New here so please bear with me people, I've done the intro bit earlier so just though I'd let you share the hours of fun I've had looking for my new (to me) Range Rover.

I did a fair bit of homework on them, lurking round here and various other sites and decided that the model I was going for had to be a 2005 - 2007 petrol engined one, mainly as I'm not a diesel lover, with only doing around 3,000 miles per year. I then had the options of the 4.4 N/A or the 4.2 S/C, so another logical one to me was the supercharged model. Decision made, I started scouring the usual places for them and began to realise that the only one which kept appealing was the Vogue SE. Nothing against the Sport, but having looked at a few parked next to the Vogue, it was my preference as I liked the more subtle aspects. Not sure if subtle is a word which applies to these, but any way...

I've only been looking in earnest for a couple of weeks, basically it's to use a a replacement for my 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which I still like but it's about time for a change. The RR will be used often, though mainly for short trips as I have a Merc E Class for distance work and fun stuff.

Anyway, onto the ones I've looked at, all within a 25 mile radius, and over a four day period: -

1. 2005 Vogue SE, 93,000 miles. Nice car, well prepared and seemed like an honest dealer, no pressure and showed me all round it including a quick test drive. 22" Overfinch wheels but willing to put a set of 20" on it should I want them. Had several Range Rovers in stock.

2. 2006 Sport, 87,000 miles. On a pitch but absolutely filthy. Moss all over it and the interior (creamy colour) was disgusting. I walked.

3. 2007 ML63 70,000 miles. Left field choice, but very local so thought I'd try as a matter of interest. Car was in a showroom, he knew I was coming yet it was blocked in, wouldn't start and was full of scratches, as in jealousy stripes. No power in his jump pack, wouldn't move on price, so more walking was done.

4. 2006 Vogue SE, 84,000 miles. Another dealer, advertised as good condition. Home made "custom" exhaust with non-matching tailpipes and a very rotten rear wheel arch. More walking. Same guy also had a Sport but I didn't bother even looking.

5. 2006 Vogue SE, 86,000 miles. Yet another dealer car, nice bloke, very friendly and seemed to know his stuff. Car wouldn't start but it jumped fine. Not bad condition, no real marks on bodywork but several bits of trim missing. Interior looked like it had recently held one of those parties which you were warned about as a child.

6. 2006 Vogue SE, 70,000 miles. This was a private one, 2 owner car and looked in good nick from the (limited) photos on the advert. Rang the guy and arranged to meet him this morning at 10:00. Confirmed this before I set off and arrived to the pips on the radio. No sign of him or the car. Knocked on the door and a girl answered, saying that he's just had to go into work. She rang him and said he'll be back in 5 minutes. 20 minutes later I got back in my car and set off. Life's too short. He rang me about 10 minutes later but I was back on the motorway then. Something else that put me off was that he had a beaten up S Class Merc in his driveway with a trade plate in the rear window. Private? Hmmm...

Finally, sorry for boring you and congratulations if you've got this far. Today I went back to dealer number one again to have another look at the first one. Still looks good but he has also got a 2007 facelift model with similar mileage but for a few quid more.

I'm now going to rest for a day or two and not think too hard about these things. I know that there is one out there for me somewhere, just a case of finding it, and I'm not really in any rush.

The right one will appear, don't just settle for one, waiting will reap dividends!

I spent 3 months looking, went to have a second viewing and longer test drive of one I was going for, got to dealers and there was my new ride, just in filthy. Black the right colour, under 100,ooo miles, Petrol after 15 years of stinking Diesel and veg oil fuels, tow bar and side steps already on, took it for a test drive and by far the best one apart from that luggage cover rattle but not all the others had one fitted.
Had a few niggles sorted by the warranty and a few more by myself.
Almost six months of daily use and I'm very happy with it, even more so now it is going to be used for many towing trips over the summer, based on the one trip last year it will be a pleasure to drive.

Cheers guys, am I worrying unnecessarily about mileage?

Obviously the lower the better, but is 100+ a minor issue, or nothing to worry about?

It is a V8 so should be fairly long lived. To be honest I was just looking for body and interior being good, an engine can be replaced/rebuilt, and as I'm handy with the spanners not a problem for me.

to me the milages over 100k aren't to be worried at, (with education) so long as you get the service schedule/history. if he has a wad of receipts, sit an go through those. Cars these days, go on for many hundred thousands of miles. with better technology/design, and far superior synthetic oil. you just have to use the barter option to drag down the price, as long as it has the history, and it's not say, leaking oil/water.
my old 2002 is on 167k, and it sounds so nice. goes like it should, and uses very little oil. and no start up rattles, puffs etc. I think we are all used to cars of old where as you get to 100k you drive it straight to the scrapyard, as no-one wants to buy it. that's now very old hat. its true that low milage cars are better, as the drivetrain is often better condition.
but you must laugh when the seller tells you the high milage is all 'motorway miles'

it's the same as the low milage ones!

