Thread: Import a defender from the UK

Yes, its not that easy.

A search should bring up plenty of info.

If you tried as a personal import you need to prove ownership and use for a continuos period of 12 months

I imported a car, but that was over 20 yrs ago now. Have a good look around the Customs website as well as RTA. You'll fall over with the duty payable & rego hassles. And there's no appeal from the values Customs assesses.

And as mentioned above check your eligibility - e.g. a returning resident, or new immigrant.

Becuase the Defender is sold here, I think you'll need to fit all polution & safety gear. But could be wrong.

I'd say go for more of a collector's item. Anything you bring in that depreciates conventionally will never be worth more than the local item. Yet may cost you more to get on the road. The shipping costs are fixed.

But gee an early 90 with a tdi engine would be fun wouldn't it...

Regards
Max P

Quite the opposite to your question but I recently sold a Defender to an Irish lad who intended to export it back to Ireland!
His reasoning was it was a good price and good condition with absolutely no corrosion caused by salt and after doing his sums he reckoned to use it here travelling around and then take it back home when his visa ran out.
And he bought the cash up in in bankers plastic bags unlike the crook who had previously made an offer......
Alan.

Thanks for the replies. I have explored the import option a little and there certaintly is some numbers to crunch. I got a quote back on shipping from England to Aus: roll on roll off =1269 pound ($2597 aus$) plus at least $1048 in charges at Aus port and customs. Price for a 20foot container 1338 pounds ($2738) plus at least $2k in customs, handling charges. Hmm you could fit a few Landies in a container though! Perhaps a private import syndicate! One way to get around Land Rover Australia.
I guess financially its not looking good, it seems that Defenders are not necessarily any cheaper in the UK than here. I have a 95 Defender 110 stwgn which I want to sell and replace with a low kilometre 300 TDI 130 Cab Chassis (preferably extra cab) which I intend on getting a tipper body mounted on.
It is possibly only worth it if importing something exotic - like a early 90 with a TDI motor in it. Tusker I did see a lovely series 2a at Bruce Davis shop some years ago with a TDI motor in it ... nice
Thanks, Matt

You can only fit one in a 20ft container.... last time I checked my 90 was about 12.5ft long

One 90, and 7ft worth of door skins, trim panels, body seals, exmoor trim products, mud consoles and other bulky items that are dirt cheap to buy in the UK, but are 'freighteningly' expensive once you factor in a one-off freight fee.

I'd be keen to sponsor a few parts myself with a proportional share of the freight / import fees. I've been eyeing off complete defender door assemblies at paddocks as well as other bulky bits and pieces, but the postage cost makes it anything but viable.

Yeah I got a bit carried away, forgot how skinny those containers are. Only one vehicle of course. But yeah you could load the rest of the container and I think the vehicle(maybe) with spares etc. Not a bad idea!It could be $viable if the container was chockas with LR goodies. Some sort of organized 'collective buy' with shared shipping and import duty could be possible.