Test drove the Range Rover again today it's a 2010 RR 5.0 sc vogue SE. 70000km. Very well looked after, and well specced.

The problem is when I got a printout of the service history there have been numerous issues.

Lots of niggling "Range Rover" problems, such as issues with the cameras, 3 battery replacements, wiring harness, CV joints, but no deal breakers.

THEN...at 69000km, brought in down on power, replaced injectors, brought back 2 days later and after compression test, "cylinder 6 piston broken". Authorization for engine replacement, and engine replaced.

At 69800km, clattering noise from engine reported, supercharger replaced

After the s/c was replaced both catalytic converters were replaced.

I assume the owner them traded it in, and that's where I come in. The price is good, they are giving me good money on a trade in. Is this a lemon?
What should I do, I love the car.

thats a difficult one......is this the end of the problems or just the start... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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Could be a great buy or the biggest money pit imaginable.....make sure you get a bells and whistles warranty if not move on  The forums premier drug dealer and human trafficking consultant


Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8, Range Rover Sport HSE 3.6TDV8, Audi S8 V10, Jaguar XKR Conv, Jaguar XJS V12 Conv, Land Rover Disco 3, Lexus LS 400 MkIV, Lexus LS400 Mk III.

It will come with a two year warranty, that's the only reason I'm considering it.

It could still leave you stranded near one of the "bad parts" of Joburg and I don't just mean townships .

The question is always, what is causing the problems (and sorry not enough info to even take a guess) in the first place. Was it a duff motor (unlikely as the AJV8 is supposedly one of the best V8s in the world). Honestly this is the first time I hear of major issues with an SC engine on the forum or anywhere else of this magnitude. I wonder if the car has been "maltreated" in some way to get this kind of damage to a bulletproof engine.

The warranty should take care of the breakdowns (if any) and then there is only the aggravation of it breaking down all the time, if it does that.

You might have a lemon turned diamond and not see the garage for anything else than service or you might end up on the back of a tow truck many times.

If you don't mind the breakdowns too much and it is such a good deal that you are considering it, go for it.

I don't think I would, it almost sounds like a flood damage car that has been fixed up or something of the sorts. Or it has been "trashed" off road or something stupid. The electrics is one thing but wiring harness, CV joints, they don't normally go that easily even with a FFRR.

The new engine with (presumably old supercharger which was then replaced) may be OK and the clattering may have always been the cats. But again, what did soo much damage that both cats die, rough offroading or submerged for a too long period of time (stalled in a river, driven on the beach and stuck and fixed up ???).

I would walk away (I walked away from a TDV8 I already bought when the first turbo failed even before picking it up) and ended up with a 5.0 SC that is brilliant (touching wood as I'm typing). I totally understand how you fall in love with the 2010 5.0 SC because I did but this one may not give you back that much love mate.

Sometimes that beautiful lovely girl comes with a nasty history AND nasty hidden "issues" and then looks don't compensate for misery very quickly. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

That sounds like one problem they didn't fix first time round, e.g. supercharger, engine, catalysts. I'd be suspicious that they replaced the supercharger after replacing the engine, and then the catalysts.

But if it has a good warentee then the only risk for you is you get a crap loaner?

The problem I see is that SA is not the type of country where breaking down is "safe". There just are too many parts of the country, city that can be very dangerous.

I mean just look at that journalist that got robbed while at a hospital in a "safe-ish" neighbourhood ON LIVE NEWS TV. I mean the camera is rolling and two a-holes come up to rob the guy of his phone and take some more stuff from the rest of the crew.

My wife (who is SA born and raised) does not like how I always drive with the Nav system since it takes us to dangerous areas without knowing it. And she is most probably right but I just don't see the difference between a safe area and an unsafe area (had the same problem in LA in the early 90's where I drove through South Central and Compton to work every day, this was after the Rodney King riots and I never locked my car doors, a big no no I found out later when I had American friends in the car). Getting stuck in the UK or Europe is just annoying, in SA or Nigeria or other places in Africa it can be lethal as well (I haven't even started on the big African carnivores, rhinos, hippos and the likes yet).

Don't get me wrong, I love Africa, SA, Nigeria and would love to visit more places, it does come with a completely different safety mindset. In other words, breaking down is not always just a nuisance. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

I would walk away and wait for another car, too many warning bells on this one.

Well I'll be trading in a defender on the FFRR, so clearly breaking down is not a major concern for me
But seriously, we are planning a 4000km holiday into the kalahari next month with our new baby, so safety and comfort is at the top of my list, but reliability is definitely very important.

My 1st impression was, well it's a. 5 year old car with a brand new engine.

How much time do you have to test the car before you do the Kalahari trip ?? I mean a few weeks should be OK just do a lot of kms during the time to ensure all is working well. Another potential issue is the work being done in the engine bay, have the clamped all the hoses properly etc. etc. etc.

If the car does turn out to be a dud, do you have an alternative for the Kalahari trip ?? Something more reliable like a Landcruiser, Patrol and the likes ??

Oh and don't buy a Prado, they seem to go up in flames a lot , I read something about grass gathering on the fuel tank and then catching fire !!!! MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

I agree with Eugene

the AJV8 is regarded as a virtually bulletproof engine so to end up in this state I can only assume its been seriously abused. And if the engine has been abused, then so has the rest of the car. (didn't Malema have a s/c FFRR? It might be his

WALK AWAY

In my view, much of the problems you read about with these cars is from user incompetence, ignorance and lack of mechanical sympathy. Take the trouble to find a car that has been trouble-free, it probably indicates sympathetic ownership.

And don't do anywhere near remote areas like the Kalahari (in any car) until you've owned it long enough to understand every foible and iron out any issues. I would suggest 1-2yrs and 10-20,000 miles! (you can read about my exploits in a TD6 in some of the most remote parts of the continent in the Africa section...)

Good luck
RRG