Need advice on buying first Range Rover

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DanClarke said:
Well, that escalated quite quickly. didn't it?
As someone with a foot in both camps can I offer my perspective without incurring wrath?
I love the P38, always have. I invested in a Nanocom and have fixed some of the annoying set-up issues that were not to my liking and determined which of the ABS sensors were throwing a fault and replaced it (all by myself (big bloody deal), I have also replaced my drivers door latch-set and fitted the RF filter that prevents the battery from going flat in 2 days.
But! If a more taxing issue were to develop I would probably do an initial diagnosis with Nanocom and the "brains-trust" of this forum and then decide whether the required work is within my skill-set and my physical capabilities and the tools I own.
I might choose to take a task on, OR, I might think I'd rather get my local Indie to do it. THE CHOICE IS MINE. I am not forced to spanner. I might choose to, if the Indie quote made my hair stand on end.
There are no rules I think.
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Henry_b said:
Some people are thrill seekers with RR's :D

I myself am a Agony seeker with any car!! I like to go on the roller coaster of

It runs but it won't drive :confused:

It's fixed but it's not fast. :confused:

Now it's fast and then it broke ;) :confused:

:D

Diagnostics and mechanic's depends on skill tool availability and the want to do it..

If it has to work every day 100% then most don't have the time to DIY.

When it's ****ing down outside and freezing, ya know the want to fix anything can wain.

Again 50/50.
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I agree with both of you and have no idea why the dummy was spat. As I said in my post "It's horses for courses, if you can, and want to, work on it yourself that's an option. If you cannot, or do not want to, work on it yourself, that is also an option". I just think telling people they must be able to work on the vehicle themselves is a bit off-putting.
Anyway..... who wants a jaffa cake?
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm decently handy with a spanner, i do a lot of work on my motorcycle and am no stranger to the simple mechanics. I don't mind wrenching now and again however is there any measures I can take to prevent issues from happening before they develop into greater problems? Getting the gearbox serviced has been recommended before...

I'm still not sure If i should get the facelifted version with the more sophisticated electrics? Is it worth it?
 
Poker wolf said:
Hi, i'm looking to buy my first RR within the next 6 weeks which is the car i've been wanting since I was 10 years old. I'm now 21 and whilst financially comfortable, still a bit apprehensive from the 'horror stories' i've heard.

So i'm looking at the first 2005-2012 gen of Range Rover Sport, because I love the look of them and do not need the full size Rover. I have done very extensive research into what I am getting myself into with Land Rover ownership but before I pull the trigger, I was wondering if I have missed or overlooked anything.

I'm financially ok so the expensive repairs & maintenance costs don't bother me too much however I am self employed and depend on my car to earn income. I know that owning a luxury 4x4 means things will go wrong, suspension etc, however once these are repaired how long can I expect to go without having to repair the same thing again? My main concern is constantly having to spend money at fixing the same parts that keep breaking over and over again. If I have to spend a lot of money to repair something, that's ok but I need the peace of mind that I can put that specific problem behind me afterwards.

Secondly, I'm not sure on which model year I should go for. From what i've researched, the earlier 2.7 diesel engines of the Sport were a bit rubbish and underpowered. The 2010 model is absolutely gorgeous inside however where the technology has been greatly improved I fear that this would bring more electrical problems. How frequent are electrical problems on these vehicles & how much do they generally cost to repair?

I've made a list of things I need to look for in the service history/car upon inspection before purchasing the car. Please let me know if i've missed anything or if there's anything further regarding any of the points that I need to know:

- Timing chain belt must be replaced on high mileage vehicles
- Test the air suspension, adjustment should be smooth and reasonably quick
- Front differentials problem on BMW models pre-2006 only?
- Front brake pads as these wear out quickly
- Tyres, same as above
- Check electrics work
- Has the fuel/water pump been replaced. How would one check these are in good condition?
- Engine coolant leak?
- 6 speed gearbox may be a good idea to have this serviced
- Potential rust underneath wheel arches
- Ticking noise when going over bumps indicates control arms going bad

Please let me know if i've missed anything out. I'm going to be getting warranty on the car however I'd like to pick one up that has been taken care of rather than fixing one that hasn't (even if its covered under warranty).

My main concern is whether the 2010 model is worth getting or will it just have more problems than the older ones.

All help is greatly appreciated.
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I would say that if you are that financially well off I wouldn’t **** about with an L322, I would lease a 5.0 SC L405 and you have nothing to worry about.
 
gold rover said:
dummy-1024x1024-jpg.169641

It was found floating past the International Space Station, where you spat it so hard.
All that because I agreed to disagree. Hell what would you have done if I had just disagreed.
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can I humbly suggest, you grow the f k up.

you have your opinion, I have mine.

