Land Rover Range Rover

rrmaniac · October 2003

http://www.rangerovers.net/rrmkiiiremedies.html#vibehighway

stever · October 2003

In the Midsize SUV Over $45,000 category:

Edmunds.com Announces Editors' Most Wanted Awards for 2004 Model Year (Yahoo news)

Steve, Host

jamiem4 · October 2003

We just bought a new RR about 3hrs ago. Driving home on the highway at 65mph there is this awful loud buzz/humming noise. My husband wanted to return it but it may be this windshield noise problem. Any ideas? My husband said it is not an aerodynamic car and its going back but for $80k I can't imagine anyone puts up with this at faster speeds. I'm hoping its the windshield and can be fixed. We didn't do 65mph on the test drive!!! Any ideas?

outrigger · October 2003

While in the Land Rover display at the So. California Auto Show last night the rep was telling people that 2004 is the last year for the BMW drivetrain. He said that a version of a Jaguar engine will be used starting with the 2005 Range Rover models.

nanuq · October 2003

Is this the new Range Rover???

(not really, this is a "Strange Rover" made from a Classic and a Disco)

fishwithfredo · November 2003

I test drove an '04 RR on Friday and heard the windshield noise that has been discussed here. During the test drive I asked the sales guy about problems with the windshield and he said he wasn't aware of any. Once I got on the highway and over 65 mph, I heard the humming noise. It wasn't constant but was clearly noticeable. I asked the sales guy what it was and he said he didn't know. I'll speak with the service dept. to make sure they can fix this before I decide to buy. Looks like the problem hasn't been fixed for '04. Thanks to all for the heads up!

jamiem4 · November 2003

HI, We purchased a 2003 new Range Rover in Cary, NC and had the same windshield noise (my husband almost made a u-turn and returned it until I read this site). Our dealership knew the problem right away and fixed it the next morning - seals around the windshield. The car is wonderful though the steering column adjust motor is already being replaced (parts were overnighted). This is the 3rd car we've purchased from LandRover Cary and they seem very knowledgeable about all of the potential defects. Some, luckily, we haven't experienced (yet)! The windshield for us was an easy fix - within the 3-days we have to change our minds. Please e-mail us at: jamie_home@mindspring.com if you have any questions etc. JA

shredrca · November 2003

The manual on my 99RR-4.6 indicated I should apply 28 psi on the front tires and 38 psi on the back tires. 28 psi seems too low that the front tires seem slightly "flat" I'm afraid it will wear badly and crack the shoulders if kept at this pressure. It has 2 year old Michelins on it when I got this last month.

Am I just being paranoid? Is there a reason why the front tires should have much lower pressure than the back?

Thanks in advance!

Shredrca
Los Angeles, CA

nanuq · November 2003

Rover recommends those pressures for several reasons, most importantly (in my opinion) safety. The low inflation in front will encourage the tire to understeer given abrupt steering input, which goes a long way toward reducing rollover risk.

Rover does a lot of testing with various tire / rim combinations and tried many pressure combinations to come up with a balance between usefulness, tire life and safety. That's what they publish and recommend.

But people like you and I see a benefit to playing with the numbers, and we see direct results... given that we're careful with our driving and how the truck is going to respond. You can also use those pressures and increase the tire life by rotating front to back every 5k miles.

I chose Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT10s for my Rover, which are 10-ply seriously gnarly tires. They call for 85psi operating pressure, but I run them at 55psi front and back. I love how they handle and I drive warily.

Best regards, -Bob

mtrocco · November 2003

WHy are Range Rover resale prices so low?
I'm looking into buying a '97 - '98 SUV and for similar prices you can get anything from a Jeep, Land Cruiser, and even RR.
Thanks for your input.
mtrocco

shredrca · November 2003

I just bought my second pre-owned Range Rover, and I'm rather grateful that I can afford a three-year old Range Rover, especially since most of them have hardly been off-tarmac! I think it's good old supply-and-demand:

Low Demand.
The resale price I think plummets after factory warranty expires, usually after three years. Buyers shy away because of high cost of repairs without warranty coverage. Extended warranties are very expensive if you can find one. Historically, this had been the only reason for low resale prices, since Range Rovers were never high-volume sellers. However...

High Supply.
Before the Tech Bubble burst, Range Rovers were very popular, and so when they entered the used market after three or so years, there was a glut with few buyers in sight. Most ended up at dealer auctions which lowered their prices even more! Benefitting from these are those of us who can appreciate them for their off-road prowess and are not afraid to shop cheaply for parts and repair options.

