| New to brand, new to me, MY14 SD4.4 VSE How I ended up here! | |
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I've written this to help someone in the same situation I was in 8 weeks ago as I was struggling to make a decision.
I hope this helps someone.....
After 14 years of new Audis and BMW I've bought a 2014 L405 SDV8. My last car was a 22 plate BMW 530dx. I hated it from day one. I've always been a bit negative on Land Rover and up until coupe of months ago I Would never contemplate owing one. Well after watching my BMW lose 40k on a PcP in 3.5 years I thought now is the time to nip this in the bud. New cars have become too expensive. 50k for a bog standard 5 series? Don't think so. Add in all the stupid driving aids that ruin the experience, I'm just not feeling new cars. There's nothing in my price range I desire. I was at a loss. So I decided 20k budget max but used. Looked at everything but 20k on a 19 plate bog standard A6 diesel with 50k on the clock wasn't doing it for me. Then I came across an Aintree green L405 V8 for sale and got the horn! It sold, I missed out. Then I started looking in to them. Forums, Facebook. Found FFRR. I started to understand what owing a Range Rover is about. I'm fortunate I can find my way around cars and I have a well equipped garage. I came to the conclusion that I can afford a slightly older FFRR, I need to buy the best and be prepared for the worst. My BMW had just lost 1k a month, what can be worse than that? If my RR cost me 5k a year I'm still better off over a new car. The search was on...
There was and is genuinely a shortage of SDV8s in the North West. I had to shop far and wide. Spoke to a dealer in Lytham... was in the shop being repaired, tried to arrange a date to view. Couldn't have been less helpful. Car is still for sale. Many messages and a conversation to a guy in Essex over a blue one.... no service history. Perfect car in Scotland, 10 year service, transferable warrant, colour I wanted, really nice guy but just couldn't get my head around the blue leather steering wheel! Went to look at one in Chester. 15 plate 65k. Turbines. Car was battered needed all 4 wheels refurbing. Patchy service history. Needed work and a 10 year service. That car taught me a lot. It needed 4k spending on it plus a warranty. Guy wants 22k, worth 16k max. Hey it's got CarPlay though! 16k, That's all it's made on eBay since not meeting reserve. Another dreamer. Still for sale. I was starting to give up. My parameters were 2015. 70k. 10 year service. 20k budget. Warranty. VSE or AB. I was really struggling. Then I came across a Coris silver SDV8 on piston heads in Durham with 68k on the clock and the dealer offering an 18 month warranty. A quick phone call later confirmed a full service history (with 2 missed during Covid) and the all important 120 month service in June 24. More pictures were exchange and another conversation was had and I pretty much decided over the phone to buy it upon inspection. A small discount was negotiated and also extending the warranty was discussed. After a days business in London I jumped the train to Durham and a quick Uber with Abdul I was at the family farm of the dealer in question. They left me in peace to have a look over it. First impressions were it was mint, better condition than my 40 month old BMW. Things I noticed. Callipers had been painted yellow baldy. Tailgate had dropped. Few scuffs to wheels but nothing major. Rear tyres had started to perish. Had a look underneath and it was very clean. Fuel tank shroud was less rusted than then Chester 15 plate. MOT showed front lower arm advisory 3 months ago. Dealer had put 2 new front tyres on that morning. Took it for a test drive and it genuinely impressed me. Only issues was the blind sport system warning light. Dealer said that was new fault and would clear.... alas I fell in love and parted with my money. We settled on 17.8k plus £400 to extend the handler direct gold warranty to 30 months. I felt like I'd stole it when I drove off. 1 tank of V power diesel, 1 mars bar and 1 bag of beef mccoys and 180 miles home I was a happy camper with a clean DPF (hopfully!) She never missed a beat and I was a happy Range Rover owner.
The punch line is.... I still am. No disasters. 3k miles in 5 weeks... I've done discs and pads all around and also painted all the callipers black. I carried out my own oil service as soon as I got it ( I did this as the dealer had his village garage service the car when it was MOTd and It didn't state the type of oil). I change the air, fuel and pollen filters myself also. I have also had my local Indy carry out a 132 month service last Friday (it has to be done because of the warranty). They only charged £200 and updated the Landrover service record also. They reported an exhaust gas temp sensor fault which is being done next week for £240. They reported back it was a good one also! I've fitted apple CarPlay module (AliExpress £130 30 mins time) touch lower screen (AliExpress £120 15 mins time) new gear selector black (AliExpress £20 5 mins time). So the blind spot warning was down to some turnip had change the passenger mirror glass to a non blind sport mirror glass ( used was sourced for £90 and sorted the problem - I should have gone back to the dealer but I'm to nice.) Cleaned it etc etc she's mint. If you have panoramic sunroof you need to clean the drains. Open the sunroof, remove the trims each side. Treat with rust inhibitor, rinsing solvent down the drain, fish some strimmer wire till it runs free and apply lanoguqrd. While your at it apply lanogurd to the whole underside of you L405 including the ARC pipes (remove covers) Going to adjust the tailgate this weekend as per the Land Rover technical guide (leave it closed an struts attached!) you can download (the shop manual) for free from this website. Do not pay for the Haynes guide (I struggle with it on my phone) the free main dealer version from FFRR is by far the best. Tyres - after a coupe of weeks I've come to the conclusion the 2 rear 6 year old scorpions need replacing along with the cheap and nasty accelera on the front the delayer fitted need replacing. I think they are causing vibration. I have 4 new continentals being fitted tomorrow. One of the accelera can go on the full size spare. I've bought a icarsoft3 obd reader and I have no faults to note. My L405 is not perfect (non are - look at the amount of 2018MY + on here with issues). I have worn suspension so I'm in to arms, drop links and bushes before MOT time. I don't think my transfer case was calibrated properly after its 120 month service. My brakes are crap, again I don't think they were bled correctly after the 108 month service. This is part of owning a Range Rover. I have to remind myself that owning an 11 year old German car isn't easy either. The Range Rover is that good it's worth the pain, the German pain, would be the same but half the fun.
I plan on running this car for 5 years or 70k miles
I will report back at some point - wish me luck.
You don't own a Range Rover, it owns you.
Good luck. 2014 FFRR SDV8
2002 T4 camper project
1963.5 Ford Galaxie fastback 5L
Many more loved and lost
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8th Jul 2025 11:21pm
Enjoy
