I'm leaving

After only 9 months of Rangey ownership I am defecting.

It's been a nice car in parts and I have had fun the few times I took it off road. It's been nice to drive but with fuel cost being what it is and me not wanting to "risk" money on an LPG conversion and with all the things in the car gradually failing It's time for me to cut my losses and sell her.

Today I have part exchanged her for a 2002 Mercedes S320L CDi. It may only be 4 years younger but it feels like a 50 year difference in technology.

Some benefits. Cruise control that works, heated seats that actually heat. Aircon that wors when I want and not when it feels like it. A boot that opens when I want too. A radio that I can actually see what station I am listening to. Heated mirrors that work. Central locking that locks automatically at 10mph and over rather than locking and unlocking as it felt like it. A battery that doesn't go flat because some spotty kid three doors down had wireless internet. No risk of slipped liners and porous blocks (if that really did exist).

Land Rover owndership is like being part of a family. I can't imagine Merc owners discussing their air suspension in such detail or ever actually getting their hands dirty.

I will have lost over £3K in nine months on the RR, but selling privately was not an option. Prospective RR owners are too picky and would run a mile from mine.

Still, I had fun and can tell my grand kids how I once owned a 4X4 before it became a capital offense.

Thanks to all the people here who have offered advice either actively or passively.

I run a chauffeur company and have 3 s320cdi

Great car

But

Air suspension what a pain in the a***

They drop alot but the main fault on it, They have very small air pipes to the topof each shock. these sometime leak . merc charge a fortune to replace but they take you about 30 mins to do.
If ou have the waring come on check these out 1st.

Hope you don'e have the problem but if you do i hope this helps

Thanks for the advice.

The suspension seems to be working fine. I did notice how thin the pipes were. I assumed that this was because they are for minor adjustments rather than huge height changes like the RR.

You should have got a 90. You can't here the radio station your listening too let alone see it.

tut, sorry to see you got rid of the Range Rover, has been good to have you along as part of the forum - hope you find the new Merc as nice to own. My neighbour owns an S500 and I always think what a nice motor it looks, just a bit too small for my liking and I can't really go barrelling across fields etc in it!

I hope you get another LR at some point in the future and come back to say hello!

-Wills

I doubt I will ever get another one. The way things are going it's getting harder and harder to own one. I'd want one a lot newer anyway and I couldn't afford one. My boss just paid £30k for an 05 Sport HSE TDV6. I wouldn't want anything less than one of those

I still have the RR until Thursday. Here is a sad photo of them both together She doesn't know she going yet.

been driving my dads 2004 s320CDI today, he has just spent 1k on an ecu and 2k on having the front arms done, he is trading it in as he has been advised the steering cradle is on its way out. Oh and his tyres are 350 a corner from merc, his has the AMG alloys on. Hes trading it in for a CLS. Engine is superb though and as you say it feels a million years newer than the p38, the power delivery is superb and the ride is nice. Personally cant get used to driving cars with a lower seating position but im sure you will enjoy it, and im sure you will have fewer problems than with the range.
good luck

If you have an ecu problem (Hope you dont) there is a place in dorset who re furms your one.

Takes about 5 day and about £550 bargin.

They do a great job

Good luck to you, and all the best with your new merc and may all your breakdowns be small ones m8

Sorry to hear your leaving Mud Flap, I like the picture of the cars together. Good luck with the merc.

PS don't tell the Rangy she is going she will get upset and make sure the new owner will look after her

Take care

Matt

Well, I guess some things aren't meant to be. Personally, I think the classic RR really takes some beating - good luck finding parts for the Merc when it's 30 or so years old ! In fact today I'm celebrating, as I've just managed to buy another RRC after a 6 year gap, (My fourth).
Horses for courses and all that.
Bets of luck anyway.

Berst of luck MudFlap. Even though you have changed the motor, hopefully you will still contribute to queries raised on this forum.
Surely you will not want to miss the enlightening comments from some of the cantankerous old sods on here!!!!!!!!!

Irishrover said:

Berst of luck MudFlap. Even though you have changed the motor, hopefully you will still contribute to queries raised on this forum.
Surely you will not want to miss the enlightening comments from some of the cantankerous old sods on here!!!!!!!!!

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I'll continue to look in here. I've not really learnt much of any use regarding RR's though. But I will still get nostalgic.

I still have her parked out front at the moment. She'll be gone by the end of the week.

Like a few here I'd been having tailgate opening problems. i.e. it wouldn't. It's been getting worse over the last few weeks so now it doesn't open more often than it does. I was sure the car dealer would try opening it and find out it didn't work. I did a dirty trick and cut one of the wires on the button and grounded it. Now it never fails to open. Unfortunately (for the new owner) it will open even when the car is locked.

Oh Mudflap
Don't leave us come back and tell us how good your merc is

It's like losing a brother

YOU Will regret it later

Good luck
Fred

redrenger89 said:

Oh Mudflap
Don't leave us come back and tell us how good your merc is

It's like losing a brother

YOU Will regret it later

Good luck
Fred

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Well I finally pick it up tomorrow. I might post a few photos if any one's interested in a non rangey

Yes please

Well better late than never. Only got to collect it yesterday. I am now officially RR-less. I got 44mpg on the M69 so I am not complaining

Apologies to those who will think this heresy but a few photos

good to see ya got radio4 on already!bloody merc drivers

kin rep-mobile!
Yeeeecccccchhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

TheVengefulElephant said:

Yes please

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scab