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Nathan Martin

New Member
What does everyone think in regards to buying a Defender as an appreciating asset?

Which model is best and how can it be made more valuable?
 
I dont have one of these but a 300tdi station wagon 110 would be my No1.
Galvanised chassis would make it more valuable.
 
Low mileage mint original examples will always be the ones to squirrel away. I’d say TD5....90 first 110 second....,CSW or XS from 2005 (with the later one piece doors, and lower road tax if SW)

They are out there, but over 100,000 miles hurts the value. Under 50,000 is good. Need to be looked after, as in no corrosion scabs or dents on the panels and clean original chassis.
 
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Im not sure the everyday ones will appreciate as theres simply to many about, but unlike ordinary cars they dont really depreciate.
 
Nathan Martin said:
What does everyone think in regards to buying a Defender as an appreciating asset?

Which model is best and how can it be made more valuable?
Click to expand...
As soon as its not made any more it is likely to appreciate.

The most valuable is the 110 Defender CSW (Station Wagon), simply as there were less made than others and a lot of folk just like the idea of something that big and classic. 200TDI tend to draw more as its the last one before they went for electronics/ecu etc etc which caused no end of problems. 300TDI are also popular as they had the beginnings of electronics but they weren't essential.

You need to be careful with changes and mods..... If you buy one for 4k and sink 10 k in, it will be worth 6k... If you want it to appreciate keep it original.

I am also on the 101 forum and there is a lovely chap in Poland who stripped a 76 101 back to metal and replaced everything... top job, but then he stuck shiny kitchen material a bed and all manner of TV/Video/SKY/Weather/WIFI in the back. Looks perfect from the outside and I am sure his dream on the inside but it just didn't sell.
 
Low mileage mint ones will appreciate in value.
However most people use them, l bought my pristine 110 CSW at 50,000 miles three years ago, but while still unmarked it’s now approaching 100,000
 
The other thing to consider is the cost of storage of it whilst waiting for it to appreciate. They're big things to tuck away. You could squeeze half a dozen or so classic bikes into an average garage but my 109 station wagon won't fit in.

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
The other thing to consider is the cost of storage of it whilst waiting for it to appreciate. They're big things to tuck away. You could squeeze half a dozen or so classic bikes into an average garage but my 109 station wagon won't fit in.

Col
Click to expand...
I don't think its feasible to store it unless you drain it and hermetically seal it, even then rubbers etc will perish.
 
ER1C said:
I don't think its feasible to store it unless you drain it and hermetically seal it, even then rubbers etc will perish.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Squirreling one away isn't really a feasable option. I know a guy in the midlands who is very rich but not very clever, he bought two brand new defenders when they stopped production. He paid more than the advertised retail price for them and his intention is to store them away for a few years. He reckons in twenty years they will have more than doubled in value. My thought is that he could have put the same money into a high interest account and probably make more with a lot less hassle.

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
Agreed. Squirreling one away isn't really a feasable option. I know a guy in the midlands who is very rich but not very clever, he bought two brand new defenders when they stopped production. He paid more than the advertised retail price for them and his intention is to store them away for a few years. He reckons in twenty years they will have more than doubled in value. My thought is that he could have put the same money into a high interest account and probably make more with a lot less hassle.

Col
Click to expand...
Exactly, humidity in the air etc.... It needs lubrication/use/heat.
80k he could get 5 percent pa....which is a lot higher rate of return if he leaves the interest to compound.

In 20 years time I suspect heart breakingly he will find they aren't road legal for various reasons and he needs to get new belts etc. They would also have ZERO service history and probably miss lots of factory recalls/fixes.
 
Colthebrummie said:
Agreed. Squirreling one away isn't really a feasable option. I know a guy in the midlands who is very rich but not very clever, he bought two brand new defenders when they stopped production. He paid more than the advertised retail price for them and his intention is to store them away for a few years. He reckons in twenty years they will have more than doubled in value. My thought is that he could have put the same money into a high interest account and probably make more with a lot less hassle.

Col
Click to expand...

High interest accounts dont really exist anymore.
 
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