RE: SOTW: Range Rover LSE

[DonkeyApple]

ITech said:

I accept you have owned and know a bit about these cars, ok. But to say they don't rust? You know that's not the case, im sure. The Birmabright as you call it, reacts with the steel in a rust frenzy. They are special and rather wonderful cars in many ways, but lets not try to pretend they hardly rust.. Doors, A-Pillars, C-pillars, Upper and especially lower Tailgates, the whole boot floor, the flitch's, etc etc

The worst ones suffered from that Russian steel fiasco which still had iron oxide within it so was doomed from the start.

Serious restos today are packing out where the ali meets steel with rubber to minimise the electrolysis.

But they were all rot boxes from the outset basically.

[splitpin]

DonkeyApple said:

The worst ones suffered from that Russian steel fiasco which still had iron oxide within it so was doomed from the start.

Apparently, the KGB thought 'Range Rover' was 'MOD/MI6 Code Speak' for a new model of tank

[dasherdiablo1]

I absolutely love these- I really fancy getting one to just throw the dogs in and bumble about it. Thing is I know they rust like crazy - Am I made to consider one just for the winter for a bit of a laugh?

I'm happy to tinker with it - not to the same extent I did with my old Ferrari 348 but general maintenance I'm happy with :O)

[300bhp/ton]

ITech said:

I accept you have owned and know a bit about these cars, ok. But to say they don't rust? You know that's not the case, im sure. The Birmabright as you call it, reacts with the steel in a rust frenzy. They are special and rather wonderful cars in many ways, but lets not try to pretend they hardly rust.. Doors, A-Pillars, C-pillars, Upper and especially lower Tailgates, the whole boot floor, the flitch's, etc etc

I was more meaning the body doesn't rust, as in the major exterior panels due to them being aluminium rather than steel. Electrolysis isn't rust, although I admit it can affect the vehicle. I do accept some parts of them do rust, but tail gates are easy to replace and you could do it even with a junior socket set.

Floors again do rust, but there are plenty that have survived no problem. We've had a total of 6 RRC's, none have had any welding on them and none needed any during our ownership and all were still on original tailgates (although I admit one was rusted but still usable).

[Dusty964]

I had one- Westminster Grey, grey leather, vogue spec.

I would dearly love another- the thing oozed character, was comfortable, practical, well specced and drove in a far more modern way than its years would have you believe.

It was a 2 owner, 98,000 mile car with a full history, and spent much of its life in Spain.

As a foil to all of the comments on here, I didn't have one single problem with it in a year. The air suspension was perfect, everything functioned as it should have- cruise control included, and it led a far from easy life- guns and dog in the back, and took it anywhere I couldn't be bothered to walk.
At one shoot, one of the guys offered me a bloody good price to sell it to him there and then- as he missed his old one and wanted another.
Before I had the classic, I had a P38. Hated one, loved the other.

Timeless, superb image, and a good one will be going up in price from now on I imagine.

[pSyCoSiS]

A real shame that has sold, I would have snapped it up right away.

If it is mechanically sound and the LPG is in good order, then worth a grand all day long.

I love the look of these RR Classics, something quite menacing about them, especially in the darker shades.

[deltashad]

There's a PH'er restoring an early one of these, with a hot engine and modern interior. I couldn't imagine a better 4x4 to waft around in.

They're like an institution.


Hope I'm making some sort of sense today, I'm sure I'm still drunk from last night.

[K50 DEL]

Any excuse...



This was my '92 3.9 V8 Vogue SE

Bought by me from a friend who didn't look after it, I spent a long time recommissioning it to be top notch.... everything worked and I loved it, depsite the fuel economy!

I ended up selling it when I got a company car, the new owner drove it from my house to the port and thence to Spain.

I ended up missing my Rangie so much that I bought a later 4.6 P38, never bonded with that in the same way though.

[Noisy]

Garlick said:

I actually recommended this should be SOTW as I think it's superb for the money. The CE was one of a few other suggestions.

My old one



That CE: http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-pa...

Back when I had it, would like another!

[steviegunn]

tercelgold said:

Landrover have a nice picture for the new model.

http://www.landrover.com/gb/en/lr/

Here's my old one (yes I'd have another too) with a Freelander 2:



With a RRS:



Doing one of the things it was made for:

[Oddball RS]

I love the term 'patina' muck by another word, even on classic's its st that someone can't be arsed to clean off.

[pSyCoSiS]

trickymex said:

Think you mean the film Essex boys not layer cake??

Layer cake did have a bright yellow p38 in it though

Actually, Essex Boys also had a P38 in there. They made a mistake in that film, as they used a 1999 'T' registration one and a 2000 'X' registration one (obviously new at the time the film was made, but those registrations were not even out when the murders happened back in 1998!). Essex Boys also has a nice w126 500SEL, that Sean Bean was driven around in!

The Rettendon Murders were 'completed' in a blue Range Rover Classic, 1989 'F' Reg I think.

The film that got it right was Rise of the Footsoldier - that had the correct car.

(Sorry - I'm a bit sad like that!)

[bencollins]

amazing glasshouse on these, they must look like popemobiles next to an evoque.
still classy to look at.

[p-car]

I've had the misfortune to drive several of these over the years, absolutely horrible, felt dangerous to me. I realise I'm in a minority in disliking the looks but no one can deny the appalling build quality.

One of the very few vehicles I'd buy just to set fire to

[rejn]

I quite fancy this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251154912789?ssPageName=...

Am I mad? Currently highest bid of £1060 - auction finishes later today...

[Dusty964]

rejn said:

I quite fancy this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251154912789?ssPageName=...

Am I mad? Currently highest bid of £1060 - auction finishes later today...

Looks great- buy it. Amazing vehicles.

[300bhp/ton]

p-car said:

I've had the misfortune to drive several of these over the years, absolutely horrible, felt dangerous to me. I realise I'm in a minority in disliking the looks but no one can deny the appalling build quality.

One of the very few vehicles I'd buy just to set fire to

Without wishing to be insulting, but if you honestly thought they were dangerous, then it says more about your driving skill than the vehicles.

RR's have been used by the Police lots for high speed pursuit over the years. And I know of one which was also used on rallies in the 70s. Very very capable vehicles in the right hands.

[CraigVmax]

mine only felt a bit tricky over 100mph, handling wise i absolutely chucked it about and was amazed how well it clung on

[300bhp/ton]

A Tour of Mull entrant.

[splitpin]

300bhp/ton said:

RR's have been used by the Police lots for high speed pursuit over the years. And I know of one which was also used on rallies in the 70s. Very very capable vehicles in the right hands.

I think the operative word is 'relative'?; the maximum speed of the original fell well short of three figures on the level and even from 1995, they would really struggle to do 110mph taking ages to get to that; OK, maybe relatively high speed 'in it's original day', but absolutely nowhere by today's standards. In standard road spec (dampers to suit soft springing and long wheel travel), they certainly didn't handle even remotely well by most (PHers) standards.

You can be pretty sure that any genuinely 'made quick' Classic Range Rover had appreciable work done and money spent on it's suspension to overcome/change it's inherent and purpose-designed suspension characteristics.