About to purchase my first Range Rover Sport - advise please.

Well I went tonight to check everything over and I'm delighted with what I found. Even checked to make sure the Handsfree phone was working and in a instant I was searching through my phonebook via the car controls and phoned home for a quick chat.
I couldn't believe how high the car could be raised via the suspension - from low to high is quite a difference!
It brought about an interesting conversation with the salesman who has been off road many times on various vehicles - all part of the job he tells me
He had a RRsport off road and he was at maximum height and he grounded the thing. An instructor came along and said he could raise the car further still but only do it the once - a get out of jail card if you like for emergency situations. He got out of the car and watched it raise a little more and then they were good to go again. Went back down the hill, came at it sideways and nearly rolled the thing but got over it in the end. Now that sounds like fun


Anyway - All electrics working perfect and of course the most important bit was the drive and it drove superbly. Straight as you could ask for, nothing funny at low or high speed, hard braking was smooth and straight too. Took it over plenty of bumps and not a rattle either which was re-assuring.

The car was a lease car, 1 owner and every piece of work has been carried out at Land Rover Belfast and bang on schedule. I sat at the desk and seen every single service, date, what mileage and what was done. I also seen the other bits that were done outside of service intervals such as a new sat nav in 2011 (£1100 eek!)

There was a note at 40k to say he complained of suspension rattle and the result was all bushes were changed along with some linkage. There was also a fuel leak which was resolved too and the spare tyre latch had seized previously. At 62k it was serviced again, april this year and they changed front and rear brakes. There is now 64k on it so it seems that I'm getting a well looked after and well serviced car. I checked all the things that were recommended and couldn't find a single fault. However when we started, the brakes were locked and it took a second or 2 to free them up. Its been sitting there in the rain for about a week without moving but do you think its something I should be concerned about? He assured me that there was nothing to worry about and thats normal? When I put the electric handbrake on after the drive I could here it make a noise - nothing weird but should it be audible? To release the handbrake you just drive off again and that didn't seem to be a problem so I'm hoping the handbrake is ok.

I also asked about warranty and its an automatic 12 months Land Rover approved extended warranty, unlimited mileage. Covers everything except:

- General servicing
- Glass
- Paintwork and Bodywork
- Wheel balancing/alignment
- Recharging of air conditioning unit
- Phone/TV/DVD/Video
- Tyres
- Batteries
- Bulbs
- Exhaust system
- Water Ingress
- Strikers and Hinges
- Wear and tear

After the initial 12 months, I can secure a further 12 months for £834 - not sure if thats good value or not? Again, as above and with unlimited mileage.

Oh, there was one thing which didn't match up. The tyres are all Goodyear Wrangler - should I be concerned about not being Pirelli?

Last but not least, I'm hoping to be a Range Rover owner by the end of the week and I might just become a RR driver for good! I seen the boss coming in driving the most amazing, brand new RR in beautiful wine red colour, top of the range trimmings naturally although didn't get to see exactly the engine that he had. I just need to get better at online poker before I can get myself one of those

The Electric Handbrake on the brand new Disco 4 we have at work is also audible, kind of a whirring noise, that slowly winds up if that makes sense....

As for the binding brakes, it can happen if it has been sitting for a while, but I would have expected that after a few weeks not just one week, but aslong as the brakes are strong, the pads are thick and the discs in good nick I wouldn't be overly concerned as when you drove it, there were no further issues....

Sounds like a good motor, and also the History sounds like it checks out.

Remember buy with your head not your heart - it sounds like you are smitten - so make sure you sit there and have a good think about it - don't just think of how great it is, think of anything that didn't quite ring right, or sound to good to be true.

They are expensive cars, with expensive repair bills....get a good warranty for peace of mind too....

It seems to be working out for you!

No don't worry about the tyres. Goodyear wranglers are very good. Are they the mts?? If so that's what are equipped on the g4 vehicles and are rare as rocking horse poo. However as said make sure they have good tread. Tyres are easily £200 a corner

Sounds good to me !

Don't forget to keep us updated with the purchase and post some pictures

2.0_hippo said:

Sounds good to me !

Don't forget to keep us updated with the purchase and post some pictures

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Oh yes - don't forget the pics....

Once a Range Rover driver - always a Range Rover driver....

It is just a pity Vauxhall pinched the tagline - Once Driven, Forever Smitten....

