Paul Jolly: The used car that everyone wants

As a Classic Car Specialist and Valuer plus vehicle Search Consultant, I often get offered vehicles for outright sale.

Most frequently these hold no appeal to me personally and I simply recommend the right course of action and where to sell these cars for the best price.

However, just this week, one particular Land Rover got my attention when it was offered by a local land owner who was selling his 2010 model year 90 SWB Defender with 97000 miles and in fair condition. Having a great fondness for these traditional Landy’s and also regretting selling my 90 County V8 a few years ago, I tried hard to bid the right money to own it.

Not only was I substantially out bid by WeBuyAnyCar.com but they in turn were also further outbid by a specialist Defender on-line buying agency.

This got me thinking about what other Land Rover products I could acquire for the £14000 I would have needed to secure this somewhat average utilitarian Defender that everyone else seemed to want rather more than me.

There is no shortage of new model 2014 aluminium bodied top specification Range Rover Autobiography’s with the 4.4 diesel V8 and a cost new tag of around £80,000 for just £12-13000 currently in Autotrader. How come?

Simple. Running costs and I do not just mean fuel. Far from it. For starters, my cheapest “Go Compare’ insurance quote with an insurance company I have heard of was over £1000 pa rising to £1750 with the RAC and over £1900 with the AA. The average quote was around £1500 and my risk levels are not high. The problem is these Range Rovers have a dreadful theft history and have been targeted over the years remorsefully, mainly to be broken up overseas for their spare parts value.

Road tax is £735 against £435 for other available 4x4s and finally servicing and repairs are just off the scale. The complexity of sensors and historical gremlins with these overly complicated machines can render them a financial write off with one visit to a Land Rover service department.

Fair warning.