Range Rover as a farm commercial vehicle?

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F

Farmer Brown

Active Member
Posts
107
Location
Edinburgh
Hi

Got a TD5 90, had it since new and it won’t be going anywhere.

Been looking at getting a Disco 4 commercial for the farm as well, wasn’t going to be too fussy about it’s condition because of what I’d be using it for as a farm run about etc but have been put off by tales of engine problems and snapping crankshafts. Shame as a disco 4 would be ideal.

Anyway have come across a few full size RR’s with the 3.6 V8 diesel for similar sub £10k money and have started to wonder if that would be an alternative if I can convert the boot into a suitable load bay.

Engine seems more reliable, be fairly similar off road and at towing I reckon. I often tow the full 3.5t so a freelander 2 is no good even tho my mum has one and I like it. Yeah I could get a pick up but I like Land Rover stuff.

Is this a mad idea? Anyone else done it? Is there anyone who makes a kit to convert RR’s into a sort of commercial vehicle? Are the sub £10k because they too are ticking time bombs like disco 4’s? I have heard of suspension issues but I don’t mind converting to coils if that’s a fix for these RR’s.

Any thoughts gratefully received!
 
Farmer Brown said:
Hi

Got a TD5 90, had it since new and it won’t be going anywhere.

Been looking at getting a Disco 4 commercial for the farm as well, wasn’t going to be too fussy about it’s condition because of what I’d be using it for as a farm run about etc but have been put off by tales of engine problems and snapping crankshafts. Shame as a disco 4 would be ideal.

Anyway have come across a few full size RR’s with the 3.6 V8 diesel for similar sub £10k money and have started to wonder if that would be an alternative if I can convert the boot into a suitable load bay.

Engine seems more reliable, be fairly similar off road and at towing I reckon. I often tow the full 3.5t so a freelander 2 is no good even tho my mum has one and I like it. Yeah I could get a pick up but I like Land Rover stuff.

Is this a mad idea? Anyone else done it? Is there anyone who makes a kit to convert RR’s into a sort of commercial vehicle? Are the sub £10k because they too are ticking time bombs like disco 4’s? I have heard of suspension issues but I don’t mind converting to coils if that’s a fix for these RR’s.

Any thoughts gratefully received!
Click to expand...

Look at the price of getting the turbos replaced on the RR that will put you off considering it as farm vehicle.
 
kevstar said:
Look at the price of getting the turbos replaced on the RR that will put you off considering it as farm vehicle.
Click to expand...

From what I’ve read the engines aren’t bad and the turbos go when people don’t check the oil level, which won’t be happening here. Everything gets dipped each morning before it’s started.

Or is there an actual fault with the turbos?
 
Farmer Brown said:
From what I’ve read the engines aren’t bad and the turbos go when people don’t check the oil level, which won’t be happening here. Everything gets dipped each morning before it’s started.

Or is there an actual fault with the turbos?
Click to expand...

2nd hand vehicle so ye pays yer money & takes yer chance. They are great engines with plenty power
no faults regarding the turbos that ive heard of. Im sure the RR gurus will be along shortly to keep you right. ;)
 
kevstar said:
2nd hand vehicle so ye pays yer money & takes yer chance. They are great engines with plenty power
no faults regarding the turbos that ive heard of. Im sure the RR gurus will be along shortly to keep you right. ;)
Click to expand...

I don’t care if it’s a bit tatty tbh as it would be off road a lot and of course the RR are amazing at that even tho most won’t do much of that. Be a beast at towing as well surely. Seems a hell of a lot of car for the money. My dad had a 3 door RR classic V8 when I was small and he used it on the farm a lot until is rusted to pieces.

iirc Land Rover did a commercial variant of the older range rovers but I don’t think they did one for this range.


Looked up replacement turbos, Borg Warner KKK about £300, I use a good LR Indy who’s is ex LR senior tech and I have a good workshop myself and am quite handy with a spanner so I wouldn’t need to go to a LR garage to get done over.
 
Farmer Brown said:
I don’t care if it’s a bit tatty tbh as it would be off road a lot and of course the RR are amazing at that even tho most won’t do much of that. Be a beast at towing as well surely. Seems a hell of a lot of car for the money. My dad had a 3 door RR classic V8 when I was small and he used it on the farm a lot until is rusted to pieces.

iirc Land Rover did a commercial variant of the older range rovers but I don’t think they did one for this range.


