Range Rover
 

I'll soon be changing my company car and it looks like we are moving to a cash allowance only scheme.

Given this gives me flexibility on what I choose, I can get any car (or pocket the money) I'm considering getting a Range Rover.

If I go down this route, I wouldn't be buying new. I could either go a couple of years old or look to get one 5-7 years old (with then a decent wedge then left to cover any warranty or extra costs)

I guess what I'm looking for as a start is

1) Have RR's moved on much from a 5 year old model to a 2 year old model? Any significant differences?

2) Am I going to get hammered cost wise if I buy a car 5 + years old? Any experience of warranty costs?

3) Any other ownership thoughts?

I had considered a Disco but the 3 does seem to get a massive amount of press regards reliability.

Cheers

Electronics are a bugbear on all LR's mostly the RRS & the RR. I have a 9 month old RR TDV8 & its been to the dealers for a recall on an air bag & its been great even more sore in this weather when my 535d cant even get out the drive. I did however have one of the first TDV8 sports a few years ago & it was dogged with electrical gremlins although my GF of the time wrote it off by pulling out in front of a truck.
The older RR's have problems with the LED display on the dash & various other electrical faults. A farmer near me thankfully took out a warranty on one he bought at 4yrs old & a few months later it needed close to 1k of faults fixed.
I would recommend no matter what you buy that you purchase an extended warranty as well. I am sure warranty direct can do you a two year one for £599 with a claim limit of 1k per fault (i think)
Good luck & i hope you find a good one as they really are the kings of the road :D

Given this weather I fancy a RR as well!! Always loved them and the latest model has just been voted car of the decade in spite of being around for 8 years!!

Had various range rovers and there is a massive difference between 2 and 5 year old one due to TDV8 (rather than 3.0 BMW) engine, 6 speed (rather than 5) transmission, terrain response, much better body roll control and excellent NAV / telephone system.
Both are great cars but the revised one is superb.

I have read that the BMW sourced 4.4 V8 that is in my parents 2004 model, is the pick of the petrols to date. A few of the consumables are the same as the X5 and the local LR specialist we use often uses the cheaper BMW parts. The extended warranty they had ran out a year ago. They have had a few issues including a front diff recall - but hasn't been plagued like the old P38 was.

I imagine their 1 owner 60k FSH Vogue will be worth 12k ish private sale now - so they are a serious bargain. They average nearly 18mpg - prins LPG will equate to another 10mpg which will pay for itself within the year. Servicing at the specialist is reasonable and often appear more clued up than the dealers!?!?!

My advise is do lots of research, I think my folks are in the minority when it comes to reliability. LR warranty is only one worth having IMO.

my dad just got rid of his as was a complete nightmare with electrics and that had to get called back as had to have all new water pipes as old ones used to split and catch fire over the exhaust manifold better off with sumit else

I had a RRS and loved it what a great car they are had a few probs all done under warenty get one you will love it.

yea for 10mins till you have to go back every min with it my dad has had range rovers for years all the shapes hes had now they are nothing but trouble and if anything gos wrong you have to take it to thwhite which is megabucks as they say if you can afford a rangee you can aford the repair bill to go with it just my thought thats all still nice to look at thou 2010 sport one

like mentioned earlier make sure you get the warranty as this will cripple you if anythink happend

There are plenty of LR specialists about that can fix them for a fraction of what it would cost at a dealers.

still be dear thou as i no a very good lr specialist and still cripples you as your looking 5k upwards for a auto box like say get the warranty if runs out stay away from them or extend it very dear if anthink gos wrong just my opinion as been bought up around these things the next one up from the p38 was a good one and the tdi ones shift to,

Probably the best car you can buy , but just too many problems. I know some who has a range rover supercharger 6 months old driving along the m20 in the fast lane at 80mph and all the electrics just cut out, the brakes and steering all lost the power assistance. Land rover didn't know why it did it?

I would buy one if it came with a life time warranty for free!

Thanks all....not sure I'm sold on one now :)

Does anyone know when the current model (I know it's being replaced soon) came into being?

I owned LRs for over 12 years, 2 Discovery 2 V8 ESs, A 110 County TD5 and then the 4.4 V8 Discovery 3 HSE. Always loyal, but the D3 finished it. All the cars broke down and kept breaking but all had LR Warranty. But the D3 tries to kill you, The range rover also has the air suspension and similar faults I believe, not sure about the electronic parking brake, but I think they have that aswell. The air suspension can lower at any speed without warning, the EPB can engage at any speed for no reason. The electrics are awfull to say the least.
Best thing to do is sit in a Land Rover dealers at the service desk and you will meet lots of regular customers, the service manager will get to know you and your family. You will also have your kids wondering if the courtesy is your new car as thats what vehicle you will drive the most.
Read all the forums the problems are rife, listen to owners not a friend of a friend whos mate owned one.