So there it is. I hope you choose to own one, as its rewards can be really amazing. To risk a cliche, it's like buying a thoroughbred used to pulling carts and taking it out on a race track. These trucks were "bred" to roam :-)

Shredrca

texbmw · November 2003

Like the guy posting above, I am considering moving my wife from her Denali into a RR. Any thoughts on whether it it worth doing so in the 2004 model year to make sure we get the BMW drivetrain? Also, anyone have any compelling reasons to stay in the Denali?

tincup47 · November 2003

The BMW 4.4 engine and drivetrain was introduced with the 2003 Range Rover. Any 2003-04 Range Rover with a gasoline engine is equipped with this engine.

texbmw · November 2003

Thanks for quick response. I think my previous question was phrased badly. My concern is the introduction of a different engine and drivetrain in the 2005 models. Do you have any reason to think a buyer would be better off in a 2004 model year with the BMW equipment, or in the 2005 model year with Ford/Jaguar equipment? As a side note, is it possible to have these serviced at a Ford dealership, or is Land Rover dealership required? Thanks again.

tincup47 · November 2003

The Range Rover is probably going to have the BMW engine until the next redesign. The current vehicle is a very good vehicle, I wouldn't mind owning one myself (a lottery win would be required for that to happen). No Ford dealership is going to know the first thing about Land Rover products, (unless they sell them alongside their products)there are little or no similarities. The same is true with Jaguar, even after over 10 years of Ford ownership.

texbmw · November 2003

Thanks for the help. As a potential buyer, do any of you have comments on Texas dealerships? I have had some dealings with the Land Rover Dallas store and liked my salesman there. However, I am indifference if someone likes Austin, Ft. Worth or Houston better. Also, aside from the windshield issue mentioned above, does anyone have a compelling reason NOT to buy a 2004 RR? Thanks in advance.

outrigger · November 2003

I've had about 50 vehicles, including 1/2 dozen or so SUVs. After about 7500 miles including city, highway, mountain, and some fairly serious off-road driving, I have no doubt that the new Range Rover is, by far, the most amazing vehicle I've ever owned.

I'm extremely nit-picky about things, and there are 5 or 10 minor items I would have done differently, but my only real complaint is that the overall ride quality is way too stiff. It makes the 5700+ pound RR handle extremely well on winding roads, but you should decide for yourself, on the roads you'll be using, if the stiff suspension is ok for you.

livenupe · November 2003

Tincup47,

I shopped (what seemed like) every dealer in the entire state of Texas when I bought a '03 RR for my wife back in September. At the end of the day, I found the best deal at Autobahn Motors in Ft. Worth and I highly recommned them. Ask for Stan Langford if you decide to follow-up on my suggestion.

Admittedly, I liked the sales guy at the Dallas store a lot more. However, they were too proud of their vehicles and wouldn't give me the deal I wanted. For me, it was was more important to get a great deal than it was to like the salesman.

Although the Dallas and Frisco stores have the same owner and share inventory, the Frisco dealer offered a better deal on the EXACT same car than the Dallas folks. I shopped two dealerships in Houston, one in Austin (same owner as Dallas and Friso), and the dealer in San Antonio. I even checked out stores in Miami and Chicago during visits to those areas and none of them could give me a reason to make the trip. When the dust settled, Autobahn gave me the best deal.

From a service standpoint, I haven't had much work done at either dealership. However, based on my (admittedly) few experiences with Dallas and Autobahn, my initial impression is that the folks at Dallas know more about the intricacies of the new RR than the folks at Autobahn. However, Autobahn seems to really go the extra mile to make sure you're satisfied and happy.

texbmw · November 2003

I appreciate all the input. It will definitely make the experience easier. I would agree with the post about the Dallas store. The salesman was great, but very unwilling to bargain on the price. My mother-in-law bought her Discovery at the Cary, NC store and said they will bargain all day long. However, I don't think it would be enough to warrant a trip to NC to get one. Thanks again!

kelly57 · November 2003

Scenario: Traveling to Philly from DC last thanksgiving, typical traffic of slow-fast-slow, weather was 60 degrees and dry, light wind. RR performed as usual...great. Upon returning to DC, wind gusts of up to 40-50 mph were experienced which seemed to cause a wind noise coming from the forward dashboard area. For what it is worth it had rained the night before. After realizing the noise was not temporary, I stopped to see if a leaf, twig or some other obstruction had lodged itself near the vents on the firewall and were causing a vibration and noise. No obstructions were found, but the foam behind the 2 inboard vents seemed to be deteriorating and had places where holes had developed. Could this have caused the noise along with the increased natural wind and wind created by the truck's travel? Sincerely KJ

outrigger · November 2003

Both my 1997 and 1999 Range Rovers had a windshield buzzing problem. The loud buzzing would start at a certain speed or from a gust of wind such as when a semi passed me going the other direction. Then the only way to stop it was to slow down until it quit.

As far as this problem is concerned, there's no difference in your 2000 RR and the '97 and '99 I had.

