Looking up the drive I see my Range Rover, it’s been stood for about six weeks neglected and scruffy but at least almost all of the jobs had been done last year and she was driving fine when I left her there. The doors unlock and she fires up first turn of the key, a little smoke but that PCV valve was the job I’d put off last year as a pesky little bolt decided that suicide was a better option than just giving up and coming out.

I think we all refer to these vehicles as our Forth Bridge, you know start at one end reach the other end and turn around and do it all again, but we love them, right? Well I do, I mean six weeks and she fires up no problem the only thing is a flat tyre, what a feeling listening to that V8 purr as if I’d just stopped the engine 5 minutes beforehand. I’ve got that spring feeling, everything is going to be rosy, nothing can go wrong, but........

So I’ve been looking around for a car to take on the miles, do the shopping runs in, take the dogs to the vets in etc, you get the picture let the new one take the strain and run it till it drops while I pamper the Range Rover. So a higher miler 55 plate Mercedes S320 cdi reared it’s head, it’s been a chauffeured car so well looked after but it’s got galactic miles on it, so much so I could call it the USS Enterprise (190,000 miles). It has its faults, it was in a service centre overnight when a couple of our more feral countrymen decided they would break in and take a couple of Porsche’s that were also there, unfortunately this one was blocking the doors. So they exploited the one weak area of these Mercedes, they don’t have a steering lock or deadlocks.. they do however have a lock on the gearbox shifter that locks into park unless you have the key. It’s easy to overcome you take off the knob and whack the gear-lever with a hammer and away you go. So that’s what they did, knob, whack push the car and break into the area where all of the keys were kept, took them all and two Porsche’s later bobs your uncle.

So the owner of said Mercedes refused to have the service centre repair it and was duly paid for the car, that’s where I came in sniffing like a dog after a bone. So the bodywork is immaculate, the interior is great but the drivers seat could do with a clean and possibly a re-dye, the dash is showing an EPC power fault which could be why the car was in the service centre in the first place and of course the theft damage. All of this for, wait for it £650, he wanted £995 but hey shy bairns get nowt so maybe that’s all he was offered by the insurance company- who knows.

So question is, after all of that, am I doing the right thing taking my eye off the Range Rover, not totally but just slightly off. Am I being too confident in the old girl or will she appreciate the lack of miles she’ll be doing. I have no experience of Mercedes but a diagnostics pack should help and it’s only a car, right?

Regards ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

Well for £650 you can’t go too wrong..... fix the shifter read the codes see what else is wrong.

But no the fattie won’t appreciate not being run. Will sit there melingering until you come to start it the. It will get the grump and throw it’s toys all over the floor.... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

I know that’s the worry, because they know don’t they, they really do know.......

The Mercedes is a completely different animal - obviously, and if I find myself out of my depth, say if the bottom end went then I could easily sell it for parts and weight it in. I don’t think I’d lose anything.

Now to explain to the missus why there’s an obsidian black, long wheelbase S Class Mercedes on the drive.

Anyone know of a good diagnostics pack for it.......... ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

S Class is a superb car.

But it isn’t a FF ... What do I put here then?

I agree. I drove it and it’s got to be one of the smoothest drives Ive had in a non 4x4 Range Rover sort of way..... ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

UK Marine wrote:

Now to explain to the missus why there’s an obsidian black, long wheelbase S Class Mercedes on the drive.

Anyone know of a good diagnostics pack for it..........

For the car or the wife?

Enjoy the S Class, they are great cars.

Do it Simon Use it for the vet / shops / whatever It'll be good and the feeling, knowing how much you paid, will be worth it. Here's the thing about your Range Rover. First it will preserve the miles a bit and therefore the maintenance. Second you 'll feel a bit lord of the manor with a Range Rover and a Merc S Class. Third - the most important - on the occasions you do come out of the house, consider for a moment which vehicle you take then choose the Range Rover - you'll appreciate your Range Rover more. That's worth the money too!

Greg Cheers, Greg
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

Hallelujah brother.

The decision is made. Watch this space for pictures and updates 🤞🏻 ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

I’m with Greg  What do I put here then?

Me too, it’s definitely worth a shot.

Life’s too short  ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

I had an S320 some years ago. More of a car to be driven in than driving it yourself  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

It’s the long wheelbase version so she can be upfront and I’ll erm.. test the rear seats - for a couple of weeks  ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

Make sure you have a copy of the FT to read! Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Well of course, one must keep up with ones shares etc.... ______________________________
Simon
______________________________

Range Rover Classic 3.5 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 3.9 efi - Gone
Range Rover Classic 4.2 LSE - Sadly gone
Land Rover 110 3.5 - Gone
Range Rover P38a 4.0 SE - Pleased it's gone
Range Rover P38a 2.5 DHSE - Just sold
Range Rover L322 4.4 v8 Petrol - Current

Better still read the frankfurter allgemeine  What do I put here then?

Last edited by GAC23 on 3rd Feb 2018 6:00pm. Edited 1 time in total