched in the windows is the same as the log book and on the truck. The vin number is the same as the logbook and in the engine bay. The truck has had a 300tdi conversion so even if the engine number was visible, it wouldn't match.

All MOT history is consistent with the mileage of the truck in its current state.

Truthfully, I couldnt drive a vehicle knowing in the back of my head it could be stolen. I think I've satisfied myself it's not stolen...thoughts?
 
The VIN plate is attached with two rivets and is not a reliable method of identification on its own. The stamped VIN is usually the most reliable I.D. number and yours has been removed according to your 4x4 garage. There are a number of reasons why a stamped VIN number may have been removed, the most common reason is that it is stolen. It is always possible that it has been stolen and recovered.
HPI reports are O.K. unless the vehicle is a ringer in which case you are just HPI-ing a log book. Does your HPI report show a colour change?
There are loads of differences between 200 and 300 TDi Defenders, photos would help, but it is possible that it is a rung 200TDi anyway.
 
**** me 5400 pound.....

I got ripped off with my first 90 that had filler everywhere to hide the rot and its not a nice feeling.

Like pervious people have said an hpi check will only check the log book.
I see all the time people selling ids on Facebook and its obvious so that some scrote can slap on a registration plate the logbook onto a stolen truck.

The age of the vehicle could mean that it's had welding in the past and the chassis numbers are not there or even harder to find. When I brought my first 90 I knew nothing about them, didn't even know it had a chassis number and I was randomly pulled by a copper who checked it under the drivers side wheel arch and let me go on my way.... Saying that I checked myself the day after and couldn't see it so no idea how he found it in the dark....

The fact you have a receipt for the engine conversion makes me think it isn't stolen, as well as the etched glass, however this could have been done by the previous guy who was also unaware that it was a ringer.

Get some pictures up and let's have a gander at it. Engine number not there is a worry however you have proof it was fitted by a garage
 
Rougharse Racing said:
The VIN plate is attached with two rivets and is not a reliable method of identification on its own. The stamped VIN is usually the most reliable I.D. number and yours has been removed according to your 4x4 garage. There are a number of reasons why a stamped VIN number may have been removed, the most common reason is that it is stolen. It is always possible that it has been stolen and recovered.
HPI reports are O.K. unless the vehicle is a ringer in which case you are just HPI-ing a log book. Does your HPI report show a colour change?
There are loads of differences between 200 and 300 TDi Defenders, photos would help, but it is possible that it is a rung 200TDi anyway.
Click to expand...
Shows a respray from white to red & white. This is reflected in the log book. It's a 200tdi with 300tdi conversion.

Let's say I go to the police/a stolen vehicle inspector. What can they do to confirm if it's stolen? So it might have engine number missing, chassis number missing, changed VIN plate and a log book to match. How do the police then retrieve the rightful owner if it does turn out to be stolen, if that's all they have to identify the truck?

If they can't identify the owner if it's stolen, do they just keep the vehicle? From what i read about private sales of stolen cars, the purchaser is pretty much F'd. It sounds like I might have to prepare to pay an 8k loan off for the next 3 years without the truck I got the loan for.
 
Am I missing something here - is the only issue the chassis number?

For perspective - I've owned my 101 for the best part of 20 years. It was the 2nd car I ever purchased.

Last year, I needed the chassis number for something. I knew exactly where it should be, and it still took me an age, scrapers, and a wire brush to fine.

The fact that you or the non-landrover inspector can't find it does not mean its not there.


If everything else matches, I kind of suspect some people here are behaving a bit like dogs with bones...
 
I wouldn't worry just yet. I've not bothered putting the chassis number on my new chasis yet. That doesn't mean it's stolen just that I haven't got round to doing it!

The bulkhead is fairly crumbly...

As I said before all the other issues... and they are just another "specialists" opinion you could do yourself. For pennies.

Get the opinion of someone on here, that's close and hasn't got a vested interest in extorting more money from you.
 
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