| Author | Message | ||
     R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 719 Registered: 07-2002 |
Any of you Defender owners build your own? I'm looking for some practical pricing for building a Defender 110 -- tired of waiting around for them to flood the market and drive down the prices for us on the cheap -- Anyway, I'm not in a hurry, earliest would be starting NEXT summer (2005). But the whole pricing issue keeps coming up with my wife for some reason?? I know I can get the frame, basic drivetrain and most body parts for pretty good prices, and I would not need all new parts. Anyone who has built their own, who kept track of the $$? Thanks | ||
| Michael Slade (Tawayama) New Member Username: Tawayama Post Number: 11 Registered: 11-2003 |
That's the trick. Don't keep track of the $$$ or you'll just get depressed. Trust me, after building two 'Defenders' I've learned my lesson. | ||
| Pugsly (Pugsly) Senior Member Username: Pugsly Post Number: 270 Registered: 11-2002 |
I'm with Michael - if you are building (or heavily customizing) a Defender, the one thing you can never do is keep track of the costs. [ Just think of what would happen if your wife found out - the horror, the horror!] | ||
| Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Leslie Post Number: 2977 Registered: 02-2002 |
I'm just doing a Series myself for the moment, but I've watched a couple be built/rebuilt, had my hands in 'em (although I'm one of those folks that when you could do a job in an hour if I help it ends up being a three-hour job) to occasionally assist.... I wholly concur, there are lots of little things all along the way... if you kept a tally of it all, it'd be a scary number, so, only keep track of the big things and pay for as many of the smaller things as you can out-of-pocket and keep it off of the list, so the bottom line isn't as big. Good luck and have fun with it...... -L | ||
| Michael Slade (Tawayama) New Member Username: Tawayama Post Number: 12 Registered: 11-2003 |
Leslie (et al.) how many times have you gone to the hardware store to pick up nuts and bolts and it ended up costing you $40? I can't count that high. Remember, it is indeed the little things that drive the cost up. Fasteners are expensive. Wire is expensive, shrink tubing is expensive, you get the picture. Cars cost thousands of dollars because they're made up of thousands of parts. When people see the CrewCab they inevitably ask the question. "How much have you....?" I say, to walk around the truck and count up as many things that you KNOW cost $1000 dollars. They soon get the picture. But...IMO it is the detail work and the tiny things that make the project drag on longer than anticipated, drive the cost up, but truly make it the way you wanted. You'll end up spending *MORE* than an NAS 110 if you build your own. I don't care how you do it. Good luck! Hope you are growing that money tree!  Michael | ||
| Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Leslie Post Number: 2981 Registered: 02-2002 |
the tiny things that make the project drag on longer than anticipated Isn't THAT the truth! lol...... -L | ||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 632 Registered: 11-2002 |
But having your own truck , built your way , specifically for you is priceless... "Blow me" | ||
| Michael Slade (Tawayama) New Member Username: Tawayama Post Number: 13 Registered: 11-2003 |
Ain't that the truth. Anyone who has done any serious customizing or modification to their vehicle will agree with that. Interestingly enough, I now appreciate any car that is heavily customized, regardless of make or model. Well...mostly. The ricers, except for those at the very cutting edge, really don't do anything for me. | ||
| Ivan 94 LWB (Montoya) New Member Username: Montoya Post Number: 33 Registered: 01-2003 |
So how much were you thinking of spending to get a mostly complete 110 together? My mechanic has a nas 110 he was selling for a customer for $30k. It had 117k miles with some trail goodies and minor rust but looked well maintained. I've been driving my wife nuts for over a week trying to convince her it's a good deal. He just parks it out on a not so busy street, no advertising. I thought you couldn't get one for under $35k unless it was corroded to hell. Just yesterday, another nas 110 popped up for $28.5k. So now I'm thinking $30k for a nas 110 isn't such a super deal. My mechanic said that it took him over a year to find his last year. He thought of buying a salvaged one. He also thought of putting one together but found out that cost a fortune too. For example, the exterior roll cage itself would have been $6k from the uk. | ||
