That's the tow car sorted - Cheap L322 Range Rover Content
Discussion
Just out of a perverse interest, what about the current crop of pickups did one not consider good enough? The Peoples Republic of China one didn't look too bad when I had a poke a highland show last week, didn't drive it though.
I grew up in Aus so have always had a soft sport for a Hilux or Land Cruiser as we had a J40 on the farm which was so much more reliable than the Defenders we had here. With a proper Roo bar on my father used to use it knock down trees...
I grew up in Aus so have always had a soft sport for a Hilux or Land Cruiser as we had a J40 on the farm which was so much more reliable than the Defenders we had here. With a proper Roo bar on my father used to use it knock down trees...
Well at 240 odd K miles it had finally become time to say bye bye to the Range. Head gasket failure brought on by overheating due to coolant loss from a failing gearbox cooler and of course the fact that the box had been running on an ATF/Engine coolant mix meant that was likely not long for this world either finally meant it was more economical to turn it into spares for other L322s than the fix it. It provided sterling service though giving me nearly 40K miles for less than a couple of grand outlay and I'm sure it's various parts have helped keep some other L322s on the road.
I missed it though and I think once you've had a Range Rover you can't really manage without one.... after all what else can carry 5 people across a muddy field in perfect comfort and yet also look the part outside a nice hotel....... so meet the replacement for the cheapest Range Rover ever:
A not quite as cheap (but still pretty bloody cheap) 4.2 Supercharged one with the 2010+ face lift and a myriad of other bits (including the later TV and Bluetooth modules, side steps, -6% super charger pulley etc. etc.). It's also a lot less rusty than the old one and has a many, many fewer miles on the clock. There's a few bits that need attention the most major of those being a possibly suspect mechantronics unit but all in all it's very tidy, in excellent condition and makes rude supercharger whine on demand!
I'm now taking bets on the level of bork'age this one can manage
I missed it though and I think once you've had a Range Rover you can't really manage without one.... after all what else can carry 5 people across a muddy field in perfect comfort and yet also look the part outside a nice hotel....... so meet the replacement for the cheapest Range Rover ever:
A not quite as cheap (but still pretty bloody cheap) 4.2 Supercharged one with the 2010+ face lift and a myriad of other bits (including the later TV and Bluetooth modules, side steps, -6% super charger pulley etc. etc.). It's also a lot less rusty than the old one and has a many, many fewer miles on the clock. There's a few bits that need attention the most major of those being a possibly suspect mechantronics unit but all in all it's very tidy, in excellent condition and makes rude supercharger whine on demand!
I'm now taking bets on the level of bork'age this one can manage
eltax91 said:
That’s a gamble! I assume price wise it’s not in throw away territory? So now when it borks you’ll need to fix it?!
Well I fixed the old one until it all went a little bit catastrophic in short order 
Assuming it lasts a few 10's of K without any big ones then it's on the cusp of throw away if the breakers yard make a good offer for the bits but being as it's a tidy one this time around with the right motor in the front I'm rather hoping that isn't the exit strategy that will be employed
The motor definitely seems in rude health as it managed 127mph on the back straight this morning, which whilst not quick for the circuit is quick for a stately home on the circuit
poppopbangbang said:
The motor definitely seems in rude health as it managed 127mph on the back straight this morning, which whilst not quick for the circuit is quick for a stately home on the circuit
You've seen the Race Rover, right? Or is it Range Racer ... poppopbangbang said:
eltax91 said:
That’s a gamble! I assume price wise it’s not in throw away territory? So now when it borks you’ll need to fix it?!
Well I fixed the old one until it all went a little bit catastrophic in short order Assuming it lasts a few 10's of K without any big ones then it's on the cusp of throw away if the breakers yard make a good offer for the bits but being as it's a tidy one this time around with the right motor in the front I'm rather hoping that isn't the exit strategy that will be employed
The motor definitely seems in rude health as it managed 127mph on the back straight this morning, which whilst not quick for the circuit is quick for a stately home on the circuit
lordf said:
I'm in the middle camp as I had a more than a fair amount more tools than a halfords tool box, but no training, and yet no fear.
