OT: Range Rover

Hey guys. I decided to buy an '01 Range Rover (41,000 mi) as my snow car/daily driver to the train station. I just couldn't sleep well dreaming about drving my 996 C2 around in the snow and ice-- the dream never ended with anything less than a fender bender, sometimes much worse. This black Rover is the old style Range Rover, not the newer ('03 and '04) look. Anyone have this car? Any comments appreciated. Gary

We've had a 99 4.6 HSE since new. It went from my wife's car to my son's car to family toy waiting to be sold. Of the 35 or so cars I've owned it has been by far the worst. If you plan to use it as a daily driver, you had better have a backup. Ours has stranded us more than any other car I've owned. Actaully more than the other 34 put together. Having said that, it sure looks good. Here's a pic of ours. It now has a lift kit (the air ride suspension went out) and some bigger tires. Oddly, it drives better now than with the high funk, up and down factory suspension and insanely expensive RR specific tires. Good luck.

Wow, just the opposite of my experience. We've also got a '99 and haven't had a single problem and now have 60k miles. It has been the most reliable vehicle we've owned. Its taken us to all of our family vacations which hav included long freeway drives and even some off roading now and then. Ours is epsom green with the 18" mondial wheels. A real beauty.

Thank God for Chronos' message-- I was mildly depressed after reading Jim's note given that I already bought the car. I did purchase a 2 year factory waranty, and mine is an '01 not a '99, so I do have some protection even if I end up more like Jim than Chronos. Thank you both for interesting info, much appreciated.

G, Sorry about that. I missed the fact that you had already purchased the RR. If I had caught that I would have kept my mouth shut. Anyway, I'm sure we just got a lemon. Enjoy your new car but, just in case, never travel without a cell phone. Jim

My brother owns a '02 Range Rover, and he loves it. He use's it as a daily driver and has never had any problems with it.

Jim: No problem at all. I appreciate the info, and will keep the cell phone handy for at least the first few months. Lapis-- thanks. I'm starting feel better about the car already.

We currently own a 2002 Range Rover as well. We couldn't be happier with it. I have owned 1996 Range Rover from new until recently and I loved it. There were some issues during the 5 years I owned it, but nothing more than my other cars. I also owned 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2001 Land Rover Discvoverys and 99 and 2001 were trouble free for me, 95 and 96 had a lot of problems.

Know lot's of folks who have newer Rovers and they are fine. Personal opinion (with a little venting-sorry): Anything '99 and older-stay away. My '97 Defender 90 was a piece of sh#*! Leaked power steering fluid the day I brought it home NEW from the dealer. Took it in on day 2 for repair and got a chance to look though dealers service book at counter-OH MY GOD-a nightmare. Everything from transmission problems to trim falling off-all on mostly new vehicles-including Discoveries and RR's. The Defender was gone in a year-

Thanks Netdoc and Franklin. Mine is an '01, thankfully. It has a year left on the factory warranty, and I purchased a 2 year "extended warranty" from the factory, so I've got a 3 year factory warranty for an '01 car with 41,000 miles-- I'm fairly well covered, I hope. (knocking on wood at the moment). Picked up the car yesterday and it was spotlesss. Looks and drives great. I paid $32,300 (including warranty), which, after lots of internet research and two visits to dealerships, I concluded was an excellent deal. Thanks again to all for the comments. Gary

No problem Gary. Congrats and enjoy!

Had a 95, sold it after 8 years and 150K+ miles. Bought a 2003 and now love that. A Rover and a Porsche will always be in my garage. FYI, of all the people I know with Range Rovers (and I know lots) the ones with problems are driven less. this car was made to drive. ROAD TRIPS. Put that thing on the road.

That's encouraging! Thanks Newport.

Newport, We have put 86k miles on our 99 so not driving it was not the problem. Having said that, I'm not going to become the Scouser of Range Rovers. I'm glad I'm the only one that had problems. BTW, the 92 I had was great. Jim

Ahh....I should have said I had a 4.0. I know more people with 4.6 problems. Not sure why, but my research indicated 4.6's to be more problematic. Even though they are the same systems, except engine and exhaust, not sure why there were more issues with 4.6's. In any case, my 95 is still driving strong, the person I sold it to works in my building, so I see it daily. I wouldn't hesitate to get one of them if I needed a great inexpensive SUV...I would just keep some cash for repairs. The key I think is finding a GOOD Rover mechanic. They will be able to maintain the car in a preventive manner. Most will just let it break and hit you with a large bill. I recall my temp gauge was reading a little hotter than normal the machanic at the time wouldn't look at it..ahh that's normal. But it wasn't the week before...Finally I took it back again, and he checked the system. radiator was going. Could have been a disaster....

The one achiles heal of these cars is the air suspension, and there are very few who seem to know how to work on them. The first thing everyone says, including the dealer is replace the airbags, and pumps, and sensors. About $3-$4K. My ride height computer malfunctioned and I would come out in the morning and the back end would be all the way up and the fron end all the way down. Looked like a dragster. As soon as I started the car, the computer would reset itself and level off. So when they hook the diagnostic computer up to it, there was no fault in the system and all components were ok. The mechanic I had basically took a fully working system and swapped one part at a time until he found what was causing this. Ended up costing me hundreds, not thousands. Other than that and eating up brakes, I commuted in it 100 miles a day for 2 years. Plus ski trips, road trips, family trips, LA to the Bay Area many many times.

I've had my '98 4.6 since new and I love it. It's a daily driver and road trip car 92k miles and still goung strong. I've never been stranded in it. There hasn't been an SUV that's come out since that's made me want to trade mine in, including the new Rover.

Thanks Rob. Great pics. My '01 is also black exterior, but with black interior and some wood trim. I like this style better than the new model ('03 and '04), but, both are great looking SUVs. Hope mine is still going strong at 92k (currently 41k). Thanks again.

"My ride height computer malfunctioned and I would come out in the morning and the back end would be all the way up and the fron end all the way down. Looked like a dragster." LOL!!! but really, its a land rover. it comes from the UK. not only that, its FMC people. british cars are generally great but not reliable at all. fords are, well, yeah. so we've got a Ford car built in the UK. Uh-Oh.

The one achiles heal of these cars is the air suspension I have a new RR (still has the paper plates on it) and it is at the dealer for the second time with air suspension problems. It locked up completely last month (didn't function-driving was like a REAL truck) and they flashed to computer to reset. Then I started noticing that the left side looked lower than the right. I measured, and sure enough, about a half-inch difference, front and back. When they called this afternoon, they said the tech reset theride height to even it out, went for a test drive, came back, and it is leaning to the left again. They suspect a leak, and so they are keeping it to test for that. Stay tuned....

Get another one.....If I were you, I would be screaming bloody murder. Good Luck.