I would await confirmation from the experts but I think the main issue at that mileage is whether or not the gearbox has had an oil and filter change. Like other manufacturers, LR said the gearboxes were sealed for life but it's widely known that a fluid & filter change can lengthen the life of the torque converter and gearbox immensely as well as sort out 'issues with gear changes'…..sound familiar?

Therefor, if hasn't being done already, it will need doing and from a personal point of view, I would rather buy a car where there are receipts for this being done along with oil changes for diffs and transfer box… i.e. non-LR service jobs that a specialist or enthusiast might do. I believe the thinking is for these fluids to be changed no later than 100,000 miles but for the relative cost to have this done by an independent, I will be having ours done later this year even though it has covered less than 40k miles and is a 2012.

As you know, I've not been an owner long so I can only repeat what I have read several times…..

I'm still half looking to get into a FF and I keep seeing that I should buy on condition not miles, but when does mileage start to be a concern? When does a FF start to get a bit leggy?

I'm not put off my miles, my BM has 120k on it and it drives fabulously but it doesnt have the drivetrain/suspension woes that a FF does. First time FFRR owner

There's a lot of old dogs out there now.

As said - maintenance is the key - more so than mileage IMHO - just accept that things will wear out, but you want to avoid it being the engine or gearbox.

There are still plenty of good ones - you just get better at asking the right questions over the phone.

My personal phone question is to ask the name & brand of each tyre - that usually tells me enough about maintenance - 4 matching decent brand is worth a look - anything else means someone has cut corners IMHO

ps - ML63 - my mate has one and it makes a SC FFRR look positively economical - he's having a good day if he gets double figure mpg sounds awesome though

If you get that far - there's an excellent buyers guide here

Clivefog wrote:

It is a V8 so should be fairly long lived. To be honest I was just looking for body and interior being good, an engine can be replaced/rebuilt, and as I'm handy with the spanners not a problem for me.

Thanks Clive, and you reply is appreciated, but you wouldn't believe how many V8s I've trashed, from old American stuff to Germany's finest.

Giantlandyman wrote:

I would await confirmation from the experts but I think the main issue at that mileage is whether or not the gearbox has had an oil and filter change. Like other manufacturers, LR said the gearboxes were sealed for life but it's widely known that a fluid & filter change can lengthen the life of the torque converter and gearbox immensely as well as sort out 'issues with gear changes'…..sound familiar?

Therefor, if hasn't being done already, it will need doing and from a personal point of view, I would rather buy a car where there are receipts for this being done along with oil changes for diffs and transfer box… i.e. non-LR service jobs that a specialist or enthusiast might do. I believe the thinking is for these fluids to be changed no later than 100,000 miles but for the relative cost to have this done by an independent, I will be having ours done later this year even though it has covered less than 40k miles and is a 2012.

As you know, I've not been an owner long so I can only repeat what I have read several times…..

Appreciated young man, and I'm exactly the same as you with regard to the transmission. I know that the car I'm looking for will have a ZF box, but I would also like to see a fluid change somewhere in the history. If you remember me from that other place on the German stuff, I had an E55 many years ago. "Sealed for life" means the same to me now as it did then. Absolutely nothing. Even my shed of a Jeep has had that done (by me, along with all diffs) and I would expect any car with over 60k to have had the same, but this is me.

Thank you all for your replies gentlemen, still looking, but a day off tomorrow from it. Cleaning my other car, which could take a few therapeutic hours.

Whoops, sorry guys, missed the last couple of replies, real life caught up.

@ Arch Stanton
Miles are not a biggie to me, but obviously the fewer the better as I don't intend getting rid of this car anytime soon. It's going to be my semi-retirement present to myself.

@ Alistair, thanks for the link, been there, done that but still trying to digest it all.

I've done a lot of research now guys and, to be honest, if I took it all in literally I'd be buying something totally different, and probably Japanese. Unfortunately, I have decided that a Massive Range Rover is going to be the next car.

Do I need it? No way, but I like them. I know a couple of people with them and have decided it's a love hate relationship. With the stuff I've owned over the years, I see this as a challenge.

Do I want it? Oh yes, I just like them and everything about them.

That makes you pretty much the same as everyone else on here

I've seen people walk away from a load of different cars before buying the car they want, whereas when I bought my SC it was the first one I saw.

I nearly didn't go and see it as the owner was very difficult to get information out of on the phone and it was in Newcastle, 180 miles from us in Glasgow. However, I had nothing on that Saturday afternoon and decided to go for a run as my sister lives down there.

The car was better then expected, drove perfectly and the guy was great in person. I ended up giving him a deposit there and then and going down for it a week later on the train.

I've had it two years now, and other then routine servicing and a couple of little jobs I've had to spend very little on it as it's been a great car. This had 86k on it when I bought it with a full main dealer service history, it's now on 94k. There was no history of any of the extra fluids being changed so I've done diffs and transfer box and I'm going to have the gearbox filter and oil changed this summer.

Keep looking and don't get disheartened when you see a dog, the SC is a great car and you'll not regret buying one when you find the right car!

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior
2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Black Edition in Santorini Black with Ebony Interior