Hi all

So ill be upgrading my 53 plate v8 next year as tbh as its looking a bit tired with some cosmetic issues and a lack of power. It's mostly going to be a road car with very little off road work. I've got road tyres fitted to my current one so not really interested in the off road element side. It will be used for the odd bit of towing over to the nurburgring with the subaru on the back.

I would go for the TDV8 but sadly Mr Khan here dictates that's not going to happen for me working inside the ultra low emission zone therefor I'm stuck between a 4.2 super charged or a 5.0 super charged. Shame that....

So what's the one to go for? Obviously I'm not concerned about the fuel bill but generally just wanna know what's the better motor to go for

Cheers all

5.0SC, faster, more powerful, cleaner, and a much more modern interior, and facelift exterior.

In my opinion it’s not even a contest. But of-course I’m biased. 😎

Interesting. Given the ages involved, I'd say by far the most important thing is to buy on condition rather than model. Having had both, I found the 4.2 was the better overall package for my use (which includes towing a car trailer on occasion). But its marginal - both are fantastic cars and lovely places to be when you have to spend many hours on the road. My 4.2 was faultless in my 5 years of ownership. The 5.0 has also been good, but I have had a couple of issues (side steps and aircon - both fixed) and still only 3.7 years in.
The 5.0 is faster, and feels it. Easier to make yourself look a dick by planting the throttle too deep when going for a gap but generally effortless progress at any speed you fancy.
The 4.2 is probably fast enough for this kind of car - also effortless, but not quite so liable to take off like a scalded cat. Also its got a traditional Cruise control where you decide how fast the car goes, unlike the Adaptive Cruise in the 5.0 which typically decides on a slower pace and never catches up with any traffic.
The post 2007 model (facelift) 4.2 that I had came with all the AB toys but was just called Supercharged - I don't know if that was true of all years. My 5.0 is an AB but I think you can get a 5.0 with various trim levels. I don't miss any toys I had in the 4.2 that I don't have now (eg RSE, venturecam) and I've never used (eg) the reclining rear seats that I now have that I didn't have in the 4.2.
So look for something that's been well looked after and is in top condition and either engine will do you proud. Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)

I think your adaptive cruise control is broken or not calibrated properly. It shouldn’t do that. I went from London to Leeds and back last Sunday. Even when down with rain it was perfect. Lovely to have it auto brake, and accelerate. Shame it doesn’t steer as well

For me I wanted the 5.0 but my budget didn't allow for one that had had the timing chains done and wasn't 150+ thousand miles.
From what I understand you get one with the chains done or allow circa 3K for the job when it occurs.
I ended up with a 4.2 but luckily, depending on how you see it, did not test drive a 5.0 so I don't really know what I am missing

Cheers all. I'm not too bothered about what engine to get but I'm not really a fan of the L405 but either way it has to be petrol so might as well just do the job properly and get a supercharged one. I'm more tempted to go for the 5.0 just because its newer and sounds like better interior. Anything to keep an eye on except the chains

Bl4ckD0g wrote:

I think your adaptive cruise control is broken or not calibrated properly. It shouldn’t do that. I went from London to Leeds and back last Sunday. Even when down with rain it was perfect. Lovely to have it auto brake, and accelerate. Shame it doesn’t steer as well

Nope mine doesn't do that with lorries, nor other vehicles. I agree 3 chevrons is a bit conservative for me as well, but that would match with how my father in law would drive.

I'm from mainland Europe, and without these aids, let's just say that some may say I drive close to those in front. I have no issues with chevron 2 and 1. I adjust them depending on the speed and density of traffic. I feel pretty safe with the braking responses and if it had to brake hard, it also accelerates hard.

Based upon what you mentioned with regards to lorries and bends, it sounds to me like the system may need calibration. I had that in my VW Golf R as well, and after that, it was perfect again. But also due to the low positioning of the sensor on that car, and if I am not mistaken that is similar in the Range Rover, I've had it another time that it was actually the bracket that was bend. Happened not once but twice

On my Mercedes AMG GL63 AND GLC43 cars, it was just in the windscreen, much preferred that but did mean that I couldn't get my windscreen replaced on the drive and had to go to a special center where they have the alignment equipment.

My gut feel says that if it behaves erratically then it needs calibration.

Thanks for the tip...I'll ask next time its due a fettle. Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)

Is the timing chain issue on all the 5 litres or only the L322?, is the L405 unaffected?.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a solid answer to that one, but my understanding is that all L322 had the original guides that potentially fail, and some of the early L405's were possibly still using the original guides too. But certainly the later L405 vehicles all had the uprated guides.

I've never (yet) seen any VIN numbers or anything to confirm that though.

HS66 wrote:

Is the timing chain issue on all the 5 litres or only the L322?, is the L405 unaffected?.

Going back to the original question, the obvious answer is get the best kept one you can find, regardless of model. I drove both 4.2 and 5.0 and went for an 09 4.2 - pretty much the last one made.

Unless you are desperate for the extra power (in which case get an e63) the 4.2 is more than fast enough and as you will have read on here before, is the most reliable FFRR engine by a country mile. It also sounds better and has more character than the 5.0 motor, though some might disagree.

Your challenge will be finding a decent one as there is a fair bit of rubbish about but sit tight and you will get what you want.

Good luck

I'm sorry but that is just daft to suggest a Mercedes-AMG E63 'if desperate for power'. That is a totally different car and experience. If you were going to draw just off-topic parallels then comparing it with a GL63 would make more sense. But as an owner of one of those as my previous cars (x166) model; it's 549Hp against 510Hp. And whilst the AMG has nearly 100Nm of extra torque, it weirdly doesn't feel like it when driving it. And in addition, the active air suspension is no even close to the range rover, so it is much less usable.

'More than fast enough' is a very subjective statement, my daughters Golf MK2 GTI from 1987 is also more than fast enough

I'd argue that the only advantage a 4.2SC has is that it should be cheaper to buy; everything else is factually and measurably significantly improved on the 5.0SC. LOL Even its green credentials despite bigger displacement and more power. For example, no charge taking it into London or other low emissions zones.

I'm not desperate for power as I have a 600bhp subaru impreza and a suzuki b king. Both of them leave people sitting still n wondering what just happened 😂 😂
I would go for the tdv8 but Mr major Khan says no to that idea so that leaves me either the 4.2 or the 5.0. Need something that won't get stuck on the road as I work as a paramedic inside London n have a 40mile commute each day.

I was thinking the 5.0 as its more modern and upto date. Seems too have all the toys I need plus plenty extra. Just need one that's better for towing and possible to be remapped as it will be used to take the impreza to the nurburgring on the odd occasion.