I was genuinely on the fence about it and in reality I knew it was going to be a challenge - I went through the images in detail and the particular one of the engine bay. At first glance it looks complete; however, so many tell tell signs and red flags.....that said I still took the gamble. While Copart are not easy to deal with IMO if they list a car as starts, runs/drives etc that is part of the terms of the transaction and I would have been fully prepared not to accept the delivery.....that said be careful as Copart should have listed this car with mechanical issues and being partly stripped as the boot was fully of all the under trays etc.....none of this was mentioned and were even removed from he photo's! I regret not challenging this with Copart now; but we are where we are. The below image was from my initial "thats not right" list before I started bidding on it.......for me so long as it was running and driving I felt confident I could deal with it!

maxbasscat wrote:

Good stuff I remember looking at this car in the auction and felt it was too much for my skill set, the give away that someone had messed with the engine always puts me off. Well done you are very brave

The auction listing did not list anything wrong; but clearly it needed a lot of love…I have just been reading your amazing posts on your L322 5.0 SC project - puts my post to shame…. Some great reference points for me; thank you.

dhallworth wrote:

Nice project!

What did the advert say was wrong with it?

Today, I've just done over 200 miles in my 5.0 that was a project 12 months ago to. They really are fantastic cars when sorted properly.

Glad I could help

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Can't wait to see how you get on...

All the best!

It’s been a while since I updated on the L322 5.0 SC…..after hitting issues I could not sort on the drive without a ramp I sent the car into Nick Kerner 4x4 to have the engine and gearbox dropped….with so many little things clearly re-installed incorrectly when they put the engine back in before it ended up at Copart, and the fact that it would not engage gears correctly and the gear box in Park was not holding it without the handbrake…..the only option was to drop the engine and start again……. At the end of October it headed off…………

So plan was for them to remove and replace engine assembly and carryout full inspection and gasket and seals check on engine and renew any missing or leaking parts……basically re-install engine to spec….and flag any major defects to be sorted……

Work carried out:
Front differential oil leak was due to a missing breather pipe - replaced
Damaged AIR CONDITIONING PIPE (condenser to Evaporator) - replaced
Damaged Fan Shroud + brush - replaced
Faulty OS SHAFT & CV JOINT ASSY - replaced
Front drive shaft not connected correctly + loose = reason for the issue with drive and P (park not working)
Re-route wiring harness correctly along with a million other things put back wrong…..all rectified
Full gearbox flush……incorrect oil used previously
Full fluids change……plugs etc…
Also installed new rear disks and pads……

Car still had electrical issues…which I would sort once I got the car back….the wiring harness has previously been badly worked on for some reason….. main goal for NK4x4 was achieved and that was getting car mechanically running………so the car came back…

Glad to hear it's back and you can get on with the other bits and pieces now.

Look forward to more updates as work progresses.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Great project! Will be watching your journey. All the best!

The issue appears to be an intermittent fault code causing the car to enter restrictive performance mode. Using a GAP tool, I identified the code as P0018-00 (AE) - Camshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation Bank 2 Sensor 1, which often points to a timing chain issue. The engine was running very rough, further suggesting this. However, after speaking with the original garage that sold the car, I learned the timing chains, covers, tensioners, and guides were all replaced at 113,000 miles in 2019, shortly before they sold it.

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Salter121 wrote:

So plan was for them to remove and replace engine assembly and carryout full inspection and gasket and seals check on engine and renew any missing or leaking parts……basically re-install engine to spec….and flag any major defects to be sorted……

Work carried out:
Front differential oil leak was due to a missing breather pipe - replaced
Damaged AIR CONDITIONING PIPE (condenser to Evaporator) - replaced
Damaged Fan Shroud + brush - replaced
Faulty OS SHAFT & CV JOINT ASSY - replaced
Front drive shaft not connected correctly + loose = reason for the issue with drive and P (park not working)
Re-route wiring harness correctly along with a million other things put back wrong…..all rectified
Full gearbox flush……incorrect oil used previously
Full fluids change……plugs etc…
Also installed new rear disks and pads……

Car still had electrical issues…which I would sort once I got the car back….the wiring harness has previously been badly worked on for some reason….. main goal for NK4x4 was achieved and that was getting car mechanically running………so the car came back…

While tackling the previously mentioned electrical work, I also spent time preparing the car for its MOT. One major task was addressing the glass, starting with the front windscreen. I ordered a brand-new windscreen directly from Land Rover (LR039064), which is the standard glass with a rain sensor mount.

Although I considered upgrading to the climate glass, I ultimately couldn’t justify the additional cost. To ensure the installation was done perfectly, I was referred to a fantastic specialist with over 20 years of experience fitting glass into Range Rovers. He did an excellent job helping me get it fitted.

If you’re in a similar situation and need someone reliable for Range Rover glass work, feel free to PM me, and I’ll gladly share his contact details.

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Salter121 wrote:

The car had clearly been sitting for years, and the windows and paintwork suffered badly from contamination—almost as if the entire vehicle had been covered in clear coat overspray. I used my orbital polisher with various compounds to try and restore it, but the glass panels proved especially difficult.

I reached out to a few local glass polishers to get quotes for bringing the glass back to its original condition. Once I had a sense of the costs, I had to weigh up whether to repair or replace the glass. The front windscreen was particularly bad, scratched from someone using the wipers without blades, leaving it beyond repair. This led me to look for a replacement.

While considering my options, I realised that although polishing would cost around £400 plus VAT—considerably cheaper than replacing the glass with new panels—it still wouldn’t guarantee perfection. I wanted the windows to be flawless, so I started exploring the possibility of replacing each glass panel. During my research, I discovered just how many different glass options the L322 has. Having replaced doors and glass on my 4.4 TDV8 L322 before, I had always assumed all the glass was the same. But no....more to follow on this !

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After spending countless hours polishing the side glass—and even consulting a professional glass polisher for a quote—I had to weigh the value of my time against simply biting the bullet and replacing the glass. I know it sounds a bit crazy, especially given the cost, but it was the only practical solution in the end.

With the old glass removed, I now have the option to either continue polishing it when I have spare time or sell it on eBay as a project for someone else to clean up.

I took advantage of the Black Friday sales and bought all Land Rover Genuine Glass directly from Land Rover, including LR017465, LR017466, LR017463, LR039062, LR039060, LR040920, and LR040918. All the glass matches perfectly, featuring a rear dark tint, laminated construction, and climate glass. As this is a car I will never sell.......it is a worthwhile investment.......

When I first got the car, I knew the interior was going to need a lot of work to get it looking even remotely acceptable. Honestly, why anyone thinks it’s a good idea to put engine parts on leather seats is beyond me!

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Although I’m still dealing with the intermittent P0345-02 and P0390-02 fault codes that occasionally throw the car into restrictive mode, they held off just long enough for it to pass its MOT.

The last time this car had an MOT was back in 2019 at 116,742 miles—a mere 4,775 miles ago. It’s a small victory, but it feels great to have it roadworthy again after all this time! (and money)

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That's a massive amount of work you've put into that car! A fantastic result with the MOT too! Well deserved after all of that effort!

Some excellent diagnostic work on the timing codes too.

Really hope it's plain sailing from here on for you. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior