Ultimate Buying Guide
It’s New Year – the time when most people go shopping for Land Rovers. With so many to choose from, what should you buy and what should youo avoid? LRM’S experts have some helpful advice…
Our pick of the best secondhand Land Rovers
THE British love tradition, especially in winter. December is spent shopping for Christmas, then once the festivities are over we go shopping for Land Rovers. Anyone in the motor trade will tell you that January is the slowest time of the year for buying most cars – but not 4x4s. The threat of floods, blizzards and tree-toppling gales is enough to get folk scurrying to buy four-wheel drives. And in the UK the best-selling 4x4s are Land Rovers. But high demand can mean higher prices, so it is important to knoknow which are the best bargains. And which are the ones to buy? We’ve picked the brains of some of LRM’S in-house experts for advice on what to look for, as well as which overpriced models to avoid. Uncertainty in the economy, a mixed reaction to new models and diesel worries have had an effect on the market for used Land Rovers, but buyers are still needing 4x4s and dealers with the right cars are busy. But values of some models are softening, say the experts.
Before you start shopping, remember that well-maintained original-spec vehicles will always hold the highest prices and be the most desirable. Be prepared to haggle. But above all, enjoy your search for your ideal Land Rover.
FINANCE: Cash vs loan vs HP vs PCP
“With the interest rates low, it’s cheap to borrow money now,” says Mark Calzoni at Simmonites. “Or people have the money in the bank and are finding it’s earning nothing. So they are treating themselves to a new vehicle.” If you are taking out some form of finance to fund all or part of the purchase, doing a little research could save you a lot of money. A dealer might go out of their way to get your monthly payments low, but may stretch the finance over six years or even more. Will you really want to be still paying for a car in 2026? PCPS and leasing have revolutionised the new car market and are starting to be made available on used cars too. These are more affordable as you only pay for the depreciation and the interest on the loan, rather than the total value of the car. However, bear in mind that it will never be owned by you unless you pay the balance at the end of the loan period. You’re unlikely to get these offered on older cars, so your alternatives will be HP (usually organised by the dealer) or a loan from a bank or broker. The monthly payments could actually be similar to a PCP or lease on a new car, but you will own the car at the end of the term. Get a quote for both, and pay attention to the total amount you will pay once you have finished paying the loan off. Watch out in the small print for extra fees such as admin charges.
What happens if it goes wrong?
MODERN cars are complicated. Sophisticated electronics and air suspension can strike fear into the heart of a DIY Land Rover enthusiast. Repairs are rarely less than £100 for anything, but the cost is falling as cheaper fixes are engineered. There are still some repairs that can’t be done on the cheap though, so when buying a modern Land Rover, consider what will happen if something goes disastrously wrong. Even routine maintenance is pricey: “We get a lot of Discovery 3s which come in for an MOT and leave with a £2000 bill. And our labour rates are low! It’s typically handbrakes and rear suspension,” says Mark Calzoni at Simmonites. If buying from a dealer, it’s likely you will be offered a warranty to cover disasters, but they vary in quality, so check the terms of the cover. “Some have a claim limit of £ 1000 which isn’t going to get you anything much on a Range Rover,” said Lawrence Whittaker from Warrantywise, a serial Land Rover owner who has data on repair costs for thousands of cars. If you’re buying privately, or from a dealer with an unconvincing warranty, then consider taking out a private policy to cover repairs. Bear in mind that the company providing cover will insist on a full service history or the cover will be invalid. We got a quote for an 86,000-mile, 2012 Discovery 4 which worked out at around £650 for a year, which might seem cheap if you’re faced with an engine rebuild.
Insurance and road tax
WE need road tax and insurance just to stay legal, but there are ways to save money on both. Price comparison sites are a good place to start to get an idea of insurance costs, but it’s also worth talking to a few specialist brokers. “There’s a limit to the information you can provide online,” says Andrew Evanson of Lancaster Insurance. “Having a conversation with a broker allows you to show that you are a true enthusiast, something that insurance companies look favourably on. You can describe your car and modifications in detail, allowing them to build a tailored policy for you.” Road tax can be a shock too, because of emissions-based rates. Check the cost carefully before you buy. For example, a Range Rover registered on the March 23, 2006, will be £341 per year while an identical car registered a day later will be £570. There is good news, though. As Land Rovers have become more emissionsefficient, the road tax has come down. A late Discovery 4 is £230 a year cheaper to tax than earlier models and a L405 Range Rover with the SDV6 engine can be taxed for just £300.
“As a daily drive I can’t fault my Freelander 2. It’s been reliable since the word go and off-road it’s more than capable. Just make sure to keep on top of the service schedule” James Goodwin
“I first fell in love with the colour, then the iconic shape, followed by the purr of the Puma engine. ‘Solace’ is the perfect off-roader and I’m always confident she will get me through” Caroline i Gammon
Security
THE biggest threat to your Land Rover isn’t rust or mechanical failure. It is the threat of being stolen. Trackers can be great at helping to get a stolen car returned, and cheaper units can now be bought for less than £50 plus the cost of a pay-as-you-go SIM card. Professionally- fitted and insurance approved units are at least £ 600, but check if the car you are buying already has one fitted which you can reactivate. Many owners let the subscription lapse but the tracker company will be happy to make it live again. Ask the vendor for the details or look for paperwork in the history. One of the cheapest ways to protect your car is to use a marking kit to make the car and its components easily identifiable. This will help the police and potential buyers identify it easily and will make the car less attractive to thieves. Kits such as Selectdna’s 4x4 kit cost £64.99 fromselectadna.co.uk. If you buy a car with any form of marking, take the time to check it matches the owner’s description.
“My L322 is a supremely comfortable grand touring vehicle — very important now that I’m an old man — and it’s powered by a V8, the best engine ever made” Frank Elson
“A late Range Rover Classic is the ultimate development of the original. It takes in the clean design of 1970 with a superbly-matched V8 driveline and modern interior” Alisdair Cusick
Consumer rights
BUY from a dealer and you can trade your existing car in, arrange finance and – most importantly – have legal protection if something goes wrong. The law says that a car bought from a dealer must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If it’s not, you can reject it and ask for a refund in the first 30 days. Bear in mind that they may not accept your rejection though, and you may have to fight them in court. For this reason, it’s worth going with your gut and buying from a dealer who has a reputation and business they will want to protect rather than a trader who can shut down at the first hint of trouble. Away from the dealer forecourt, you’re not so well protected: “If you buy from a private seller then you’re not covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015,” says Joel Combes from motor trade law experts Lawgistics. “The maxim ‘caveat emptor’ – let the buyer beware, applies.” This means some dealers may pose as private sellers to avoid liability. It’s likely to land them in hot water, say Joel. “Masquerading as a private seller is a criminal offence and a dealer can find themselves prosecuted.” Others may try to limit their liability by putting ‘Trade Sale’ in advertising. “If it is not a genuine trade sale (between dealers) then the Consumer Rights Act will still apply and the attempt to restrict a buyer’s rights could result in a prosecution,” says Joel.