Is your Land Rover Defender Cloned?

If you are thinking of buying a classic Land Rover Defender, you want to be aware of its cloned so you can avoid becoming a victim of it. That is why we decided to make an article with the most important tips to avoid falling for it. So without further ado, let’s get started on how you can check if the car that you are buying is cloned or not.

What is Car Cloning?

Car cloning is the automobile’s version of identity theft. Thieves steal a vehicle and give it a new identity that resembles that of another vehicle already on the road. The authentic car is usually the same make and model as the cloned one. To clone a car, criminals generally change or mask the original 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and use a stolen V5C (logbook) to give the vehicle’s identification the appearance of legitimacy.

When a car is cloned, the illegitimate car is frequently used in criminal activity. These vehicles have been involved in a variety of crimes, ranging from unauthorized parking to armed robberies. The first time an unwitting victim learns that their car has been cloned is when they receive a speeding ticket, penalty fee notification, or even a police visit. Long story short, it is best to check if the Land Rover Defender that you want to buy is cloned or not before making it your own.

How to Avoid Buying a Cloned Land Rover Defender?

Although spotting a copied car can be difficult at times, there are typically telltale signs. After reading this article it will be hard or even impossible for thieves to sell you a copied Land Rover Defender. You may dramatically lower your chances of buying a cloned car by doing a little due research (otherwise known as a ringer). Here are a few things you can do:

• Before going to see a Defender, get in touch with the seller and ask for information like the registration number and the car’s make and model. You can then use the DVLA’s online vehicle inquiry tool to check these details. You can also lookup the vehicle’s tax and MOT status, as well as its MOT history. All of this is provided at no cost. Before going to see the car, do some research on its current market value. If the price appears to be too good to be true, it probably is. Most of these kinds of sellers lower their prices drastically in order to sell it fast in order to get into the next one. Check to see if the seller has a legitimate purpose for selling.
• If it’s a private sale, double-check the address on the logbook against the place you’ll be visiting when you come to see the car. If a salesperson asks to meet you in a layby or service station, be wary. Make that the VIN number matches in all of the normal places (under the carpet near the driver or passenger seat, in the engine compartment, and beneath the windscreen). Then double-check that this number matches the VIN on the V5C.
• If you’re serious about buying a particular Defender, you should get an HPI report. Not only will you be able to verify the car’s VIN, but you’ll also be able to find out whether it’s ever been stolen or written off, as well as if there’s any outstanding finance on it.
• Use a traceable payment method, such as a debit or credit card, or a bank transfer, when paying for the car. Even if it’s only a partial payment, a legitimate seller should be delighted to accept one of these ways. If the seller asks you to pay them only in cash ask him some questions and see if he gives you any suspicious answers. 

Most people’s worst nightmare is purchasing a copied vehicle. Even if you acquire a car unintentionally that turns out to be a clone, you will very certainly lose both the car and the money you paid for it. You will be able to protect yourself from becoming a victim of automobile cloning by following the guidelines mentioned above, and you will have peace of mind that the car you have purchased is genuine.

On this website, we offer the best Land Rover Defender arch kits for both Defender 90 and 110. If you want your Land Rover Defender to stand out from the rest we recommend having a look at what we offer. If you are a Land Rover Lover like us, visit our blog again because we will continue to post about everything that a Defender owner needs to know about his/her car.