And of course there are those of us (me included) that believe that a car with fewer miles can actually be LESS reliable than a car with more miles.

Also, the TYPE of miles is important. There are many tales recounted on here about cars having done fewer than "average" for their age but they've been used on a country estate and the suspensions about to drop off!  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Or they have spent their lives in city traffic jams and are coked-up to hell.

Indeed, especially 4.4 TDV8s with their DPFs  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

As man example mine has done 135k miles now and every week ?I put the diagnostics on it and if it shows anything I get it sorted before it causes grief to buy one 3 years younger with 60k I would be looking at trade in plus nearly 20k thats a lot of repairs

As I said to my wife, if I had £35k to spend on a car then I'd have at least £25k change.

I wouldn't want a car so valuable that I was scared to park it near other cars in case it got dented. I also live in Hull which doesn't have the greatest reputation for car thefts.

I'm with David above.
My own theory....I realise, that buying a cheaper, (mine @ £5k) car, and having to pay out on perhaps more maintenance, than the spanker, down the road....
But to me, I'm still saving money....
My depreciation, is massively less, than 'mr 64 reg'
Anyone can then calculate, the cost, per year, and the gamble, of breakdowns/oddities/theft risk etc.

And, to me, it's a lovely car. -don't care what the rest of the world think.
And it's so useful, I'm not worried to just, 'use' it.
-just picked up another old 6 cylinder jag engine, (iron block!) and gearbox! and drove home with it in the boot, with the folded crane, strapped to it!
An hour with the buckets and bottles, and it's splendid again!

My answer to the OP's question is "no", my experience has been the as they have become more complex over the years the problems have increased. My first car, a 3.5 carb 2-door Classic with 97,000 miles when I got it was great, apart from corrosion, as mostly was my 3.9 Efi Classic bought new and owned for almost 10 years.
I think the thing is to find the right car and have the capacity to maintain it, as far as I am concerned there is still nothing better than a RR, even with its faults. Only Range Rovers since 1988

Mr OP, I was in the very same quandary as you are now, albeit, I went for a 50k miler vogue on a late 2011 model at slightly under your budget.

So far, I've had bills for circa £1500, some for a service and others for replacement turbo hoses and some lose part relating to the steering. I don't consider either of those things out of sync given the fact it's a Range Rover and, I don't (other than the fact it lived in Aberdeen) know the real history of the car.

One frustatrtion is the rust under the upper boot section, a constant issue with at least the L322. Just check that as well as the service history is scheduled and ticked off in the history, the bodywork inspections are also ticked. JLR repudiated my warranty claim as there wasn't a tick in the box. That "tick" must eliminate the rust then...........!

I'm happy with mine and as others have said, it's a case putting right and maintaining any wrongs after which, you can budget for most things (I don't buy a warranty and it was from a private dealer) that may or may not go wrong.

Good luck with your search however, as Cam Tech Craig said, we don't come on here and stress how well it's running etc.

Cheers

thanks all
I'm going to stick with my 12 plate Evoque which is faultless so far, I've not been inspired with confidence by what I have read here or anywhere else to be honest about the FF. I'm sure they are a world apart to drive and sit in, but I seriously don't have the time or patience for a constant stream of expensive niggles to fix, and can do without the worry owning one of the chocolate-engined Porsche 997's too. It seems that that's what these cars present their owners with.

Glad to have helped in justifying your decision.  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Our 2012MY only goes to the garage when it needs a service... Or something

You were onto a loser from the start... if you have to ask the question you did, then you have answered your own question...

 Pete
I now have permission from the boss to use Y.O.L.O. Enjoy life
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

It's called confirmation bias . 2008 MY Supercharged
Rimini Red / Jet
four zone climate
remote park heater
and no ugly kid windows.
magnus satis quod turpis satis

I'm sure a Toyota would be more reliable but their paint sucks, interior build materials are lacking, tons of unintended accel reported to nhtsa, and you can love and pray for the RR. I do think about a SC crewmax tundra now and then.  OffRoadRover.com An American Western Range Rover Off Road Blog

To answer your original question, the 06+ came with updates that seemed to deal with a number of issues. Depending on your budget ], needs and wants, I don't think there's a bad choice among those. 03-05 are older. They're also CHEAPER, so if to get one that's been well maintained, you can put a bit aside for when things need seeing to.