I cannot think of a better quality tow car for £14k than a Range Rover with solid history. Please tell me I'm wrong to stop me buying it!!
£14k tow car debate - what can beat a 2004 Range Rover 3.0 TDI V6
- Thread starter GeordieRanger
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a 9 year old 3ltr car for 14k the answer is obvious I would have thought!! far better tow cars out there for towing a 1300kg van.Geordie Ranger said:
Perhaps Prof - but from history weaker engined cars including 2.0 TDI VW units have failed to last a year without developing faults due to strained turbo's and that's for a chap towing within the 85% level. Prof, tell me, what car is better over 2-3 year period? I believe I would travel 12000 miles in 3 years and in doing will lose say £1500 - £2000 when reselling the Range (if I buy it).
Ok - what are your top 2 suggestions?
My VW Passat has lost £6.5k in 26 months. An older Range will likely lose £1k over same period if I buy the right car with a low mileage. Yes servicing is higher, insurance slightly more as is the road tax but these are partly offset by low depreciation.
Anyone got a Range - what are your thoughts? How expensive is servicing? What are weaknesses?
My VW Passat has lost £6.5k in 26 months. An older Range will likely lose £1k over same period if I buy the right car with a low mileage. Yes servicing is higher, insurance slightly more as is the road tax but these are partly offset by low depreciation.
Anyone got a Range - what are your thoughts? How expensive is servicing? What are weaknesses?
- Nov 11, 2009
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If you want a large car, go for it, but the upkeep of a RR will not be cheap. I'd go for a Land Cruiser with perhaps a few more years under its belt but a rock solid reputation for reliabilty. That model RR is notorious for electrical problems, a better bet would be a late model Series 2 Disco, which is chaeper to buy and easier to maintain with less gizmos to go wrong. How many RRs do you see on the news being used by UN, BBC Wildlife, taliban etc? They are all Toyotas. As someone once said if you want to go into the jungle take a Land Rover, if you want to come out get a Land Cruiser.
Warranty Directs Reliabilty Index gives an insight into the reliabilty compared to other cars and the areas where problems occur. Servicing costs try looking at one of the Land rover Owners Forums.
Warranty Directs Reliabilty Index gives an insight into the reliabilty compared to other cars and the areas where problems occur. Servicing costs try looking at one of the Land rover Owners Forums.
weaker engined cars? strained turbo's!? failed to last a year.......! sorry i cannot keep a straight face.. a modern 2.0lt doesnt strain its turbo! its not a muscle and they are certainly capable of towing at 85% for many years without straining the engine or turbo......Geordie Ranger said:
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Turbo failures generally emanate from not keeping the oil clean and/or switching off the engine without allowing a period of run down time. This is vital when towing especially at M way speeds. Modern turbos on 2 litre cars last well into 6 figure mileages. Using modern Longlife oils and extended change periods don't help that's why I still change oil annually on the Volvo and 6 monthly on the Pajero.
I must have just been unlucky with the 2 I had. All I'm saying is that I don't trust the engine after two bad experiences on fully serviced cars. Another forum entry mentions the long life servicing could be contributing and both of mine were on long life so maybe the lesson is to change the oil every 6 months regardless.
I'll try to keep you laughing Prof.
I'll try to keep you laughing Prof.
Love the statement about getting out the jungle & coincidently just heard a friend of the other half is selling her Land Cruiser to get a new one so I'll have to find out what she wants for it as its a good 2006 7 seat model...
I'm looking at Disco 2 too - is their a owners forum with sales section anywhere?
I'm looking at Disco 2 too - is their a owners forum with sales section anywhere?
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Go for the Land Cruiser if it has a good service history. Price estimates can be gauged using parkers website and just trawling through Autotrader and ebay. Discovery Owners Club link below, but if you google there are several others too.
http://www.discoveryownersclub.org
http://www.discoveryownersclub.org
Strained? The early VW 2 litres did suffer reliability issues,Injector problems,water problems,crank sprocket wear leading to oil pump failures.Basically rushed out to compeat with the Fiat common rail unit.Yet its predecessor the 1.9 TDI was a gem.The modern 2litre diesel is no way strained.I,d be more inclined to say the RR will be strained.Fitted with the straight 6 BMW unit not the V6 and not in the same tune as a 530D or 330D but rated at 160 odd hp instead.Please test drive one,if you enjoy hearing a straight 6 diesel screaming all the time you,ll like this.How about a sorrie?
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I thought the OP was considering a TDV 6 which is a good motor. But agree the Sorento could be an excellent choice, I had an 04 for 7 years without so much as a bulb blowing and good off road too.
2004 TDV6? As far as im aware its still the staight 6 on that age.The one i test drove was for sure.I wouldnt touch the TDV6 either,quad cam,inlet cams driven off the exhaust cams by means of a single chain.Tensioners made of chewing gum.A piling firm we do work for had a fleet of them,by 80k all were having new engines due to the said chain breaking with a tensioner fault.And?To get the heads of, the engine has to come out.To get the engine out the body has to come off completely.Make your own mind up.
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Yes the TDV6 first came out in the LR Disco 3 so it might be the straight 6 but at least with the BMW derived engine it should last. I'd still go for the Land Cruiser for space and Sorento for damn good value with less space if its not required. Both a neigh bomb proof.
You don't say weight of caravan. Assuming around 1500 kg look at Mercedes E220 cdi or BMW 5 series. You'll get one of these around 14 grand probably company cars well maintained. The W211 E Class scores high for reliability and gives excellent mpg solo, I get around 25 towing fast compard to about 22 from my previous ML 270. Running costs are way below my before ML Disco.
OK so no 4 wheel drive but how often do you use it anyway ? If you can find the SE Executive version, back seats fold flat giving near station wagon load capacity.
OK so no 4 wheel drive but how often do you use it anyway ? If you can find the SE Executive version, back seats fold flat giving near station wagon load capacity.
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