Yes Saint V8, a kind of whirring noise that stops with a minor thud. All brakes were just replaced 2k ago and after that initial lock, they were 100% so hopefully all is ok. I'll be checking them again when I'm next up at the dealers. As for the smitten bit, I'm totally smitted lol! I went up with reservations and a cool head and to see the extensive main dealer history and talk to a very experiences land rover sales man - I was almost overwhelmed by how good the car was and how much detail the salesman was able to show me, right down to the part number of anything which was done in the last 3 years - too good to be true nearly but clearly it was true!

Deasy, not sure about the mts but it did say wrangler and them something else after that but I didn't take note but I'll check next time I see it.

And yes Hippo, I'll take some pics and post for all to see. I might even take some pics of the 2012 westminster in the showroom to give us some eye candy too.

I feel welcomed by you all here so I very much appreciate that, and the once Driven, Forever Smitten line - so true! (especially when I get the full fat version a few years from now I hope - you've got to set yourself targets and all that lol)

Where in the world are you matey??

Just remember your buying a range rover.

You COULD buy something else...................but why be disappointed?

Deasy said:

Just remember your buying a range rover.

You COULD buy something else...................but why be disappointed?

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:hysterically_laughi:clap2::crazy_driver:

I'm in Antrim Deasy, 20 miles from Belfast. A guy at work has the q7, I test drove the Mercedes ml and Mercedes cls. My sister has an x5 and my mate had a BMW 335 coupe. All lovely cars, but none of them hold a candle to the range rover in terms of the overall driving experience.
I can't find the words to describe why that is - it just is

soupdragon said:

I'm in Antrim Deasy, 20 miles from Belfast. A guy at work has the q7, I test drove the Mercedes ml and Mercedes cls. My sister has an x5 and my mate had a BMW 335 coupe. All lovely cars, but none of them hold a candle to the range rover in terms of the overall driving experience.
I can't find the words to describe why that is - it just is

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hallelujah, Can I get an Amen??

soupdragon said:

I'm in Antrim Deasy, 20 miles from Belfast. A guy at work has the q7, I test drove the Mercedes ml and Mercedes cls. My sister has an x5 and my mate had a BMW 335 coupe. All lovely cars, but none of them hold a candle to the range rover in terms of the overall driving experience.
I can't find the words to describe why that is - it just is

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Ahhhh, absolutely no where near me lol, would have taken you out n shown you how to use it properly

If yer ever in the midlands!

A rare sight is an L322 in 'Midland Mud Brown' Colour code 452 ...

Glad to see you 'use it' Deasy....how does she fair in the rough stuff - have yet to get mine any place worse than a woodland track yet??

Saint.V8 said:

A rare sight is an L322 in 'Midland Mud Brown' Colour code 452 ...

Glad to see you 'use it' Deasy....how does she fair in the rough stuff - have yet to get mine any place worse than a woodland track yet??

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Fantastic, it's a shame the rangie has more balls than me, it will go anywhere you point it within reason, got stuck once, but that was my own fault,

Just every time I went n got muddy always had a slight worry about scratching or breaking it

Smashed the side steps off both side, and put a few scratches in it, but a mate polished them all out for £60

So caught the bug and bought that disco aswell, just for bashing around, then use the range for best

If I had the space and the cash - I'd have a Classic as a toy and the L322 for best...

I couldn't face taking mine off road like that, a light Greenlane maybe

Just the damage is soo expensive ! Lol

He has only taken it puddle stomping. You probably do more damage driving down a normal British road. That lane looks better condition than most of the roads around here.

Sounds like you have found a great Sport, the tyres could be 18" Goodyear F1's, I have these on mine and they have now done 34,000 miles and still have a couple of mm before they hit the tread wear indicator, also great in the snow!

Enjoy the Range Rover, I still love driving mine after three years.

Jim

So I went back to the dealer to take some pics. I also checked the tyres and they said F1 after the Wrangler bit. Glad to hear that they do a good job in the snow.

Love them pics of getting down and dirty - I'm sorely tempted to give that a go and as it turns out, there are numerous places within an hours drive of me that have off-roading facilities. I reckon going on a gentle trek would be the most sensible option and while its under warranty, I suppose why not!

I took some pictures of the car, just on my iPhone. I'm guessing I'll need to upload these via photobucket or something before I can put them on here?