The Rover-Landers of BC

I am originally from Spain and would love to bring back a Defender 110. I have seen one for sale here in the lower mainland and would love to try ding it myself. I would love some advice on how to start the process.
I understand it won't be easy but I'm willing to go through the head aches to have my dream Santana back in BC :D
Thanks very much for your time.

Hi Roja,

Here are some thoughts on importing to Canada to get you rolling;

- Your Defender will need to be 15 yrs old or older.
- You can ship your Land Rover inside a container or on a Roll-on, Roll off type of ship.
- Budget between $3000 - $4000 for the shipping.
- Your Land Rover will have to be very clean before shipping (or they will charge you at customs for cleaning it)
- There are companies that deal with the shipping and helping you through the customs (or you can do it your self)
- When arriving in BC it will require a inspection to ensure it meets the BC "standards" (budget $200 to $1000 depending on what it may need to have done).

Probably a few things I have forgotten, but to round things up, budget around $5000 and expect to jump through a few hoops before you have it parked in your drive in British Columbia.

Cheers, Andy

Having done exactly this (from living in the UK, and returning to Vancouver) earlier this year;

- Clean. Make sure the vehicle is clean; everywhere clean. Spend the time / money to have it properly cleaned inside and out, and underneath. If the Customs / Agriculture inspection guy even thinks there might be foreign dirt on the Defender, you're looking at a $200-1500 cleaning bill.

- Age. As Andy mentioned, there is a >15 year rule for Canada. Make sure you have all the docs to prove it's old enough to qualify. If the VIN / paperwork don't match, you could be looking at a refused entry.

- Inspection (Provincial Vehicle Inspection - PVI). Despite the fact the Customs guys will tell you it'll be easiest / fastest to have it inspected at your local Crappy Tire; DON'T! I have heard too many horror stories, rip offs & un-necessary work being done on 'failed inspection' vehicles. I also learned this the hard way. Thankfully I was able to get a refund for the inspection costs. Take it to a Land Rover specialist. They know what they're looking at, how to inspect it, and how to fix it, if needed. If you're in Vancouver; I would personally recommend Alastair at Hesp Automotive in North Van. He is a site sponsor, and did the inspection on my 90.

- Shipping. Roll-On/Roll-Off. It's the cheapest option. Containers are expensive; 2-3x more expensive. And unless you're filling your Defender with stuff from Spain, not necessary. Find a local shipping company to help guide you through the nautical headache that is international shipping. Expect it to take a couple months.

Happy to discuss further. And Good Luck!
Paul

Thank you very much for your replies. I appreciate the time you have spent.
I am excited about the process and will follow your advice.
Thanks again.

paullo wrote:Having done exactly this (from living in the UK, and returning to Vancouver) earlier this year;

- Clean. Make sure the vehicle is clean; everywhere clean. Spend the time / money to have it properly cleaned inside and out, and underneath. If the Customs / Agriculture inspection guy even thinks there might be foreign dirt on the Defender, you're looking at a $200-1500 cleaning bill.

Second this.... I spent a couple of days sat under my D90 scrubbing it, then had it steam cleaned. Finally sprayed it with chassis wax before it was loaded into the container.... looked like new :D