Just how reliable is a Range Rover?

Bitten & Hisses · 31-07-2009 11:35am #1

If at all possible, I'd like people who can contribute something factual to this discussion. We've all heard the stories about Range Rovers/Land Rovers being unreliable/having poor resale/breaking into your house and killing you in the middle of the night. I'd like to hear how people who own or have driven them have got on. I've been throwing around the idea of getting a 03 or 04 TD6 for some time now and am wondering if I'm mad.
I'm not worried about fuel consumption and couldn't care less about the Gormley brigade. Reliability and silly expensive things going wrong are a concern. I find myself in the situation where the heart says yes, but the head says no!

biggus · 31-07-2009 11:37am

I thought reliability wasn't an issue now but just heard yesterday of an 07 RR needing a new gearbox and out of warranty .... ouch

BlackWizard · 31-07-2009 11:48am

VERY VERY unreliable according to two garages I was talking to. Last year I dropped my car in to diagnose an emission issue and there was a RR on the ramp. One is towed up to the garage and the manager says "here's another". We then got talking about them. His friend bought one because it was a bargain. A spur of the moment thing at an auction. Then a week later he was made sell it by the garage manager.

Although the manager said he loves them. They bring in lots of business :P

Henry Ford III · 31-07-2009 11:51am

Troublesome. I know a bloke who had to replace a gearbox on a RR and also had a lot of trouble with the air suspension sytem.

Repair bills are frightening.

Mr.David · 31-07-2009 11:51am

I work for LR - yes, they are not the most reliable. Having said that, I think there is a lot of jumping on bandwagons so to speak. It wouldnt put me off getting one but I suppose you would need to get one with a 100% service history and get it fully checked over and buy as new as you could afford. The problem is more that if something does go wrong it aint cheap!

kmick · 31-07-2009 11:56am

You want reliability you buy a Toyota Landcruiser. They are best in breed.

Bitten & Hisses · 31-07-2009 12:00pm

I hear ye! Having been financially raped in the past from owning a 3.0 Trooper, it's not an experience I want to repeat. Looking at honestjohn, they mention replacing a front diff at 60,000 miles and a transmission at 100,000 miles :eek:
Maybe a LandCruiser VX is the way to go...

Mr.David · 31-07-2009 12:04pm

If reliability is No.1 then yes, Landcruiser all the way. If you are willing to accept the risk and have the cash to fork out if something does go wrong then get a RR and enjoy a far far superior car (in my blatantly biased opinion!!)

Stevie Dakota · 31-07-2009 12:04pm

kmick wrote: »

You want reliability you buy a Toyota Landcruiser. They are best in breed.

Was just going to say that, I worked in the UAE for a few years and the Landcruiser was the default choice when doing serious off-road, you don't take chances in the desert and the RR is a bit of a gamble.

kmick · 31-07-2009 12:13pm

Well horses for courses. If you want an expensive run around to get you from the IFSC to Foxrock get a Range rover sport complete with tinted drug dealer windows. I have spent a bit of time in a Toyota Landcruiser and with A/C it was a very comfortable place to be.

Number Nine · 31-07-2009 12:15pm

Range rovers look the part but and its a big but look out for Gearbox trouble (£7500 for replacement). Air suspension problems . Suspension arms weak . I know 4 range rover owners and everyone of them has had these problems . Add that to very high desperation and main dealers that think they can charge what they want. I would avoid it like the plague. :eek::eek:

tony231974 · 31-07-2009 12:18pm

If you can afford one then I'm sure you can afford all
the garage bills.

muffinhead · 31-07-2009 12:20pm

This website rates them at no. 3 in the top 10 worst cars for reliability:

http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10_worst.html

imalegend · 31-07-2009 12:27pm

i have one, a 2002, bought it about 2 months ago, has a great 530 BMW engine but i have a problem with he air suspenion at the moment, not sure how much it will be to get fixed but they are a great car/jeep!!!!!

Quint · 31-07-2009 1:04pm

My mate spent €130k on one and has nothing but trouble with it. It's back and forward with major problems over the past year.

Henry Ford III · 31-07-2009 1:31pm

imalegend wrote: »

i have one, a 2002, bought it about 2 months ago, has a great 530 BMW engine but i have a problem with he air suspenion at the moment, not sure how much it will be to get fixed but they are a great car/jeep!!!!!

Start saving hard, and give notice on any deposit accounts you hold.

Theanswers · 12-08-2009 5:56pm

A mate of mine had a 06 RR from new, I do drive it the time to time, great car. Very comfortable. But it's given nothing but trouble over the past 3 years. Ok cause it's in warranty. New gearboxs (twice), Air con (twice), Horn, Drive shaft rear, Diff.... There's been so many other problems cant even think of them. Been too the workshop over 12 times that i can think of.

My advice,
Great car while working, But if it's out of warrenty i would be very carfull It could become extremely expencive.

El Guapo! · 12-08-2009 6:32pm

We've sold a couple of them in work and I personally wouldn't buy one. They do give trouble with the front differential and it has to be replaced. RR cover this under warranty though but its still the hassle of it. They throw up fault codes all related to the gearbox and the car will slip into limp mode and stays in 4th gear (if this happens on a steep hill you'll be going nowhere!) I know someone who has gone through 3 diffs so far on his RR :eek:.
Having said this they are a comfortable and enjoyable ride. Especially the petrol ones. But I personally wouldn't touch one! Go for a Porsche Cayenne!

Just how reliable is a Range Rover?

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