I've currently got a TVR Tuscan and its irritated me with eletrical niggles one too many times, the plan is to go back to a bike for motoring enjoyment and an RR as my everyday car, my budget is about £14k which leaves me in 2002/2003 territory, my main question is which to go for?, the TD6 or the 4.4?, HSE or Vogue?, the diesels seem to be higher milage for the money and lesser spec, the petrols are better value and better speced but how bad are they on fuel?, is there anything I should look out for?, anything thats an expensive fix etc so I can view them knowing what to avoid, also what is the main difference between a HSE and a Vogue? is it just the Sat Nav?.
Thanks in advance for any help

Welcome mate. It's finding the age old balance between performance and economy! The petrol 4.4 does about 17mpg (23 on a run) the TD6 about 22 (30 on a run). If you can find a petrol one thats cheap enough to pay for your fuel costs then I'd go petrol. The TD6 is a bit slow for my liking (and probably yours if your currently in a TVR!). Gas is a good option if you can find one already converted. They end up cheaper to run than the diesel.

Vogue gets nav and TV plus better seats (much better seats) and wheels and a sunroof plus a few other bits and bobs.

I find I get 16-18mpg round town and about 20mpg on a run driving carefully. I was in same predicament as you when I bought my Range Rover, I had the same budget, liked the idea of the extra mpg from the TD6, but prefered the thought of the more powerful 4.4. Like yourself, I could only find TD6's with 100k+ and mostly HSE spec. I managed to bag a 4.4 Vogue with full history and 80k for the same money and never even gave the TD6 another thought.

If you can put up with the mpg, I'd say a 4.4 Vogue. Mainly for the extra performance.

If you do go for a 4.4, have a check of the PCV hoses....

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic670.html?highlight=pcv

Other than that, I don't know of any other common issues with the 4.4  2006 Mercedes CLS
1991 Retro-style Mini
But really finding it hard to fight the urge for a S/C...

Buying a Range Rover doesn't involve much difference to any other car, other than you hand over more money!

Check exterior and interior condition, looking for signs of neglect. Never buy a car that looks like its had a hard life so check for stuff like worn interior (seat bolsters, steering wheel, pedals, carpets, headlining especially in the boot where people throw stuff and dogs)

Check for signs of damp in footwells and boot area, open the rear left side box in the boot where all the modules are housed and hopefully it should look dusty but dry. Any signs of water ingress here and you will have AV issues.

Check alloys for kerbing, as it may be a sign the owner didn't give a . Check everything works, every seat movement, all seat heaters, air suspension, low range, folding mirrors, steering wheel adjustment (some early models had an issue which involves a £1000 fix for a new steering column), check all the AV stuff works. There was a fix for dodgy driveshafts too, see if this has been done, sometimes referred to as the diff upgrade.

Go for a Vogue not an HSE, you will not regret having the extra toys and the seats are SO much better.

Obviously, check for a full service history, it may not all be LR but as long as it has been done, stamped and its regular it should be fine.

As far as petrol vs Diesel is concerned, my TD6 did 25mpg on average, and I'd say 15-19 is possible from the 4.4V8. You can make the Td6 quite sprightly by getting it re-maped for about £450, plenty of info on here about that. The TD6 will always be easier to sell on.

Hope that helps. Welcome! Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Thanks for the replies, I am leaning slightly more towards a V8 Vogue, there are some with much lower milage within budget and there seem to be more in Java Black which is the colour I want ideally, either that or Bonetti Grey, there are some out there with monsterous 'wheel upgrades' though which I don't like, I prefer them to look more factory than pimped out.
Is the air suspension fairly trouble free on the current shape? as I know a friend who had a great deal of problems with his 1990s 4.6.

I had exactly your predicament a few months ago, same budget, same concerns over big repair bills etc

I ended up with a high'ish mileage Vogue V8

Don't go for HSE - the Vogue seats are superb, sunroof and Sat-Nav, oh heated seats in the back as well.
Don't go for the TD6 - unless you have a penchant for tractors

love the roar of the V8 every time I start it, my old TD6 used to drive me mad - so underpowered in my opinion.

Agree with you on the wheel upgrades etc ... I went for the, think it's called Buckingham blue, with cream leather, 19" standard wheels - looks great. 2003 Vogue 4.4
2005 BMW 330d
Gone - 2002 TD6 HSE

Scorchio wrote:

Don't go for the TD6 - unless you have a penchant for tractors

I love racters ..... and I think the Inner you does to, I note you still have a Beemer with the racter lump in ... busted

BUSTED

We hear this old chestnut every few weeks, I have both petrol and diesel RR's and first choice is always Diesel, they put diesels in Tractors and Trucks for a reason - just ask V8 Andy

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic1993.html

If TD6 is not powerful enough then get it chipped, if its still not powerful enough then your driving the wrong car OR budget for a Supercharged and the associated petrol costs

Last edited by Vogue on 10th Jun 2010 3:47pm. Edited 1 time in total

Go with what you want - it's your own personal choice  Land Rover Addict
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2009 5.0V8SC Autobiography
2006 4.2V8SC Autobiography
2004 4.4V8 Vogue

Thanks again for the varying points of view, just wondering too where is the best place to get the newer style rear lights and grills for the early ones?.

Hi Just thought I would chip in too even though most of your questions have already been answered.

As a new RR owner (for the last 2 months) I too had the same concerns as you do. I bought a late 54 plate 4.4 V8 Vogue and haven't regretted it. Sure being petrol the fuel bills are big but I do cover about 400miles a week which I appreciate is high. Mostly motorway and getting 18.7 mpg according to the computer. Going in for an LPG conversion shortly in order to reduce the costs. One thing I would say is that whenever I get down about the cost of fuel and think that maybe another car from the Land Rover range might be a better bet I go for a drive in mine and by the end my mind is changed. Not running down the diesel version but the 4.4 V8 is as fast as F*@K and sounds lush when you hit the kick down. A 2.5 ton sports car that will also go off road with the best of them!

A negative in my view is the footballer/rapper image of a blinged up RR which mine had not escaped, once purchased the side tubes came off, the 20" wheels were replaced with original 18s and general Grabber ATs (no loss of economy or extra noise) and the chrome side vents replaced with java black ones. Looking more "core" now.

A previous post recommended the Vogue over the HSE which is sound advice as the leather is better and there are more toys to play with.

In summary I would refer you to the window decal which is a favorite with our Defender brethren "One life. Live it!"

Post some pics once you take the plunge.

Cheers,

David