If only we could import them ...

[Great Pumpkin]

My Disco is in for a recall and some other service and the good folks at LR Willow Grove (Pa) hooked me up with an LR3 as a loaner.

Anyway, its a nice ride and the interior is light years ahead of my G4 in terms of ergonomics and fit/finish. Honestly, besides the exterior ugliness (which I must admit has grown on my these past few months), it really is a nice "road" ride.

But that is not the point of my post. The sticker on this LR3 SE is nearly $47000! Oi!

I suppose that I shouldn't be too shocked, for even a plain-Jane Tahoe is nearly $40K these days. But, I really get pissed when I look at the LR UK website and see that one can buy the following:

A new 2005 Defender 110 XS Station Wagon for under ?24,000 (even with the shitty dollar to pound exchange rate that is under $43,000). Now, the XS is the top of the line, ultra-swanky Defender. It has leather heated seats, heated windscreens front and rear, CD player, alloys, ABS and ETC, seating for 9, etc. If the 110 is a bit big for one's taste, you can get a 90 XS for under $40,000!

That said, well spec'd County wagons can be had for about $37K for the 110 and under $34K for a 90.

Now, I realize fully that I am simply howling at the moon in vein. Likewise, I still suffer from Defender envy. After all, a photo of a D90 is what got me hooked on Rovers in the first place.

Don?t get me wrong, I do love my Disco and am a proud Rover owner. However, had I been able to buy a 110 (or 90) for those prices, which happen to sandwich what I paid for my Disco, it would have been a no-brainer. Hell, even with the beating I?d take on my G4, if I had the chance today to score a new Defender at those prices it?d still be a no-brainer.

Anyway, that?s my howl. And you know, misery loves company.

--Michael

 

[KEJ]

My understanding about buying Rovers in the UK is that UK citizens pay a LOT more than we do here because of all the taxes levied on the sales there. I bought my Disco at about the same time that my UK pal's sister bought hers. Very comparable vehicle, but I think she paid about $12-15K more.

KJ

 

[Great Pumpkin]

Karen,

Yes, the VAT tax is something like 17.5% and it seems that Discos and RRs are more expensive. That said, it is even more amazing that Defenders are as cheap as they are. Actually, I'm sure if we looked at Defender prices in mainland European nations, they might be even cheaper.

Nevertheless, we're here, they're there and no Defender for me

--Michael

 

[nomad]

Correct. The 17.5% VAT is not levied in Euro countries as it is in the UK.
The Brit auto sales industry took a kick in the teeth from Grey Market Imports from Europe for a long time, and possibly still do.

When I left the UK nearly a decade ago you could save hyperthetically $5-10k (def / 90-110)per car avoiding the taxes by buying in Europe. The vehicle would still be Right Hand drive though.
The crunch came when the warranties were not covered and a few other methods that the industry used to get back and the people buying from overseas.

 

[woodslat]

I'd buy two!!!

Because of the EU they can swap around amongst the countries and bypass alot of the VAT BS. As I understand it, for some time the rate for a personal use vehicle from outside the EU bought you a 6% VAT (I slipped a couple through like this, don't tell HM), but I'm unsure of wht the exact inter-EU rates are. A guy in Tahoe just imported a Defender rebuilt on a SIII frame, my shipper in the bay area saw it in person and couldn;t believe how nice it was. He had it up for sale because of a baby on the way!!

 

[RBBailey]

I posted a while back about seeing a brand spankin' new D110 with a lift, AC, snorkle on the Td5, ARB, pop top camper, the works -- in PORTLAND!!

It just so happens that the realtor working on the house we are looking to buy is this guy's neighbor!

I found that out when she walked into my garage and, upon seeing the '65 IIa, exclaimed, "Oh, look at this old Land Rover!" And when people say things like that, instead of, "old car" or "old Jeep" you know they have run into these vehicles before....

