I've had mine for around two months now and even though it was purchased in good condition and recently had a 2010 facelift, I've still spent a considerable amount of money bringing it up to a standard that I'm happy with. This has meant it having a two day detail and I'm currently in the process of having the rear hub bushes changed as well as the handbrake cables. I also had an interim service done at the local main dealer so I've probably spent in the region of £1000 already. On top of that, I'm going to get the rust bubbles on the tailgate sorted and also the wheel arches rubbed down and painted.

The above is all work that doesn't really need doing but nevertheless, I want the car in tiptop condition. I'm also quite wary of using it everyday too. I probably use it two days a week for fear of it getting dinked or clocking up more miles. My daily driver is an old Mk3 Mondeo! I was never like this with the S6 which I cherished just as much.

When I was looking at changing cars, an Audi Q7 was also in the frame but every single one I looked at was rough. Some had kerbed wheels and mismatching under tyres, fogged up headlights, broken interior panels, heavy wear on the seats. One I looked at even had broken air suspension. Is it because Q7s are usually used be families and get knocked about or are they run by wide boys on a shoestring budget.

Even a FFRR I went to look at in a back street garage with just one key and a service booklet with no other history was near mint inside.

So do owners of FFRRs look after their car better than normal or is it that the cars are more hard wearing and don't show their age or give away the hard life they may have previously had?

I'm going into this ownership with my eyes wide open. I've got a slush fund set aside and also joined the AA with full home start and recovery.

Part of it may be that FFRR have a better build quality and are put together with better materials than (say) a Q7, so stand up better to wear. It would be interesting to compare like with like - eg a Q7 and a FFRR that have both been used as family buses. Also interesting to chuck a RRS and X5 into that mix too, I suspect. I'd be fairly willing to bet that highest initial purchase price = most resilience to wear, given equal treatment.

I did notice mine never looked dirty inside, and that was with 2 kids! The kuga and Scooby on the other hand seem to attract dirt and detritus like nobodies business! '08 Audi S6 Avant 5.2 V10 with Milltek non-resonated. Vrrrrrrmmmmmph
'59 Ford Kuga Diesel (boring but AWD and 40mpg...)
2007 (07) Subaru Forester XTen 2.5 Turbo. (Roundabouts are fun again!)
2007 (07) 4.4 V8 Vogue (gone)

Yes, I think they are more cherished. For most forum members, they represent significant outlays of money and are an object to be looked after. Maybe more so than when some were originally purchased new by the 'one percent' with their pocket change. (I have read that, in the United State, the average buyer of a new Chevrolet spend more of his/her annual income on it than does the average buyer of a Rolls Royce.)

Also, they are a niche automobile and are bought by people who appreciate these things. If you didn't care about cars and driving and just wanted something that would get you from A to B, then a Corolla is a much better/cheaper purchase. Over here, no one accidentally buys a Land Rover. They have to be searched out. Some Land Rovers qualify as good Bangernomics candidates, but the L322 isn't there yet.

Mine you, I like to take care of my things and have always treated my cars (and other things) carefully. Before the FFRR, I had a 2003 Honda which most people thought was 1-2 years old, not 8-9 years. Like the FFRR, it was a daily driver.

I bet other brands that have cult followings (Jaguar, Porsche) get very similar treatment.

When I was shopping for mine, I found the early L322s seems to have rather delicate interior trim (door arm rest, flaking silver). Later L322s and P38s seem far more robust.

I'm the same.

I find a good car and make it better in any way I can (sticking to originality rather than awful aftermarket tat).

I also view my car as an investment that one day I have to move on, so I look after them, even though it's my daily driver in all weathers.

Like the TDV8 that Fanders has bought from me, it's miles better than many out there with less miles on, but the condition was what attracted him to it. Hopefully when I come to sell the Supercharged the same will be true. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

I always tend to look after all my cars more than the 'mainstream' people I know, although I do generally tend to give my S/C more attention than the other 3 cosmetically. It's a full-time job keeping 4 cars pristine and time is limited at best most weeekends, so I cherry-pick.

However, the S/C is the most frequently used and the most expensive (but the most common) model we own and looks far better when clean and manicured. Nothing mechanically is ever left to chance on any of our cars and I'm very fussy about where the S/C is serviced, as indeed I am about the other 3.

Although I purchased mine from a main dealer recently, I've still spent many hours getting the thing properly clean and still have work to do in certain areas so that it meets my own standards. I've replaced the rear tyres purely because they match the fronts and the rears were showing early signs of cracking, yet the tread was perfectly legal.

There's a few changes that I regret making and will be reversed soon. It's the little details that make the difference. 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.

I tend to look after my cars as well albeit doing as much self servicing and maint as possible.

Fair enough i have taken mine offroad but i have been wary in doing so and only ever had the odd light scrape from it that i've soon repaired. Mine has been sat on the drive for a few months as i just haven't got my butt in gear to fix a niggly fault and have had some citroen daily drivers, saab, nissan and now a skoda but i do miss the FF greatly. even though wafting along at 60 on the motorway will only just get me 30mpg compared to my current 60+mpg Think my next one will be an SC and keep to doing little miles and having a cheap daily hack but the FF for the long tours and holidays in Europe and north africa  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Good on you, Bellini! Considering the mass of the FFRR and the speeds it's capable of, proactive tyre care is very, very wise.

Judging by what i read on different RR forums most of the owners spend all their time polishing and cleaning them, rather than using them and getting them dirty

the cleaning brigade is just a minority that have ocd problems ..most of us just use the range normally. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Who said this I wonder??

"off roading aint gonna happen for me for a long while..i did that with my td6 and got scratches down the side and i couldn't get all the mud out from the little corners in the engine bay and underneath."

wrong use of words then, i meant cleaning the range now and again, which is normal isnt it? ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

stan wrote:

the cleaning brigade is just a minority that have ocd problems ..most of us just use the range normally.

How true though!!
When I bought my FF last year I wasn't looking for a sparkly clean motor, I was looking for something that was mechanically sound, well maintained mechanically and if the bodywork or interior upholstery wasn't perfect...so what!

The vehicle I ended up with had been turned down by a load of people due to minor scratches on the paintwork, slight scuffing on the drivers seat and door handle, and the boot lid and rear speaker cover had a few scuffs and marks. However, mechanically it was in excellent order, Full service history and mechanically well looked after. Needless to say I got it for a bargain price, just 'cos of the cosmetics!!

Driven over 22,000 miles this year and never let me down...just a few minor niggles and servicing/maintenance to keep her mechanically in top nick!!

OKAY, I do wash her regularly...about once every three weeks , but I love the look on the 'posh' FFRR owners faces when I go by in a 'proper dirty working FFRR'!!

my old one used to be like this all the time,

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

stan wrote:

the cleaning brigade is just a minority that have ocd problems ..most of us just use the range normally.

The reason I make sure my paintwork is as good as it can be is so that I CAN take it offroad, it CAN get muddy, i CAN leave it for weeks and weeks between washing in the winter in the comfort of knowing that under the superficial dirt, the paint is in good condition and well protected.

I'd rather leave it dirty for a month or more and clean it my way than take it to a garage, let a dealer clean or ir use the local Albanians.

See

Not Clean

Not clean:

noT CLEAN....

 Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB