Rust
Rust! Arrr! Land Rovers, like most cars, are prone to rusting, even worse if they have been offroaded, but don’t let that put you off looking at a Defender that has been off roaded as many are owned by enthusiast who will have maintained and protected it from rust.
Most of the outer body panels on a Defender is made from aluminium, which means that rust isn’t an issue on the body. But the vehicle is built on an old-fashioned ladder frame chassis which is made of mild steel and are known to rust if not looked after. Any vehicle more than ten years old may be suffering from chassis corrosion: the condition of the visible body panels provides no guide to the state of the chassis, and chassis replacement is a very expensive job. (However, it is worth mentioning that most Japanese 4x4s are far more rot-prone than Land Rovers.) So its time to get on you hands and knees and even on your back and have a look under the Land Rover and give the chassis and good inspection and prob. If there are any rust holes or lots of patches on the chassis then you should reconsider the vehicle… depending on the price.
On the side of the chassis are out riggers which hold the front wings and bulk head. These are prone to rust. Check these for rust, as they can be expensive to replace unless you can weld.
The rear bumper / cross member are prone to rust, you should inspect this area as replacing can also be expansive unless you are handy with a welder.
The other crucial area to look at is the bulkhead – this is the structure to which the windscreen, dashboard, steering column, doors, bonnet and front wings are bolted. Like the chassis, is a safety-critical item, and from mild steel. So check around the wind screen and air vents as these are the main areas of rust.
Other areas where steel is used include the door frames, the storage boxes under the front seats, and the protective cappings along the top and rear corners of the bodywork. Any of these areas can rust extensively, and often do. Further problems can arise where steel and aluminium meet – a chemical reaction results in the aluminium being eaten away and turning into a crumbly white powder. This is most common around the edges of the doors. These are easy and cheap enough to fix but could be a good bargaining chip to get a better/lower purchase price.
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