How are the best Land Rover defenders found?

Simply, a lot of travel. Defenders may be found for sale anywhere, in the smallest of towns to huge city centers. Some owners are avid defender enthusiasts whereas others aren’t really defender fans, but just love the useability of this unique vehicle. However not every defender is suitable for our needs in Canada. I spend my time visiting, vetting, and preparing the best defenders for sale in Canada. If at all possible, during any restoration work, pictures of the work in progress are taken, they are procured and supplied to the buyer to ensure that the defender they’re getting is what they want.

What to Consider

In purchasing a Defender in North America there are a number of concerns, and as usual Price and Quality are among the most important. Both of these concerns can be mitigated through good sourcing. Many Defenders are purchased and moved to north America originating from Central Northern Europe. Many excellent vehicles have come out of these locations and currently are being enjoyed by happy owners in North America. However Defenders from here do have some disadvantages, namely the value of the Euro and environment. This makes Defenders from these regions much more expensive and with more frame and body deterioration than units from the Middle East. Purchasing with Defenderbc.com allows the buying power of our North American currency combined with the extremely hot and dry climate that has preserved many Defenders in pristine condition. However no 15+year old vehicle is perfect, of course.

Rust

All Land Rover Defender 90 / 110 units can suffer from rust in the bulkheads, pillars, and top rails. Unfortunately this rust is hidden by outer body panels and is not always observable without removing them and some heavy duty body work. This makes purchasing a Defender that has not gone through a rigorous restoration (with pictures) even more difficult. This is why a Defender from a dry environment is even more appealing. This problem is mitigated and often eliminated with non European Defenders. Unseen rust is minimized in a dry environment providing the owner with a quality resellable and enjoyable investment for years. Chassis and bulkhead rot are rarely found with Defenders from this part of the world.

Powerplant

Engine choice is really the preference of the buyer. Each option has it’s own advantages and disadvantages. For example a standard 2.5 diesel engine lower horsepower providing is an excellent motor and will provide years of stable service and get a Defender 90 up to 70 mph. However it provides the least horsepower of the available options in the mid-60 hp range. The 2.5TD (85 bbhp) as well as the 200 and 300tdi versions provide up into the 120+ hp range however the turbo driven motors will require more maintenance, as to be expected.

Defender 110 vs 90

Each are excellent vehicles with the same powerplant options utilized. The only difference being the wheelbase of the units which will affect use and driveability. The 90 can be a little bumpier, the 110 slightly smoother, however bus-like, and each conveying clearly that both of these vehicles are designed to survive and thrive if necessary in rugged off road conditions.

Year Choice

The popular Land Rover defender 110 and 90 type III body style did not change significantly, if at all, from 1983 to 2016. The later models had some design changes from 2007 onwards, of which none are currently available in North America. This means, however, that the age of the Defender being purchased is not the most important factor. More important is the condition of the unit. A well maintained and older unit is much more desirable than a newer unit that has not been maintained. The defenders listed on Defenderbc.com have all been vetted to be among the best quality units in the price range offered.