Looked up replacement turbos, Borg Warner KKK about £300, I use a good LR Indy who’s is ex LR senior tech and I have a good workshop myself and am quite handy with a spanner so I wouldn’t need to go to a LR garage to get done over.
Click to expand...

Yes there are places that do them now without taking the body off.
 
Don’t really want a pickup. Still keeping my 90. Tho tbh a pickup would prob be the most sensible choice.

Wanted a disco 4 but I don’t fancy waiting on the engine going bang so thought about a RR when I saw they were about the same price.
 
kevstar said:
Yes there are places that do them now without taking the body off.
Click to expand...
L322 is unitary construction (derived from an X5)
D3/4 has the separate chassis.

I thought the issue with the 3.6 turbo's was the drain lines clogging up, maybe being too narrow a bore in the first place thus clogging when the servicing gets neglected.
 
Last edited:
myfirstl322 said:
L322 is unitary construction (derived from an X5)
D3/4 has the separate chassis.

I thought the issue with turbo's was the drain lines clogging up?
Click to expand...
Not letting the engine oil cool the turbos after using the car.. Most turbos are replaced along with the oil supply and and drain tube. Leaving the car to run for a minute after being used will allow the turbo temps and oil temp to come down reducing clogging.. Unfortunately not everyone does this or knows about it, that along with modern economic minimalist manufacturing and "that'll surfice" has taken over the want/cost of real durable engineering.... :(
 
Had a laugh a few years back. Took a local farmer and his 90 to the Dealer for a wee repair job. They gave him a courtesy vehicle. Despite pleading for a Fender, or at least an older vehicle given the type of use his vehicles went through, the Dealer insisted that he take the top of the range RR - with instructions to use it as he would normally!!
There was a 3 week delay with the repair. You should have seen the state of the RR when he returned it - well he had warned them that he regularly threw a few ewes in the back!
:D:D:D:eek:
 
Mark Piercy said:
Not letting the engine oil cool the turbos after using the car.. Most turbos are replaced along with the oil supply and and drain tube. Leaving the car to run for a minute after being used will allow the turbo temps and oil temp to come down reducing clogging.. Unfortunately not everyone does this or knows about it, that along with modern economic minimalist manufacturing and "that'll surfice" has taken over the want/cost of real durable engineering.... :(
Click to expand...
I have to admit to not being patient enough to bother with that myself, but the last 3 or 4 minutes of my journeys to home is just coasting on almost no throttle so to me that's sufficient cooling.

I wouldn't just switch off after a spirited jaunt though... unless the cops absolutely insisted.:p
 
Farmer Brown said:
Hi

Got a TD5 90, had it since new and it won’t be going anywhere.

Been looking at getting a Disco 4 commercial for the farm as well, wasn’t going to be too fussy about it’s condition because of what I’d be using it for as a farm run about etc but have been put off by tales of engine problems and snapping crankshafts. Shame as a disco 4 would be ideal.

Anyway have come across a few full size RR’s with the 3.6 V8 diesel for similar sub £10k money and have started to wonder if that would be an alternative if I can convert the boot into a suitable load bay.

Engine seems more reliable, be fairly similar off road and at towing I reckon. I often tow the full 3.5t so a freelander 2 is no good even tho my mum has one and I like it. Yeah I could get a pick up but I like Land Rover stuff.

Is this a mad idea? Anyone else done it? Is there anyone who makes a kit to convert RR’s into a sort of commercial vehicle? Are the sub £10k because they too are ticking time bombs like disco 4’s? I have heard of suspension issues but I don’t mind converting to coils if that’s a fix for these RR’s.

Any thoughts gratefully received!
Click to expand...
Should be OK as long as you don't let it get wet:rolleyes: At least you will no doubt have a tractor to recover it with:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
myfirstl322 said:
L322 is unitary construction (derived from an X5)
D3/4 has the separate chassis.

I thought the issue with the 3.6 turbo's was the drain lines clogging up, maybe being too narrow a bore in the first place thus clogging when the servicing gets neglected.
Click to expand...


How similar to an X5?
Wonder if one of them would be an option.
 
Datatek said:
Yes they rust but they also leak and the electronics don't like getting wet.

A nice Land Cruiser maybe?
Click to expand...
Been looking at them too. Always liked the big Amazon’s but the are hard on fuel and would like something a bit better than the 90 to run back and forth to the farm.
 
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