CaptainSox
New Member
Hello All Landie lovers,
I have always loved Land Rovers, and especially the Defender!
Last year I decided that I just had to have one, I searched and searched the web trying to find a good one in my price range with no luck. After driving one for years down in Portugal, at my dads mates Villa I just had to have one.
The Defender down in Portugal was just mint, 2002 Defender 90 TD5 Blue with 16,000 Miles on the clock with full LR history, air con, electric windows ect but just mint. I kept on pestering my dads frieind who owned it saying that if you ever want to sell it just let me know.
I started to think well if he said yeah okay, how would I bring it back, what route would I take, how would I register it in the UK, what needed to be done ect. The list went on.
And would you believe it, the guy said yes a few weeks later he would sell it as he only uses it about 3 times a year and said that its such a shame for it to be sitting there and not being utilised. I jumped at the chance, he said its not worth much, I knew it must be worth around 10K with it being in such mint condition and only having 16,000 miles on the clock after all the reasearch I did.
I held my breath and he said, how about £2000. I could not let this guy sell it to me for such a low amount and had to be honest with him (a family friend after all) and told him how much I thought it was worth and showed him a few examples online. he said wow I had no idea, He spent 32,000 Euros on it in 2002 when he bought it from new at a LR dealer in Faro.
I thought :censored:, You have just shot yourself in the foot big time you :censored:ker! Held my breath and he said well thats very honest of you, in that case just give me £4000 and I know it will go to a good home. I thought Awsome!
After a **** load of research I was on the red eye out of Gatwick down to Faro the next week with all my kit in my old long cricket bag. Including spare bulbs, first aid kit, tape, WD40, sleeping bag, fob batterys and my Haynes manual.
Arrived 08:10, Wednesday 9th November 2011.
Got to empty creepy villa in Quinta do lago, there she was lonely and I knew she was mine. Let myself in, got both keys for the Landy. Checked the oil, lights, radiator, tyres ect. Chucked my bag in the back and hit the road.
Left the Villa in Quinta do lago just outside Faro that morning at 10:00, only 1,483 Miles to the Calais port.
Arrived 02:00 Thursday 10th morning in Biarritz.
Drove straight out of Portugal to Seville in Spain then up through Salamanca, Burgos, San Sebastian then into France. Had half an hour breaks everytime I filled up the beast which I thought was good.
Left Biarritz at 10:00 Thursday after a good sleep in the back of the Landie in a truck stop, bit freaky to be honest but slept with the keys in one hand and a wrench in the other.
Drove through Bordeaux, Poitiers, Tours, Rouen to Calais arriving at the port at 23:00, on the Ferry to Dover half an hour later.
Arrived on British soil at 12:55 Friday 11th November
Straigth through Ashrord then on to a very foggy M25 to Surrey.
Arrived Home 02:15 Friday 11th. Absolutly shagged, had a beer waiting for me in the Fridge for when I got back. Had that and passed out, but what a journey.
Then the fun began with the VCA lot getting it Licenced under the Mutual recognition scheme, what a pain in the arse but thats another story. Got the plates made up after them being issued by the DVLA.
On the road legally (Obviously because I did not drive my Land Rover from the Port to my home, it was on a trailer....NOT
by the 5th of Feb 2012!
Loving it great adventure but now im paranoid someone is going to nick my pride and joy!!
Sorry I went on a bit but was great fun, long way but very cool.
Cheers
CaptainSox
I have always loved Land Rovers, and especially the Defender!
Last year I decided that I just had to have one, I searched and searched the web trying to find a good one in my price range with no luck. After driving one for years down in Portugal, at my dads mates Villa I just had to have one.
The Defender down in Portugal was just mint, 2002 Defender 90 TD5 Blue with 16,000 Miles on the clock with full LR history, air con, electric windows ect but just mint. I kept on pestering my dads frieind who owned it saying that if you ever want to sell it just let me know.
I started to think well if he said yeah okay, how would I bring it back, what route would I take, how would I register it in the UK, what needed to be done ect. The list went on.
And would you believe it, the guy said yes a few weeks later he would sell it as he only uses it about 3 times a year and said that its such a shame for it to be sitting there and not being utilised. I jumped at the chance, he said its not worth much, I knew it must be worth around 10K with it being in such mint condition and only having 16,000 miles on the clock after all the reasearch I did.
I held my breath and he said, how about £2000. I could not let this guy sell it to me for such a low amount and had to be honest with him (a family friend after all) and told him how much I thought it was worth and showed him a few examples online. he said wow I had no idea, He spent 32,000 Euros on it in 2002 when he bought it from new at a LR dealer in Faro.
I thought :censored:, You have just shot yourself in the foot big time you :censored:ker! Held my breath and he said well thats very honest of you, in that case just give me £4000 and I know it will go to a good home. I thought Awsome!
After a **** load of research I was on the red eye out of Gatwick down to Faro the next week with all my kit in my old long cricket bag. Including spare bulbs, first aid kit, tape, WD40, sleeping bag, fob batterys and my Haynes manual.
Arrived 08:10, Wednesday 9th November 2011.
Got to empty creepy villa in Quinta do lago, there she was lonely and I knew she was mine. Let myself in, got both keys for the Landy. Checked the oil, lights, radiator, tyres ect. Chucked my bag in the back and hit the road.
Left the Villa in Quinta do lago just outside Faro that morning at 10:00, only 1,483 Miles to the Calais port.
Arrived 02:00 Thursday 10th morning in Biarritz.
Drove straight out of Portugal to Seville in Spain then up through Salamanca, Burgos, San Sebastian then into France. Had half an hour breaks everytime I filled up the beast which I thought was good.
Left Biarritz at 10:00 Thursday after a good sleep in the back of the Landie in a truck stop, bit freaky to be honest but slept with the keys in one hand and a wrench in the other.
Drove through Bordeaux, Poitiers, Tours, Rouen to Calais arriving at the port at 23:00, on the Ferry to Dover half an hour later.
Arrived on British soil at 12:55 Friday 11th November
Straigth through Ashrord then on to a very foggy M25 to Surrey.
Arrived Home 02:15 Friday 11th. Absolutly shagged, had a beer waiting for me in the Fridge for when I got back. Had that and passed out, but what a journey.
Then the fun began with the VCA lot getting it Licenced under the Mutual recognition scheme, what a pain in the arse but thats another story. Got the plates made up after them being issued by the DVLA.
On the road legally (Obviously because I did not drive my Land Rover from the Port to my home, it was on a trailer....NOT
by the 5th of Feb 2012!Loving it great adventure but now im paranoid someone is going to nick my pride and joy!!
Sorry I went on a bit but was great fun, long way but very cool.
Cheers
CaptainSox
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