The Defender thread

101sean · 08-05-2014 11:18pm

http://www.splandrovers.com/category_s/135.htm

£290 plus VAT!

Rovi · 09-05-2014 8:26am

I gave up on rebuilding scrap (front) doors for my old 110, and splashed out on a fully galvanized one from SP Landrovers as linked above.
ST£270 + VAT + ST£26 shipping!!!

It's a gorgeous thing though, and I'll never have to fooster around with trying to assemble a working one for the CVRT again!
Until I bend or mangle it

dantastic · 09-05-2014 11:39am

If you want to solve the problem once and for allhttp://www.amaservices.biz/ama-grp-designs/4564590506

They may seem expensive but you will not find metal doors in good enough condition for less.

dantastic · 09-05-2014 11:41am

Actually - the GRP doors are £595 inc VAT for the pair!

Yawlboy · 09-05-2014 1:00pm

I've emailed AMA Services about a full set of doors. Does anyone on here have them on their Defender?

101sean · 09-05-2014 2:17pm

I'd be interested to hear opinions on the GRP as I need to do mine at some point, I've read differing opinions elsewhere. Otherwise I'll be looking for late Td5/Puma doors or from SP

dantastic · 09-05-2014 2:38pm

Sean I think if you have realistic expectations you won't be disappointed. If you realize the new doors won't close like Merc doors and they will still have panel gaps large enough to fit a cat through I think you'll be happy.

101sean · 09-05-2014 6:14pm

Yea, I know, typical Defender build tolerances!

Yawlboy · 10-05-2014 5:15pm

Got a quote of £1210 for 4 new GRP doors from AMA Services in Wales, including shipping to Cork.

I think that if they are even 80% as good as he claims then they will be a good investment.

I'll let you know how it goes

Moffett · 11-05-2014 9:42am

Has anyone tried the Defneder Series door conversion? Can you use your ignition key for the locks? Can a man get his elbow out the sliding window of a hot summers day! I believe there is more interior space but I was in a 2A recently and certainly didn't notice this! Something about it appeals to me though and I'm not sure why!

101sean · 11-05-2014 10:17am

Yes you can with some faffing around with the doorlatches. Later military doors would be easier and the door tops are alloy so don't rot, lot more expensive though. It's unlikely you'd be able to use the ignition key.

An advantage with earlier doors is you can unbolt the doortop and remove it completely in hot weather.

Moffett · 11-05-2014 4:14pm

Hi Sean, that S&W company that you linked supply a specific conversion, with galvanised door tops. Even then, they are a lot cheaper than push button doors.

MedusaV8 · 19-05-2014 11:58am

Hi All, Posting in here as I can't seem to find what I'm looking for elsewhere.

I am a uk resident (not for long) and have a 1992 200Tdi Defender which is registered as a utility and was a Hard Top when I bought her. however I have tarted her up and she is now almost County Spec (Minus the rear seats). What I want to know is how much will she cost me to Tax in Eire as either a Hard Top or Truck cap as I will be converting if it saves me tax?

I've owned the vehicle for years so I know that VRT is exempt for the import if I'm changing residency.

Many thanks

101sean · 19-05-2014 7:07pm

In theory to get commercial motor tax you need to prove you need it for business use with a VAT number, herd no or a few other proofs that are acceptable to the motor tax office but it varies from county to county at the moment. If you do get it, the tax will be €333. If they decide you're not eligible the private road tax will be €1080pa!

Unfortunately as you're newly coming into the country you are likely to be scrutinised more closely. I had fun when i moved over with my two land rovers 7 years ago!

MedusaV8 · 19-05-2014 7:39pm

Hi 101Sean
Thanks for the prompt response. I was hoping that as at was already a commercial from date of manufacture I'd be ok. If I hadn't invested so much work and money in the 200 I'd sell it. We have a dilemma as me and the other half both have 90's but his is a 3.5 so eye wateringly expensive at 1800 odd euro.

. Luckily that one is 2 years off 30. We are investigating the irish equivalent of SORN for that one or it stays with folks until it's older.
We may a bit further down the line be running a small business but in the mean time it looking like it will be expensive tax.

101sean · 19-05-2014 7:52pm

Drive anything out of the ordinary here and life gets difficult! The motor tax system is a joke and the Revenue keep moving the goalposts.

To SORD the V8 you'd have to register it first and probably tax it but you can do it for just 3 months, may be easier to leave it behind until it's 30 though.

My 110 is passenger and it only gets taxed for 3 months in the summer at the moment as I'm back in the UK working a lot of the time and was thinking of re-registering it in the UK. Trouble is things are changing for the worse at work so I may have to rethink!

There is a strong Land Rover and 4x4 scene here but it is more biased towards the extreme end of things!

SafeSurfer · 22-05-2014 5:23pm

I imported a 1998 110 csw defender with 280k on the clock over a year ago. The purchase price was 5k. I paid €200 to VRT it. Recently while trying to NCT it to put it on the road for the first time I was told that it couldn't be NCTd as on the log book it was down as a 10 seater. I had the middle front seat removed and got an engineers report to certify it and sent all documentation to Rosslare for it to be re classified in the log book as a 9 seater. Today I received a letter from Revenue seeking an additional €1780 euro in VRT.
I can appeal this figure but must pay it in advance before I can appeal.

Before purchasing the vehicle the ROS site calculated the VRT at €700.

Am I missing something or is this just a mistake?

101sean · 22-05-2014 7:49pm

Looks like you are being charged the full 36% for importing a large engined passenger vehicle, the €200 was the commercial VRT rate, I don't think you'll win an appeal. Getting the log book changed flagged up the mistake (unless as a bus it was €200?) or you'd have got away with it.

