Car Choice: Searching for a Land Rover Defender

Neil Bradbury is excited about the 70th anniversary of the Land Rover and would love to buy a Defender. What is the best value choice?

The return of a classic 4X4 (Land Rover)

A car for the head

Well, the only vehicles we could possibly recommend this time would be Land Rovers – for both head and heart. A more recent Defender is only slightly more comfy and has just a few more creature comforts than the original. If Neil is not familiar with early vehicles then this is the best compromise for him. Now it is possible to pay huge sums, well into six figures, for a “modernised” model. Instead I found a restored 1989 V8 petrol-powered “90” model. Finished in black with period Land Rover Vogue wheels and sold privately, it isn’t particularly fuel efficient but costs a reasonable £9,995.

(Land-Rover)

A car for the heart

A Land Rover’s appeal is its purity. When it was first shown in 1948 it was designed purely as an agricultural vehicle. There were no decorative elements, and everything from the hinges and rivets upwards were there to do a job. That is why it is a design icon and why Neil should probably seek out a very tidy Series III model which was made right up until 1984. We found a 1977 example with 61,000 miles and on its second owner. It had been lightly restored, replacing some suspension and floorpan. It cost £8,250 with a full MOT.

If you would like James Ruppert to help with your car choice, email james@freecarmag.com. For more motoring views visit freecarmag.com