Range Rover Classic

[stuart21]

Evening all!

I really fancy buying a Range Rover classic and am looking for advice on models and what to look out for.

I am not a car expert, but I’m a big Land Rover fan. I currently have an L322 and a Defender.

I am going to look at a 1992 200tdi Vogue, so would appreciate any thoughts and tips.

Cheers!

[billytheghillie]

Buy some other make 👍

[bluesj]

Rust, rust and more rust!

I love the old range rovers and have had a few, I would look for a 3.9 auto, the diesels always st felt like a comfy tractor.

Rust is the killer check inner wings, sills, rear seat belt mounts/ wheel arches boot floor, rear body cross member, all the body mounts and anything else that is made of steel!

[stuart21]

9 minutes ago, billytheghillie said:

Buy some other make 👍

Nonsense!

Still the best make out there. I’ve owned 6 in the last 13 years. I keep on top of the maintenance and they’ve been as good as gold.

9 minutes ago, bluesj said:

Rust, rust and more rust!

I love the old range rovers and have had a few, I would look for a 3.9 auto, the diesels always st felt like a comfy tractor.

Rust is the killer check inner wings, sills, rear seat belt mounts/ wheel arches boot floor, rear body cross member, all the body mounts and anything else that is made of steel!

Thanks!

The guy has 2, a very tidy tdi manual with brilliant history and a V8 auto also with good history but quite shabby.

[Agriv8]

I would start by finding an independent specialist if you are not going to work on it yourself.

if you are you have to realise you are buying something that is likely to need work some of which can be expensive.

for a start I would be looking for one on a galvinised chassis!

second bulkhead 

third everything else 

join some proper forums and do your homework!

Agriv8

[billytheghillie]

Good luck with your search 👍

[London Best]

A Range Rover with a Diesel engine just never feels right to me. They were born for a V8.

I had a very early one, bought well abused. At ten years old the rear wheel arches/inner body sides/door pillars needed replaced, ( they were originally all one piece but I bet smaller sections are available now). I stripped it to the chassis and rebuilt. It took me a full week. 
Later, the foot wells started to rot so I parted with it. 
The two piece back door are a pain. 
To be fair, I abused it as well. I was told at the local Land Rover club that I was the only one in the club who used a Range Rover for what it was designed for. Brilliant vehicle.

[stuart21]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

A Range Rover with a Diesel engine just never feels right to me. They were born for a V8.

I had a very early one, bought well abused. At ten years old the rear wheel arches/inner body sides/door pillars needed replaced, ( they were originally all one piece but I bet smaller sections are available now). I stripped it to the chassis and rebuilt. It took me a full week. 
Later, the foot wells started to rot so I parted with it. 
The two piece back door are a pain. 
To be fair, I abused it as well. I was told at the local Land Rover club that I was the only one in the club who used a Range Rover for what it was designed for. Brilliant vehicle.

Cheers!

I have the 4.4 V8 in my ranger rover and a Td5 Defender, and love them both, but really fancy a classic.

The V8 I am looking at is solid and has stacks of history, it just needs the paint sorting. Also has an MOT with no advisories. It’s owned by a Landrover specialist.

I will drive them both and see what I think, but I do think I will prefer the V8.

Edited March 7, 2023 by stuart21

[Centrepin]

V8 for me every time, miles of smiles.

Just keep on top of the maintenance. Thats what kills them all.

I seriously regret parting with Series 2, but it was too much work for me to keep up with.

Wanted a Proper Range Rover since 1969 and ended up with an L322 but that was too much maintnance also🙄

[Bigbob]

I rate them but they can be a money pit even the oil for mines 3 times the price of my wifes car  oil 

[stuart21]

Thanks chaps!

Fortunately I have a decent mechanic that knows Land Rovers and is very reasonably priced.

[London Best]

My J reg’d two door, one of the first 100 made, pictured some time around 1981/2, with my 18 foot Sea Nymph “Muddy Duck”.

[stuart21]

5 minutes ago, London Best said:

My J reg’d two door, one of the first 100 made, pictured some time around 1981/2, with my 18 foot Sea Nymph “Muddy Duck”.

Great picture!

[miki]

15 hours ago, stuart21 said:

I really fancy buying a Range Rover classic and am looking for advice on models and what to look out for.

