Looking to buy a Range Rover classic.....

[GTO Scott]

I'm thinking of selling the BMW TeDiouS and buying a late '80s/early '90s RR Classic, definitely a V8, almost certainly an automatic, and ideally as high a spec as possible. I'm looking at spending £700-£1000, and i'm happy to buy a dog-eared example, as it'll almost certainly be used for a bit of off-roading (nothing serious though).

What do I need to look for, and how much should I pay? Old Rangies seem to be gaining in value now, so i'm hoping now is the right time to buy.

Would also consider an LPG-fitted example, but I have heard that LPG can eat away at the alloy heads around the valves, basically requiring a rebuild after 50,000 miles. Can anyone shed any light on this?

Cheers

[wiffmaster]

Should be able to get something pretty tidy for around that sort of money. Rust is the big killer of RRCs, so the chassis is the main thing you want to be looking at - get under there with a hammer/screwdriver and have a poke around. Also, check the rear tailgates for corrosion (top one is particularly susceptible). The V8s are pretty solid all round and as long as you check the usual sort of stuff there's nothing too specific to look out for. Later V8s were 3.9 EFIs, earlier cars were 3.5 and on carbs - earlier cars have the edge on simplicity of repair, later cars have the edge on performance and fuel consumption; so which to choose is really down to you. My EFI has never given me any problems though. Last of the line cars also have air suspension, which is great when working but isn't the most reliable system in the world- stick with a coil sprung model. The ZF autobox will clunk a fair bit when you shift from D to R and vice-versa, so unless it's really excessive it's nothing to worry about. Check low range engages properly as it can seize if left unused for long periods. Check front swivels for pitting and corrosion as these are expensive to replace. That's the main things that I can think of for now. But chassis condition should definitely be your prime concern!

Edited by wiffmaster on Sunday 27th January 21:20

Edited by wiffmaster on Sunday 27th January 21:23

[GTO Scott]

Oh believe me, the chassis is something i'm well aware of.... - I reckon i'll be fairly safe though if I go for an RRC with at least 10-11 months MoT - i'll probably sell it before it's next one if the MoT is long enough.....

If I go for an air-suspension model, what do I need to check for?

[wiffmaster]

GTO Scott said:

Oh believe me, the chassis is something i'm well aware of.... - I reckon i'll be fairly safe though if I go for an RRC with at least 10-11 months MoT - i'll probably sell it before it's next one if the MoT is long enough.....

If I go for an air-suspension model, what do I need to check for?

For your budget you'll struggle to get an air suspension model as this was only fitted to later models with the highest spec. But, if you do decide to go for one, then there will be three buttons to the left of the driver's knee. One raises the height, one lowers it, and one acts as an isolator switch (in effect forcing it to stay in a set height mode regardless of speed). Check all of these work as they should. Also, the car should automatically lower itself for better handling and stability at higher speeds (around 50mph if I remember correctly). Make sure that the compressor that inflates the air suspension bags is not running constantly (it should only run for a short time when the car is first started of if height change is required) as this indicates leaking airbags. Many owners love it, but many find it too troublesome and convert to coils. It can be seriously expensive if it goes wrong, so ask yourself if you really want a 15 year old air suspension system in a car worth relatively little...

Edited by wiffmaster on Monday 28th January 11:39

[GTO Scott]

Sounds like a coil-sprung one is the way to go, especially if I go green-laning with it. Would prefer a 3.9EFi though.....

Cheers

[CHURCH]

I had a late 3.9 a few years back and it was a great motor so would recommend it as it is much nicer than the 3.5. So if your going for a 3.9, other than items already mentioned, watch out for the lamda sensors on models with a cat fitted which was in 92/93 model year that they fitted them as they are pricey to replace at around £100 each and there are 2 from memory. Also air-flow meters can give trouble. Any of those items will cause poor running to a degree depening on how bad they are, but a good way of finding out is to make the seller get you a new MOT as it'll fail the emissions badly if any of those are playing up. Also check for head gasket problems, they're not overly prone for them but at that age/mileage could have potential for it and especially if the coolant hasn't been re-newed regularly or run low.