LexFather

I have a really good bud looking for one for his wife (MDX and RX 400h are the other contenders) and I honestly don't know much about the HSE and we both are aware maintenance can be a beast.

Looking for specific do's/don'ts and maybe any special features or packages to look for. This is the specific one he is looking at but he is willing to look at others based on feedback.

http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...mailType=VIRAL


Where is Fay?

Thanks! I would do more of the research myself but many of you should know why time is tight for me now.

Mike

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

I don't know the specific problems but I think most are electrical.
One of our member here works for a Rover dealer and he says they are all a piece of crap. This is in line with what I have heard. Based on this, tell youir friend to look elsewhere.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

Yeah quite possibly the least reliable vehicle you can buy. IMO the only redeeming quality is nice interior & excellent visibility & offroad capability if they want that.

mmarshall

Mike, the "HSE" trim level is offered on both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. Both use the same N/A and supercharged 5.0L V8s and 6-speed automatic. The engine and automatic transmission seem reasonably reliable, but the rest of the vehicle is well-below-average in reliability....one of the poorest in Consumer Reports' data base, but the data for fome Land Rover models is inconclusive or incomplete for the '07-'09 models. Ice350 is correct when he says that even some of the people who work in Land Rover shops warn about them being a risky buy.

But, for those who want to risk the potential reliability problems, it's a great vehicle for those who want to combine comfort with good off-road prowess. An interesting feature on some Land Rover models is the Terrain-Response System for the permanent AWD...a **** on the console tailors the AWD's electronics and torque-management to sand, snow, rock-crawling, or hard-pavement conditions under the wheels.

If it were my money though, I'd probably choose one of the Land Rover's competitors, though...the Porsche Cayenne for handling/performance, the Mercedes G-Class (Gelandewagen), a miltary-derived vehicle which is one of the world's most rugged off-roaders, or the Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus LX570 for reliability, comfort, and great off-road capability combined. I reviewed a Toyota Land Cruiser a while ago, at CL request, and was enormously impressed with it, in many ways.

(Hope your wedding wasn't disrupted by that awful storm system that swept through the South the other day. We got the northern end of it (in a less-severe form), here in the D.C. area)...it's still lingering, even tonight.

I8ABMR

I would not advise a friend to purchase a vehicle as unreliable as a Range Rover. Its not even worth doing the research. It would be like researching if cigarettes give you cancer. LOL

I wish your buddy the best of luck. I know after searching recently that there are a lot of competent and luxurious SUVs out there. I am sure he will find something that will take better care of him than a Range Rover HSE.

Faymester

Word!

Linky just brings me back to this thread ... try again?

ok here we go:

Firstly, I'm going to assume you mean the Full Fat Range Rover - I completely advise AGAINST the Sport because it's not a Range, it's a Discovery (Disco) in Range skin, this is where all the unreliable stigma comes from. Because the Rover Sport is like half the price of the Full Fat, you get "budget luxury" which amounts to problems - Full Fat Range Rover (FFRR as we call them) however is totally boss.

HSE: the slower one (but really, it's a tank either way you cut it so HSE is fine for most people - even me who, well, likes the fast cars)

trim pkgs: there's upgraded leather, comes with contrasted piping (no contrast piping, not upgraded leather)

Nav: so useless! I can't remember which year it was upgraded in, but if it's not the touch screen it's about the most useless and frustrating thing going, but you do want to have it. If it's got the touch screen you're in business & everything is lovely.

Reliability: I have yet to find any serious issues ... and there's certainly no re-occuring issues/rattles/squeaks ... my Rover is more reliable than my IS ever was (ssshhhhhh)

Biggest problem to watch for: the main computer that controls EVERYTHING in there (your keys, the door locks, the ride height, your GPS location, etc etc - all by one computer) when it brakes, it's about $2k for the part, never mind the install cost. So, you want to make sure that particular computer part is in full working order 'cause when it fails you're unhappy ... and it does fail slowly so you get lots of warning, so if something doesn't work properly (auto locking, key fobs), or any of the screens look off (missing pixles etc) then negotiate the cost of fixing that part into the price.

Let's see ... what else...

