Range Rover 2.5DSE - What to look for

[xjsjohn]

Hi folks,

After looking at all the 4X4 type vehicles on teh market and in my budget for the task of moving my disabled father about a bit i have decided what i want ..

1999 - 2001 (or newer if poss) Range Rover 2.5 Turbi Diesel (DSE i assume)

Here i would appreciate the vast knowledge that is pistonheads ...

From other peoples experiances / knowledge etc .. what should i be looking out for when looking at one on the lot?

Is there an easy way to see possible problems with suspension?

Where do they start rusting from?

Things to look at specific to this engine?

ETC ... all pointers appreciated.

[xjsjohn]

yes, i did see a 3 toed sloath pass me by like i was standing still when test driving, but to be honest i am not so worried about the performance on this beast ... (i will probably regret that comment 1,000 miles into ownership)

Its going to spend most of its time in London and the southeast, so always in traffic jams or bumper to bumper on the M25 at 6pm ...

Anyway ... ok ...
No Smokers ..
No High Milers
Think about chipping it

any pointers on
Spotting problems with the air suspension?
Known rust areas?
Known poor build areas?

any pointers on any options, ranges, trims, etc that i should just walk away from?

Cheers

John

[xjsjohn]

Bodo said:

will it outrun my S2 SWB diesel??

from my test drives .... .

I wouldnt want to put real money down on that challenge

the spec's say that it will reach 100mph ... eventually .. if downhill ... and with a following wind.

[xjsjohn]

YamR1V64motion said:

chipping 1 does give a huge advantage though, not too far off the 4 litre V8 and costs about £500, i also looked into this when i was considering one, all in all thier a good car and im glad to see youve chosen 1 over the ML

Indeed i have seen the light ... now i just have to find the right one ....



>> Edited by xjsjohn on Tuesday 16th May 10:30

[xjsjohn]

BLUETHUNDER said:

Air suspension problems.The monitor light above the center consol should stop flashing after 5-10 seconds after start up,if this continues after a couple of minutes then it can point to three things.1 Weak piston in the compressor.2 faulty ride height sensor.3 leaking air spring.Prices for the following are Compressor £288. Ride height sensor £47 each.Air spring £60 a corner.One note you can actually buy a compressor repair kit which consits of a new piston plus seals for about£35.

cheers for that ... knew the Air Suspension was one to watch, just did not know what to watch for ... feeling slightly better armed

[xjsjohn]

GKP said:

niva441 said: Isn't there a problem with the liners on 4.6's? STUFF

Many thanks GKP and BLUETHUNDER ... hate looking at a second hand motor un prepaired, and you guys have given me a brilliant check list or knowledge there!!!

Shall keep you posted on what Rangie i wind up with !! (i may even be tempted to try some real offroading in it, as opposed to climbing out of London potholes!!!!)

[xjsjohn]

GKP said:

I hope Ted doesn't mind, but have a look at these: www.rrr.co.uk/P38/P38%20Ownership.htm www.cunningham.me.uk/rangiewiki/index.php?title=Main_Page www.rovacomlite.com/ That should keep you going for a while!

yup that should shut me up for a while cheers, everything i need to know it would seem ...

again, many thanks!!

[xjsjohn]

Folks, cheers for all the info that keeps coming in ... i keep adding it to a "checklist" that i have made up to take with me.

Finding that the 2.5 diesels are like rocking hose poo, but i keep looking.

By return, once i have found my rangie (and assuming that i dont get it all wrong and buy a lemmon) i will put all the info together into a "buying a p38a" FAQ.

Hopefully will help others in teh same situation ....

Well ... bact to autotrader for me

[xjsjohn]

Just a quick note to say thanks to all for your assistance and advice in finding the right Rangie.

After rejecting some 15 odd cars for various reasons identified by you lot, i have just put my deposit down on a 2000 V 2.5DSE in oslo blue and all the usual toys. One owner and 61,000 miles.

I pick it up just after the bank holiday with a new MOT on it too.

Here's hoping its as good as it appears, but i am happy

Might even look for somewhere to learn some proper offroading skills too, something i have never tried before, and I should get some proper mud on it, before friends accuse me of getting a Chelsea Tractor.

So, once again, Thanks for your help everyone, definitely helped me weed out a lot of lemmons!!

[xjsjohn]

Well, to bring this thread to its conclusion ... colected my new toy today and am thoroughly chuffed to bits!!

closest to offroad it has been in my 12 hours of ownership has been a few speed bumps and pot holes, but i am sure that i will have changed that by the end of the summer ....

so, here she is, a 2000 V 2.5 DHSE in Oslo Blue (never got that, used to live in Oslo, and this colour does not remind me of the place !!!)

Apparently the wheels are not standard, but they look OK, not too "bling"








so thats me a proud member of the 4x4 owners corner ... and putting Red Ken's nose out of joint too!!!

[xjsjohn]

YamR1V64motion said:

very nice , those wheels look like the V8 Vogue alloys from the latest shape model so aftermarket yes but not bling in my opinion they really sit the car.

ahh always good to know where they came from ... i figured they were not origional but they looked appropriate. I was happy with it because the lights on the dashboard lit up and went out as stated on this thread, that it had a shiney new exhaust and seemed very tight ...

now to learn how to get it muddy!!!