Ach I am I really here once again? Range Rover number 5 and my 3rd L322. I wont go into detail but ebay was open, some days later money has changed hands and its now outside my house! So what have we got? Well its a Vogue this time, rather than the last HSE, I may have not realised how much of a difference there was as this Vogue is far superior and closer to my old Supercharged than the HSE.

Its a 2004 model year, registered on a 54 but of course is an M62 (no oil burners here) and must be one of the last with the BMW derived infotainment system. I'd have liked the Denso system (and an AJV8 for that matter) but beggers cant be choosers. Bonatti Grey with Parchment interior make a nice contrast to the last two that have been green. It drives really well, I've driven it the 100 miles home with no issue and I can't believe how quiet it is at 70mph on the motorway.

Niccccccceeee !!

Congratulations! What fine taste you have. Very best of luck with it.

I love my Bonatti grey 04 Vogue 4.4 V8 (albeit, like a great actor, it is currently “resting” until I can get the gearbox rebuilt and the cross threaded engine sump replaced).

Very nice. Looks like ivory interior......

 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

Thanks guys yeah its not bad few rough edges and no doubt some issues will come to light over the coming weeks. I fear the battery is a bit weak on it if truth be told it looks reasonably modern but I'll have to keep an eye on it.

I checked it a couple of times last night to make sure it was asleep and stayed asleep, navigation computer red light gone off and the light next to the gear selector which is good. However what was weird was the nav computer still had the faintest glow coming from the eject button. I don't recall ever noticing it on another one but then I've never looked for it. The reason I'd be looking closely at it as it didn't work on collection but the PO had said he had changed a module back there but it worked before he changed that and I suspected it wasn't plugged in properly. Suspensions confirmed and it burst back into life but even before I replugged it there was this slight glow from the eject button.

Anyway, its first job today is to go the tip so will see if it starts!

I did initially hope it was ivory but the pictures I posted are quite complimentary, having spec checked it from the vin its Parchment with navy in the doors.

I've also noticed I think its got 2010 onwards style grills and this rather cheesy supercharged esk grill. Not sure I'm convinced and I may try and convert it back to standard. Something very clean about the 02-05 side vents! The best and only picture of my HSE that I liked for comparison.

lovely color!!! Enjoy it. See the passenger cupholder is still in one piece, that was a nice option and avoided "the mess in the middle"

Change that front grill, IMHO it is hideous!

Agreed the grill has to go! I may keep the side vents though, don't look too bad. 2005 E60 M5
2006 L322 4.2 SC
2020 Tesla Model S Long Range
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2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2019 NP300 Navara, 2016 NP300 Navara, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C ,2001 330Ci Sport Track Car, 2005 650i Coupe, 2001 P38 Vogue, 2003 530i Sport Touring, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE, 2002 E39 M5, 1995 300zx TT Slicktop, 1997 M3 Evo, 1992 300zx TT Targa, 1998 323i Coupe

Personally I prefer the earlier plain vents/gills - the front grille reminds me of anti-slip steps on a truck.

Nice motor otherwise. 2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6

Good to see you back in the fold Chris. Looks similar to my '02 (ie same colour!) ...but hope it treats you better. Unlike the SCs that followed, the 4.4 was a bit of a mare! 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)

Nice ! Any wheel arch rust ?

MPx wrote:

Good to see you back in the fold Chris. Looks similar to my '02 (ie same colour!) ...but hope it treats you better. Unlike the SCs that followed, the 4.4 was a bit of a mare!

BMG wrote:

Nice ! Any wheel arch rust ?

It's been a couple of weeks so I will add an update. There are a few issues cropping up here and there but then its an old Range Rover. Issues are part of the fun.

So I will start with the infotainment problems. Well on purchase the screen was being driven from the TV module (rather than the navigation). The PO told me he had changed the "entertainment module" which is the TV tuner. The old one was supplied and was indeed a problem, at purchase the radio worked fine for 2 hours on the way home, the screen stayed on but the Navigation did not work. Nav computer had a faint glow from the eject button.

