Rover800.Info

The newer Range Rovers are just like driving a car.

When I took the Classic out it felt different, sort of special what with a design that was conceived in the 60s, steering which was more Land Rover than luxury car, suspension roll which was something you have to try to believe and left you feeling sea sick and all this from a 1994 vehicle, but it still felt special when driving it.

Tidy looking Frontera Brad, they don't get great press but there were enough sold so plenty of parts should be available. I drove one earlier this year and they are surprisingly comfortable although I doubt their off road capabilities

If you need tyres, look at paddockspares.com its mainly landrover but they do do grabby tyres of all sizes

47p2 wrote:
Tidy looking Frontera Brad, they don't get great press but there were enough sold so plenty of parts should be available. I drove one earlier this year and they are surprisingly comfortable although I doubt their off road capabilities

I agree. I just need to get along ordinary roads in the snow and wade through some nasty muddy storm water when the heavens open or after a big thaw. I hope I don't need to use the car more than a few days a year.

Bit the bullet and bought some new Goodyear Wrangler tyres (did a deal at £60 each!) and a replacement set of Frontera alloys (2 new, 3 used) to put them on.

Think this is going to prove a wise buy over the coming months.

Richard C wrote:Think this is going to prove a wise buy over the coming months.

I hope so. But I also hope I don't need it.

I should say I have nothing against the frontera, good looking, and probbly easy to fix like many GM products

Hoewever.. If you think the later range rovers are more reliable than the classics... only one thing to say... WRONG!!!! the P38a is a shockingly unrelaible car in comarison with some of the most complex badly made electric systems I have seen on any car (a quick scan on any of the Land Rover forums will confirm this rather quickly!). And the range rover classic in car terms is as complex as a model t ford, in fact I will put money on your frontera being more mechanically complex. I have found mine to be 100% once I had fixed all the issues that previous owners had neglected, much like 800s in that respect, once fixed properly they tend to stay that way!. In fact the range rover classic is still being made.. with a diffrent body its called the Defender (The original discovery was also a rebodies range rover). Best thing about it is everything on it is big, so nearly everything is easy to get at (apart from anything heater realated) and most spares seem to come with all the nuts and bolts, so if it's not budging, its out with the angle grinder!!

However I think scrap metal prices and scrappage may mean we have seen the last of the cheap RRCs

47p2 wrote:When I took the Classic out it felt different, sort of special what with a design that was conceived in the 60s, steering which was more Land Rover than luxury car, suspension roll which was something you have to try to believe and left you feeling sea sick and all this from a 1994 vehicle, but it still felt special when driving it.

Odd, mine is not bad at all (for what it is) has somone removed the anti roll bars? mind you a '94 would be air sprung, I think mine is one of the last to be on coils, its also one of the last to be catless despite being a 'K' plate. It's possible the lpg went on to get round the MOT issues this may have created..

Stewart wrote:
Hoewever.. If you think the later range rovers are more reliable than the classics... only one thing to say... WRONG!!!! the P38a is a shockingly unrelaible car in comarison with some of the most complex badly made electric systems I have seen on any car

I agree that the 1995-2002 cars are pretty unreliable and were seriously underdeveloped and tested. I was referring to the latest cars, though, which seem very well made (2002 to date)

Bottom line for me, though, is that all I need is a simple, cheap truck to drive through some snowy lanes and standing water. I don't live in the Outer Hebrides and I don't want to climb a wall. I don't want to spend £30,000 or more.

Brad

I went into my local LR dearer a few weeks ago and enquired about used vehicles.

"You're in luck" the salesman replied "we have a lovely Range Rover over here" pointing to a 56 plate sitting in the corner and a price tag of £33k


"Too dear for my wallet" I said to which he replied "We don't keep anything over 5 years old, if they are older than that they get shipped down south to a dealer who buys them from us and sells them on"

47p2 wrote:he replied "We don't keep anything over 5 years old, if they are older than that they get shipped down south to a dealer who buys them from us and sells them on"

Seems to be the attitude of most dealers these days. They used to keep anything. I suppose they are just keeping up with the times and peoples attitudes to 'not be seen in anything over 5 years old'

Lord Sterling

MoT failed on:

Sidelight bulb blown - 50p bulb needed
Wiper blade come adrift from it's carrier (drivers side)
Exhaust tailpipe holed - new one £9

I have fixed all of this myself for £9.50.

MoT now passed.

Very Tall Brad wrote:Exhaust tailpipe holed - new one £9

Reasonable parts prices, then!

'Cos no one wants them, I guess. New Old Stock etc...

No cheap cars on ebay at the minute though.

Haven't a 4x4 of any sort I fancy for much under a grand. Are we expecting a bad winter?