I do find it slightly amusing that you are asking this question in a (primarily) shotgun/shooting forum when you then say ...

" I’ve owned 6 in the last 13 years. I keep on top of the maintenance and they’ve been as good as gold. "
and "I have the 4.4 V8 in my ranger rover and a Td5 Defender, and love them both, but really fancy a classic. "
and " I have a decent mechanic that knows Land Rovers and is very reasonably priced."

This would appear to indicate that you have a good deal of experience with these vehicles, probably more tham the majority of the members in this forum.

I think @Agriv8gave some good advice .. "join some proper forums and do your homework! "

 

[stuart21]

2 hours ago, miki said:

I do find it slightly amusing that you are asking this question in a (primarily) shotgun/shooting forum when you then say ...

" I’ve owned 6 in the last 13 years. I keep on top of the maintenance and they’ve been as good as gold. "
and "I have the 4.4 V8 in my ranger rover and a Td5 Defender, and love them both, but really fancy a classic. "
and " I have a decent mechanic that knows Land Rovers and is very reasonably priced."

This would appear to indicate that you have a good deal of experience with these vehicles, probably more tham the majority of the members in this forum.

I think @Agriv8gave some good advice .. "join some proper forums and do your homework! "

 

Shooting forum maybe, but I’m making the assumption that most shooters drive a car and maybe some of those cars might be Land Rovers. Also, 90 thousand posts suggest maybe there is an interest in discussing cars.

I do know about Defenders and newer range rovers, but know nothing about classics, so was looking for some feedback from people that have actually owned one.

Do you have any practical/helpful advice, or should I just go to another forum?

[Wymondley]

On 07/03/2023 at 14:31, stuart21 said:

looking for some feedback from people that have actually owned one.

As I worked on them for a living and have owned various Land Rovers for the past 40 years, including two classics I might qualify.

A fixer up will be a money pit, trust me, honestly unless you are a real enthusiast with the means to do everything yourself don't bother.

A vehicle that's been restored properly to a usable condition is not going to be cheap and will need spending on to keep it that way.

A lot of parts beyond the common mechanical stuff are becoming hard to get now, particularly trim items.

I'd be looking at something late 80s early 90s, you may find something wanting minimal TLC around £20,000.

With a documented restoration, that's going to be £35-£70,000 and beyond.

Beware of the chancers selling resprayed rust buckets.

 

All that said, my 89 3.5 V8 auto was without doubt the best vehicle I've ever owned  and I still regret selling it.

I could drive 200+ miles to my friends in Devon in complete comfort, I've had cars I couldn't do more than 50 miles in without wanting to get out.

With the rear seats folded down I picked up a large workshop press and collected a replacement engine and gearbox for my Defender, there wasn't much you couldn't fit in.

Even took it greenlaning in Wales when the Defender was off the road.

Fuel consumption was the killer though, my average was mid teens.

Best of luck looking.

 

 

 

[Mungler]

2 door big petrol engine only.

But as has been suggested, I wouldn’t.

[London Best]

11 hours ago, Wymondley said:

As I worked on them for a living and have owned various Land Rovers for the past 40 years, including two classics I might qualify.

A fixer up will be a money pit, trust me, honestly unless you are a real enthusiast with the means to do everything yourself don't bother.

A vehicle that's been restored properly to a usable condition is not going to be cheap and will need spending on to keep it that way.

A lot of parts beyond the common mechanical stuff are becoming hard to get now, particularly trim items.

I'd be looking at something late 80s early 90s, you may find something wanting minimal TLC around £20,000.

With a documented restoration, that's going to be £35-£70,000 and beyond.

Beware of the chancers selling resprayed rust buckets.

 

All that said, my 89 3.5 V8 auto was without doubt the best vehicle I've ever owned  and I still regret selling it.

I could drive 200+ miles to my friends in Devon in complete comfort, I've had cars I couldn't do more than 50 miles in without wanting to get out.

With the rear seats folded down I picked up a large workshop press and collected a replacement engine and gearbox for my Defender, there wasn't much you couldn't fit in.

Even took it greenlaning in Wales when the Defender was off the road.

Fuel consumption was the killer though, my average was mid teens.

Best of luck looking.

 

 

 

Wise words indeed.