Anyway, I plan to get the story from this guy, she is going to arrange a meeting next time I get over to her house.

 

[syoung]

Just hope that illegal D110 doesn't slam into you at an intersection, as their insurance company won't be covering anything when they find out it's not really a classic series...

 

[dormobiledisco]

If we could import UK Rovers, we could also import older Defenders, back to the "Land Rover 90/110", and save over the NAS ones, even if there was VAT. The newer Defenders have more than the NAS trucks, and are probably cheaper.

 

[draaronr]

Steve you have the same reply to everyone of these threads

 

[jsonova99]

If we could import UK Rovers, we could also import older Defenders, back to the "Land Rover 90/110", and save over the NAS ones, even if there was VAT. The newer Defenders have more than the NAS trucks, and are probably cheaper.

3 more years until that can happen assuming the laws don't change in the meantime

 

[JeffM]

If you don't mind the stigma (or whatever) associated with driving a "kit car" - it's perfectly feasible to get a UK defender over here. At least according to my local friendly DMV person who was giving me 'unofficial' advice

It started out as a beaten up old Range Rover and ended up as a D90, 100, 110 etc.

Just my ten groats worth.

Jeff

 

[syoung]

Steve you have the same reply to everyone of these threads

Yeah- sorry... I just don't see why people pull those scams.

 

[JeffM]

Steve - its not a scam as long as it is registered as what it is. i.e. a rebodied series, rangie or whatever - and of course insured as such. When I talked to our local DMV (actually the guy couldn't of been any more helpful) their viewpoint is that once the vehicle - any vehicle is rebodied with a non-standard body - it then becomes a kit car essentially.

What would be the difference between that and say putting a fiberglass scrambler body or a CJ ? (assuming you'd want to in the first place). Or for that matter what really is the difference between that and rebodying a NAS D90 into a D110 ? (ECR are doing it all the time).

Yeah insurance for it may be a pain but everything is relative. Depends on how badly someone wants a D90/110 or whatever.

Jeff

 

[syoung]

I guess I just assumed is a fraudulent VIN, since when I shop for vehicles it seems that is the most common. When I was looking for a Cooper S (real one, not BMW), all I saw was fraud VINs on newer ones... Same with the half dozen or so TD5 D110's that I see on a regular basis around the club in VA.

Kit cars are cool- I've built them before and have no problem with 'em... well, except the guys that buy a Superformance fake Cobra and title it as a "real" Cobra by washing the title through a state with stupid DMV employees.

If someone builds a D110 as a kit- they deserve to be able to register it for what it really is. If someone imports one with fake documents and VIN, they deserve to lose it. Geez, I'm cranky...

 

[JeffM]

I hear that Steve - for crying out loud - if anyone's going to build a Cobra replica - at least build it out of ali.

As far as coopers go - there are more fakes on the market than the real deal. I had a really early 998 cooper - going back a few years now - and of course at the time being a stupid kid put a bored out 1275 lump in it. Wish I'd of known then what I knew now

Having said that I also rolled a genuine Escort Mexico and never bothered putting it back on the road - if memory serves me right it went to the pikey's.
Jeff

 

[jimjet]

in ref to the original post and as a frequent world traveler
i must agree that alot of great vehicals are off limits to us americans.
as well as great vehicals like Mercedes benz in an economical model.
for example you can buy a merc in europe with manual roll up windows and a manual hand roll sunroof.you can eliminate all the plush B.S. and have a very reliable vehicle.
but not so in the U.S. we are spoiled plush yanks that are controled and governed and safety protected by our government.
i want a defender
i want a toyota land cruiser, the jeep model,with or without the wagon backend.
i want a new mog
i want any of the above with a diesel.hell i saw jeep cherokees with diesels in europe.
but our gov prevents it.
its ok to suck the gas down but not ok to have no anti lock brakes or no air bags.
im tired of uncle sam protecting me from myself.
i want
i want i want i want.

jim