PH Carpool: Range Rover 4.2 V8 S/C

A 'gas' powered Rangey ticks all the boxes for PHer David Bosley

Pher David Bosley - Rangey owner

PHer David Bosley likes his toys on the large side, but he's laughing as his Range Rover V8 runs on gas. (Laughing gas, geddit? Oh never mind...)

Anyway, here's what David reckons to it:

*****

"I guess I'd vaguely wanted a Range Rover since my student days. A friend's girlfriend had a Vogue which was just so luxurious, big, and classy. It made a big impression.

"Then last year, during the Volcanic ash cloud problems some colleagues were stranded in the UK. A friend and I offered to drive them to Sweden in his Vogue TD6 and that was it really - I knew I was going to have one. I wasn't convinced about the TD6 though, so I ended up with a Supercharged 4.2 V8. The spec' on it is fantastic and it has all the toys I ever wanted. The engine is sublime, the suspension is beefed up so it rolls less, and the Brembo brakes are excellent.

"I guess it was realisation of a motoring dream, and it's lived up to expectations on every level. Range Rovers have a reputation for unreliability, which I would say is partly deserved, but partly not. There is just so much to go wrong that it's probably more normal to be putting up with a couple of gremlins than for everything to be 100 percent. But it's just so fantastic to drive one that you'll forgive them a lot.

"The road presence is second to none, and it's difficult for most people to tell the difference between a £20k example and a £140k one. The driving position is fantastic, and as for comfort, it feels like suddenly going back to Coach Class from Business Class when you get into most other cars.

"Parking is amazingly easy. The combination of a high driving position, parking sensors and rear view camera mean that you can park it in surprisingly small spaces, although if they're a bit narrow you're stuffed!

"The one thing I did which made me realise how lucky I am to have this car was to go on a 'Land Rover Experience' day at Eastnor Castle where Land Rover test their cars. I learned first-hand what these machines are capable of, and it gave me a great appreciation of what an exceptional piece of engineering they are. I'd highly recommended this to any current or potential Range Rover owner.

"The best bit? Well mine is burning LPG and returns 15-16 MPG at 69.9 pence per litre, so that's the equivalent to over 30 mpg. Other running costs are no worse than some family cars (so long as you stick to a specialist rather than franchised dealer).

"The Range Rover is marmite - people love them or hate them - and the world is full of 'armchair' experts who tell us how expensive, unreliable, and antisocial they're supposed to be. However in the real world they can be affordable, make the ultimate family car, are no worse than a sports car on fuel, take up no more space than a luxury saloon, and they'll keep you mobile all year long!

"It's the best car I've ever owned. Now if only I could get a DB9 to go with it..."

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nouze

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206 months