Am I crazy to entertain getting a Range Rover?

2,816 Views | 27 Replies | Last: 12 days ago by knoxtom
john2002ag
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Wife has been patient for a while and is looking at new/used but new to us cars. She is fine with getting something used and is talking about getting a Range Rover. I have never had one and everything I can find online says they are headaches from a maintenance standpoint and will be in the shop nonstop.

Looking for any experiences or even opinions. Not looking to to spend a ton of money, but spending a ton of money just to spend even more as it is in the shop every month is a nonstarter.
3rd Platoon
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Buy two. You can drive one while the other is in the shop.

Get a Lexus GX instead.
BenTheGoodAg
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Someone on here claimed their oil change was $300. That'd be a no from me dawg.
rme
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Yes, and I drive a Wrangler....wife drives a GX.
Max Power
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john2002ag said:

Wife has been patient for a while and is looking at new/used but new to us cars. She is fine with getting something used and is talking about getting a Range Rover. I have never had one and everything I can find online says they are headaches from a maintenance standpoint and will be in the shop nonstop.

Looking for any experiences or even opinions. Not looking to to spend a ton of money, but spending a ton of money just to spend even more as it is in the shop every month is a nonstarter.

There's a reason Range Rovers depreciate quickly, so you could indeed get a used one and not have to spend too much but the cost of keeping it going isn't something you sound like you're interested in. Buy a used Land Cruiser or Lexus GX or LX if you want something that comparable and dependable. They maintain their value well for a reason so a used one of the same year and mileage will cost you quite a bit more than a Range Rover. I'd rather spend more up front on a Land Cruiser or Lexus.
dodger02
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OP should read this reply. Then read it again.

The LR could be trouble free for you. Maybe. But it could also **** the bed in 18 months and cost you a fortune to repair.

The Lexus and Toyota are much more reliable. If they do have problems, they're just Toyotas.

There's no real used market for LRs out of warranty because people (rightfully) fear the maintenance and repair costs.
HollywoodBQ
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Range Rover - the ones from the 1980s had a long life when I was a kid in Saudi Arabia and as an adult in Australia.

An old Land Rover - yes
Range Rover, only if you're British Royalty and are forced to drive one for appearances
htxag09
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I know I'm in the minority but we had a Range Rover sport and it was my favorite car I've owned. This was probably 8 or so years ago and it was honestly about the same price as a Tahoe then.

Car was awesome to drive and never had an issue other than the following story. By far best dealer experience we've had. And this includes my wife's now car we bought from Sewell. She had an accident and shortly after all that and the repairs she was having some electrical issues. Dealer gave us a jaguar while they diagnosed. Called and told us it wasn't warranty because it was from the repair work. We kept the jaguar, they called the insurance to reopen the claim, etc.

Not sure I'd pay what they cost now. But we loved that car.
TxAg20
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If your wife wants one and you can afford it, I think you should.

Almost all vehicles lose value and have problems. Just because some lose more value and/or have more problems than others doesn't mean no one should drive them. I notice not everyone on here seems to be driving used Corollas and Crown Vics, but plenty are quick to criticize someone for buying something they consider expensive or problematic.

Are there cheaper options than Range Rovers? Absolutely. Are there more reliable options? Yes. I bought my wife a new Range Rover 15 years ago. It had some intermittent, small electrical issues, but the dealer was good about getting us a loaner when it was in for service or repairs. The oil changes were $300, but they were prescribed as the earlier of 12,000 miles or 12 months. They may be $600 now. We traded it after a couple of years, but not because of maintenance cost or reliability. As long as you're relatively close to a dealer, I wouldn't mind owning one in warranty. If you have an extra vehicle and a good Range Rover mechanic, it's probably not bad to own one out of warranty.
91AggieLawyer
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TxAg20 said:

Almost all vehicles lose value and have problems. Just because some lose more value and/or have more problems than others doesn't mean no one should drive them.


Run that by me again?

There's no suggestion that "no one should drive them," just that, if asked, the recommendation is going to be a hard pass.
Buck Turgidson
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Do you have a backup car? Are you willing to lose the overwhelming majority of the purchase price to rapid depreciation?
Chewy
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You don't buy a Range Rover because you want to.

You buy a Range Rover because you can.
easttexasaggie04
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I vote for getting a Toyota instead. We just got my wife a Sequoia and she really likes it.
robertcope
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I currently own two Range Rover L322s, a 2010 Supercharged and a 2011 NA. They are fantastic machines, probably my favorite vehicle I've ever owned. I'm kind of obsessed with them in an unhealthy way. But my wife also loves them, so I'm not completely insane.
Red Pear Felipe
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robertcope said:

I currently own two Range Rover L322s, a 2010 Supercharged and a 2011 NA. They are fantastic machines, probably my favorite vehicle I've ever owned. I'm kind of obsessed with them in an unhealthy way. But my wife also loves them, so I'm not completely insane.

