Rangie Owner - Owned for 2 weeks my thoughts

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Nik_B

New Member
Posts
131
Location
Stockport
Hi all

After asking for some help on here I finally settled on buying a Range Rover Vogue 2001 over a Disco. I found a very nice looking Green one (three owners) on ebay and paid 8 grand for it in the end. It seemed in almost perfect condition and the low milage really did it for me.

Over the following week I spent some time trying to figure out if I'd get buyers remorse where you part with a large sum of money and then regret it once the buzz disapears. In the back of my mind it felt like a bit of a reckless splash out and I tend towards being fruggle most of the time.

I have to admit I found the interior build quality (in terms of the dash and control panels) quite poor compared to my Audi A3 2002 and the buttons feel like you have to be a bit gentle with them.

The sat nav (which I didn't expect to be any good due to it's age) has worked very well and got me home from where I purchased it. I have also used it while driving round Buxton and Whalley Bridge and I am pleased with it. The stereo is very nice but shame I cannot use my ipod with it.

The best bit I enjoyed was the comfort, heated seats and the Program on the Heater system which seems to warm the car up super fast compared with the Audi. My daughter loves it and especially loves the fact that we can lower the car down so she can get out.

In the first week I was just doing local drives and I was starting to fret with the huge amounts of petrol it was using, this was when I started to think that maybe I'd made a mistake. I think filled the tank right up which cost me nearly 100 pounds which added to the worry. From that day on I spent almost every evening driving up in to the peaks and cruising round to see how I really felt about the car. The thing that kept coming back was how comfortable it was to drive and the V8 power was a total pleasure. The drive itself is effortless and I adore the seating position.

I started to have my doubts after a fault with the EAS. I had to buy some cables and fixed it but found that I need to be a bit more careful how I treat it as the electronics seem to be easily confused. I started to feel a bit doubtful and wondered if I should have gone for the more sensible Discovery especially after remembering getting warned off the Range Rover a few times. ANyway I got it fixed and continued my nighly drives and stated to fall in love again but in the back off my mind there was and is a niggling doubt.

One night I took the Audi A3 out to the shops rather than use the thirsty V8. It was then that I realised I would probably never go back to driving a normal sized car. It felt like driving a go-kart and was suprisingly uncomfortable over little bumps.

I can now honestly say I am glad I bought it and even go as far as to say I do love it.

There are still things that I can't understand, for a car that cost a fortune the pastic bits inside feel cheap but then I hope that all the money was put in to the mechanical side of the car rather than the gadgets. There are also a few annoying glitches like the EAS which ten years ago could have seen you taking your car to the main dealer often. I never really got why it should just switch itself off just because it thinks there is a fault...why not just warn you and leave it working especially if you were half way up a mountain.

ANyway cheers for reading, I wanted to at least let you all know how I got on with it after the help I got given.
 
From your observations, it would appear that you already have the love/hate relationship with your P38, that the rest of us have. When they are working they are a joy, but when they're not, they are evil.

Good on you for taking the plunge though, and welcome to the wonderful world of P38 ownership.
 
Like all car manufacturers, they priced them at what people were then willing to pay. Not what they cost plus a percentage profit. Mine was 71 grand would you believe when brand new in 1998. A ludicrous amount. You don't even pay that now for a Vogue petrol. They got away with it for so long because of badge snobbery but then people got wise and started buying Land Cruisers etc for a lot less money. Hence they brought the price down. As a comparison, the original Range Rover cost the same as an equivalent 3 series (was 2002) BMW when it came out. As fett says, into the back pockets.
 
i pods only came out in 01 so it wont be compatible.My range vogue se was £38 grand in 91.I just sold it for 255 quid!
 
If you send your head unit to Clarion, they can fit an iPod lead so you can play an iPod through the stereo, doesn't cost much, and they turn the unit round the same day apparently.
 
