Thread: VIN number query for 04 defender

It certainly seems to have a South African VIN. I can't say I've noticed where the SA cars say they are from though.
Would they be CKD kits from the UK assembled in SA?

Originally Posted by Brawny

Hi everybody, please excuse me for recovering old ground here,but i have encountered an oddity that i can't find in other threads regarding VIN numbers and country of assembly/manufacture. I am looking at a Defender 110 with a compliance plate that reads 12/04, a country of origin plate that states the UK and the 10th and 11th VIN numbers 3 & V. After a VIN check thru the links elsewhere in these threads this indicates it originates from SA and is an 03 make? The vehicle is all Black (no white roof) if this counts for anything. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Can you give us the VIN (without the 6 digits at the end) to look at?

The VIN reads SALLDHM573V------. Is it possible having been complied so late in '04 it was a hybrid of the last SA make and the UK models? The 3 in the VIN may dicount this?

Certainly SA origins but I don't know if they press their own panels or they come as kit from UK.

Definitely UK manufacturer, CKD South African assembly, however the date on the ADR compliance plate is actually an "affixing date" when Land Rover in Australia put the plate on. Many Au distributors do this with low volume cars, Jeep were renown for doing it.

What it means is that it was assembled in SA in the 03 production year, basically August 2002 - August 2003, it then sat around in various locations in SA and en-route to Oz and probably sat in JLRs holding yard (possibly still under bond) till required by a dealer and that is when it got it's ADR compliance plate.

Diana