Slow and his usual Range Rover content (6th one)
Discussion
Been keeping my eye on L405 prices for years but not having that sort of money it’s always been in the background while running L322 Range Rovers.
They are finally getting down to where my budget was parked refusing to go any higher. Still around 5k more than I was willing to spend however.
Time to start doing research incase something comes up, knew I had to have the 4.4 diesel and a vogue se for the adaptive cruise control - those who have driven the a9 know why! Other than this only other thing I only really cared about was prefer a black car without black interior. History/milage/condition fairly irrelevant.
Posted on a owners group on Facebook asking how people found the swap from L322 over to the L405 and explained what I was looking at.
Had a bloke reply with a link for his that he was selling slightly over my budget (still by a fair chunk the cheapest online to be found). Wasn’t really ready to buy yet as away for work but fired over a message, explaining I would be keen to take it at my budget limit if he wouldn’t mind waiting till the following month when I got home. Got the usual “if it doesn’t sell” type of reply, next day he messages to say that it is ok with him as he needs time to change number plates and remove tracker etc.
Only then did I start asking any real questions about the car, no point wasting his time if he couldn’t wait.
Deposit sent over that night with agreement on collection date.
Next figuring out how I collect it. Fly to Glasgow, collect my l322, drive it home 4 hours. 8am train getting me into Grimsby (I know…) for 3pm and a quick 5 hour drive back up to Glasgow. Easy!
First steps getting my car home went flawlessly. 8am train cancelled due to lack of staff… No later trains or flights that are any good to me. No one way rentals to Grimsby from any hire car company’s. In the end best i could do was an Arnold Clark one way rental to Sheffield then a 90 minute train over to get me in at 8pm - oh wait that train was late by 40 minutes too.
f
k TRAINS
Seller was spot on though, picked me up from train station, showed me round the car, paid him and then got recommended a local hotel to stay in.
Car drove me home flawlessly, cruise set at 83 (78 on Waze) returning 33mpg, didn’t even need to fill up as came with 3/4 of a tank!
Details of the car, 4.4 sdv8, 62 plate, vogue se, 163k miles and 2 owners, not a mark to be seen on the bodywork. Only downsides are steering column doesn’t adjust, need to fit a tow bar and no rubber mat in the boot. Seller offered to split the repair on steering column 50/50 but it’s stuck in a good spot and I can probably get a used one on eBay and fix myself for less if it annoys me.
This is the only picture I have from the night I collected it.
Colour looks nice is person which is a plus as I had wanted black but it looked quite smart in photos so took a gamble.
So far love the car, it feels very much like the l322 but just a bit better, can’t really explain it. Like taking your favourite chair and making it better but not sure how as it was already so good.
Only thing I have noticed is sometimes the adaptive cruise picks up trucks on the inside lane, after asking around it seems fairly normal to some people but not others. Will have a look to see if the mount for it has any wiggle room to adjust it slightly.
They are finally getting down to where my budget was parked refusing to go any higher. Still around 5k more than I was willing to spend however.
Time to start doing research incase something comes up, knew I had to have the 4.4 diesel and a vogue se for the adaptive cruise control - those who have driven the a9 know why! Other than this only other thing I only really cared about was prefer a black car without black interior. History/milage/condition fairly irrelevant.
Posted on a owners group on Facebook asking how people found the swap from L322 over to the L405 and explained what I was looking at.
Had a bloke reply with a link for his that he was selling slightly over my budget (still by a fair chunk the cheapest online to be found). Wasn’t really ready to buy yet as away for work but fired over a message, explaining I would be keen to take it at my budget limit if he wouldn’t mind waiting till the following month when I got home. Got the usual “if it doesn’t sell” type of reply, next day he messages to say that it is ok with him as he needs time to change number plates and remove tracker etc.
Only then did I start asking any real questions about the car, no point wasting his time if he couldn’t wait.
Deposit sent over that night with agreement on collection date.
Next figuring out how I collect it. Fly to Glasgow, collect my l322, drive it home 4 hours. 8am train getting me into Grimsby (I know…) for 3pm and a quick 5 hour drive back up to Glasgow. Easy!
