2003 Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Country

This Defender 110 was purchased by the current owner from a gentleman who owned an independent Land Rover specialist garage, who used the car to drive back and forth to Germany, so it’s been well tested.

The current owner has then spent a considerable amount of time and money to get the car back up to the best spec it can be and as such has had a lot of drivetrain work commissioned to ensure the future longevity of the vehicle. Regrettably for the current owner, life circumstances now dictate the car be moved on.

As can be seen in the paperwork, lots of issues that came up in MOT inspections have been addressed and, in some cases, parts have been upgraded. The idea behind this car for the current owner was to create a safe and reliable car that they could enjoy and use for some time, before life forces a reluctant sale.

The body on this 110 is absolutely solid, as you’d expect from a Land Rover, the bulkhead is in fantastic condition and the rest of the panels are in great shape too. There is a slight dent in the front driver’s side wing, but these Land Rovers take things like this in their stride. There is some superficial rust starting to appear around the bottom of the doors as is often the case with British cars on British roads, however it isn’t structural, nor does it let water into the cabin.

The rest of the exterior of this Land Rover is superb, sporting the classic green and white two-tone colour combination. The panel fit around the car is great and the paint has held up very well too. The front and rear bumpers are in great condition and are free from dents or marks and have spotlights incorporated into them giving them a modern touch.

All the checker boards are fitted recently and are in great shape. The rear of the car is in great condition too, with the rear tow bar brace in great shape, no marks or dents. It is also worth mentioning that all electrics work for the outside of the vehicle too, all lights and lamps work as intended.

The wheels are in amazing condition as well, with the chunky off-roading tyres being new as of a few weeks ago so will have plenty of life and grip left.

There’s not much more to say other than this is a very well sorted car that’s had lots of money and time spent on it recently, it’s definitely worth coming to view the car to see for yourself.

The seven seats inside the Defender 110 add to the utilitarian and practical nature of the vehicle. Whilst these cars were never meant to be the height of luxury, there are a few additions in this car that go some way to satiate the need for creature comforts.

Firstly, everything in the interior works and is in top condition, a great example of these cars inside. The seats have covers on from company ‘Trakkers’, and they are made of a waxy, ‘Barbour’ jacket type material to protect from anything that might find its way onto the upholstery from various ‘outdoor lifestyle’ type activities and we are told by the vendor that underneath these the original seat covers are in good condition. There are protective rubber mats that serve a similar purpose which are in good condition and are not hiding any nasty surprises under the carpet. All electrics inside work, with all the levers operating smoothly, there are also new door seals to prevent any water ingress and a brand-new sunroof as the previous item was starting to show signs of leaking. The dash is all operational and shows the correct mileage of 207,715, there is also a new seatbelt which was fitted a few years back due to some fraying mentioned in the MOT.

The main attraction inside however is the heated seat pads fitted in the base and back of both front seats. Operated by neatly fitted switches in the centre console, the heated seats go some way to make this car much more comfortable to drive in the wet and cold conditions the UK is all too familiar with. In addition to the pure luxury of the heated seat pads, the car has also been treated with a job lot of sound deadening by ‘DYNAMAT’, which should bring the noise in the cabin down to normal conversational levels.

The chassis and underpinnings of Defenders are hard wearing and capable of putting up with some seriously tough punishment if looked after and this one has fared very well indeed considering the mileage. There is what looks to be, nothing more than superficial surface rust on some components throughout the length of the framework and it doesn’t look to be structural, which is corroborated by the MOT checks.

The owner went out of their way to make sure this example was safe to be driven on a daily basis and part of this was to have the car checked for anything that might cause potential issues in the future. Other than this, the car looks to have some relatively new items installed for the suspension, which is a welcome site on a car such as this. The underside of this Defender presents as a well looked after, working off roader without the decades of being caked in mud and lake water.

There is a full and comprehensive list of history that comes with this car and the current owner has done a lot of work to the car during their time with the vehicle. A brief outline of the work is as follows:

Full suite of owner’s manuals and service book showing regular servicing

X4 new 235/85R16 GE AT3 120S tyres – ‘PROTYRE’

Fuel system overhaul

Cubby box fitted, replacement sunroof and front headlining, heated seat elements fitted, replacement front bumper + daytime running lights, dashcam fitted, new door seals and audio head unit wired in – ‘Keith Gott Land Rover Specialist’ – 24/08/2020

Auxiliary belt tensioner, new anti-freeze – Stuart Batstone – 17/06/2020

Nearside front swivel kit – ‘Ropley Motor Services’ – 23/11/2021

Fan belt and alternator mount – ‘Stuart Batstone’ – 05/02/2020

Replaced rear axle A frame ball joint, trailing arm chassis bushes, engine management main relay & plug – ‘Stuart Batstone’ – 20/05/2019

Gearbox and transfer box removed and rebuilt with new bearings & seals, removal of dual mass flywheel & clutch, fitting new spigot bearing and rear main oil seal, reassembled with new clutch bearing and hand brake seal – ‘LPME Motorsport Engineering’ – 07/03/2018

Fit reconditioned gearbox including new clutch & flywheel, replaced lower steering column shaft & drop arm ball joint rubber boot – ‘Stuart Batstone’ – 22/10/2019

Xenon Ultima headlamp upgrade – ‘L.R.Series’ 30/11/2015

ECU remap – ‘TD5 Alive’ - 04/12/2008

Stainless steel exhaust system including downpipe, full size intercooler, Samco sport silicone hose set – ‘TD5 Alive’ – 04/08/2008

A few other things to note, the car comes with two sets of keys,a vehicle tracker which the current owner will stop once the car has sold but will leave the hardware for future owners to protect the vehicle with.

Everybody knows and loves a Defender; they are a joy to see on the road and give drivers plenty of satisfaction and capability both on and off the tarmac. Gracing the highways in all settings from extremely rural green lanes to the glitz and glam of some of London’s richest shopping streets. Used by farmers and royalty alike, it really is a car that spans a huge demographic, and one that is seeing a steady incline in value now that the Defender marque has seen a revival.

This example is a well-loved, regularly used, well cared for example with the benefit of huge amounts of time and finances being spent on it recently to make it the best it can be. It also comes with the added bonus of a few creature comforts for the more ‘glamping’ inclined outdoorsy type as opposed to the rough and tumble of some of the earlier Land Rover series. A fine example of the Defender, this example is ready for the new owner to jump in and use without having to worry about lots of the usual culprits to go wrong, an enticing prospect for sure.

Our estimate for this vehicle is £18,000 - £23,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.