What's the best year Range Rover Classic ???

[OldEBboy]

Hello Rover's North Crew and forum community.

Can any one point me too the best year for a classic range rover? Looking for any advice I can get. Thanks Garret

[AU_88]

95... It's the last year they made the classic and the 4.2 in the LWB is awesome. Really though, other than the dash and some other small stuff they're all pretty similar depending on what you want. It depends on what you want it for.

[OldEBboy]

Thanks AU_88 for your thoughts. I am looking to purchase this rover to do an overland trip this spring across the lower 48 and then head north finishing off in Skagway Alaska for a sessional job. I currently have a 97 P38 4.0 that I use for weekend outings out on the trail and she does great. The rig has over 236,XXX miles on a rebuilt engine so I don't feel comfortable taking her on a overland trip. My ideal classic was a 95 lwb with coil conversion up to a few weeks ago when I start researching into model specifics. I am starting to rethink that from reading around on the this forum and others about the last year of the classic models, from comments made by rover enthusiasts saying that the 95's are just Dicso's in sheeps clothing, steal quality (rust) and build quality had diminished by that year, poor visibility in the wind screen because of the redesign to the dash board. My main criteria is that with proper maintenance and preparation I would be able to stay with in my set travel time frame to make my final destination with out the truck leaving me stuck with a giant repair bill. I would like to ideally me able to fix and mirror issues on the road with spare parts from Rover's North that I bring along as back up supplies. Have you every done any long distance trips in your 25th anniversary classic? Would you drive you Rover Overland and feel comfortable in is ability to bring you back to Alabama?

[AU_88]

Thanks AU_88 for your thoughts. I am looking to purchase this rover to do an overland trip this spring across the lower 48 and then head north finishing off in Skagway Alaska for a sessional job. I currently have a 97 P38 4.0 that I use for weekend outings out on the trail and she does great. The rig has over 236,XXX miles on a rebuilt engine so I don't feel comfortable taking her on a overland trip. My ideal classic was a 95 lwb with coil conversion up to a few weeks ago when I start researching into model specifics. I am starting to rethink that from reading around on the this forum and others about the last year of the classic models, from comments made by rover enthusiasts saying that the 95's are just Dicso's in sheeps clothing, steal quality (rust) and build quality had diminished by that year, poor visibility in the wind screen because of the redesign to the dash board. My main criteria is that with proper maintenance and preparation I would be able to stay with in my set travel time frame to make my final destination with out the truck leaving me stuck with a giant repair bill. I would like to ideally me able to fix and mirror issues on the road with spare parts from Rover's North that I bring along as back up supplies. Have you every done any long distance trips in your 25th anniversary classic? Would you drive you Rover Overland and feel comfortable in is ability to bring you back to Alabama?

Well the interior in the 95 is basically a discovery interior, the only issue I have is being able to see red lights at stops, but that is an issue in all my rovers. As far as build quality and steel quality, they ALL rust and almost all rattle. The lift gates rust, along with the floors, door latch areas and anywhere else water could sit. As far as reliability, the 4.2 in my 95 is awesome. It is a smooth engine and runs like a champ. I just drove mine on a trip around a thousand miles without a hiccup and it was great and would not hesitate to drive it across the country and for the most part it lives in my garage and gets maybe 50 miles a month unless I feel like driving it somewhere. For your purposes I would suggest a clean 93-95 LWB with the 4.2. Depending on how fast you drive and how much gear etc you have, you can plan on seeing around 16-20 mpg out of a stock truck. The most important part in finding a reliable truck is finding one that hasn't been neglected and is well maintained.

[RoverLou]

Boy, I wish I could get 16-20 mpg out mine!
Maybe because wifey is driving it.... hmmm!

[73series88]

well i can can tell you whats go to be the wearst year
1988
was the bigest POS i ever owned.
everything the could have gone wrong did
electrical nightmare
ended up taking the efi off and planting two strongbergs
would finally run but couldnt get it through emissions
if i ever got another one it would be an old 3 door from the 70's
aaron