Buying first Range Rover, perhaps Evoque, thoughts?

Hello,

I am buying my first (used) Range Rover, at some point within the next week.. as I need it quite soon. It will be my first car purchase (rather than a car my parents have purchased for me). I would love to get a Defender (my brother has one), but for my needs it is not that practical.

I live in a major city, Edinburgh.. but I have to frequently travel quite far 6+ hour Freeway drives --to London or north into Highlands. And my work, frequently takes me onto rural farm land (I am working as a Veterinarian). So I need something that can handle off road, and handle some storage.. but isn't too big for city driving (and for city driving in a hill city, like Edinburgh is preferably automatic), and is comfortable for long distance drives on the M6 (which is where a Defender sucks, unfortunately).

This has led me to the Evoque (though I could see the Freelander or Range Rover sport as being decent options --thoughts?), I like its compact size for the city, and its off road potential, while seeming fine for distance driving.

My current plan is to try and get one 2014 or newer, under 65k miles, 4x4 Auto. My budget is ~£15k. There are a fair number that are within these parameters. I would like it to be grey/silver, would like a pano roof.. but these are extras. Most that match every spec seem to be £19k... which I could manage, but isn't ideal.

I recently found one that is 2012, and has 85k miles.. but matches every other spec --and is only £11k.

What would you guys recommend? A 2016 at £19k or saving some money and going a bit older? Is a different model to the Evoque preferable? Do you think this will work well with my needs?

Thanks a ton, I am really new to cars!!!

All the best,
Charlie

A Freelander or Evoque ( a luxury Freelander) do not have a proper 4WD , only a viscous coupler auxiliary rear wheel drive. They do not have a proper transfer box with reduction either.
The independent suspension and poor ground clearance are definitely to be considered if driving through wheel ruts to a farm.

All the models you think about are stuffed with electronics that keep me in the job.
If you want a Range Rover that is reliable, comfortable and excellent for towing and off roading on farms, get a classic. 8f you fall in love with air suspension and don't mind a few quirks, a P38
If you want comfort, many seats, long distance economy and still excellent off road ability, get a Disco 2. Or a really well preserved 300 TDI.
As an alternative if you really want something more modern a Disco3. All Discos have excellent liadspace and accessibility.

My friend Octávio drives scientists to a very remote spot where they study turtles and big cats. 9ften they carry vet material, too. He has a 1998 110. But often he wants to borrow my Disco 2 because everyone finds it more comfy
Last but not least.. why not a Defender Puma? Better seats than the early ones, excellent for practical purposes and it doesn't lose its value.

Hi there and welcome!
You've come to the right place for help and advice on all things land rover

Another thought.. a friend of mine in Malaysia bought an Evoque as her first land Rover, after having a River 75 and various Minis She is a diving instructor.
The Evoque went at a heavy loss after 2 years.
She now has a Puma 110 and is extremely happy.

Hello & welcome to LZ.
Can't really help you with vehicle selection.
We don't have a sub-section in the Range Rover class for the Evoque. It is mostly referred to in here as the e-joke (should give you a clue).
A well kept Disco or Diesel P38 if you want luxury W/O excessive fuel cost (maybe).
Hard to say really. I have a P38 and won't buy any other Rangie model, so I guess I am biased.

Good Luck!

Hi and welcome
Mate had an ejoke I never forgave him for that but he got rid very quick as spent more time at JLR being fixed
A disco 3 or 4 would be a better bet for farm tracks and long journeys.

brianp38dse said:

Hi and welcome
Mate had an ejoke I never forgave him for that but he got rid very quick as spent more time at JLR being fixed
A disco 3 or 4 would be a better bet for farm tracks and long journeys.

Click to expand...

Disco 4 3.0 is too fragile. Better not

Ok I'll bite , 29years old, first car your parents wont be buying, Edinburgh a 'major' city, freeway in the UK, auto because of the hills in Edinburgh , etc. Not forgetting you're really new to cars, although your parents have bought you at least one before
It's got to be done . I call wind-up and if it isn't it should be





P.s the ejoke is not a Range Rover. Someone in the factory made a mistake and put the wrong badge on them and it was too expensive to fix.

you will see many Vets with an old Freelander. They are the sensible vets.

Some like a Navara or something shyte but bling.

I think you should consider an FL2 Diesel imo. It’s says sensible with a hint of sophisticated.

Disco sport would be practical, room for tools of the trade, and room for cages for dog, sick animals etc, reasonably good soft roading, across fields etc

RangeRoller dt said:

you will see many Vets with an old Freelander. They are the sensible vets.

Some like a Navara or something shyte but bling.

I think you should consider an FL2 Diesel imo. It’s says sensible with a hint of sophisticated.

Click to expand...

Sorry my friend. No better not. Suspension is useless and there is too much electronic stuff lurking in places that are near on impossible to get at.
And they have noprper 4wd and no low gears.. not a good idea to haul a cattle trailer

anitarrc said:

Sorry my friend. No better not. Suspension is useless and there is too much electronic stuff lurking in places that are near on impossible to get at.
And they have noprper 4wd and no low gears.. not a good idea to haul a cattle trailer

Click to expand...

She won’t be hauling anything, Just visiting up muddy lanes and the like is my guess. Not off-roading off-roading , you know what I mean

0K Don't your vets go in farms where the cattle is and up the hills to the sheep?
Remember my Swiss friend Joaquim RIP he went anywhere in the Alps with his mobile clinic 130.
Here vets usually drive a Toyota Taliban, some have Land Rovers, mostly battered Discos.

Vets here can afford bit of sheek. Never seen one towing cattle. Many I’ve seen have FL1s and I’ve been farming cattle 28yrs. They tend to come out to us not take the cow to them like a poodle.
There’s hills here but not like the alps

anitarrc said:

get a classic.

Click to expand...

It's a daily driver not a project they're after... even a good classic unrestored will need constant work.. a fully restored out of the budget.. Imo

anitarrc said:

0K Don't your vets go in farms where the cattle is and up the hills to the sheep?
Remember my Swiss friend Joaquim RIP he went anywhere in the Alps with his mobile clinic 130.
Here vets usually drive a Toyota Taliban, some have Land Rovers, mostly battered Discos.

Click to expand...

No they don't...the farmer brings them down to the farm by quad and dogs the vet checks them there...

Shippers said:

It's a daily driver not a project they're after... even a good classic unrestored will need constant work.. a fully restored out of the budget.. Imo

Click to expand...

True, all RRs need constant fettling

Shippers said:

It's a daily driver not a project they're after... even a good classic unrestored will need constant work.. a fully restored out of the budget.. Imo

Click to expand...

If if it does need work twice a year it is cheap or DYO. My Classic is a 200tdi though.
If you have a Freelander Ejoke it is constant work and definitely not DYO.
Just saying.. even a P38 is more reliable than those. I just got a good client's classic in, to change brake pads. He runs a boat and waterdki tourist thing, between one Discovery 300tdi and 2 classics I see them about 4 -5 times a year for the lot.
The Freelander 2 or the Disco 4 is a totally different story.

RangeRoller dt said:

True, all RRs need constant fettling

Click to expand...

You mean TLC and oil

I have a BMW engined one, first Landy I’ve had with no leaks.

I can see how things would differ in Costa Rica. Over here Freelanders are far more reliable, with you they are not HD enough I should imagine?
I noticed your car wash looks bit nicer than the regular UK ones