Importing a Defender into USA

[Searcaigh]

A few questions:

1. What are the current rules for importing a Defender into USA?

2. Could a 1984 Defender be legally imported?

3. How much do these vehicles sell for these days in USA or Canada?

[TerryS]

Without going through hoops, the general rule of thumb, Gordon, is the vehicle must be 25 years old (most vehicle doorpost tags give the date in year and month of mfg.
You are in a very good location to set up a lucrative export business. The
(1983) RHD trucks now coming out of the UK are pretty rusty, which makes Saudi spec'd trucks very attractive.

[Disco Mike]

Remember though, under our current laws, you can only import one vehicle, 25 years or older, per person per lifetime.
Mike

[jimfoo]

Are you sure about that? I know people who have imported more than one. How about businesses like Cold War Remarketing that import tons of 25+ YO vehicles?

[CaptainRuss]

All you need to know about importing: Importing info.

[brian4d]

My father inported MG's and Triumph's from England for a second income. I remebre the late 70's MG's with the metal bumber (not rubber) we're selling in the US very well. There must be a loophole of same kind. The dealer in England might have aggreed to purchase the MG's only if the current owner aggred to export it. After the car was on US soil the transaction was made. Just a guess.

[Searcaigh]

Thanks for the information, the vehicle I have is a 1984 Defender SWB with a 3.9V8 which is newer than the original motor, and from what I understand that should not be a problem.

So anyone want to buy a SWB Defender next year?

[ArmyRover]

I would love a defender if I could afford one, unfortunately the prices those rigs bring pretty much will keep me out of one..

[Searcaigh]

What prices are you talking about ArmyRover?

[ArmyRover]

Most of the ones I see getting imported are well into the 10k range.

As a Army guy with a family I really don't have that kind of disposable income laying around. Most banks (admittedly I've never checked) would probably not do a loan on a vehicle that old so, it kinda leaves me out.

I do however think your defender is one nice looking machine and I wish you well with selling it

[roverich]

Originally Posted by Searcaigh

What prices are you talking about ArmyRover?

What would you be asking for it shipped stateside like lets say port of baltimore ? Just curious about price ....

[Searcaigh]

I would be looking for around $7K ex-Dubai, buyer pays shipping cost (containers from Dubai to US apparently not too expensive) plus all import costs.

Extras on the vehicle include

Disco I seats
Locking central cubby box fronm Exeter Trim
Corner bumpers from Scorpion Racing
Home made steering guard
QT Diff Guards
Two 50L fuel tanks with switch in cab to change from one to the other
Two spare wheels

I am working a lot in S. Africa these days and am tempted to ship it down there because it would be good to have a set of wheels there and friends of mine who moved back there 18 months ago are shipping their Wrangler next year but there is the hassle of changing it over to RHD, which might not be too much of a problem as Landies are assembled down there

[Searcaigh]

Sold this morning to an Emirati policeman who also happens to own a Rangie Classic and a Rangie Sport

[ArmyRover]

Congrats, so are you getting another LR to replace it?

[Searcaigh]

Still have two Disco IIs (2001 and 2004 models), the older of which is my daily drive and main off roader, the other half drives the newer one.

I am looking at an LR3 for my daily drive next year provided the economy picks up, this year has been a bloody disaster for business and not just because of the downturn in the global economy, mainly because of cr@p within the company.

Anyway my only gripe is that only top of the range LR3 can be bought here in Dubai and I really want a TDV6 after having driven one in S. Africa last September, great vehicle.