Hello,

I've always lusted after a Range Rover and last Wednesday I purchased my first Range Rover from another member of this forum. It's a 55 plate 4.2 supercharged that has done just 65,000 miles. It's black with an ivory and black piped interior, although you would think it's more of a dark blue currently. The car has lived out of its life around London and with the previous owner has spent most of the time on the street. The paint is in really bad condition, there aren't any dents or dings, it just has a really dull finish to the paint. However, mechanically the car appears to be fault free although it is due a service which I will get done in the next few weeks.

I'm currently in two minds what to do with it as I didn't tell the wife that I was going to purchase the car and she was not amused when I brought it home! We have a 9 week old baby so I thought it would be perfect, especially with the screens in the back but apparently not! However I think it's a keeper, especially with the 24.5 mpg I managed on the two hour journey home.

The car is exactly what I was after - an honest example with minimal faults but could do with some TLC. I spend my weekend detailing cars so much to the disgust of some on here, it's probably not going to see much offload use once it has been detailed. The other cars at home is a Seat Ateca which we recently bought new, and a Porsche Boxster S which I have had since I was 19 - 10 years ago! Driving the Range Rover is quite a lot different to what I am used to, it handles more like a boat than a car!

Hopefully the car continues to be as reliable as it has been so far! Anyway, photos! The last two show a 50/50 on the paint. This was after a quick two stage machine polish just so I could see how the paint is likely to look.

I don't want to put a downer on your new pride and joy - they are truly great cars, but it's going to cost you a lot of money.

And check the rear diff I don't know if the 2005's got the electronic locking rear, but if they did, get it checked and oil changed if OK.

Mine looked like that when I bought it.

I machine polished it and it looked a million times better. Only issue I found is that the paint is really soft so it wasn't long before it was covered in swirl marks / light scratches again!

Looks good enjoy your new car i did the same with mine and the wifes D3 to bring back factory finish to the paint.

Congratulations on your purchase - the Wife will grow to love it and the initial work you are doing will make it fabulous.

If you keep it a good while (your Boxster S ownership suggests that you will) and service it properly, I'm sure that the extended gaps between services under its previous owner will be forgiven over time and at that money it won't cost you much in depreciation nor maintenance if you can do things like the suspension bushes yourself.

Enjoy  2004 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8

One of the best positive comments on how to defend Range purchase to your wife is the health insurance aspect.
More weight is safer.
If some Fiesta decides to collide on you while you are traveling with your family, that's a no-brainer, what is going to happen to the cars.

Very nice same year as mine i only get about 14mpg round town and a good 20mpg on motorway

Mine was brilliant, we both miss it a bit to be honest but it had done more than double the miles of yours! We currently have an older 4.4 for running about in which is OK but just hasn't got the magic of the supercharged. It was perfect as our little boy got a bit older, he loved being able to see and the rear seat entertainment was great up until he could drive a tablet/phone him self. Looks good! 2005 E60 M5
2006 L322 4.2 SC
2020 Tesla Model S Long Range
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2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2019 NP300 Navara, 2016 NP300 Navara, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C ,2001 330Ci Sport Track Car, 2005 650i Coupe, 2001 P38 Vogue, 2003 530i Sport Touring, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE, 2002 E39 M5, 1995 300zx TT Slicktop, 1997 M3 Evo, 1992 300zx TT Targa, 1998 323i Coupe