Disco 3's and Range Rover Sports are the same vehicle underneath exept wheelbase and have the same faults listed above( Park brake faults, Suspension height sensors faults, EGR valve faults) where as the Vogues seem to be alot more reliable. TDV8's are the one's to have! Like everything else you will never hear from the Land Rover owner who hasn't had any bother,

The vast majority of Land Rover owners complain about there reliability but they will always return to the dealers and buy another for some reason :wonder:

Sounds about right ;) they do kind of get under your skin - I love ours. We've had a few problems, but if you find a decent independent, the costs aren't awful and you get a serious amount of car for your money if you buy second hand.

For example, the air suspension packed up recently - mechanic plugs the computer in and tells me the pump has packed up - I expected a 4 figure bill, but was pleasantly surprised with £350.

I'm not claiming it's cheap to run, but I've not been hit with a crippling bill either. It's a bit like the fuel (lack of) economy - you need to view it as part of the total cost of ownership.

The older cars 02-05 run BMW mechanicals & electricals, the newer cars run Ford/Jaguar gear.

This is the annoying point, I left LR due to all the problems and yet I have still been and looked at and test drove the Discovery 4. I really liked the car and seriously thought about buying again, but I looked over at the service area and it just filled me with dread.
My wife now has a Nissan Pathfinder Aventura which is aswell spec'd as the LR Discovery HSE. But it has done something my Land Rovers never could..................45,000 miles without breaking down. The LR averaged every 2-3K miles before problems.
May not be as flash or good quality, but it does its job and does it well.
For the price I dont think there is a better 4x4. Its coping with between 8-10 inches of snow on the track to the farm without any issue.

I had a Disco 3 and bought the extended LR warranty (costs £1k). The warranty paid for itself in the 9 months I owned the car. A must on these vehicle I think

I know a few people who have got them as company cars and the only thing that seems to go wrong is the electronicals!! :nono:

I'm a bit jealous coz I'd love one as me company banger :D

I'm struggling with this one. Really like the car but the reliability does seem more of an issue than on most (though I know you do hear the bad things more than the good)

I've got the chance of a 4.4 Petrol Vogue 2004 with 56k on the clock with a recentish LPG conversion for circa 12k. Tempted as it's a friend selling and seems a decent price....although I'll still have my company car for a short while.

Need to check if I can get a warranty on it first I suppose

If you have got the chance to buy your mates car for 12k, and its straight got full history ect, then get it bought, even if its only to make some money. Have a look on pistonheads and that car would be 4-6k more, either private or independant.I've run a 4.4 vogue since last year, done 10,000 miles and all its had has been a main dealer service at £280 been absolutely faultless and is brilliant in this weather.I went into ownership with my eyes wide open and the reliability is in the back of your mind but i think the disco 3 and RR sport are more prone to problems.Over all its costing me less to run this vehicle than it was to lease/service and fuel a Lexus is220d.

Have owned 2 RR, one a 02 L322 4.4V8 this had so many problems, electrics, front diff, wheel barings etc. Ran it for 2 years then changed for a MY07 Supercharged which in my mind is what the RR should always have been. Touch wood in the 2 years I have owned it, nothing has gone wrong, other than the fact that I think there is a hole in the petrol tank as I manage 18mpg, only kidding.

There is no better place to be than inside a RR when you are on the road, it is luxury on wheels, remember thinking what do you need a heated steering wheel for, but it is great in this weather.

Fantastic value s/h, not sure I would fork out £80k for the new one, eventhough it has the splendid 5L V8 that shifts I do not like the new neon front lights.

Great in this weather, but you have to watch out for all the other prats who cannot drive

Bluie I would be chuffed to bits to be in a supercharged getting 18mpg, I only get 16mpg from my 4.4.:cool:

I was getting the same, think the main reason is that my old 4.4 lived in sports mode, where as the S/C has only been in sports mode a couple of times as the gearing and performance is much better.

So true - I get in our other cars and they seem so crap not having a warm steering wheel this time of year :)

£12k! :eek: I'm not really up on second hand prices for RR's, but that's way less than I would've expected!

Fantastic cars IMO - I'd have one over a Q7, ML or X5 anyday, even though I'm sure build and reliability is worse, but the RR just has so much more class!

Perhaps I was being ambitious :oops:

You're not toooo far off the money - there are loads high milers being advertised around £11k - I reckon you could probably pick up a 52 plate with 60k for £12k

2003 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER VOGUE V8 AUTO BLACK on eBay (end time 07-Jan-10 17:43:59 GMT)

but a better buy IMO would be:

Range Rover TDV6 SE on eBay (end time 09-Jan-10 16:51:27 GMT)

Lots around for 11k to 12k but normally they have bad wheels or low spec, £12k for 2004 with low miles sounds good , type of wheels and vehicle colour? (as long as its not green or charcoal shoud be ok!)

The only thing that would worry me is the LPG for 2 reasons, 1 if they cant afford fuel what else have they skimped on? Who did the install and how good was it? as it could damage the electrics!

These cars are a bargain but I could just not commit to massive repair bills!

Well I test drove the 4.4 Vogue and I liked it BUT given the comments on reliability, I'm not sure I want to buy it.

I have a car allowance of circa 800/month after tax so plenty there to cover any purchase cost/repairs/warranty (I would hope) but not sure it's the sensible thing to do.

I could go newer or I'm starting to look at the Toyota Landcruiser - anyone any experience of these?

Thanks