Hi all, Having decided on a FFRR TDV8 for the family bus, (it was that or a D3 but SWMBO hated the Disco, Thankfully ) very excited....we went to view an 07 with 108000 on the clock. Initially the walk up to the car was Wow, until closer inspection, it looked like it had been cleaned with a Brillo pad, bubbles on rear arches a Deep scratch on rear door, corrosion on wheels, lower boot door wouldn't open and heated seat didn't work, generally overall condition was very uncared for. This was just what we could see, who knows what we couldn't see and history was sketchy at best. This was clearly a workhorse used for towing. We were very disappointed to say the least. Our problem is that because of where we live it's not easy to view cars without major planning and big cost to get there, it's the fist car I have ever walked away from due to the poor description over the phone by dealer, luckily we were in the area on holiday anyway so not such a big deal this time. Just a wasted morning. My question to you guys is, am I expecting to much for my £15000, is this normal for a prestige car or should I just go for early low mileage TD6, really off, as we both loved the tdv8. Hope I haven't gone on to much. Thanks.

I got my 56 plate TDV8 from a forum member on here. It had a little less mileage for similar money but it was in excellent condition and had been well cared for. They are out there you just need a little patience but it will be worth it.

Good luck with the search

You will be quite amazed how many on here buy over the phone with out veiwing first, I had never bought a car or had a walk round phone conversation either....but I got what I wanted and pleased with it too.

For your budget you should get a nice spec'd RR.

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic21463....ying+phone If it dont work.......burn it!

If the IId tool cant fix it.......burn the FF.

If the FF cant be fixed......buy a Land Cruiser!

If the LC cant be fixed..............................................BUY a horse !!

Last edited by Welshdragon on 14th Jul 2015 12:13pm. Edited 1 time in total

I had the same problem had three wasted visits to dealers who just lie over the phone to get you there.
Third visit was 5 hours on the train at a cost of nearly £100 to myself not to mention a whole day wasted, i was so angry and kicked up such a fuss i made the dealer pay my costs back to me.
In the end i purchased a car privately like i normally do 99% of the time as most dealers buy any old crap at bottom price and give it a quick tart up at best.
The warranty they also normally offer isnt worth the paper its written on.
So my advice is find a good well cared for car privately.
If i were to buy again and it was a dealer then it would be one off the forum..other than that id stay well clear.
Its not like they are a rare car so plenty of used ones about, just dont be in a rush to buy any old one..

I suspect you wouldn't get a LR approved used car for £15,000, but it might be worth your while speaking to some of the franchise dealers that are not too far away in case they get good trade-ins of older/higher mileage cars that are not eligible for the AU programme but are sound and clean etc. My last Classic went to Skye in that way, having been traded in at Croall Bryson in Kelso. The smaller family-type dealers might be more likely to be helpful with that sort of thing than the bigger chains. Only Range Rovers since 1988

Took me a while to find a good TDV8 to the point where I considered just holding onto the TD6 - glad I didn't though because the TDV8 is streets ahead. There was a guy on here selling a lovely example a month or so ago but it was too far away from me. Should get a good one for your budget. 2017 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography
2016 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - GONE
2013 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - GONE
2010 3.6 TDV8 - GONE
2008 3.6 TDV8 - GONE
2002 3.0 TD6 - GONE
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 S - GONE
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 - GONE
2003 Discovery 2 TD5 - GONE
1999 Discovery 300 TDI - GONE
1998 Range Rover DSE - GONE
1997 Discovery 300 TDI - GONE

I bought my RR sight unseen, as it was in Essex and I am in Dorset. I paid £350. for a vehicle inspection. It was extremely detailed and the inspector went through it with me on the phone for about 45 minutes. He found every little chip and mark and oil drip, so much so that I was in 2 minds wether to buy it. I put down a deposit, then one Saturday hired a car 1 way to go and get it, still thinking that if its rough I could catch the train home. But to my delight the car was perfect.

The tiny faults as described by the inspector get larger and more serious the more you think about them. But once you see the car in the flesh these tiny marks are tiny marks.

One of the best £350 I have ever spent. My Motto: If you are going to have one, have a BIG one!

I've just bought an absolutely cracking one mate. High miles, which I would ordinarily run from. However, exemplary service history so I took the plunge.

Drove three hours on Sunday to view it, deposit paid, then took the train to collect it today.

I was close to giving up on my search, I wanted cream or ivory and a logic 7 system, deployable steps were also in my mind. Then this one popped up, after nearly three months of searching. So, they are out there mate, just keep plodding on.

Driving back, I was a happy soldier and glad I never gave up.

Keep searching, as above they are out there. For £15k you should get a beauty. I've got the td6 and am itching already for a tdv8.
well done archermav, tthat car looked stunning, and a good price.
enjoy.
Greg.

Glad to hear it all went smoothly archermav, they are fantastic cars. Ivory is a lovely interior colour much brighter than the black, just keep a set of leather wipes in the boot! There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Keep searching, I assume from the flag and your location that you stay somewhere on the west coast of Scotland. There was not many RR for sale around inverness when I was looking, so I went through as many car sale websites as I could find and listed every car in Scotland that looked OK and then took a weekend to go and look at all the cars on the list. A bit more work than some may have done as I have over 30 cars to look at. I would say 80% were not as described, but I just went on to the next one on my route. Eventually found a 56 TDV8 VSE which was a little pricey but was near immaculate. Some of the RR I looked at were in shocking condition, tears in seats, buttons falling off, rust, 50p style alloys, etc 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)

northernmonkeyjones wrote:

Glad to hear it all went smoothly archermav, they are fantastic cars. Ivory is a lovely interior colour much brighter than the black, just keep a set of leather wipes in the boot!

Thanks for the replys and encouragement, having tested a FF no other car will do now, makes my v8 x5 feel like a leaf sprung series, .I think the best plan for me is what Andy_j did and have a tour over a weekend and see as many as I can, I feel a bike trip coming on Many Thanks again, the search will go on.

i no how you feel, this week i drove nearly 3 hours to view a mint one owner low millage full history Vogue at a dealer, agreed a price over the phone and dealer was pushing for a deposit over the phone. I said no but i will make the trip to view it. Well thank God i did before paying a deposit, every pannel was flat and scratched like wire wool had been on it but i expect it was from bushes and off roading, tailgate rotten along the bottom and rear arch very badly corroded. Oddly the inside was very nice but no way i would buy it. Dealer was suprised i didnt want it then asked me what price i would pay for it. i said no price as its a dog then i left...

thesedays, its very reasonable to ask before travelling a decent distance, for a set of digital high res pictures either put to a cd, or emailed in groups etc, so you can look closely, at its condition. don't ask for some normal stunning scenic shots, ask for each panel and wheel and seat cushion. from two angles, in a lit room etc. and with these pictures, discuss over the phone which parts aren't in the pictures, like the chipped screen, bonnet edge, wheelarches, etc, some people even put up a youtube of it. that's like a free advert already...

I had a bad experience when we decided to view a 'superb looking' D2 a few years back. it wasn't anything like as good as promised, and we had wasted time, money, 60 miles only, but, a day out with the young kids. and to top it all, we were talking privately in the car, (salesman in showroom) and then after to the salesman, and he would not then let us test it. -we worked out, it was because he had bugged the car! he was completely off-key with us, when I had been telling my missus. in the car, as to why we were not ever going to buy it. (£2k too dear!)
we bought privately, and waited for the right colour and top spec.
luckily we had a car to use in meantime.
the best things in life a worth waiting for though.

tell your missus that....