Eight years ago i paid £8K for a P reg P38 that had been "overfinched". It came with the original purchase invoice for £104 grand..........:) you have got to love them!!!!
 
throw the ipod away, job done!!!

you now have the eas lead, so you can reset the eas whever you get a problem.

job done!!

you love the car, as i do, and ive just seen and old friend who is into his disco and is saving for a defender(or whatever they are) he had a go in mine and after the initial getting used to it was smiling from ear to ear. its just the way it is!

for the drive its got to rank in the best of the catagory that you could drive everyday and still feel comfortable to hop in and drive some more!!

i find myself driving just for the sake of it!

the issues are the main reason why people don't want em but if you can live with it they are very rewarding!!

theres not much point in buying a new rangey, the value falls faster than the hindenberg let some other fool pay the bulk of the cost and live with the niggles!
 
Oh mines got green walnut by the way. I prefer the normal walnut but it's a bit different.

I should get a few pics up
 
From your observations, it would appear that you already have the love/hate relationship with your P38, that the rest of us have. When they are working they are a joy, but when they're not, they are evil.

Good on you for taking the plunge though, and welcome to the wonderful world of P38 ownership.

Cheers mate.

Yes I agree, when the EAS crapped out I was really down as I started to worry that I'd bought a lemon. I will probably buy one of those reset switches as well as I dont want to drive around with my laptop in the car.
 
I love my DSE , i suffer from a back problem, if i go shopping ect with my wife in her Saab i have to suffer the drive home before i can relax in my arm chair, if we go out with friends i have to suffer in the back of their Range Rover Sport with the harsh ride untill i get home to said chair, but we go out in my DSE i can get in and relax on the journey home, i have Never!! rode in anything that can match a P38 for comfort
 
Know how you feel, have had my P38 since sept and all that has gone wrong with it has been the EAS, sent it back under the three month warranty 4 times had a couple of sensors and the compressor replaced. it still plays up but I'm happy to put up with it. Bought the cable to reset it and have used it a couple of times. Considering the kicker as whilst I am happy to prat about with a laptop to get the eas sorted the other half may not be as happy to. Have a feeling the kicker will pacify.
 
I love my DSE , i suffer from a back problem, if i go shopping ect with my wife in her Saab i have to suffer the drive home before i can relax in my arm chair, if we go out with friends i have to suffer in the back of their Range Rover Sport with the harsh ride untill i get home to said chair, but we go out in my DSE i can get in and relax on the journey home, i have Never!! rode in anything that can match a P38 for comfort

Funny how things are so different for different folk...the uncomfortable seats are the very reason I have had to buy a different 4x4 - my partner struggled so in the Rangie that she could hardly walk after a long journey, and was really stiff for a day or so after a long commute. :eek:

I've had the Rangie for years, and have always loved driving it even though the seats are not the most comfortable for really long journeys. All the usual electronic gliches have been sorted and mechanically the Rangie is superb, but the seats offer little support to anyone with a back problem and that's why I've had to change cars!!! :doh:
 
Hi Rob, I did actually buy one but it's rubbish. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but it's a bit crackly and not very good quality.


my one works great as long as i find a totally unused frequency, use it the car and around the house with no problems... thought about one of the cheapies from ebay but decided against it.. saw this one in sainsburys less than £20 and its been fine.:D
 
If you send your head unit to Clarion, they can fit an iPod lead so you can play an iPod through the stereo, doesn't cost much, and they turn the unit round the same day apparently.
It'll be an Alpine being a 2001. I don't think it can be done with those.
I have to agree with everyone re the comfort. Absolutely superb. I think better than a friends 07 model. The seats seem much harder in the new ones. But I have to say I used the old Saab to go up and down to Scotland recently - 250 miles each way and also superb seats (not to mention 30mpg with an average of over 60 door to door including the Dunoon ferry. I was impressed!)
 
I really do love this car I keep finding things that make me smile. Just went out for a 50 mile drive up round hayfield, whalley bridge and glossop and then put it on the motorway to stretch it's legs. The power of that V8 is fantastic.

I might start living in it.

p.s I will not start calling it a 'her', I nearly succumbed just then.
 
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