L322 Range Rover sub £9K - Bargain or stupid?
Discussion
I'd like to give a whole raft of reasons why I need one but I'd be kidding you and myself if I did. I had a very small inheritance from a relative that I've been using to buy and sell fun/different cars and I'm using it to experience as many as I can within that. I'd like to say I need a RR to tow the Caterham - but I've sold that.
Whilst I can see loads of uses for one if I had it I don't need one I'd just like one.
Been crawling the classifieds and they seem cheap or rather relatively cheap and cheaper than RR Sports that I do not like.
£8000 for a V8 petrol Range Rover? What could possibly go wrong. Buyers guides suggest very similar problems to an old BMW E39 estate I used to run. The odd electrics issue, suspension bushes, air compressor etc. and chocolate auto gearbox.
So do you have to be brave, stupid, have stupidly deep pockets or are they currently a bit of a bargain at this end of the L322 market?
Whilst I can see loads of uses for one if I had it I don't need one I'd just like one.
Been crawling the classifieds and they seem cheap or rather relatively cheap and cheaper than RR Sports that I do not like.
£8000 for a V8 petrol Range Rover? What could possibly go wrong. Buyers guides suggest very similar problems to an old BMW E39 estate I used to run. The odd electrics issue, suspension bushes, air compressor etc. and chocolate auto gearbox.
So do you have to be brave, stupid, have stupidly deep pockets or are they currently a bit of a bargain at this end of the L322 market?
Scratch that itch; an L322 is on my list of cars to experience ownership of at some point, even if it's for a short while. Just make sure you have your eyes open, buy on condition and be prepared for some potentially big bills if things go wrong. Oh and the mpg if you're going for the V8.
The gearbox isn't a huge issue on the petrol cars, just the derv, but it might be worth giving it a preventative oil/filter change as with any high mileage auto. The rest of it you've got covered really. Bushes, balljoints and the odd electric problem which is often caused by water ingress. The engine is BMW, brakes BMW and virtually every single electrical item is BMW.
Spares are plentiful and subsequently cheap, information is out there to do any job and diagnostic kit for your laptop is available too.
Spares are plentiful and subsequently cheap, information is out there to do any job and diagnostic kit for your laptop is available too.
But are the bills that big?
Air compressor less than £300. Air shocks not much more than BMW shocks. Gearbox granted is an issue but once fixed it'll be good for another 50-100K. V8's don't seem to have any real issues and MPG doesn't concern as would only be used at the weekend.
Nav and amp being the weak spots but I have a guy that can repair those. In many ways a poverty spec L322 would be ideal - one without nav and tv etc.
Although just seen a really nice P38 Autobiography on Autotrader. Top money for a P38 but L322 or P38?
Air compressor less than £300. Air shocks not much more than BMW shocks. Gearbox granted is an issue but once fixed it'll be good for another 50-100K. V8's don't seem to have any real issues and MPG doesn't concern as would only be used at the weekend.
Impasse said:
The engine is BMW, brakes BMW and virtually every single electrical item is BMW.
Interesting and wasn't aware of the brakes and electrics. I know the BMW electrics of that era pretty well having driven an E39 for 150,0000 miles Nav and amp being the weak spots but I have a guy that can repair those. In many ways a poverty spec L322 would be ideal - one without nav and tv etc.Although just seen a really nice P38 Autobiography on Autotrader. Top money for a P38 but L322 or P38?
Edited by Agent Orange on Tuesday 20th January 11:03
s off the PH 4x4 haters
Use the inheritance as a deposit on a house(s), and in 5 - 10 years having obtained the profit from buying/selling them, go out and buy a fossil fuel guzzling/anti-environment/armoured personnel carrier that isn't a shed. Houses don't have wheels and, generally, don't go down in value. Lumps of metal with 4 wheels and an engine do......
datum77 said:
Use the inheritance as a deposit on a house(s), and in 5 - 10 years having obtained the profit from buying/selling them, go out and buy a fossil fuel guzzling/anti-environment/armoured personnel carrier that isn't a shed. Houses don't have wheels and, generally, don't go down in value. Lumps of metal with 4 wheels and an engine do......
Wouldn't be a PH thread without one of these posts!! 
I already have a house and two flats thanks. First flat gets paid off in 2 years and then we'll decide if we get another or do something else.
£10K inheritance isn't going to be much of a deposit. No this money is "fun" money. Money I wouldn't have and money I don't have to be sensible with.