| Michael Slade (Tawayama) New Member Username: Tawayama Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2003 |
30K for a relatively clean 110? They will go down in price, but not much. You'll spend twice that on making your own...plus it'll take you 3 years if you're truly doing a frame-up and are trying to have a normal career and maintain any kind of marital relationship. Yeah, snag the next 30K 110 you can. | ||
| Ivan 94 LWB (Montoya) New Member Username: Montoya Post Number: 34 Registered: 01-2003 |
He's pretty firm on the price. He rejected a $27k offer. Compared to prices of d90's in similar condition, I thought $30k was fair. | ||
| Michael Slade (Tawayama) New Member Username: Tawayama Post Number: 16 Registered: 11-2003 |
30K is fair if everything works. Don't compare it to other D90's (apples/oranges and all that...), but compare it to prices you see on LRX and eBay and in Hemmings (all have differing price ranges). I can see why the seller rejected 27K. 30 sounds about the right place for a buyer and seller to meet on a used NAS 110. Now, as to weather or not I think an 11 year old vehicle is worth 30 grand is another story. ;) Supply/demand dictates price. The fair price is the one that the buyer and seller can agree on. | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 721 Registered: 07-2002 |
Wait wait wait, I know all this, I have a Series IIa that I have been working on for 3 years - good advice though guys - don't calculate the cost. What I am asking is... and I probably should have stated this to begin with... have any of you actually simply collected all the MAIN parts together then started to buld your truck. All those little things start building up at that point, going to the hardware store, getting the right tool, finding just the right fit... but what about before all that starts? Know what I mean? The reason I ask is that it will be the indicator as to whether I can do it or not. Just like the indicator for us buying a Series at the time was, "Can we find one that is clean and that we can drive home for "X" amount of dollars?" - after that the costs are pretty much incalculable - Then again, I like Kyle's approach, it's priceless! | ||
| Justin V. Nevitt (What_rd) New Member Username: What_rd Post Number: 1 Registered: 02-2004 |
Approx 25K to start with all of the "main" components. Then 10-15K more very easily without any custom parts. IE supercharger, stereo, trick suspension, winch,... I am still in the process of building a D110 crew cab for a customer sporting a supercharger with special intake, custom stereo, safety devices cage, and a long list of other extras. When it is all said and done, we will probably be looking around $85-90K. That may be a little tough to get past the wife! They are neat projects, but if you are not looking for anything super special, I'd recommend customizing an existing truck. Good luck. | ||
| Phillip Perkinson (Rover4x4) Senior Member Username: Rover4x4 Post Number: 677 Registered: 02-2003 |
hmmm....... | ||
| Victor (Vabiro) Member Username: Vabiro Post Number: 201 Registered: 10-2003 |
If you're looking for something to start with, this link is for an Auction in Canada for British Millitary vehicles. The Brits maintain a presence at some bases in Canada, and bring their own Defenders, but auction them off in Canada. http://www.publicauctionservices.com/members/publicSalePreview.jsp?eventid=4428 Victor | ||
| Jeff Mclaird (Granitedisco) Member Username: Granitedisco Post Number: 215 Registered: 08-2003 |
Great link Victor - do you have any idea what sort of money they are going for on average at these type of government auctions ? regards Jeff | ||
| Victor (Vabiro) Member Username: Vabiro Post Number: 202 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jeff, Sorry, but I haven't a clue, but given their condition there isn't going to be a lot of interest from dealers. With no dealersn to bid against it will just be LR enthusiasts and scrap dealers. Victor | ||
| Jeff Mclaird (Granitedisco) Member Username: Granitedisco Post Number: 217 Registered: 08-2003 |
I wonder if it would be possible to get one across the border as scrap? It's terrible really when you think about it - the lengths you have to go to Jeff | ||
| Victor (Vabiro) Member Username: Vabiro Post Number: 203 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jeff, That certainly was something that wasn't discussed in the "Re-Title Defender...." thread on that topic. Sounds like a good idea, but I bet there has got to be some sort of regulation on importing scrap. Victor |