1. I responded to the OP with suggestions as his request.
2. you elected to be be passive/aggressive by being confrontational, when claiming not being confrontational.
3. I responded I gentlemanly way and added 'peace out' to show there was no ill feeling just difference of opinion
4. you claimed I said 'must have'. never said it. go back and read the thread
5. you responded to me having my own opinion by being derisory about my post.
6. I responded to your derisory post again asserting my position
7. you claimed I spat my dummy out, when I was not being like a good little cuck for you

you *chose* to respond to my post, giving the OP advice, not to the OP, you then resort to being rather petulant about me responding to your passive aggressiveness.

To be honest GR, you've behaved in a similar way to others on the site, and all it frankly does is make it a bad atmosphere and denigrates the forum, I've bowed out of threads before when you've done it, not wishing to get involved. All it does it lead people to go off and use other forums like RR.net or FFRR or LRUK.

I've made some good friends on this site, there are people on this site who I admire greatly, not only for their knowledge, but their tenacity and dedication in making their RR's what they want them to be, and they have helped me immensely as well as others and I hope I have not only helped but inspired others, in fact I know I have, I've had the responses saying so. But then again some of us are not blessed with a RR than never needs repairing and can take it to a garage no matter what it needs.

Now this *is* me spitting dummy out...

If you want to post and be constructive then fine, add to the forum. give constructive advice, but don't pontificate and be derisory with others when you don't share the same opinion. we take the pee out of each other and often eat humble pie, but don't, ever, get personal.

*Peace out*
 
gold rover said:
I agree with both of you and have no idea why the dummy was spat. As I said in my post "It's horses for courses, if you can, and want to, work on it yourself that's an option. If you cannot, or do not want to, work on it yourself, that is also an option". I just think telling people they must be able to work on the vehicle themselves is a bit off-putting.
Anyway..... who wants a jaffa cake?
Click to expand...


Again. you are deliberately mis quoting me. I never said 'must'. I said you will.

Must have diagnostics, never said. you will need diagnostics is what I said. in the context the OP is intending to the use the car a DD, and his work is dependent on that. He will not have the capacity to book the car in and get it diagnosed and wait for parts to arrive needing the car for work, he will need diagnostics unless he lives above a RR specialist that can drop everything and attend to his needs as and when and of course carry every part in stock.

The OP asked for advice, I gave it. you chose not to give any advice to the OP but take issue with me, and continue to deliberately mis quote me.
 
Poker wolf said:
Thanks for all the replies. I'm decently handy with a spanner, i do a lot of work on my motorcycle and am no stranger to the simple mechanics. I don't mind wrenching now and again however is there any measures I can take to prevent issues from happening before they develop into greater problems? Getting the gearbox serviced has been recommended before...

I'm still not sure If i should get the facelifted version with the more sophisticated electrics? Is it worth it?
Click to expand...


you're on to good start then ! the best way to take measures to prevent issues from developing is getting to know it and have a read up through threads. you'll see common themes arising. the P38 has its common failures, as does the L322 depending on version and year. I just got an L322 SC and as always it has some niggles that could use sorting some are common, like the rear washer/wiper, others just average. I ate some humble pie a week or so ago running through the fuses finding if any were blown or seated badly as the rear washer wasn't working and the DVD multi player cartridge isn't ejecting, suddenly it wouldn't start .. panic ! needed to lock and unlock it with the key before restarting! felt like bit of a twunt, but i'm not the first and wont be the last.

as for change over year, as a tip have a look at parts differences. for example, I my offside rear light cluster has moisture in it, its getting in somewhere but cant see where. the difference between the L322 standard rear light cluster and the SC one is about 40-50. the exhaust system for the SC is unique to that so the 4.4 which is often available as used item is like trying to find a Unicorn poo with hens teeth in it.

hoses, turbos, vanos units seem to be a common area, but you don't want to be changing them just for kicks, the ability to diagnose is important if you want to keep ahead of the game. a misfire will be telling you something, a fault code an indication to catch something before it leaves stranded. I keep my faultmate MSV2 Extreme in the glove box of the P38 which enables to me to read fault codes, clear errors and see what that hesitation, misfire or whatever is and deal with it quickly, before becomes an issue.

I see you are in London, which part, BikeTeacherDave is in the Bromley area and when he's not working (you'll never guess what he does) he's always keen to help out. heck , he;s drive round the M25 just to give me a hand.. more than once. there's LZers in North London and to the South West, SaintV8 is a saint and does great write ups on the L322 and P38jobs he does. being in London are you street parking or do you have off road shelter with lighting where you can spanner ? if you have a bike is that viable for work if the RR is off the road for a few days ?
 
