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http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...r/1719627.html
I have recently found myself with the opportunity to purchase a Range Rover Classic. I am a current 1965 SIIA owner and have fairly extensive maintenance and repair capabilities. However, I have never owned an RRC. What are your thoughts on this one? Maintenance issues? Things to look for when I go to check it out?
Look at as many as you can, and then keep searching. RRC's fall all over the place, both in price and actual condition. Price is not a guarantee of what you'll get....
The truck pictured is a 4500 vehicle and I wouldn't recommend paying a penny more. I just got a completely rust free southern 1994 LWB truck from Texas and paid $1900. Similar miles and condition as that in the link.
Look for:
Rust. Remove the front door sills and lift up the carpet. You will likely see rust under there. They all have it. Matter of how bad.
Also check rear door openings under latch pin. There shouldn't be any rust. Also the rear seat belt attachment points. Flip the rear seat forward, and lift the carpet and pad. There are a couple of retaining mushroom head plastic deals that unscrew. Undo those and lift up the carpet and inspect the rust. It's there just a matter of how much.
Other problem areas are the rear cross member under the tailgate and behind the fuel tank, inner front fenders, door bottoms, upper and lower tail gates, and bonnet front corners. Rust is a real death blow. If there is anything more than surface rust, walk away. Any rust repair involves massive disassembly.
Check that the heater blows all three speeds. If not it means at least replacing the motor resistor which entails removing the bonnet and the cowl panel. If it doesn't blow at all then you'll be replacing it which means taking out the entire dash and center console. A huge job.
Air conditioner is way easier to service as it is bolted under the dash with 4 fasteners and comes right out. It has separate blowers.
Mechanical issues to check for are:
Transfer case viscous coupling. If it fails it makes the truck act like it has center diff lock engaged all the time; front tires chirp and struggle around corners. Test drive will reveal. Check operation of hi-low selector on case. Usually these never get shifted into low and the linkage freezes up.
Gear selector interlock: if equipped this can fail leaving you stuck in park. Usually one of the first things I delete. Selector indicator tape gets fouled up and torn. New one, if you can find one, is well over $150.
Interior: Absolutely no parts available. Count on scrounging for any parts that are missing or damaged. Infamous for sagging headliner. Make sure seats work. Memory 2 position driver's seat has an ECU under the seat which can fail. It has a circuit board that has a battery which over time leaks juice on the circuit board rendering it useless. I have successfully repaired a few, but sometimes they're just too far gone.
Carpeting is wool mohair, not cheap nylon pile so it needs hand washing. Connolly leather usually shows cracks but can be restored. Warped, broken or sun damaged plastic only refurbish or find good replacements.
EAS: Love it or hate it. I love it. It is easily repaired nowadays as you don't need to involve the stealership. Many truck have been converted to coil springs. In my opinion this is a downgrade. The ride quality of an air sprung RRC is unparallelled.
Other stuff that happens:
Leaking power steering. ABS accumulator and or pump. oil cooler lines to radiator. Radio fail. Heated seats fail. Autodim rear mirror fail. windshield washer fluid reservoir tabs bust. Bumper end caps damage.
Awesome man, great info. I'll keep my ear to the ground. Looking forward to finding a truck to expand the collection.
Great information. I have a 1994 LWB with its original air suspension.When she runs well she is a honey, but she requires constant maintenance!
Does anyone know of a workaround for the power seats? I think the memory function is a dead loss and would like to convert back to the pre 1993 power seat setup without the memory. What is really galling is that the outside mirrors will no longer adjust!
You seem very knowledgeable! I wonder if you have a workaround for a non functioning seat memory on a '94 LWB. I have switches and wiring looms from a '92 with non memory seats and wonder if there is some way to wire these in instead.
Thanks