My dealer had the rubber strip at the top of the windshield re-sealed under warranty (they used an outside contractor that came to the dealership to do it) and the problem was completely fixed both times on both vehicles.

kelly57 · November 2003

Thanks Outrigger, I still have a few days remaining on the warranty so I will get LR to re-seal the top windshield seal and see if that solves the problem. R KJ

texbmw · December 2003

Anyone have any comments on what sort of price we should be willing to pay above invoice? Also, can someone give me a rundown on whether the Luxury Interior Package is worth the money over just the Heated Accessories Package? Thanks.

mrtoad3 · December 2003

Has anyone noticed a slow oil seepage from somewhere under their 38A RR? (Wait, everyone probably has!) When changing the oil, I noted some oil sprayed onto the pan and heat shield and a very few drops of engine oil on the garage floor each time we park it. I have wiped the area many times to try to isolate the leak but cannot tell. The oil pools on the screws under the pan and on the plug but does not leak from the plug or filter. Dipstick levels are always full with no discernible change. Any thoughts on the source for the leak? Has anyone had any seals replaced under there? The car only has 25000 miles and is under warranty. Also, when we turn the car off it ticks for a minute and then stops. Is that a normal noise? This is my first RR and is somewhat different than my Disco in the odd noise category. Thanks for any input.

tincup47 · December 2003

I can't comment on pricing but I can let you know what you get with the luxury package. It includes everything in the heated accessory package along with upgraded leather trim and 14 way adjustable seats. This adds power headrest adjustment along with an additional backrest adjustment to the standard recline mode. This allows the upper part of the backrest to adjust up to 27 degrees forward of the lower part of the seatback for better upper back support and comfort. Of course the level of additional comfort is subjective and best judged by yourself. It may or may not be worth the additional cost to you.

escalada · December 2003

I am the new owner of a 97 4.6 with 85k miles ( paid $13500). I like to know if you would invest the $2300 for a 12 months 12k that the extended warranty cost. Second is if there is any way of changing the original radio cassette for a in dash CD without loosing the steering wheel controls, Cd changer, and Harman K. Power amplified system. I think the radio is a Pioneer but I am not sure. The third question the pros and cons of the performance chips since they are so inexpensive.

tincup47 · December 2003

There are no Land Rover parts available to change to an in-dash CD player. The cassette radio used in that year Range Rover was a Clarion unit, not Pioneer. I can't imagine any gains from a performance chip for that vehicle would be worth the hassles it could introduce. It will not improve performance that much without improving the engine breathing. It would definitly not be recommended if you decide on an extended warranty.

escalada · December 2003

Thank you Tincup for your answer, I wonder if I could fit any other 96/97 clarion cd/radio to the car. About the extended warranty Auto Advantage Inc. offers Do you consider it is worth the $2300 with a $200 deductible? I am scared with the electronic reliability issues I have read, is it that bad? I took the car to do a prepurchase inspection they told me every thing was ok, will I spend around $3000 in repairs apart for the maintenance?
Thanks

outrigger · December 2003

escalada,

I remember reading on the rangerovers.net web site that you should figure on spending about $2400 per year on maint. & repairs for your RR. So, if you buy the extended warranty you WILL pay the $2300. If you don't, you MIGHT spend about the same amount.

Look closely at the policy you're considering. One I looked at a couple of years ago would have cost about the same as yours, but buried in the print on back of the page was the statement that there was a $5000 limit on reimbursements!

metsfanatic69 · December 2003

I own an 03 Oxford Edition Range Rover and was curious with a problem I have while opening doors. If there has been a heavy downfall of rain, etc, I find that when I open the door, the water pours off of it, right onto the seat/chrome above where the seat adjust buttons are. I was curious as to whether anyone else had noticed this/possible solutions to this. Otherwise the car has been absolutely amazing, and we just took it out in the snow and it dominated everything on the road!

rrmaniac · December 2003

Dealer just confirmed no more BMW stuff in 2005.....two Jag engine options...normal V8 and supercharged V8. Also, say goodbye to the BMW comfort seat upgrade package. I'm glad I bought the 2004 RR!!!

texbmw · December 2003

Anyone had any trouble fitting the rear facing Britax child seats into the 03 or 04 Range Rovers? I am a little concerned since Edmunds shows the rear legroom to be two inches less than the Discovery, which we had trouble getting the seats into previously.

mmb3 · December 2003

need advice whether to special order 2004 with oxford and 20" rims or wait for 2005 - the wait for special order is 3 months. please advise.
are 20" rims good in snow? want to order silver with parch oxford / 20" rims.
have 95 county lwb epsom with 59k miles -
thx in advance.

youngturk · December 2003

I lubricated with BMW's GummiFledge the rubber seals all around the drivers door and windshield, but I still have a slight squeak that is completely eliminated when lowering ever so slightly the driver's window.

