Range Rover newbie - advice

Hi.

I am new to the fourm here, I found you guys on google and what I have seen so far you are a useful bunch of guys to know I am currently bidding in a 1999 4.6 HSE Range Rover on Ebay, 65,000miles, LPGed, a very attractive range of gadjets including sat nav, and DVD system. The spec is a little too good, and with the gas looks a very attractive prospect financially to run a car this size. Which leads me to the ultimate question - whats wrong with RR's? Is it the high maintaince cost that drives people away from these beasts? To be honest, I am just an average bloke wanting a kick ass car! This one looks brilliant in black with massive alloys and guards - looks awesome. I dont mind paying a little more to keep the car in good shape, currently own a renault laguna but if this RR is going to suck my money like a leech - well I think I will have to pass. Are they like double the cost to own, how much is a lot?
Any advice on what could be my biggest mistake is much appreciated

Thanks,
Andrew

hello andrew, to be honest land rovers are for land rover people, mainly because land rover people are the only sort of people that will put up with them. so, if you don't have a burning desire for one, look for something else. on the other hand, i've got a 4.6 HSE and i think it's the dogs wotsits but i'm not blind to it's failings. strange things happen to the electrics and there are scary stories to be heard about the 4.6 and slipping cylinder liners. as for the one your looking at, go and see it, if you can't then leave it alone, there are plenty of them to choose from. you need to check that the LPG is running properly, that the motor fires up and changes over and runs smooth, you need to check for petrol leaks from the fuel tank area, they all fail around that age and if your not a keen mechanic it's going to cost you. you need to check that the climate control works as it should and there are no error messages either on the message display or on the climate control panel. i could go on for ever but on the positive side they really are a great car to drive, they certainly have presance and pride in the heart of any driver. they also have a heart and a soul and very often a mind of there own, lots of TLC and understanding are a must. if your new to range rover and after this your still keen then take somebody with you when you buy, ask the forum whatever questions you can think off, we'll all pitch in, that's what the forum is for. good luck.

andy rudge

Assume at least another £2k will be spent in the first year.

rasheed said:

Assume at least another £2k will be spent in the first year.

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and double that in petrol on a V8

I do 240miles a week@12 quid a day.

skinnyrunt23 said:

Hi.

I am new to the fourm here, I found you guys on google and what I have seen so far you are a useful bunch of guys to know I am currently bidding in a 1999 4.6 HSE Range Rover on Ebay, 65,000miles, LPGed, a very attractive range of gadjets including sat nav, and DVD system. The spec is a little too good, and with the gas looks a very attractive prospect financially to run a car this size. Which leads me to the ultimate question - whats wrong with RR's? Is it the high maintaince cost that drives people away from these beasts? To be honest, I am just an average bloke wanting a kick ass car! This one looks brilliant in black with massive alloys and guards - looks awesome. I dont mind paying a little more to keep the car in good shape, currently own a renault laguna but if this RR is going to suck my money like a leech - well I think I will have to pass. Are they like double the cost to own, how much is a lot?
Any advice on what could be my biggest mistake is much appreciated

Thanks,
Andrew

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Double check that is doesn't overheat before you commit, if you are not into DIY mechanics, a slipped liner could cost you £5K for a new engine fitted. You really need to be handy with a spanner to run a P38, many garages know next to nowt about them, so costs can be high because they work on the basis of swapping expensive bits to locate faults.
Budget to replace the air suspension bags if the haven't been done as the very least.
Great cars, just need a lot of attention

Absolutly spot on Keith.

wammers said:

Absolutly spot on Keith.

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Morning Tony, been having a lay in dreaming about Anniston:hysterically_laughi Oh and thanks for the support, nice to be complimented sometimes :5bcheers2:

Datatek said:

Morning Tony, been having a lay in dreaming about Anniston

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No i had a better dream than that. I was sat there in Rangie, switched on and test book symbol did not come up on HEVAC. It was so real at the time.

wammers said:

No i had a better dream than that. I was sat there in Rangie, switched on and test book symbol did not come up on HEVAC. It was so real at the time.

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Yeh, I dreamt my gearbox problem went away the other night, it was so real I had to go out and try it when I got up, needless to say the fault was still there:doh: Too old the be interested in Anniston, whoever she is

Datatek said:

Yeh, I dreamt my gearbox problem went away the other night, it was so real I had to go out and try it when I got up, needless to say the fault was still there:doh: Too old the be interested in Anniston, whoever she is

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Your never too old to be interested. Doing anything if you got the chance is the bloody problem. Half my heated screen is not working think relay 4 is duff will have a look when i get the chance, too bloody cold out there at the moment. It's years since i had a auto box in bits, used to do them all at one place i worked nobody else would touch them. The old model 35s were a piece of **** to do. But the new ones look to have a little more about them. You would not want to start on one unless you have the full blown service sheets and manuals on the bench. Like everything else pretty easy when you get into them but a bit daunting to look at.

wammers said:

Your never too old to be interested. Doing anything if you got the chance is the bloody problem. Half my heated screen is not working think relay 4 is duff will have a look when i get the chance, too bloody cold out there at the moment. It's years since i had a auto box in bits, used to do them all at one place i worked nobody else would touch them. The old model 35s were a piece of **** to do. But the new ones look to have a little more about them. You would not want to start on one unless you have the full blown service sheets and manuals on the bench. Like everything else pretty easy when you get into them but a bit daunting to look at.

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ZF are very un-cooperative, what a surprise I can get a full manual when the time comes from the States but it's not a ZF original It doesn't look that complicated, just bloody heavy. Still I'll attempt to put my working box from my spares dog with 162K on it in and try to fix the original later. If it looks too difficult, it will be a visit to Ashcrofts next time I'm in the UK for an exchange. I'd really like to upgrade to a ZF4HP24 as it looks to me like the 22 can't stand the torque with a power box fitted.

I'll be taking a multimeter with me whenever i buy a car in the future after recent experiences to satisfy myself of battery state and alternator output. you live and learn.

Datatek said:

Too old the be interested in Anniston

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really??








ok ok, here's one to make you feel better again.

Great cars when they`re on song... but as Datatek says they are not for the faint hearted. Most repairs are diy-able, with some money and lots of time, but will cost a fortune at a main-dealer. Insurance/running costs are not low. Ever. Only you can decide if it`s worth it..

Gotta admit that owning a RR is quite special. Each version/model have their own features and foibles and that makes them quite special.

If you can find a good one it'll be OK for the vast majority of the time but when it goes wrong it will either be expensive, frustrating or both to fix - unless you know somebody that knows what the problem is.

My advice would be to go for it and forget about the what if's - Oh, and keep the Renault if you can just in case she breaks down.

I go with andyr's comments ....

Most owners on here are either mechanics, or have become mechanics (lol) after years of owning RR's ......
You really do have to enjoy spending as much time under them as you do in them.

If your only interest is driving the thing - then I'd steer away and buy something else.

Having said that - like most folk on here, I wouldn't drive anything else ......
I've a 2006 beemer in at the house, but my everyday vehicle is a '98 RR oil burner ...... oh yes.

check my before purchase checklist for more info on the common things to look out for when buying a range rover www.myrangerover.co.uk

Matt

thats an excellent blog site ................