The Land Rover Defender is a classic British vehicle that was once widely available globally, with a few exceptions. While the vehicle is rare in the US, low quantities were produced due to the USA’s safety guidelines; it isn’t impossible to see one of these majestic beasts randomly all across the United States. Purchasing one of these classics today can seem easy (isn’t that what the internet is for?), but when it comes to buying an original Land Rover Defender in decent working condition, you might find yourself searching for a few years to find the perfect fit. That being said, here’s what can make your defender life much easier: purchasing a restored defender for sale instead. Here’s why:

Restored Defender Condition

When purchasing, say, a 1990 land rover defender for sale, there is a treasure trove of red flags you need to be aware of that might make buying a restored defender more appealing. Things like engine condition, rusting on the body paneling, suspension systems, and the transmission alone can all add up, even if you’re looking to restore the vehicle yourself. Aspects like rust can be repaired with experience or sometimes even taken to a body shop. Even a quick test drive can’t tell you the defender’s condition, especially if you plan to use the vehicle to the fullest of its capabilities. Seeing as how the classic defender is well known for its ability to leak terminally at any given moment, there’s a guaranteed safety that your restored defender from ECD won’t see the same issues.

Parts and Repairs

You’ve purchased your old land rover defender, and you’re determined to fix up the old gal yourself. One huge issue that you don’t anticipate is the parts. Where the heck do you even get parts for the original Land Rover defender? Even well-established restoration shops with great vendors have issues with shipping, supplies, and part availability. Not only parts, but with the classic defender being such a rare vehicle, especially yo us here in the US, you can’t expect to be able to take your vehicle to any local restoration shop and have them know exactly how to fix it. We have seen and repaired our share of defenders that were taken to local shops for “restoration,” only to come back with issues hidden behind the body panels and bad installation jobs. There are a handful of experienced restoration shops for the defender around the United States, ECD being one of them, but they are just as rare as the defender themselves.

Dealers and Time

Finding a used defender on the internet has made the job easier; they’re even posted on major sites like Autotrader and CarGurus. The unfortunate part about these vehicles is that they can cost a pretty penny and don’t include any warranties, insurance, or guarantees in case something goes wrong shortly after the purchase. So ultimately, you end up using more time and money to repair an already expensive vehicle (regardless of the condition usually).

Custom Defender Solutions

Although ECD is a dealer, we offer ground-up restoration and restoration services. This means your vehicle is fully rebuilt from scratch, using the original defender and several newer editions to make the vehicle the perfect modern daily driver. Another perk from this aspect is that you get to design your vehicle, we deliver it when it’s done, and you can watch its progress week to week from the comfort of your home. You can keep your defender classic or completely modernize it with a panoramic roof and an all-new interior without worrying about ordering parts and then having to install them properly. If your defender has already purchased or inherited one, we also offer overhaul services through ECO.

ECD also offers several protection options for your defender. All our GM V8 engine builds include a 2-year, 50,000-mile engine warranty serviceable at any local GM dealership. We also offer a warranty that follows your build through its first years in its new life, including shipping your vehicle back to our facility for service or sending one of our skilled technicians to you. You can get more of ECD’s warranty details by emailing [email protected].

If you’re interested in a Defender with a build quality guarantee or getting your build overhauled with the same quality guarantee, you can email us at [email protected] to get started.