How many times have they been in the shop YTD? Honest question...
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robertcope
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Red Pear Felipe said:

robertcope said:

I currently own two Range Rover L322s, a 2010 Supercharged and a 2011 NA. They are fantastic machines, probably my favorite vehicle I've ever owned. I'm kind of obsessed with them in an unhealthy way. But my wife also loves them, so I'm not completely insane.

How many times have they been in the shop YTD? Honest question...

None, but I do my own maintenance and repairs. I bought both with about 90K miles on them, so you have to expect some maintenance to need to be done.

The 2010 hasn't needed much. I got it in July of this year, so it's effectively brand new to me. I've done some cosmetic bits, changed diff and transfer case fluids, replaced the front control arms (they're a known wear item), and put a new battery in it. That's about it, unless you really want to count things like wiper blades and oil/filter changes.

The 2011 I have had for just over two years. It got the same treatment as the 2010, but has also had new brakes, plugs, and fuel injectors put in it, as well as new air suspension bits (it hadn't failed, but again they're a known wear item at 100K and I don't want to wait for them to fail).

This is the sort of maintenance I do to any car that I buy, so I don't consider any of it exceptional. Of any of the work, the fuel injectors in the 2011 are probably the only real failure.... one of the injectors failed, I replaced them all.

Neither has ever left me stranded.

In the end, I've spent maybe $20K (cost of vehicle + bringing up to my standard) on each of them. That's a heck of a deal in my opinion for what they are.
Tumble Weed
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Bought a 99 in 2003. Owned it for 10 years and put 180,000 miles on it.

We really enjoyed it. No major problems. Just starters, alternators, brakes, etc. Looking back, it was a great vehicle.

That being said ... you need to have a mechanic that you trust to work on them. Many shops that I knew just flat refused to even take a look at one.

Get what you want. All vehicles are expensive to fix, you might as well enjoy driving it.

As for everyone above telling you to get a GX, their recommendation is solid. I have had 2 GXs and they were stout.
robertcope
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Tumble Weed said:

All vehicles are expensive to fix, you might as well enjoy driving it.

Well said. This is why I ended up with the L322. I thought about Land Cruisers, but I just find them boring as can be. The L322 is fun, especially the Supercharged version... 510hp, firm suspension (but soft when you want it to be, it's amazing)... it's a lot of fun to drive. It's also comfortable, very capable offroad, and tows decently. For us, it's a one car solution we enjoy.
Dr. Nefario
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If she's dead set on a Land Rover, stick to a used 2022+ Defender with the straight six or 5.0 V8. The reliability is actually surprisingly good (as far as Land Rovers go) and the first owner will have already taken the depreciation hit.
“You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.” -Abraham Lincoln

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JSKolache
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Used British is a hard pass
Reload8098
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My cousin bought one in Memphis a couple of years ago and he wound up using the lemon law and returned it. The dealership didn't squablle and refunded his money.

We both drive Lexus vehicles. Super reliable vehicles that drive well.
robertcope
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Naturally, since I've been peaching L322 the last few days (here and elsewhere), the 2011 5.0NA unit decided to leave my wife on the side of the road today. Only a half mile from the house, and I was able to clear codes and get her on her way, but still makes me sad. No idea what actually happened, seemed like... an electrical glitch.
NRH ag 10
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Appreciate the honesty.
robertcope
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NRH ag 10 said:

Appreciate the honesty.

I try! But also, there's not a car on this planet that hasn't had an issue at some point. I have a friend that owns a Toyota/Lexus shop, I assure you he is very busy with work.
sts7049
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defender octa is the answer
txyaloo
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Things to consider, most current production Range Rover's are using BMW V8s and RR is now owned by India's Tata.

I'd be cautious buying a higher mileage BMW V8 without a good independent mechanic's inspection. The engines are generally reliable but get very leaky (oil, coolant, injectors, and valve stem seals) as they age.

Most of the common leak repairs are expensive primarily due to labor. Ex. the turbos sit in the valley and commonly leak oil from feed/return lines. The seal is $10, but you have to take off half the top of the engine to reach the seal. That's when they start getting expensive to own.

If it's under warranty or you get a good extended warranty, they're nice cars.
YouBet
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Cousin owned one and sold it inside of six months because they couldn't trust it, it was in the shop so much.

Wife had one before I came along and she said she loved it when it was not in the shop.

They just aren't trustworthy. And I didn't know Tata owned them now. Very hard pass.

Anecdotally, I never see one on the road that is older than 1-2 years. Always recent models.
knoxtom
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Range Rovers are the redheads of the auto world.

You will never love a car more and at the same time it will drive you crazy and sometimes scare you a little. Just like a redhead you will look over and say WTF am I doing, then you take it for a ride and...

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