First steps getting my car home went flawlessly. 8am train cancelled due to lack of staff… No later trains or flights that are any good to me. No one way rentals to Grimsby from any hire car company’s. In the end best i could do was an Arnold Clark one way rental to Sheffield then a 90 minute train over to get me in at 8pm - oh wait that train was late by 40 minutes too.
f
k TRAINSSeller was spot on though, picked me up from train station, showed me round the car, paid him and then got recommended a local hotel to stay in.
Car drove me home flawlessly, cruise set at 83 (78 on Waze) returning 33mpg, didn’t even need to fill up as came with 3/4 of a tank!
Details of the car, 4.4 sdv8, 62 plate, vogue se, 163k miles and 2 owners, not a mark to be seen on the bodywork. Only downsides are steering column doesn’t adjust, need to fit a tow bar and no rubber mat in the boot. Seller offered to split the repair on steering column 50/50 but it’s stuck in a good spot and I can probably get a used one on eBay and fix myself for less if it annoys me.
This is the only picture I have from the night I collected it.
Colour looks nice is person which is a plus as I had wanted black but it looked quite smart in photos so took a gamble.
So far love the car, it feels very much like the l322 but just a bit better, can’t really explain it. Like taking your favourite chair and making it better but not sure how as it was already so good.
Only thing I have noticed is sometimes the adaptive cruise picks up trucks on the inside lane, after asking around it seems fairly normal to some people but not others. Will have a look to see if the mount for it has any wiggle room to adjust it slightly.
Knoxville2410 said:
Looks very nice.
I bet that mileage isn't much for such an under-stressed engine. Plus I bet a lot of age related bits and pieces may have already been replaced?
Are you planning on keeping a rainy day fund aside just in case?
Only one of my range rovers has been under 100k miles, most being 220k so it really doesn’t put me off.I bet that mileage isn't much for such an under-stressed engine. Plus I bet a lot of age related bits and pieces may have already been replaced?
Are you planning on keeping a rainy day fund aside just in case?
The rainy day fund is fixing it myself and have a mate who worked at a Land Rover specialist for advice too. Done basically all the big jobs on the l322s and expect to maintain this myself.
Slow said:
Being 27 I do feel very out of place in it, could just about pass in the older ones.
We're the same age and an L405 is pretty much my dream car. I'll be interested to hear how you get on with it - I've had a lot of JLR products in the past and never found them to be as unreliable as people say, but the newer ones do scare me a bit maintenance-wise.Jakg said:
Slow said:
Had a bloke reply with a link for his that he was selling slightly over my budget (still by a fair chunk the cheapest online to be found)
Can I ask how much?Stupid amount of car for the money.
I am thinking of going from my disco 4 to one of these.. sdv8 and ideally autobiography - but not black. I have the dilemma of will I miss the practicality of the disco 4 especially the 7 seats and the fact that it turns into a van when everything is folded down but 3 times a year versus having a Range Rover? They are beautiful things...
Had some snow today. Only on summer tyres but it was effortless driving the single track lanes which dont get plowed/gritted. I have a set of winters I could fit but just dont see the point.
Was the first car through the road on the way down and back, heated seats on, heated steering wheel and the radio. Was just a relaxing drive out and probably slightly better than my previous L322 as the traction control didnt kick in unless I booted it.
Only downside I found was probably user error but driving up over the A9 it hit -8 outside, was doing 80ish mph and the washers and windscreen froze over. Once slowed to 60 and warmed to -6 it all defrosted. Never had my previous L322 freeze up like this.
Was the first car through the road on the way down and back, heated seats on, heated steering wheel and the radio. Was just a relaxing drive out and probably slightly better than my previous L322 as the traction control didnt kick in unless I booted it.
Only downside I found was probably user error but driving up over the A9 it hit -8 outside, was doing 80ish mph and the washers and windscreen froze over. Once slowed to 60 and warmed to -6 it all defrosted. Never had my previous L322 freeze up like this.
something masochistic in me wants a RR. 20K plus a 10k pot (plus a high annual allowance of say 1k extra) is still quite reasonable for such a car. my only concern would be being left stranded rather than expensive fixes.
I think the answer is find a good indy and buy the model that gives you the best odds of reliability.
considered a Disco and Evoque just a few months ago. bought a CX5 instead! one day.
I think the answer is find a good indy and buy the model that gives you the best odds of reliability.
considered a Disco and Evoque just a few months ago. bought a CX5 instead! one day.
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