I want to buy a Range Rover

reeflodge said:

Anything in particular?

Click to expand...

The great thing about the P38 is it take a helluva a lot to stop it dead and you can almost always count on it to drive you home even with the warning messages coming like machine gunfire, so you can generally take a gamble on what needs immediate remedy and what can wait a few months. I've never driven any other LR but in my experience with this one the major problems are air-suspension and then electronics. There are about a million sensors and 3 or 4 different CPUs and there's a tendency for problems to cascade so you solve one only to find another that was being masked. Engine-wise, gaskets tend to go and if they do and the car has ever overheated, you're looking at possible slipped liners. Generally at this age you'd be wary of things like water, fuel, steering and oil pumps, all the rubber bits (seals and hoses) and even some core electricals like ignition coils, starter motor and alternator. This is assuming regular oil changes and no excessive damage to pistons, rings, block liners and connecting rod and crankshaft bearings. That will require either an overhaul or a new engine. Check compression! I don't really expect body problems unless there was accident damage or rough off-roading and generally the drivetrain is pretty solid. Suspension bits can wear out, ball joints, panhard rods, stabilizer links, wheel bearings etc but that's to be expected. So like I said before, if you can live with it and have the time and resources to solve problems over say the next six months then fine. But if you're finicky like me and want it looking, feeling and running like new, well let me put it this way: somewhere on this forum is a quip from a guy who's wife said she would prefer he sold the car and got a mistress as she would take up less time and be cheaper to maintain - its a bit like that!

Click to expand...