Defender Country of Origin - does it matter?

**Mellow Yellow** · 12th June 2009, 10:34 AM

G'Day All,

I'm a two time Land Rover owner, a V8 County 1996-1999 and a Series II diesel Discovery 2001-2002. Both vehicles had their issues (particularly the County) but they were fun cars to own (particularly the County, although the 3.5 V8 was a gas guzzler).

I'm looking to buy a second hand Defender and 2002 or 2003 are nominally my target years for "reasonable price" reasons. I don't really need the cabin space of a 110 but 90's seem pretty rare and maybe more expensive.

In attempting to sort out what would be a reasonable price for a 2002/3 diesel Defender I checked Red Book on-line.

They list the diesel Defender 110 X-treme as fetching $17,200 - $19,600 for a private sale and list the 2003 Defender 110 X-treme as fetching $18,500 - $20,800. They don't list a 2002 Defender 90 but list the 2003 diesel Defender 90 X-treme as fetching $22,000 - $24,700!

The 110's are shown as having been manufactured in South Africa and the 90 in the United Kingdom. Is this the reason for the higher price of the 90 or is it's higher price due to its rarity?

Also, are the Red Book prices about right?

Many thanks for any information anyone can provide.

**spudboy** · 12th June 2009, 10:39 AM

Red book prices are notoriously low for Defenders. Take with pinch of salt!

Not all the 2000-2004 110s were South African. From my observations the South African made ones had a roof the same colur as the body, but the UK ones often had a white roof (on a non-white body, obviously the all white ones have white roofs!!). My 130 is a 2002 and is made in the UK. Not sure if one is better than the other, but they have stopped manufacturing in SA so perhaps that says something

**foz.in.oz** · 12th June 2009, 10:47 AM

My 2004 110 is South African made. My friend has a 2008 Puma 110 and looking at the build quality of that compared to my SA one, the South Africans didn't do such a bad job!

**JLo** · 12th June 2009, 12:56 PM

There was a change in the rear diff from Salisbury to rover? (or whatever) in mid 2002. These ones came from SA. The sals came from UK. From memory the 90s were not imported until late 02 early 03.

I would expect $25k+ for an '02 xtreme in reasonable condition

Cheers

JLo

**Sleepy** · 12th June 2009, 02:40 PM

My 90 is from SAF - slightly different rear cross member.

**dmdigital** · 12th June 2009, 05:50 PM

If there is an "A" immediately before the last 6 digits in the VIN it's a Solihull build, if it's a "V" then it's South African.

**Yorkshire_Jon** · 13th June 2009, 05:27 AM

90's in the UK never had the salsbury - only the 110's and only then upto mid 2002. All the later TD5s have the Rover DSE axle (Stronger than the Sals.).

The main difference between a UK unit and a Rest of World Spec one will be that the ROW units have a gearbox oil cooler positioned below the rad from memory (or intercooler i cant remember).

**Blknight.aus** · 13th June 2009, 07:28 AM

Im sort of tempted to say come and have a look at mine. Im getting sick of SWMBO whinging about it.

**rick130** · 13th June 2009, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by Yorkshire_Jon

<snip> All the later TD5s have the Rover DSE axle (Stronger than the Sals.).

umm, no it's not, it's not even close.
8.5"spiral bevel diff vs 9.25" hypoid.
Where the newer axle housing can be made stronger is it can be braced more easily for heavier loads. (130man has one under his ex-Telstra 130, the gusseting is impressive)
Salisburies can pull axle tubes out of diff housings when grossly overloaded, but the P38 CWP has no where near the same strength as the D60/Sals CWP.
Just ask the members on here that have replaced the P38 style rear end with a Sals.

The main difference between a UK unit and a Rest of World Spec one will be that the ROW units have a gearbox oil cooler positioned below the rad from memory (or intercooler i cant remember).

It goes down the RHS of the engine and loops back. It's just a continuous tube loop, there is no cooler up front.

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