Range Rover Advice**

Hi.

I am new to this fourm. Found it on a search in google. From what I have seen its brilliant and you guys offer some sounds advice on RR's. The reason I am posting this is I am currently bidding on a top class 1999 4.6HSE LPG 65Kmiles RR on Ebay at the moment. The car looks awesome, with all the gadjets including DVD ( even in the back!) sat nav everything. Looking at the P38's it looks like one of my dream coming true early in life. But the whole package seems a little bit too good to be true. I am just a normal bloke with a Laguna, medium salary, family and a dog. I dont want to win this beast then it turns out to be a nightmare. Whats wrong with RR's, why isnt everyone buying this 50K car at under 15K four years later - I mean they are meant to last forever! I understand they are more expensive to keep, but how much more expensive, double costs - do you have to be loaded to keep one of these things?

I want to join the club, the entrance is there, but dont want to be sucked dry by a leech. Any advice on what I should be looking for when buying, or my choice in car would be appreciated.

Yours,
Andrew

Well they are nice cars and yes they do cost a lot to repair when they go wrong,i am not happy with cars with lpg especially the v8 in my opinion the 4.6 is overbored and whenever i have removed the heads its always a pourous block,lpg makes them run hotter and also causes the manifolds to crack because of heat, but saying that i have only changed 8 v8s in the last 3 years,some arnt on gas the lowest mileage 1 was 21k from jersey needing new engine.
the engine is the main thing in my opinion which is a big cost,it should tickover smooothly not lumpy,check inside coolant bottle that there is a jet of water spurting it will drible on tickover give a quick rev it should spurt. make sure the top hose does not feel really hard due to engine pressurising. oil leaks are normally at back of heads due to valley gasket sometimes the rockerbox covers leak a bit but thats minor,check for blowing from manifolds and all exhaust,if its blowing at back can melt suspension pipes, check air suspension works ok and try to look at air bags for cracks in the rubber,check all windows sunroof petrol flap and door locking works otherwise will be expensive,and last but not least chech the heater works and the is not a book symbol on the display,i could go on sorry not trying to put you off.i just feel i have ripped a p38 2 bits in less than10 minutes

Hi, I note what tiga piglet is saying, and whilst i have not a lot or range rover experience, I have had two ( a classic and a 4.0 litre range) both running well on LPG. Look very carefully at the lpg system or in fact at the documents that show who fitted it, and if it has been serviced. Please do not buy anything that has not been checked by someone who knows about lpg - you could be buying a system that is not safe or has been installed by an unqualified person. They can backfire if running on lpg. Please also remember that you will be lucky to get more than 15 mpg on gas, which adds up to a lot even if you pay 30 p a litre - over here the cheapest place, Morrisons, is 34.9.

Insurance is not usually a problem just cos its dual fuel, but they are a very high insurance group - my present policy cost me £1300, but i have been a naughty girl and had two accidents in the last two years.

The 4.6 you are looking at does not seem to have done much mileage - why not, is what i would be asking myself. The 4.0 litre is preferred by the trade, out of the two petrol engines. Again ask yourself, if it looks too good to be true -it may well be...........

But you can have a load of fun with a Range! People in doddy cars get out of your way, it is almost always your right of way, therefore!

After reading this:

'i have been a naughty girl and had two accidents in the last two years',

I was a bit alarmed to read this:

'People in doddy cars get out of your way, it is almost always your right of way, therefore!'

Perhaps you should try to remember that there are PEOPLE in the other vehicles.

b4 i got my p38, i was a volvo est man (no comments, but in my defence it was t5's) but i wouldnt swap my rr for anything. since ive had it, ive had a few probs with it, all now fixed, and ive just come back from a weekend in scotland, and it drove like a dream.

as for overall costs? well my neighbour has a ****ty little golf (dont tell him i said so) and it just cost him a shade under £2k for some engine bits. but he did get it done at a vw main dealer!!!! so get a local landie trained mechanic, there are plenty around, just need to look or search yellow pages or google.

so i guess what im saying is, its all relative, im sure the laguna is reliable (as my wife has a clio and never breaks down) so just be aware that land rovers do have their niggles, but nothing that would ever put me off either buying another p38 or if i can save enough pennies a new shape one.

I earn sod all and I got one!
The second hand parts are cheap as chips (ebay ace for this) If you are illing to undertake minor jobs and enjoy knowing your vehicle inside out get one. I have a diesel (tdi 200) vogue l reg old shape, cost 2k mot till june. Fixed heater, rear w/w rear demist due to replies from this site for 41 pounds! get that help from fans on a renault site for your clio?I doubt it! Diesel does about 27-30 mpg and I'm looking into convertion to veg oil at 27p per litre including tax. From the talk about the petrol engines, an economical idea would be to look for a diesel. Bargains usually aren't, but good luck!
undark

Alright Captain.........got meself a 46 hse in Biarritz blue,privacy glass,triple spoke alloys ,chrome side steps and 2001 light kit.it looks the DOGS..I brought this back in July of last year and since day one have been spending money on it for various parts that have gone wrong........3 days into ownership suspected cracked block{new engine brought}then after 4 independant block test found out it needed new rad and thermostat{~that alone with engine cost £1.000}Then months later rear diff £275.00,trouble free for a few months then the torque convertor.£30.00 part..£150.00 labour.......90,000 mile service..£250.....and up untill 2months ago it was ok.Then i had to have front and rear diffs and then to top it all the bloody viscous diff,in total for the 3..£650.00.........its been a dream car to drive and its my pride and joy i love to bits BUT i've sold it just this weekend to someone from GREECE.....it will be a very sad day to see it go.......so the advice i would give you is.......BEWARE and pay a bit and get the AA/RAC check it over..take a look on the range rover photo gallery you will see the BLING Rangie with my black s3 behind it

Certainly the 4.6 seems to give more trouble than either the 4.0 or diesel.

However the porous block rumour is wrong the problem is with slipping cylinder liners caused by overheating. This is cos they never changed the trans to cope with the extra torque of the 4.6 so it pulls longer at low rpm's, cylinder liners will slip due to the heat and water is lost through the exhaust.

My P38 has been fine other than issues with the air-con, learn your stuff before buying and avoid early 4.6's

well street boy i have never seen the liners move on any v8 and i have played with a few i stand by the fact the bores go pourous on the beast although have not done many lately,as many people cant afford LR prices,never seen trouble on the smaller v8s thou,tiga

You never see the problem with the 4.0, they are the same in construction. Land Rover should have re-mapped the transmission shift points to cope with the extra torque (i believe they rectified this with later models although im 100%). If the engine hasnt over-heated you should be ok but its difficult to be sure. Either way, porous block or slipped liner the result is the engine is kaput and needs to be replaced. 4.0 or BMW diesel is a safer bet