I've been a member for a while but this might be my first post, so hello.
To answer your question, probably stupid but this is Pistonheads! Owning a car is seldom a wholly rational thing. The capital outlay is the least of your worries. Petrol consumption is epic and keeping the car on the road can be ruinously expensive...
I have a 2005 L322 petrol V8 (which is the BMW powered model).
I can't speak for later models which might be more reliable but I'd only buy one if you have deep pockets and a great sense of humour (a bit like owning an Alfa Romeo?). I'm on my third gearbox, return 13.5 mpg, have needed to find around £2-3k a year for servicing/things going wrong. If you are handy with a spanner, at least the scrapyards are filling up with cars with body parts can be salvaged at reasonable prices.
Just make sure you have a warranty as the gearbox is around £2k to replace and also check that all the electrics work. My latest comedic issue is that you can't just replace the front suspension bushes - you need to buy the whole assembly..replacing the brake pads and front bushes have just cost me £1.1k (including labour).
That said, I love being in it and will probably buy another idc. I think it is one of those cars that everybody should own at least once (and petrol won't get much cheaper than it is at the moment!).
Peter
To answer your question, probably stupid but this is Pistonheads! Owning a car is seldom a wholly rational thing. The capital outlay is the least of your worries. Petrol consumption is epic and keeping the car on the road can be ruinously expensive...
I have a 2005 L322 petrol V8 (which is the BMW powered model).
I can't speak for later models which might be more reliable but I'd only buy one if you have deep pockets and a great sense of humour (a bit like owning an Alfa Romeo?). I'm on my third gearbox, return 13.5 mpg, have needed to find around £2-3k a year for servicing/things going wrong. If you are handy with a spanner, at least the scrapyards are filling up with cars with body parts can be salvaged at reasonable prices.
Just make sure you have a warranty as the gearbox is around £2k to replace and also check that all the electrics work. My latest comedic issue is that you can't just replace the front suspension bushes - you need to buy the whole assembly..replacing the brake pads and front bushes have just cost me £1.1k (including labour).
That said, I love being in it and will probably buy another idc. I think it is one of those cars that everybody should own at least once (and petrol won't get much cheaper than it is at the moment!).
Peter
had a l322 for a year not long ago and loved it! that's not to say it wasn't without it's faults.
lovely to drive and felt like king of the road, but in the year i had it i had two suspension air bags go costing £250 each, the tv unit went rendering the entire stereo useless, so another £150 for a second hand unit on ebay and then the gearbox started overheating if it would see more than half an hour stop start traffic.
i had lpg on mine which made it pretty easy to run, but it did have gremlins which seem common.
I say go for it, scratch the itch, but have at least £1k set aside each year for repairs.
lovely to drive and felt like king of the road, but in the year i had it i had two suspension air bags go costing £250 each, the tv unit went rendering the entire stereo useless, so another £150 for a second hand unit on ebay and then the gearbox started overheating if it would see more than half an hour stop start traffic.
i had lpg on mine which made it pretty easy to run, but it did have gremlins which seem common.
I say go for it, scratch the itch, but have at least £1k set aside each year for repairs.
Had one 18 months. Lovely thing. Mpg is pitiful. Indy servicing costs are surprising ok. Reliability so far has been fine (one new battery is about it).
Serene driving experience, and very hard not to look down on other drivers when, well, you're actually looking down on them.
Biggest drawback: standing for ages on petrol forecourts waiting for slow pumps to fill a 100 litre tank.
The only other competitor I considered was an X5. Too Bangle-esque for me though.
FFRR fits in whether whether dropping off at Claridges, driving across a field or going to the supermarket (we have some very high kerbs around here, thank you very much, and it looked like it might snow once). What's not to like?
Serene driving experience, and very hard not to look down on other drivers when, well, you're actually looking down on them.
Biggest drawback: standing for ages on petrol forecourts waiting for slow pumps to fill a 100 litre tank.
The only other competitor I considered was an X5. Too Bangle-esque for me though.
FFRR fits in whether whether dropping off at Claridges, driving across a field or going to the supermarket (we have some very high kerbs around here, thank you very much, and it looked like it might snow once). What's not to like?
nitrodave said:
I say go for it, scratch the itch, but have at least £1k set aside each year for repairs.