Any thoughts?

YoungTurk

youngturk · December 2003

Have any of you installed your front license plate, with the Land Rover supplied front holder? I haven't because I'm worried about drilling into the car. What are your thoughts? If you have a digital picture of your RR with the front plate, please email to me at pmz12@mac.com

Thanks,

YoungTurk

ride44 · December 2003

I have a 2004 RR.
Does anyone else feel a slight vibration in the foot pedal/floor board, especially when the engine is under load, ie accelerating?
To me it feels like the front differential.
Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks

shredrca · December 2003

Once in a while, I would unlock the driver side door with the key (I don't have the remote clicker) and only the driver side door would unlock. When I open the door, the alarm would come on. I would close the door, wait for the alarm to end, then try again. Eventually, I'd turn the key and all the doors will unlock, and all is well. It's happened like twice this month.

Anyone has seen this before? I'm thinking of turning off the alarm until I fix the problem, but I don't know of a switch that would disable the alarm.

Thanks in advance!

Eduardo
Los Angeles, CA

outrigger · December 2003

shredrca,

I had a similar problem with my 99RR. The dealer's service dept. got into the doors and lubricated & adjusted the mechanisms. The problem was solved, and never returned the rest of the time I had the vehicle.

rrmaniac · December 2003

I had dealer take both front door panels off my 2004 RR to get rid of "creeks" in windows, same for me when window goes down 1/16" noise goes away. They put rattle tape everywhere...helped some...then I put Pupont Dry Teflon spray on outer edge of door window switch panel where it meets the thin black trim piece, let it sink in then wipe off excess....no more creeks.

There is tech service bulletin for gas pedal vibration....deals with differential torque valves.

97rangekeys · December 2003

Hi how is everyone, new range owner here, name's Osman. Hope everyone is having a great holiday season.

i just bought a 97 4.6hse, looking for a grille guard and cant seem to find it anywhere! is there anywhere else besides the dealer where I can purchase one? thanks.

lpk3 · December 2003

I have been reading this message ctr for quite some time. I have a 2002 rr with 38000 mi no real problems to speak of. I am worried about manfactuer warranty. Does anyone know of a reliable extended warranty service and if so have you had any experience with the service. I thought about a 05 but I think my wife would kill me seeing it took 20yrs for me to ge this one.

outrigger · December 2003

lpk3,

Did you look at the Land Rover extended warranty? There are several miles vs. years choices that looked pretty good for the money. You can purchase it anytime up to 30 days or 1000 miles before your original warranty runs out from any Land Rover dealer.

scheb · December 2003

Texbmw,

We have the Britex seat installed in our 04. The seat is installed forward facing, but I see no space constraints with placing it facing the rear.

scheb · December 2003

I've always believed in carrying two sets of snow chains so that they can be installed on all four tires if necessary.

However, the owners manual for the 04 Rover advises not to install snow chains on the front unless you have certain accessory tires installed. However,the manual does not tell you what the accessory tires are. Anyone have any knowledge on this?

rrmaniac · December 2003

Avid RR nut runs snow chain company in Colorado.

You can do all four. Their number is 970-858-3468.

Also, what is Land Rover thinking....there's only on tire on earth that fits the 19" RR wheel.

tidester · December 2003

Please - no phone numbers!

tidester, host

kelly57 · December 2003

Anyone have any thoughts as to why it seems my 2000 Rover's seat heaters do not generate anywhere near the same level of heat as my Ford P/U. I leave the h/c system on auto typically, and I have not gone to manual and ramped up the temp. Fuses look good. KJ

mrtoad3 · December 2003

I also noted that the seat heaters on my 2000 RR are not as hot as on my 2001 DiscoII. We don't know why it is the case except that maybe the leather/padding is thicker and less heat is felt thru the thicker seat bottom. Anyway, that is one theory. We find that many times we do not need to activate the H/C system at all in order to keep warm because the seats heat thru you from below. I believe the low seatheat level is common to RR's.

lovephoto · December 2003

I am going to purchase one of 3 vehicles with 2 months. The New Range Rover, BMW x5, or the Lexus LX470.

I feel that the Lexus has the best navigation system of the 3, however I haven't seen the CD system in the RR because the salesmen didn't have the discs. Nor have I seen the DVD system in the BMW.

My question, does the RR and the BMW systems show all the streets as you are coming upon them or only after you turn on a street? The VW Touareg has a terrible system, so that vehicle is out of the question.

sam818 · December 2003

The RR shows the steet names on the area map, regardless of whether you are on the street or not. The system, however,is not particularly user friendly, but when you consider the car in its entirety, it represents a far better combination of technology than the Lexus and a more refined ride and interior quality than the BMW.

Land Rover Range Rover

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