[stuart21]

14 hours ago, Wymondley said:

As I worked on them for a living and have owned various Land Rovers for the past 40 years, including two classics I might qualify.

A fixer up will be a money pit, trust me, honestly unless you are a real enthusiast with the means to do everything yourself don't bother.

A vehicle that's been restored properly to a usable condition is not going to be cheap and will need spending on to keep it that way.

A lot of parts beyond the common mechanical stuff are becoming hard to get now, particularly trim items.

I'd be looking at something late 80s early 90s, you may find something wanting minimal TLC around £20,000.

With a documented restoration, that's going to be £35-£70,000 and beyond.

Beware of the chancers selling resprayed rust buckets.

 

All that said, my 89 3.5 V8 auto was without doubt the best vehicle I've ever owned  and I still regret selling it.

I could drive 200+ miles to my friends in Devon in complete comfort, I've had cars I couldn't do more than 50 miles in without wanting to get out.

With the rear seats folded down I picked up a large workshop press and collected a replacement engine and gearbox for my Defender, there wasn't much you couldn't fit in.

Even took it greenlaning in Wales when the Defender was off the road.

Fuel consumption was the killer though, my average was mid teens.

Best of luck looking.

 

 

 

Brilliant, thanks for your advice!

I won’t be doing much mileage, so fuel isn’t a concern.

[Walker570]

Well I was there at the beginining so to speak because my patch included the Land Rover factory and in1971 I drove one of their development vehicles on an International Rally in Belgiium. The orghinals where way ahead of their time and then of course the women got involved and fancy carpets etc etc including gearbox changes etc etc came about.

I also owned a CSK model...only 100 made  Charles Spencer Kings  so CSK for the model. It needed a bit of work and I sold it for what I bought it for ....  a couple of thousand...one sold last year for close to 50 thou....   In the right hands there was nothing to touch them woth Craythorne winning the first Welsh Hill Rally and week before I went to Belgium with the same vehicle .....

I have owned four of them and agree they are better for having a V8 upfront but needs must and 49 mpg has it's advantages hence my present transport. OF I come up on Ernie in a big way then I would be looking for a well prepared ear;y model with no hesitation.   

An ICON without doubt followed by all the other producers.

 

[Walker570]

One of the first two Range Rovers in the USA. I had this one on loan for three weeks and this photo is taken 20 miles into the Rockies and at 5000ft with a Mule deer.

This one was below par due to the stuff put on the engine to meet US laws but still turned a few heads.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Walker570

[miki]

On 07/03/2023 at 14:31, stuart21 said:

I do know about Defenders and newer range rovers, but know nothing about classics, so was looking for some feedback from people that have actually owned one.
Do you have any practical/helpful advice, or should I just go to another forum?

Yes I do and yes you should.

[Walker570]

By all means go to another fourm or forums because there is a lot to learn.  I have owned three,  two with the V8 engine and one with a Nissan diesel engine which would pull a house down. Yes they do rust but in the main the earlier models where a lot like pre90 Defenders you could take them apart and rebuild them and finding parts was not at all difficult through a number of specialist dealers.   As said if I had the finacial spare then I would certainly go out and buy a pre '85 model just for fun. Pre 85 they where not to tarted up.  An original two door in good nick, would cost you an arm and a leg today. 

I repeat...they where and in my view still are an icon in the 4x4 world and it took the opposition quite a while to get their breath and catch up. 

[stuart21]

2 hours ago, Walker570 said:

By all means go to another fourm or forums because there is a lot to learn.  I have owned three,  two with the V8 engine and one with a Nissan diesel engine which would pull a house down. Yes they do rust but in the main the earlier models where a lot like pre90 Defenders you could take them apart and rebuild them and finding parts was not at all difficult through a number of specialist dealers.   As said if I had the finacial spare then I would certainly go out and buy a pre '85 model just for fun. Pre 85 they where not to tarted up.  An original two door in good nick, would cost you an arm and a leg today. 

I repeat...they where and in my view still are an icon in the 4x4 world and it took the opposition quite a while to get their breath and catch up. 

Thanks all, it is for a bit of fun and as predicted I went for the V8.

It needs some work, but the seller was genuine and it as stacks of history. 
Just driven it home 70 miles and it drove perfectly!

[Morkin]

Happy driving buddy, that is a nice model,👍