I don't think I ever spent that much on mine in one go during the 10+ years I owned it. Aside from consumables mine needed an alternator, a waterpump, a few PVC pipes and a radiator during the 70k miles I stuck on it. The TV/ICE gubbins sits in the boot underneath the N/S window and can get wet which makes bad things happen. The solution wasn't to fix the window/sunroof leak but to install a factory produced shedder - essentially a sheet of plastic - to deflect water away and into the spare wheel well.
Bushes and balljoints are all available as individual items, it's only Genuine Parts which require entire arms to be replaced. It can sometimes be cost effective just to swap out the arms if you're paying someone else to do the job, bit if you spanner stuff yourself then they can be replaced very inexpensively. Have a look on Ebay for suppliers - there are hundreds!
The gearbox isn't unique to the RR, many other manufacturers use it without issue so no need to be scared of it. There are specialists aplenty who will repair or replace it should an issue develop.
Greg66 said:
FFRR fits in whether whether dropping off at Claridges, driving across a field or going to the supermarket (we have some very high kerbs around here, thank you very much, and it looked like it might snow once). What's not to like?
Absolutely. There was a heavy frost this morning and I quite obviously need a large 4x4 to remain safe. Also I cannot fit a tow bar to my estate nor my wifes car and whilst I've never towed anything in 27 years of driving that's because I don't have a tow bar.... Impasse said:
The gearbox isn't unique to the RR, many other manufacturers use it without issue so no need to be scared of it. There are specialists aplenty who will repair or replace it should an issue develop.
There's a gearbox specialist I'd trust not too far from me in Titchfield called Crucial Automatics. They did my E39 box and when I sold it 75K after the rebuild it was still as good as new. http://www.crucialautomatics.co.uk/ and appears we have a few decent indys nearby. http://www.west4x4.co.uk/ and http://www.stunningservices.co.uk/ near work.BertB said:
@OP Go for it, what's the worst that could happen.?
Worst case it breaks down and I sell for spares or repair and lose a few thousand. Mind you it's "free" money and I've made money selling the Caterham I bought with the cash first so I'm up anyway. Losing on the FFRR would likely see me evens.OP - I have just done what you are proposing last week...
I had been toying with the idea of a cheap rr for a while, such a lot of car for the money. And I love the early l322 shape in its unmolested glory. No tacky grilles or big wheels etc.
My excuse was I had a car accident on New Year's Day in my z4. Small rear wheel drive roadsters don't like standing water on motorways! So of course I now had a valid reason to get one of these - regardless of the horror stories...
Picked up a black l322 vogue, with LPG (must have), fsh good condition for the princely sum of £7400
So far, I've already been greeted with a dash code "air suspension inactive" fingers crossed it is a sensor or just a electric fault needing clearing. The ICE also has started freezing randomly.
However I have warmed to it like a naughty old dog, hard not to love it.
Went on a long trip last weekend, it was dark and piles of sleet/ hail on the roads. In those conditions there is nothing you'd rather be in. I love it's party trick of mounting any grassy verge if there are no parking spaces.
I intend to keep mine for a few months and hopefully avoid any huge bills. It is a car I'm glad I've had the chance to experience, and I won't regret it even if it does assault my wallet.
I had been toying with the idea of a cheap rr for a while, such a lot of car for the money. And I love the early l322 shape in its unmolested glory. No tacky grilles or big wheels etc.
My excuse was I had a car accident on New Year's Day in my z4. Small rear wheel drive roadsters don't like standing water on motorways! So of course I now had a valid reason to get one of these - regardless of the horror stories...
Picked up a black l322 vogue, with LPG (must have), fsh good condition for the princely sum of £7400
So far, I've already been greeted with a dash code "air suspension inactive" fingers crossed it is a sensor or just a electric fault needing clearing. The ICE also has started freezing randomly.
However I have warmed to it like a naughty old dog, hard not to love it.
Went on a long trip last weekend, it was dark and piles of sleet/ hail on the roads. In those conditions there is nothing you'd rather be in. I love it's party trick of mounting any grassy verge if there are no parking spaces.
I intend to keep mine for a few months and hopefully avoid any huge bills. It is a car I'm glad I've had the chance to experience, and I won't regret it even if it does assault my wallet.
I considered one but was put off by the fact every journey I did would cost 3x as much as my current car, going from 40mpg to 15mpg didn't seem to make any sense, even if it did mean travelling in luxury and comfort instead of an uncomfortable small car.
If the mpg doesn't bother you, I say go for it.
If the mpg doesn't bother you, I say go for it.
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