2003 - 2005 Range Rover. Any Fans?
 

My wife decided I needed yet another project. ;) We purchased a 70K mile project Rover. It just needs.....well....a ***** load of work. I knew I was going in deep at the beginning of this. I knew it had a major transmission issue. Like putting it in drive, revving engine and barely movement if any. Not to mention electrical, can't pass smog!, previous owner must have lived in it for awhile. (presuming)
Actually not a bad looking vehicle.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840477.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840477.jpg

First thing, I knew it needed a full trans rebuild. I decided to do the auto trans service first to see if I could actually get it to move on it's own. Yup! That worked. But! There was no way I would make the 40 mile drive to the transmission shop with a quarter inch stream of transmission fluid coming out of the bell housing.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840711.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840711.jpg

While the trans was out it was time to fix a complained about problem from when the car was bought new. Exhaust leak. Apparently the dealer could never locate the leak. Rigggght! A blind person could not have missed this! Exhaust fixed, four new 02 sensors, all eight coils replaced, new plugs, and an air filter. Still no joy in the smog department. Throwing P1170 nand P1173 faults. My next step is replacing the MAF sensor.
The ROVER FORUMS pretty much suck! Little to NO information. Contradicting at best! Pre-cat, Post cat, Bank 1, Bank 2. Crap information!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840864.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840864.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638840864.jpg

My wife has spent the last two weekends doing interior (defunkafy) detail, scrubbing. No pics of that yet. At least you don't feel like you are sitting in a gas station toilet anymore. :)
More to follow.

What, you couldn’t find an older 2.7T Audi wagon to buy?

^^^^^Well he could've had an Audi, but instead decided to go all in with punishment and grief at the get go

Check out the CBD thread, I hear it is good for anxiety and depression

I have actually considered similar projects . What make is the trans ? Curious to see how this all shakes out for you .
I agree, they are great looking vehicle .

Man! Tough crowd! As stated above. I knew this was going to be a project. We wanted a decent beater to drive during the winter so the 996 doesn't get trashed.
So far it has been a fun project except for the smog issues. Each step I take gets it a bit closer.

Fred, The transmission is a ZF. It has the exact same internals as the Tiptronic transmissions in 996 cars. The transmission was so trashed that the shop that rebuilt it had to use a donor trans for the internals.
The engine is a BMW V8.

I know zippy about them other than they have always looked great, at least to me.

Enjoy!

He also bypassed a 928 to get to that

I know several RR sadist, erm I mean enthusiasts. They always tell me issues are overblown, yet the internet is full or things like this 70k mile relatively modern car that is already a major project.


Not judging since I like some needy cars as well, but I would say the RR reputation seems deserved. Good luck getting her back on the road, will be a nice vehicle once straightened out.

When they work right they are fantastic trucks. I just prefer the 5.0 Jag powered version.

I liked them when they were new, that’s about it for that series. The styling wore off pretty quickly. Other than that, they are massively inefficient on every level, from cost of ownership to interior space, etc. Like all Range Rovers, they are very capable off-road but absolutely no one takes them off-road. Of course they will go through mud and snow but so will any AWD vehicle.

My general advice to anyone wanting a used RR would be to buy the best example on earth, pay the price and cry once, as the old saying goes. Except that with Rovers, you never cry only once but you get the idea. :)

I took some grief for rescuing this ‘04 E500 4matic wagon that was neglected but I’m starting to feel practical after this thread! I love the car but it’s thirsty:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638896541.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638896541.jpg

I'm all in with Land Rover. Our current fleet:

2010 Disco 4 aka LR4
2001 P38 Range Rover
1999 Disco 2
2001 Disco 2

The 99 took new head gaskets this past summer
The 01 was bought from a tow truck company after a brake line rupture left it abandoned on side of road.

Got the p38 a year ago.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638900355.jpg

Mechanic yesterday. Hill Country British:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638901482.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638901482.jpg


My kids were home Thanksgiving:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1638901646.jpg

I searched and searched for a 2012/2013 LR4, seeking a clean jag 5.0 as a daily driver. Honestly, the internet scared me away with the $5,000 timing chain "upgrade" that really did not fix the problem.

Instead, last month I found a 35k mile 2009 Jeep Commander Overland 5.7 4x4 at a Jeep dealer in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Flew down, bought it and drove it home. Added 20" SRT wheels/tires and I am over my Land Rover fixation.

