Thread: Range Rovers
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Old 08-24-2017, 01:01 PM   #28
equ
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i
Posts: 9,580
So my full-sized RR madness continues... I've learned a bit over the last couple of months.

I have now driven a couple of competitor cars.

- 2014 JGC Overland (air suspension and a bunch of goodies) but V6 model. Out of budget but gave me an idea. Not as rolly-polly as the full-sized RR, more like a RR Sport. A chunky brick. Pentastar V6 did not sound or feel good enough for 5000lbs (and this was a 30k mile CPO car). Not enough torque off the line, and then not a smooth revver that you want to see zing. Maybe feels better with the diesel - but the FCA diesel seems highly questionable. So this leaves the hemi 5.7, which IMHO, this SUV needs to get out of its own way. Generally felt OK to drive/cannot go wrong, but nothing special either. Dislikes other than the engine: Visibility (especially fat A-pillar) and Roominess/Space.

LX-470: I had high hopes. The current LX570 is hideous. The really old LX or LC's are 6-cylinder and likely insufficient. This could have been the sweet spot. A real disappointment. Supposed the "Land Cruiser". This one was at 90k miles (and not cheap!) but many small things were wrong. Toyota V8 was a good engine, though this older version was not sufficient for the highway. Gearing & torque felt peppy up to 40mph or so. Generally comparable to the full-sized RR, but overall I felt like I was driving something that was rental car quality.

Footnote: I tried a 2005. 2006 & 2007 get more hp not much more torque. Even if that solves the power issues, I still feel like it's driving nothing special at all. I guess that's what Toyota is about. JGC - while not the same size - is better to drive - by a lot. And the RR's are better still.

Splitting hairs between boxy last-gen RR's:

2010+ : The base/HSE trim V8 gets far stronger but has real issues reported in the forums. Same with the supercharged. The only way to be safe with the 5.0 engine is to get a last MY LR4 like FC. Those are still in way too much demand and have family wear/tear on them. As well as a third row that I do not want. Not digging that much glass up above either. Never driven an LR4 but should be pretty similar to the RR. The original RR that I was thinking of was a 11 HSE Lux that someone I know was selling. I can transfer his warranty, but the truck has not tow bar, no HK, no rear diff. It's much more a lux version. So I think I'm going to pass on 2010+/

Focusing on 2007 to 2009.... These engines are *supposed* to be reliable. Either 4.4 base/HSE or 4.2 Supercharged. I looked at two or three HSE's, and unlike the 2010+ every single time I drive a 4.4, it feels insufficient. Also the handling feels really quite bad.

This leaves the 2007 to 2009 Supercharged. The electronics do feel out-of-date, but if they have been kept up, these are the ones I like driving (I'm sure I wouldn't mind the 2010+ Supercharged either). It's not just the power, but also some kind of firmer suspension that makes it easier for me to drive. I get comfortable in them very quickly. Supposedly the 4.2 SC is no less reliable than the 4.4 and the mpg's are similar. So I've definitely narrowed down. They can be had in the high-teens for 80-90k miles. I just have to get comfortable with service histories or come across the "right one" - if there is such a thing. I've found one black/black that I like, but would really prefer a lighter interior.
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