My first L405, after 2 P38's and 4 L322's (all petrol V8's) I have pretty much always had a Range Rover on the fleet for the last 12 years. With the departure of my most recent L322 Supercharged at the end of July I started to look for a replacement Range Rover. Actually this is slightly untrue as I have been looking for a replacement for my L322 for some months. I initially thought I would go to a later L322, 2011/12 with the 4.4 Diesel - whilst the world is moving away from the black pump the economy did provide some appeal for me.

Anyway, after viewing perhaps 8 different L322's between 6 and 10k I concluded that they were all rubbish and at very best as good as my existing 4.2 and in many cases comically worse. I'll not go into all the details but cars on a retail forcourt with multiple faults showing on the dash, all rotten, I even went to a so called respected specialist to find a car "ready to go" with a roof full of filler that was falling out, arches well advanced and metallic clunking from below!

This lead me to look at early L405 4.4 SDV8's, but again once you begin to look most are rough, or eye watering prices in some cases for people that are in a deep financial hole, whilst I sympathise it wasn't my problem and I could normally tell which way a conversation was going when I had to ask the price two or three times! The best one I viewed was an early car on nearly 150k miles, but I just couldn't justify 15k on a car with that milage and that age. Anyway, It began to dawn on me that I didn't really want a diesel and maybe the 5.0 S/C was the way to go. Some astonishing, even by my standards, budget creep occured and I have ended up with a 5.0 AB.

I spotted a 2017 model, suprisingly at a main dealer, at a price I could almost justify. In corris grey with a black roof. Fairly standard when it comes to options, best I can tell from the spec is the only options are the tow bar and the large washer bottle. I would have liked deployable steps and rear entertainment but beggers can't be choosers when it comes to just how few 5.0's there are on the market.

Yay. Well done Chris. Looks lovely and sounds like you gotten yourself a great deal with the warranty etc. Easy to know you'll enjoy it - we just have to hope its a goodie and doesn't bite.  Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)

Looks fabulous sir... You've done well

Thanks both. I’m pleased with it, a couple of small niggles chiefly the steering is a hair off centre at the straight ahead but it’s got a different tyre on the front right, a cross contact instead of the other three scorpions. The correct size but obviously different. I’ve queried this with the dealer as I feel they should not have supplied the car in this state - I raised it at collection as well.

I’ve been so used to L322’s that having one so modern is quite nice. All the illuminated tread plates and ambient lighting etc is lovely. 2005 E60 M5
2017 L405 5.0 AB
2024 i7 xDrive60
--------
2006 (MY07) L322 4.2 S/C, 2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C , 2001 P38 Vogue, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE.

Ooh. I took that one for a test drive. Lovely car but I just couldn't commit as I was really looking for an SDV8. Congrats! 2016 Skoda Octavia VRS Estate
<gone>2009 FF Vogue TDV8 Buckingham Blue</gone>
<gone>2015 BMW 520D SE (not my favourite car)</gone>
<gone>2009 D3 HSE Galway Green</gone>

I hope you were gentle! 2005 E60 M5
2017 L405 5.0 AB
2024 i7 xDrive60
--------
2006 (MY07) L322 4.2 S/C, 2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C , 2001 P38 Vogue, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE.

I used the car this weekend to visit some friends, roughly 100 mile round trip I cant believe it reports over 28mpg. The economy is staggering compared to the L322's

Managed to get a few little jobs done. First up was to configure the remote app and incontrol to get that working. Which it does quite well, turns out the previous owner had paid for these up until the end of the year and the subscription transfers with the car. Currently my insurance demands a tracker, which incontrol provides, however when the insurance renewal comes round I will look more closely at wether the annual subscription is reflected in the premium reduction for other underwriters etc.

I also ordered a new, aftermarket, boot protector. To my utmost suprise the supplier appears to have sent me a good used genuine one which I actually prefer. Annoyingly it had some tape marks but I've managed to clean it up fairly well.

I still have the ongoing saga with the warranty, it was sold to me with two years Land Rover approved warranty. Initially they tried to then set me up with their own warranty but I have stood my ground and it is now registered on the JLR warranty system (confirmed with another dealer) along with the Land Rover assistance and MOT protection. Year two is proving a headache to arrange so I'm not quite sure what we are going to do there but I will see what happens this week. 2005 E60 M5
2017 L405 5.0 AB
2024 i7 xDrive60
--------
2006 (MY07) L322 4.2 S/C, 2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C , 2001 P38 Vogue, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE.

Ha! I did one of your more normal mega trips this weekend (Bolton and back) about 250 each way (Fri/Sat). Nearly all motorway so should have been about 4 hours, but so many others decided to get in my way it was 5:30 up and 5 back (not helped by them closing the M5 J15-16). The car reported 27.5 when I refilled, so not quite as good as yours but both awesome for the perforemance offered. What was even better was how easy such a long stint is in the car. Its just a lovely place to be if that sort of journey is required. Enjoy.... Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)

well done, see looks terrific

I will be on the lookout for one myself next year, anything petrol and made after 1st April 2017, it will be my last Range Rover and hopefully I get a good one, the £195 tax ( VED ) is a brucie bonus

MPx wrote:

Ha! I did one of your more normal mega trips this weekend (Bolton and back) about 250 each way (Fri/Sat). Nearly all motorway so should have been about 4 hours, but so many others decided to get in my way it was 5:30 up and 5 back (not helped by them closing the M5 J15-16). The car reported 27.5 when I refilled, so not quite as good as yours but both awesome for the perforemance offered. What was even better was how easy such a long stint is in the car. Its just a lovely place to be if that sort of journey is required. Enjoy....

pcourtney wrote:

well done, see looks terrific

I will be on the lookout for one myself next year, anything petrol and made after 1st April 2017, it will be my last Range Rover and hopefully I get a good one, the £195 tax ( VED ) is a brucie bonus

quavey wrote:

What on Earth possessed you to go to Bolton!

The English Indoor Rowing Championships were on at the Arena. I'm a very keen indoor rower (you may have seen my Gym when you were here). I didn't take part...but lots of my cronies did.

Enjoy your trip - shame its in the wrong car  Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)