My measure of success is equation based: How long it sits on parents drive, how much I've told my OH I've spent on it, how much I've actually spent on it, how many bits I've broken, how many new bits I've had to buy as I've broken something, then how many new bits I've broken... I'm just banned from owning Alfa Romeos by my entire family as there were three of them on the drive at one point.
I think having old sheds takes mechanical sympathy as well as fixing skills. Recognising the that gearbox cooler needed doing before the gearbox died is half the battle. On my current shed (doing 25,000 a year), I can just feel the rear engine mount giving up. I could ignore it and keep driving, and in 6 months the exhaust flexis is will be shot, the other engine mounts will be shot, and there’ll be a whole load of damage from the engine flopping about. I have 7 Alfa’s on the drive ... don’t need to hide them, Mrs rxe’s view is “I suppose it could be worse, you could have taken up golf or something”.My measure of success is equation based: How long it sits on parents drive, how much I've told my OH I've spent on it, how much I've actually spent on it, how many bits I've broken, how many new bits I've had to buy as I've broken something, then how many new bits I've broken... I'm just banned from owning Alfa Romeos by my entire family as there were three of them on the drive at one point.
Good luck with the new bus, you do know that washing them is what makes them break?
rxe said:
lordf said:
I'm in the middle camp as I had a more than a fair amount more tools than a halfords tool box, but no training, and yet no fear.
My measure of success is equation based: How long it sits on parents drive, how much I've told my OH I've spent on it, how much I've actually spent on it, how many bits I've broken, how many new bits I've had to buy as I've broken something, then how many new bits I've broken... I'm just banned from owning Alfa Romeos by my entire family as there were three of them on the drive at one point.
I think having old sheds takes mechanical sympathy as well as fixing skills. Recognising the that gearbox cooler needed doing before the gearbox died is half the battle. On my current shed (doing 25,000 a year), I can just feel the rear engine mount giving up. I could ignore it and keep driving, and in 6 months the exhaust flexis is will be shot, the other engine mounts will be shot, and there’ll be a whole load of damage from the engine flopping about. I have 7 Alfa’s on the drive ... don’t need to hide them, Mrs rxe’s view is “I suppose it could be worse, you could have taken up golf or something”.My measure of success is equation based: How long it sits on parents drive, how much I've told my OH I've spent on it, how much I've actually spent on it, how many bits I've broken, how many new bits I've had to buy as I've broken something, then how many new bits I've broken... I'm just banned from owning Alfa Romeos by my entire family as there were three of them on the drive at one point.
Good luck with the new bus, you do know that washing them is what makes them break?
I've been looking at pick ups (I can lease for work now so that makes it an easier consideration), although I did find myself looking at 4.2 litre Range Rovers on Autotrader...
rxe said:
I think having old sheds takes mechanical sympathy as well as fixing skills. Recognising the that gearbox cooler needed doing before the gearbox died is half the battle. On my current shed (doing 25,000 a year), I can just feel the rear engine mount giving up. I could ignore it and keep driving, and in 6 months the exhaust flexis is will be shot, the other engine mounts will be shot, and there’ll be a whole load of damage from the engine flopping about. I have 7 Alfa’s on the drive ... don’t need to hide them, Mrs rxe’s view is “I suppose it could be worse, you could have taken up golf or something”.
Good luck with the new bus, you do know that washing them is what makes them break?
Well annoying the Gearbox cooler that failed was a new one, the old one was sludged up with what was probably bits of headgasket Good luck with the new bus, you do know that washing them is what makes them break?
So far so good on the new one though. Picked it up last week, have already got a thousand miles under its belt for nothing more than fuel cost...... and the magic CD cleaner disc from circa 1997 got the Nav DVD drive working again
V8RX7 said:
Can I ask what a borked L322 fetches, £500 ?
£1450! To be fair it did drive and it did still have MOT but I described it on e-bay as spares or repairs and was brutal about it, including the phrase "possibly the worst condition L322 Range Rover it's possible to buy today". It was purchased by a chap who breaks them for spares, apparently even a terrible one is several grand once harvested for parts. Seat motors are £20 a pop and there are five in each seat Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff