rivington Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hi all, New to the site and wondering if you could offer me any advice? I am looking at buying my first classic Range Rover, the one in question is a 1989 G Vogue SE Auto 3.5 EFI with 120K on the clock. Anything I should look for in paticular or any known common faults etc etc? Any advice at all would be great and I will post some pics and further details when I get it. Thanks Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumbleweed Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hi all,New to the site and wondering if you could offer me any advice? I am looking at buying my first classic Range Rover, the one in question is a 1989 G Vogue SE Auto 3.5 EFI with 120K on the clock. Anything I should look for in paticular or any known common faults etc etc? Any advice at all would be great and I will post some pics and further details when I get it. Thanks Andy rear crossmember behind bumper is a favorite for rust. Also front inner wings, rear wheelarches, and outriggers as per any landrover need to be checked. Engine wise, listen for tappet noise- shouldn't be too loud after a few seconds running (they are hydraulic and take a few secs to settle). Check the gearbox for changin up and down ok. Also listen for scrabbling when slow moving with full lock- this one will have viscous coupling in transfer box and when kippered it will lock up permanently. otherwise- usual checks such as chicken soup in the oil filler / header tank - headgasket symptom. Best of luck- let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hi thanks for that. The seller has informed me that he has removed the viscous fan to increase MPG???? and also removed the air con belt for some reason? Will any of these cause me problems? I will be collecting the Rangie on 25th june so will add detailed pics and more info when i get my hands on it. Will also be looking for an LPG kit for it. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Check everywhere for rust, most body panels are aluminium but the chassis & body frame are steel and rot for fun. Body mounts, inner wings, sills, door pillars (esp. where the rear door pillar meets the wheel arch), the seatbelt anchors on the rear wheel arches, the footwells, the rear floor... Rear tailgates get fussy about opening/closing properly and rust massively, plus they're real money to replace. If it's got an aftermarket aluminium one, you're on a winner. If not, expect at least £150 to replace it. Everything else is fixable, a complete new axle is ~£150, a running 3.5 lump is ~£200, body panels, interior bits, etc. are all available second hand for reasonable money, and all the spares are cheap from Paddocks/Craddocks/Etc. But if it's rusty, it's proper work which means either time or money or both to sort out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 Cheers, just hope I have not bought a shed, looks well in the photo's. I have got it at what I think is a cheap price but it has a short MOT so could be into a few more quid there I am not mechanically minded at all so anything it needs it will have to be done in a garage no doubt at great expense. Once I have got this one through a test I plan on buying a really cheap one that I can strip and use for off road and also hopefully learn how to work on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumbleweed Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 Cheers, just hope I have not bought a shed, looks well in the photo's.I have got it at what I think is a cheap price but it has a short MOT so could be into a few more quid there I am not mechanically minded at all so anything it needs it will have to be done in a garage no doubt at great expense. Once I have got this one through a test I plan on buying a really cheap one that I can strip and use for off road and also hopefully learn how to work on them. it isnt a problem that he has removed the viscous fan- as long as it has some sort of cooling fan system. The air-con is likely to be shagged anyway so dont worry about it. One real tell tale that it is a rust bucket is to try and remove the plastic panel in the footwell next to the pedals. One of mine had mostly fresh are here and i didn't spot it until MOT time. Post some photos for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 A G Plate RR could be a complete rot bucket - most are, and if so well worth avioding, best you take someone who knows their stuff RR wise. Even a mint G plate will be cheap as chips, so look long and only buy when price OK and condition makes it worth buying Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 it isnt a problem that he has removed the viscous fan- as long as it has some sort of cooling fan system. The air-con is likely to be shagged anyway so dont worry about it. One real tell tale that it is a rust bucket is to try and remove the plastic panel in the footwell next to the pedals. One of mine had mostly fresh are here and i didn't spot it until MOT time. Post some photos for us Hi I will be taking a lot of detailed photo's to post on here as soon as I get my hands on it, it is been delivered to me on 25th June so will take pics asap. I bought it off ebay so it is pretty much a done deal and I just hope it is as described. Cant really back out of the sale now if I see any probs when he brings it unless it is something major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 A G Plate RR could be a complete rot bucket - most are, and if so well worth avioding, best you take someone who knows their stuff RR wise. Even a mint G plate will be cheap as chips, so look long and only buy when price OK and condition makes it worth buying Nige Hi, the seller on ebay described it as "Here is my much loved and treasured rangie. The only reason I'm selling is because of the fuel consumption. It has all the usual refinements of the Vogue. I have removed the viscous fan to get more mpg and the air conditioning belt has also been removed as I have heard that it is expensive to commision. There is no welding required as I have done all the usual bits. Upper and lower tailgates ok. Full leather seats, the headlining has parted company - as usual! It comes with bit of MOT and tax. What more can I say - apart from - it's cheap. £100 deposit on paypal or personal cheque (on clearance), then the rest cash on collection please. No timewasters or overseas bids. Just adding notes to those interested in my rangie, I have recently had all new brake pads fitted. the tyres are exellent and are a very good make. last year I stripped the rear end to fit a new tail gate cross member! and all welding in usual wheel arch places. whilst doing this I pumped loads of oil / mix down each chassis entry back end. by compressor spray gun so the mist will have reach the front area, the spare is an alloy too. I also fit rear exhaust with proper twin tail etc." So no real faults mentioned and I have been in communication with him and he has said nothing untoward about it just have to wait until it arrives so I can see it in the flesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 It comes with bit of MOT and tax. What more can I say - apart from - it's cheap Go on then, your amongst friends - how much have you paid ? Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 I got it for what I think is cheap but you lot could say differently. I have paid £385 for it. MOT and TAX expire end of July, 120k on the clock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 About right, if the rust-gremlins have successfully been kept at bay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 I didnt think I had done that bad cosidering I have seen some on ebay that have been stood for numerous years with no tax or test going for around £300. Just hope the MOT doesnt cost me twice as much as the car lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustyrangie Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Doesn't sound too bad for that money, if he's welded ALL the problem areas properly. It's always a problem buying sight unseen off ebay. I once won a "best on ebay by far" (his words) RRC with LPG. turned out to be a real shed with more rust than there were places to rust and then more rust. Did I mention it was rusty? He'd patched the rear arches after a fashion but when I was able to pull one of the patches off with my fingers he did a wobbly. It had an ABS fault too and the LPG installation was amateurish and probably dangerous. How much did I bid?....£1600!!! When I saw it I just laughed and walked away. Cost me £50 in petrol to just see it. Still, Fish and chips at Harry Ramsden's on the way home almost made up for it. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 I try not to buy too much off ebay because hardly anything is as described and they always have mates bidding it up so it kills it really. The seller is delivering it to me on the 25th and I have it booked in for a test on 30th just so it gives me a few weeks to try re mot it before the current one expires. At the end of the day if it fails too badly I will either break it for spares or make an offroader from it and buy another road going one. Just have to wait and see. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 If you break the silly expensive bits from it, like the interior, electrics and engine ancillaries and then weigh the rest in you can't fail but to make a profit on it tbh. Scrapyard round here is paying £170 per ton for 'light iron', with a Rangie being ~ 2 ton that's a lot of money! Good luck with the MOT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivington Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 Hopefully it wont come to that, lol. Just have to see how things go with it at the MOT test. I will have a good look around it and do anything I can before it goes for the test. I will post some good pics on wednesday when I get it. Any ideas where I can get a roof lining from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustyrangie Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Roof lining.... Depends on how original/plush you want it. You're unlikely to find a good s/h roof lining unless you're very lucky, especially up North. Replacement glass fibre linings are available round the £150 mark. If you're not bothered about originality etc. it's a simple matter to remove the liining, pull off the cloth and foam backing then paint the fibre liner. I used Plastikote light grey stone effect on mine ( 2 quid a tin off ebay), others have used simple household emulsion in whatever shade turns you on. You could even buy the appropriate cloth and stick that on but use proper coach trimming adhesive as household stuff will let go when it gets warm. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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