Drove it to Tampa and back (Cincy) last week. Perfect.

Sold my 2009 Base 3.7 Jeep Commander with 146,000 miles on it for $150 more than I paid for it two years ago... lol. Lets Go Brandon.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/suppo...eys/gitaar.gif

By the way, I purchased from the Jeep Dealership over the phone while the vehicle was still in service/detail. The Internet people listed it prematurely and I paid the price they asked without hesitation. ($12,999 which I think was about $2k lower than it should have been based on only 35k miles... The vehicle is 12 years old!)

DL

Dan:

Here are some useful sites for parts:

Lucky 8
Rovers North
Rimmer Bros (in UK but decent shipping via DHL)
Atlantic British / Pacific British

All have their own strengths/weaknesses. Rovers North puts out a quarterly(?) magazine which is pretty cool.

I've used several forums, some good, some not so much. God help you if you don't do a search before asking a question, 15 people will find a link and scold you for not searching past threads. But beyond that I've had luck on a few things when posting. People are also really bad about finding a fix for their problem and not posting the solution. So you will find a bunch of threads about your issue that do not have the ultimate solution.

Air suspension: I've had good luck with Arnot replacements. Not difficult at all to install and light years cheaper to DIY. We had a Disco 3 aka LR3 in DC, it was so cold that I took it to an Indy for air suspension issue, actually the proportioning block. They were certain it was an air strut, it was not. They replaced the air strut for double the part cost of an Arnot unit and then about $350 to install. The actual unit is about $300. I believe they charged over $700.

Also, for every post I've seen about converting to coil/shock suspension there are 10 times that many that say it was the worst decision ever. I believe by your model LR had tightened up their shot group on air suspension.

Also, get a Hawkeye or similar scan device that will access LR stuff. An OBD will not do it. Hard pass on Foxwell.

RSW Solutions also have some good software. It will unlock my P38 limp home mode on the suspension and restore the functions. Also calibrates suspension and reads a bunch more stuff.

If you haven’t try www.rangerovers.net

Matthew, Thanks for all the valuable information and links. I have been on a few of the Rover forums. My wife has also been very useful finding information and parts sources. She works from home. I tasked her to replace the MAF sensor today and clean the throttle body. :D I am so glad I married a car girl! Were going to clear the codes and try to run the monitors again.

Asphaltgambler, I already had a 928. Fun car. I have had a few Audis as well. Mostly diesel. Yeah, glutton for punishment there too. ;)

I'm also lucky to do most of my own work. Transmission rebuild was the exception.

https://www.rswsolutions.com/

Their stuff is a download software and they supply a USB interface to OBDII port cable. He has also done a bunch of YouTube videos for different models.
Their software for L322 does all this:

Working Diagnostic Sub-Systems

Recode Steering Angle Sensor Module
Recode Body Control Module
Read & Clear Faults - ABS
Read & Clear Faults - SRS Air Bag System
Read & Clear Faults - Headlight Leveling
Read & Clear Faults - Air Suspension
Read & Clear Faults - HEVAC
Read & Clear Faults - Body Control Module
Read & Clear Faults - Seat Module
Read & Clear Faults - DSP
Read & Clear Faults - Left HID
Read & Clear Faults - Right HID
Read & Clear Faults - Instrument Pack
Read & Clear Faults - Lighting Control Module
Read & Clear Faults - Navigation Module
Read & Clear Faults - Parking Assist Module
Read & Clear Faults - Engine Petrol Immobilizer
Read & Clear Faults - Engine Petrol
Read & Clear Faults - Engine Diesel
Read & Clear Faults - Rain Sensor
Read & Clear Faults - Steering Angle Module
Read & Clear Faults - Security Module
Read & Clear Faults - Transfer Box
Read & Clear Faults - Transmission Petrol
Read & Clear Faults - Tire Pressure
Customize - Body Module (2002-2004)
Customize - Lighting Module (2002-2004)
Customize - Calibrate Air Suspension
Customize - Vehicle Entry Functions
Customize - Parking Sensor Functions

We have an Autel at the shop that "did" do all of that a year ago. We were updating the software for it and needed more memory space. We blew out all of the cars we would "never, ever" work on. Talked to one of our tool dealers today and ordered the software update. We can add Land Rover back into the mix. Our shop is Porsche only. We kept VW, Audi, MBZ, BMW, and Toyota.

Super proud of the wife for handling the MAF replacement. Love that girl!