@ukadamwest I'm sure your tome was fascinating. However, one line in I decided I couldn't be bothered. You have been a bit foolish, all over the fact you can't stand the fact that there is someone who disagreed with your demand that all Range Rover owners must be able to work on their vehicles. Please note that it is the 'must' , that I picked up on. Please also note I haven't been rude to you. I have been balanced and measured from the first post to now. I shall continue to be so, to the end of this post, one because you're not worth getting wound up about, I have much more important things to worry about in life, and two because it shows your ludicrous behaviour in an even clearer light.
I wish you luck in your work on your Range Rover and in some ways envy you. In case you ever wonder why there are people who manage to have a Range Rover without working on it themselves, there are many reasons. Mine are simple, I am at a stage in my life where I can afford to pay someone to do it, but more importantly, it is not by knowledge, there is lots of that on here, not by the tools, those can be bought easily enough, but by the fact I have have one arm that doesn't work properly and the other one which is struggling with the amount it now has to do.
In the future you may learn from this particular interaction. However, sadly, I doubt it.
 
holidaychicken said:
I would say that if you are that financially well off I wouldn’t **** about with an L322, I would lease a 5.0 SC L405 and you have nothing to worry about.
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I sometimes wish I'd thought of that before I bought the Golden Girl. However, life must've known what was round the corner and guided me to buy instead.
P.s Hi Andy, haven't seen much of you lately
 
Poker wolf said:
Thanks for all the replies. I'm decently handy with a spanner, i do a lot of work on my motorcycle and am no stranger to the simple mechanics. I don't mind wrenching now and again however is there any measures I can take to prevent issues from happening before they develop into greater problems? Getting the gearbox serviced has been recommended before...

I'm still not sure If i should get the facelifted version with the more sophisticated electrics? Is it worth it?
Click to expand...
The only measures you can take to avoid issues with a Range Rover is either don't buy one or if you do keep it in a heated garage and don't use it:rolleyes:
 
ukadamwest said:
can I humbly suggest, you grow the f k up.

you have your opinion, I have mine.

1. I responded to the OP with suggestions as his request.
2. you elected to be be passive/aggressive by being confrontational, when claiming not being confrontational.
3. I responded I gentlemanly way and added 'peace out' to show there was no ill feeling just difference of opinion
4. you claimed I said 'must have'. never said it. go back and read the thread
5. you responded to me having my own opinion by being derisory about my post.
6. I responded to your derisory post again asserting my position
7. you claimed I spat my dummy out, when I was not being like a good little cuck for you

you *chose* to respond to my post, giving the OP advice, not to the OP, you then resort to being rather petulant about me responding to your passive aggressiveness.

To be honest GR, you've behaved in a similar way to others on the site, and all it frankly does is make it a bad atmosphere and denigrates the forum, I've bowed out of threads before when you've done it, not wishing to get involved. All it does it lead people to go off and use other forums like RR.net or FFRR or LRUK.

I've made some good friends on this site, there are people on this site who I admire greatly, not only for their knowledge, but their tenacity and dedication in making their RR's what they want them to be, and they have helped me immensely as well as others and I hope I have not only helped but inspired others, in fact I know I have, I've had the responses saying so. But then again some of us are not blessed with a RR than never needs repairing and can take it to a garage no matter what it needs.

Now this *is* me spitting dummy out...

If you want to post and be constructive then fine, add to the forum. give constructive advice, but don't pontificate and be derisory with others when you don't share the same opinion. we take the pee out of each other and often eat humble pie, but don't, ever, get personal.

*Peace out*
Click to expand...
Pretty much my thoughts.
 
Range Rover ownership is a way of life. If you want to blow money there are prostitutes or gambling but the surest way is buy a Range Rover. If you want reliability then have a backup car or go Jap. Once you've decided that no matter what anyone says you're going to do it anyway, it is just a matter of how much you're going to blow. If you buy a P38 keep a grand for replacement parts. Double that for the L322 and double that again for the L405. Labour costs from the main dealer make the prostitute look remarkable value for money.

If you want the full experience then go v8 all the time. LPG works very well with these cars. The P38 diesel is more reliable but is definitely more agricultural. The L322 diesel is a minefield with the GM box so I'd stay away from that. They all have issues so after that it is just a case of which looks best on the drive on axle-stands as you come home.
 
When Alan said he was up on blocks I thought somebody had stolen his wheels but turns out he just had his period, to be fair I was glad for the rest :)
 
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