Is the FFRR expensive to maintain: not really anymore expensive than any other Luxury SUV - but the next point makes this all ok.

Is the FFRR just like the best thing EVER? YES! hands down, 100%, love that Rover. Once you Rover, you'll never want anything else.


Is there another way to see that link?

Any specific questions?


Lasty, I want to add: for all of you who don't have a Rover and have never actually researched Rovers, simply saying 'Oh they're unreliable' because you've bought into media hype all I'm going to say is: 'Oh it's a Toyota product, it has stopping issues' (see the similarity?)

whoster

my doctor's wife had a 2004 HSE.

It was so ridiculously reliable they just got another brand new HSE (Along with his S550 which replaced an A8).

And they say the same thing that Fay said. It's the best damn thing ever.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

My buddy had the supercharged version a few years a ago.. Had some problems with it and than bought the Lexus LX

Big Andy

I'd agree with Faymester's excellent post. I've got a couple of friends with Range Rovers and they are mechanically reliable. It's the minor niggles that can cause problems, that being said they haven't had any. I'd certainly take a RR over the Cayenne, G-Wagon??!, or the Lexus GX, which is just a Land Cruiser in frock.
If I only bought a car on heresay reports on reliability I'd have never bought a Lexus and I'd steer well clear of a Toyota.

96SC4

iTrader: (2)

i just rode in a 2009 HSE(low miles) last weekend and that suspension is STIFF!
and NO, it wasn't the Sport... i was quite surprised/disappointed.
i wonder how stiff the Sport is?!?!

92 SC400

A friend had one and it was junk. The car would just randomly decide to not start and the dealer could never figure out what the issue was. Of course, this happened late enough into ownership that he could not lemon law it. I think he also had some electrical issues with the radio/nav/climate control areas. The biggest issue was it intermittently not starting though. It was completely random, happened like 4 or 5 times, IIRC, within his first year or ownership so he ended up trading it in and vows to never own one of their products again.

mmarshall

A great post, Fayemester. And I'm glad you have had good luck with the brand yourself...no one likes to see a fellow CL member get stuck with a lemon . But Land Rover unreliability is not just media hype. Consumer Reports, which sends out and processes hundreds of thousands (sometimes millions) of questionaires, gets many of them back with Land Rover problems. So does J.D. Power, to an extent. Land Rover engines/transmissions, according to this data, are not bad, but the rest of the vehicle, in general, is very troublesome. I have spoken with some people who actually work at Land Rover dealerships, including service technicians, who do not recommend their purchase.

And I'm not just trying to show bias here. My own favorite vehicle, the Subaru Outback, has some factory issues with the 2010 model's front suspension/steering systems. My own purchase plans are now on indefinite hold because of that.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

You say you just have minor issues. That usually means frequent trips to the dealer but you can live with it.
Then you say to watch out for computer problems....like that isn't a major issue. Some people are so protective of their beloeved vehicle they drfend it even when it falls apart around them. Just keep it long enough. You'll sing a different tune.

Faymester

What was the suspension set at? Adjustable

Which Rover?

Oh I would never presume to say that all the consumer reports etc are wrong, but since you hear more from those who are dissatisfied than those that are, you're always going to get a bias opinion; most people in the FFRR demographic aren't interested in answering customer satisfaction servey, I love my Rover but I've never taken the time to answer any servey about how much I like it.

Most people won't buy the FFRR (due to price) so you get generalized Land Rover answers.

I also don't know too many ppl that work at a Rover dealership who can actually afford to buy/lease a FFRR (but the price difference between Canada and the US may be big enough that it is possible, I dunno)

Because your car is perfect and you haven't had to go to the dealership once, got it.

Which minor issues have I had? I've been to the dealership ... once, and it was a free visit

I warn for the computer because that is the major downfall the buyer should be aware of. It's also an easy (covered under warranty) fix so long as the previous owner wasn't lazy


Oh also, I'm going to go on record as saying that I have absolutely no interest in selling my Rover, ever.

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

What model would be a full fat range rover?

All I see is the Range, range sport, LR2, and LR4....

Does FFRR= regular Range rover?