Hello All,

Some time ago a pondered over the decision for a RRS vs FFRR, at the time I went for a Stornoway TDV8 RRS as there were more in my price range and at a lower mileage. To be honest I regretted that decision after about 6 months, it was not a bad car (cracking engine) but I had a host of issues which although sorted quickly by LR really left a bad taste in my mouth.

One aspect of the car I did not like was the interior quality, in my brief ownership many things fell off and stopped working, now I may have had a bad one but you dont expect the AM button the radio to fall off (I dont think I ever pressed it either). It was not my idea of luxury motoring so I got rid of it, did not loose a packed then thought what next...

My wife always wanted an Audi so we got the new C7 A6 Avant, it's a great car and the quality is miles above the RRS but something is lacking for me and I expect to change later in the year. Now a MY11 FFRR is within my price range its a serious consideration, so I do have a few questions:

- Does the 4.4TDV8 have the same character as the 3.6?
- What can I expect in terms of trim quality compared to the current RRS?
- Is there decent enough rear seat space for a front facing car seat (with kids not kicking the seat infront)?
- Any major faults I should be aware of?

I have a pretty poor car buying history, on average I have swapped every 6 months! I am really looking for a car that is going to last me several years, the do anything car. The FFRR sounds like its going to have the space, the comfort and the quality to keep me interested for this time.

I would be keen to hear others journey to the FFRR and if this has been the car to stop you from serial car buying.

Undecided

JD

Take a Test Drive. (Quick one will do)

You will find that all your questions have been answered.

A smile will appear on your face and you will say "Why the Fook did I buy a RRS when I could have had the only car I will ever need"

Next you will buy one and live happy ever after....

Moral of the story....

Always buy a Full Fat

Test drive will be booked, looking to try and get a weekend as a I know a Land Rover DP in the Midlands who may be able to sort me out.

One other thing, are we expecting prices to soften a little as the new model trickles into showrooms?

JD

Yes a little if you talking about buying in Spring/Summer.

Get a decent Vogue SE and you will never want for another car

Gary

And keep an eye on Gary's website for great deals

James, this question has been asked several times recently (have a look with search) and while we are obviously biased towards the FFRR here, a number of Forum members came from RRS to FFRR and as far as I know, none of them will ever want to go back.

As I have said on said threads, it all depends on what is important to you. For me it was easy as my important "issues" and old love were all answered by the FFRR and not the RRS.

My suggestion, FFRR all the way, it is better than the RRS in every possible way apart from being seen as a tosser If you like to be seen as a tosser and wannabee, RRS is the way to go  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Re 3.6 vs 4.4, not driven either but those who have describe the 4.4 as a 'revelation'. Remember the 4.4 also has the 8 speed box.

I won't try one as going back to my TD6 will be such a let down.

3.6 or 4.4!! have driven both in the past few weeks, the 3.6 has loads of grunt, and is an amazing engine when you look at the size/weight of the car. then i drove the 4.4, wow wow wow. you can really feel the difference, when the turbos kick in, its quite a shock, that 8 speed gearbox is really smooth, also better on fuel if figures are true. top of my shopping list at the moment.

You won't regret it. I had a 4.4 on the last Landrover experience day I did and the engine and transmission were bloody amazing! The speed from it was amazing considering the weight, and it was very quiet. Once I sell mine the 4.4TDV8 will be the one I go for, but not for a while as my 4.4 petrol is still doing a great job. [img]http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rob2529/range-rover[img/]
04, 4.4V8, Vogue Oslo Blue with LPG.
"You can sleep in your car, BUT you can't race your house!!!!"

If something can't be fixed with a hammer....... You have yourself an electrical fault!

I bought a new RRS and kept it for 3 years. Superb vehicle. No problems at all.

Bought a year old MY11 FFRR last year. The RRS is superb, the FFRR is magnificent. Quality and sense of occasion much greater. 4.4TDV8 and 8 speed auto are incredible. 0-60 in 7.5 and endless torque for overtaking with no perception of ratio change. Achieved 37mpg on a trip up the A1 fully laden. Whisper quiet at speed. Comfort much greater than RRS but feels less planted in corners although it is no slower.

Whether it be on road, off road, or snow and ice it is peerless.

Its talents are not quite as obvious as the sport and take longer to savour. If you are a discerning gentleman then yes, you will no doubt appreciate it.

Thanks for the feedback here, can anyone comment on the quality of the cabin compared to the RRS. I know they made some significant changes in the most recent facelift but does the interior now match the price tag? I am not just interested in a 1st impression but long term durability and ease to live with.

Can't comment on the TDV8 questions but regarding the car seat, that depends on how tall you are.

I'm somewhere over 6ft 2" and my 2 year-old daughter sits behind me in a forward-facing seat with no issues at all. There's more space than in my E-Class and the RR is a much better height (for me) to load little people into their seats.

Oh, and the split tailgate is a very handy nappy-changing table when needs must. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

IMHO get the SE or Autobiograpghy version - the seat leather is far superior.

The cabin is completely different to a RRS, less crowded. Quality should be better, although I don't have much experience other than a quick sit in one when I was deciding whether to buy a sport or proper RR.

30 seconds did it for me

I'd say this. It depends what you mean by quality.

If you want functionality, resilience and reliability, the FFRR is probably not the car for you (or any JLR product for that matter).

But if you want the best car you can have, one which you will enjoy every day, and make you look for excuses to pop ou, leave you wishing that long journey was a little longer, and make you glad you bought it, then it's the car for you.

What I'm trying to get across is that it has soul, and the imperfections are part of that. You can buy more reliability, but sacrifice the soul.

I think the FFRR may be the 'keeper' you're looking for, though you'll probably want the new model after a while! Range Rover-less at the moment - Pining!