Cosmetically
Rear Tailgates upper one has a spindly frame that rots and bows and drops flakes everywhere.
Lower rail, with the latch in it has a couple of tin plate covers and probably a plastic trim bit around the lock mechanism on the inside. These cover a multitude of rot, and the latch rods. Have a look behind to see how solid the rail is; its probably only half there, even on a good'ish one.
Lowers rot out around the number plate lamps, and you usually get a pair of rust stain streaks running down the middle if the panel accross the numberplate where that happens, that's almost impossible to polish out; while the tail-gate itself is susceptible to getting scratched and bashed when lowered; particularly around the 'R' of Rover where they get dropped onto the jokey wheel handle of anything they are towing!
Decent tail-gates are like rocking horse **** to find; and OE replacements are the price of another CAR, though theres an aluminium aftermarket one available for a couple of hundred quid.
Better Lower Tailgates are easier to come by, and / or a little body-work can tidy them up, but I have to say that glass and filler is only a temprary tidy-up; to do the job properly needs the gate taking off and tenderly tackling with some metal plate and a lot of kill-rust.
Top tail gate has so little metal in it that theres not a lot that can be done with them.... I've had FAR too many that have flaked away to reveal the box sections were full of plastic padding!
If they aren't to far gone, again, tender tackling with kill-rust and some metal can stiffen them up, and let them be nibbed back and painted to look better.
Main thing though is to get teh 'shuts' right, so that they line up and seal; which you cant do if they are flakey.
But those two items, tidied, and painted are probably the biggest 'feature' to tackle, in making the car look good inside and out.
Bonnet
Front edge of the bonnet is notoriouse for rotting, like the tail-gates its steel, where most other skins are alli, and it rots from the inside, and will start to blister at the corners either side of the Range Rover sticker. If you start to nib back the blisters, chances are you'll find that the rot goes right through, and again, its a job where glass and filler isn't really worth the effort... usually falls out within a few months as the rot spreads. again, kill-rust and plate.
Decals
Having mentioned the bonnet and boot; both have the Range Rover stickers on; curiousely, these make a really big difference to the 'look' of the car, they look a lot more 'boxy' without them.
They are also in the 'rot-zone' on either lid, and likely to be defaced when repairing or tidying either.
But, as a tidy-touch, once those two are tackled, new stickers make a big difference.
Bumpers
If there is ONE feature on teh Rangie that makes one look ratty, its the bumpers. They are steel, prone to surface rust, and loosing thier end caps, as well as scratches and dents.
Removing the bumper, (If straight; if not procuring a straight one) nibbing back with a flap-wheel, and painting slik black, and re-fitting with the end caps, well cleaned, and back-to-blacked, with the clips aligned so they sit straight, REALLY makes a difference to the look of the whole car.
Plastic Bits
Normal valeting stuff; the door mirrors, brooklands valence and the radiator grill, all black plastic have a habbit of going grey with age.
Front rad panel also suffers from alignment on its horrible little clips.
Back-To-Blacking the plastic to bring back the colour will make a big difference, but then the radiator panel can often do with a little bit of 'jiggling' to make it line up neatly.
And while you are in that area; the corner lamps; these are held in on horrible little clips and sit on foam strips which compress with age; a little new foam or packing and care around the clips to alighn them can make a big difference to the 'look' too.
But the main one is the fog lamps in the spoiler; nearly always cracked, lost lenses or rusty reflectors. They are a standard Ring 'Square' fog, and about £20 to replace and worth the replacement to tidy up the front end.
window Seals & Gutters
The window seals on a Rangie are rubber on the bottom edge of the roll-down glass, but then a sort of felt on the sides and top, and all around the fixed glass.
The rubber like mirrors etc goes grey with age; and here, T-Cut works well to bring back the colour, if you are patient.
But, the seals in other places, particularl the rear side windows, collect water, and often go mouldy. attensio to thoroughly cleaning these, pressure washer, then a toothbrush; can make a big difference.
And the roof gutters.the gutter has drain holes at the corners, and if not kept clear, they clog, and in either case, you can get a stain down the corner pillars where the water drips.
As the roof is high, and out of reach to many, they dont always get as well cleaned as they should; but worth some detailed attension.
flakey accessories
Bull-Bars, A-Bars, Spot-Lamps, side-Steps etc.
The black plastic coated scaffold tubing of bull-bars and side steps, like plastic bits goes grey with age, where it doesn't lift over rust underneath.
Getting these nibbed back and cleaned up to look good can be a pain; simpler just to take them off for a cleaner, less cluttered look.
Likewise old spot-lamps etc.