Don't understand the 10 seat bit NCT wise, mine is 12 on the log book but only has 5 fitted and I've never had trouble NCTing it. Mine was imported before NCT import checks though and the VRO never even looked at it!

munkytennis · 26-05-2014 1:14pm

Hi
Hope someone can help. I havea an irish 99 defender 110. It is in a 12 seater configuration and the tax and insurance are really high as a result.
I had hoped to get it re classified as 5 seater commercial so removed 7 seats and seatbelts but when i went to get the certification done was told that the rear door size is too small
So now i have a jeep that potentially will fail its upcoming nct as it doesn't match the log book !

So my questions are

1. Is the conversion to crew cab/5 seater commercial def not a runner ?
2. If so, can the jeep be issued a new log book for the 5 seater format - and who could do this ?

i would never use the 12 seater format of the jeep so really don't want to put everything back in !

Thanks in advance

Joe

101sean · 26-05-2014 1:21pm

Mine is a 12 seater on the log book and only has 5 seats, never been queried in the NCT centre, you don't need to produce the log book anyway.

Going by the door size rule you can't register it as a crew cab commercial although post 2010 Defenders are all N1 commercial no matter how many seats it has.

Kevin! · 08-06-2014 9:46pm

Looking at buying a land rover as a daily driver, insurance isn't a problem but would I really need for it to qualify for classic tax - so pre 1984.

Any suggestions on the engine I should choose? I've been reading that engine upgrades that have been fitted such as the 300tdi result in a vast improvement in performance and mpg?

101sean · 08-06-2014 10:09pm

Daily driver :eek: Been there, done that, given it up!!

There's a few do it, usually in a Series Land Rover with a 200/300Tdi engine either mins the turbo or with. You may find an early 110 with the 2.5 Naturally Asthmatic diesel or V8 petrol but they are starting to fetch silly money exported to the USA.

Have a look at Glencoyne's site, pretty much explains all the options http://www.glencoyne.co.uk/

Also one of the current LR comics has a feature on the same subject

Edgey75 · 15-06-2014 11:02am

im a little bit crazy i drive my 109 ffr as a daily driver unless im going long distance or in a hurry, its still fitted with a 2.25 petrol.
if you dont want to drive around fast and have to fill it up quite a lot, have trouble finding normal insurance on it as a daily driver, as most classic insurance has limited milage and wants you to insure it as a 2nd car, then go for it.

i started off with normal insurance on my land rover it was expensive and took me near 2 months to actually find insurance for it (via a broker) as i had tried all the main companys after being refused. but i eventually gave in and swapped my insurance over to my car and put the landy on classic, i got a rebate on the insurance and both vehicles insured for a lot less than just having the land rover insured. unlike the UK we here in Ireland dont have much choice for insurance on older vehicles and classic insurance here compaired to the uk is very restrictive, on the whole.

101sean · 15-06-2014 3:52pm

You're a rare man sticking with the lovely 2.25 petrol, I get looked at like I have two heads when I tell people I still have the 3.5 V8 petrol in the 101 and haven't ripped it out for a smelly tractor engine!

Edgey75 · 15-06-2014 5:10pm

101sean wrote: »

You're a rare man sticking with the lovely 2.25 petrol, I get looked at like I have two heads when I tell people I still have the 3.5 V8 petrol in the 101 and haven't ripped it out for a smelly tractor engine!

i like the 2.25 engine, i can get up to 26.5mpg from it so i dont see no point in changing it out and messing with the 24v system.
i nearly had a 101 with sankey guy wanted a grand and i didnt snap his hand off it was tested and taxed too..... still dont know why i didnt get it.

O.A.P · 16-06-2014 11:09pm

101sean wrote: »

You're a rare man sticking with the lovely 2.25 petrol, I get looked at like I have two heads when I tell people I still have the 3.5 V8 petrol in the 101 and haven't ripped it out for a smelly tractor engine!

You know it will be the landy to have ,if its not already
(whats the asking price ?)
PM me Sean

SafeSurfer · 27-06-2014 1:10am

Do you think a limited "last ever edition" of the defender will be produced? What would it have to have to make you consider buying one? What do you think the most collectable 90/110/130 will be?
I would be tempted to buy a last ever batch defender but it would need to be pretty special to stop me from picking up a low mileage Td5 or even a well maintained 300Tdi for a fraction of the money.

101sean · 27-06-2014 8:44am

It is rumoured that there will be a run out edition of 90s with a 5.0l supercharged V8 petrol

300Tdis will always be collectable and post 02 Td5s to a lesser extent, don't think puma engined ones will be so much. 50s, NAS, Camels, G4s and Tombraiders will always be collectable, especially the 50th and NAS spec 90s.

In an ideal world I think I would rebuild a 110 on a galvanised chassis and bulkhead and build in a load of improvements for playing. Obviously a lotto win would include a run out Defender and probably a Range Rover for everyday.

A heated toy shed would be a necessity!

daingeanrob · 13-07-2014 12:29pm

Hi guys. Joining the defender crew soon as I've done a deal on a 110 td5. I'll be taxing it private as I'll be using it as a daily driver as well as camping etc. Do I need to doe it or do I need an nct?

SafeSurfer · 13-07-2014 2:26pm

daingeanrob wrote: »

Hi guys. Joining the defender crew soon as I've done a deal on a 110 td5. I'll be taxing it private as I'll be using it as a daily driver as well as camping etc. Do I need to doe it or do I need an nct?

If you are taxing it privately it will have to be NCT'd. Motir tax will be €1080 per year. I have a Td5 90 pickup myself and find them to be a good reliable engine. The only issue I have had in 8 years has been the fuel pump. Apart from that and the wiper motor going it has gone like clockwork.
I have had difficulty getting a tdi NCT'd because the log book said it was a 10 seater and the NCT refused to test anything over 9 seats.

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