On unplugging and replugging the nav computer it all burst into life and I optimistically hoped that the PO had not plugged the nav computer back in. However whilst the activity light went out the eject button still glowed at all times which bothered me as I was sure it should be totally black. Suspicions confirmed when four days later it was dead as a dodo. Anyway, removed the navigation computer and let the TV unit take over the display which has worked fine for the last couple of weeks and the car no longer has a battery drain.

The natural upgrade for an early L322 is a MK4 DVD navigation computer from a similar age BMW and whilst we loose offroad navigation the benefits far out weigh this. A quick scout round ebay found one ironically in the same town and thats now fitted, working (with Land Rover modded V32 software so it says Range Rover when you open the car) and now we basically have everything working in that department.

The next problem that arisen, a rather ominous "Ding" and "Transfer Box Neutral". Obviously we check Fuse 37 (missing as it should be!), which can only point to the potentiometer on the range change motor. Around £1,000,000 from LR these days and £385 for a refurb unit, I've managed to source a known good spare however this Transfer Box Neutral message is totally random. 100 miles on the way home, not once, several running about jobs, not once then suddenly one day 10 -15 warnings at least over a couple of short journeys. Again Saturday evening 10 times on a 3 mile journey, yet not a single time on the way home or all today (another 30 miles covered). I think its knows I've ordered a spare motor...

But other than that we seem OK, it is quite surprising just how different this 2004 is compared to my 2002 it seems to produce torque like my P38's did and so can be driven on a breath of throttle the 2002 did always feel down on power to me but I was compared it to a Supercharged so its a difficult comparison to make. Anyway, all is good so far and I've got some new center caps to fit to the wheels and I'm on with finding an original grill to replace the oddity on the front. 2005 E60 M5
2006 L322 4.2 SC
2020 Tesla Model S Long Range
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2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2019 NP300 Navara, 2016 NP300 Navara, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C ,2001 330Ci Sport Track Car, 2005 650i Coupe, 2001 P38 Vogue, 2003 530i Sport Touring, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE, 2002 E39 M5, 1995 300zx TT Slicktop, 1997 M3 Evo, 1992 300zx TT Targa, 1998 323i Coupe

To keep up to date with this, Transfer Neutral returned after a week or so of being trouble free. It had been well behaved, and then dinged 100 times or more on a few short journeys.

Enraged by the relentless ding I put the car on the drive into the highest suspension settings and changed the motor in about 30 minutes all told. 15 minutes of that was attempting to get the damn electrical connector back on who on earth designed that I do not know but I would slip a goldfish in his tea if I ever met him.

Anyway, I have been ding free for 200 miles or so now!

Now my MK4 success was great, for a few weeks, until earlier this week where its all gone wrong. I am pretty sure the issue is some damage (corrosion) to a couple of pins inside the blue connector on the TV tuner. Basically I have no display but the radio works perfectly, as does the navigation. I know this because she still chimes in when I am within 25 miles of a speed camera. So the navigation is on, and knows where we are.

Having attempted to clean the muck out of it today I did manage to get the screen back on for a couple of seconds, I have got some spare pins and a replacement connector housing on the way to try and repair/rejoint/repin what I can to get it all working again. 2005 E60 M5
2006 L322 4.2 SC
2020 Tesla Model S Long Range
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2004 L322 4.4 Vogue, 2019 NP300 Navara, 2016 NP300 Navara, 2002 L322 4.4 HSE, 2006 (MY07) L322 S/C ,2001 330Ci Sport Track Car, 2005 650i Coupe, 2001 P38 Vogue, 2003 530i Sport Touring, 1999 P38 4.6 HSE, 2002 E39 M5, 1995 300zx TT Slicktop, 1997 M3 Evo, 1992 300zx TT Targa, 1998 323i Coupe