Bring a Trailer Defender Auction Criticism

JimC

Super Moderator
Staff member
Oh what the heck, just for comparison, let’s look at this truck side by side with the actual Kahn body kit competently installed. It’s no less abominable but I can at least support a well-executed bad idea.

0D777B7A-344C-44E1-955D-8B8B37243804.jpeg

D81CBCB8-4F5A-45A3-9EDA-2FEEF4DAB718.jpeg
 

Adam

Well-known member
By my count The Apline Element has sold the following Defenders on BaT:
PriceVINDate
$75,000.00SALLDKFF8KF80749612/1/2020
$97,000.00SALLDMMD8KA92238711/19/2020
$68,000.00SALLDHA08TF8148979/25/2020
$75,000.00SALLDKFF8KF8074149/18/2020
$40,750.00SALLDHMC8FF3800008/27/2020
$63,500.00SALLDHHC8LF8076448/4/2020
$47,750.00SALLDHMD8LF8072767/2/2020
$50,000.00SALLDHMC8FF3800006/1/2020
$47,800.00SALLDKFF8KF8075193/20/2020
$51,500.00SALLDHMC8BA3093622/14/2020
$46,250.00SALLDHMC8BA3069451/24/2020
$45,000.00SALLDHMD8FF4042421/2/2020
$47,000.00SALLDHMD8JF80370112/4/2019
$41,000.00SALLDKFF8KF80751911/5/2019
$43,000.00SALLDHMD8KF8062866/27/2019
$838,550.00
 
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JimC

Super Moderator
Staff member
Not bad for a bunch of 3-5k trucks and 20k in Palestinian labor.

In all fairness it could be Lebanese or Syrian too.
 

Adam

Well-known member
If you want a story - talk to the first buyer of SALLDHMC8FF380000 - it looks like it was returned/refused/re-listed

Hey guys! Great to see my 110 has gone live! Just want to give a back story as to why I reacquired this truck..
The gentleman that I sold it to went on my website shortly after, and fell in love with one of my frame off, nut & bolt restoration 110’s. He later contacted me, and asked if it would be possible to trade the truck back into me and purchase the frame off restoration truck I had for sale on my website, which I eventually agreed to. I know the truck being immediately re-listed will raise a lot of questions for the BaT crowd, but there is nothing to worry about it. Well folks, there’s the story! Good luck to everyone bidding, and as always, I encourage people to come stop by and view the truck in person or even chit chat about rovers!
– With love, The Alpine Element.
 

worldofinflation

Active member
Not bad for a bunch of 3-5k trucks and 20k in Palestinian labor.

In all fairness it could be Lebanese or Syrian too.

But actually...I would venture to guess he's <~$25k all in for most of those trucks.
Labor is likely much much less... and I'm guessing most of the trucks are picked up for <$15k and many probably ~$10k. Family probably owns the fab garage in Turkey. Cheap Chinese and Indian upholstery are plentiful. Parts from government scrapyards. He's probably pulled a cool $300k this year slapping these things together. More knowledgeable folks on here can correct me.

Nothing wrong with leveraging dual citizenship, taking some risk and making money. But this is certainly not going to be sustainable for him.

Edit: Probably echoing the sentiment of others here but what blows my mind is there are so many good importers & builders in this community that can deliver solid, real-value trucks, especially at a $50k + price point. I'm not surprised so many aspirational defender buyers have $70k to burn, but do struggle to understand how such a large percentage of them would be so indiscriminate.
 
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Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
I'm over it really, The only people who are really stupid here are the buyers and the shills. The dude is exploiting an open market, If he wasn't such a smarmy cunt then it really wouldn't matter
 

worldofinflation

Active member
By my count The Apline Element has sold the following Defenders on BaT:
PriceVINDate
$75,000.00SALLDKFF8KF80749612/1/2020
$97,000.00SALLDMMD8KA92238711/19/2020
$68,000.00SALLDHA08TF8148979/25/2020
$75,000.00SALLDKFF8KF8074149/18/2020
$40,750.00SALLDHMC8FF3800008/27/2020
$63,500.00SALLDHHC8LF8076448/4/2020
$47,750.00SALLDHMD8LF8072767/2/2020
$50,000.00SALLDHMC8FF3800006/1/2020
$47,800.00SALLDKFF8KF8075193/20/2020
$51,500.00SALLDHMC8BA3093622/14/2020
$46,250.00SALLDHMC8BA3069451/24/2020
$45,000.00SALLDHMD8FF4042421/2/2020
$47,000.00SALLDHMD8JF80370112/4/2019
$41,000.00SALLDKFF8KF80751911/5/2019
$43,000.00SALLDHMD8KF8062866/27/2019
$838,550.00

I couldn't help it.

Screen Shot 2020-12-21 at 9.42.39 PM.png
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Anyone know where I can get a cheap Maaco type paint job for my truck?
It will add at least $60k to its value on BAT.
 

acheck

Well-known member
on this grey one, the body line is completely wrong, like the front wings aren't attached properly or the chassis is bent.

i've tried commenting (constructively) on BaT and it is always flagged/removed. it's bad for their business, too, if these abominations are called out for exactly that.

i'd stay far, far away from BaT as a buyer or seller these days.
 

CDN38

Well-known member
Anyone know where I can get a cheap Maaco type paint job for my truck?
It will add at least $60k to its value on BAT.


.. I just couldn't resist.
 

Z.G

Well-known member
Zack, I appreciate that the seller is representing the truck honestly, but let’s be realistic, it’s not too nice to wheel. It’s perfect for thrashing. The comments are the worst, like usual.

I have to update/correct my $30k comment!
 

JimC

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have to update/correct my $30k comment!

I‘ll admit that it’s great when “the parts you’ve got laying around” can build a 60k truck. I also feel a lot better knowing that if something went amiss with this truck, there is a builder and a seller on this side of the pond who I have confidence would step in to rectify a problem.
 

JimC

Super Moderator
Staff member
great value compared to the other stuff that sells on there. i can defend 60k.

I guess if you had no parts and you asked the guy who built it to supply all the parts and do the work, there probably wouldn’t really be any change from 60k. The parts choices make sense for a trail truck.
 

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
I‘ll admit that it’s great when “the parts you’ve got laying around” can build a 60k truck. I also feel a lot better knowing that if something went amiss with this truck, there is a builder and a seller on this side of the pond who I have confidence would step in to rectify a problem.
Thats what is great about a gems drive train, as was used in that build. Its OBD2 so anyone with a cheap bluetooth code reader can query the ecu.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
I have to update/correct my $30k comment!

Having had a D1 and now a 90.... I rather like the way whoever built that truck combined the longer wheelbase of the D1 with the 90’s departure angle. Lots of work when into that truck and I doubt they made any money on the sale.
 

pfshoen

Well-known member
My first BAT comment on this truck was not allowed. Then a deluge of criticism hit. I made another comment that was allowed. Much shorter than the first, natch. Idk if it was timing or a matter of being more polite the second time. This last Alpine Element Frankenrover I hope the Feds find and crush. There's no saving it. Where's the gubermint when you need them?
 
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