Range Rover

Think you can’t afford a two-door Rangie? This is from a batch brought over from France – and it’s not as scruffy as it looks

What’s it like TO drive?

The 3.5-litre V8 rumbles into life without hesitation and doesn’t suffer misfires or tappet noises, offering up a healthy note and plenty of mid-range torque. There’s a little transmission whine but no more than you’d expect from a Range Rover of this vintage, and there’s no crunching or resistance from the four-speed manual. It’s also been fitted with overdrive – a rare extra on UK market cars – which engages happily. There’s no whining or vagueness from the power-assisted steering, and no rattles or knocks from the coil-sprung suspension.

Bodywork check

There are plenty of blemishes on this car’s Shetland Beige paintwork, including a prominent bonnet scratch, some flaking on the offside wheelarch, some specks of surface rust on the tailgate and an extensive area of pimples on the nearside rear wing. Both bumpers are also covered in scratches and would benefit from repainting, and it’s a similar story with all four of the Rostyle steel wheels. There’s also some surface rust on the upper tailgate frame but it and the rest of the bodywork are free from more serious corrosion, with the lower tailgate and doors being in particularly good condition. The car also has a set of four matching Michelin tyres.

HOW’s the interior?

With the exceptions of a non-functioning speedometer and horn – both of which the vendor is sorting out – all the instruments and switches are present and correct. The dashboard material is free from cracks and unsightly marks, and while the carpet trim and door cards could benefit from cleaning, they’re intact.The biggest job for this one is sorting out the headlining, which is sagging at the front and missing at the rear. The boot’s in fine order and comes with the added bonus of the car’s original toolkit being intact and in good condition.

Under the bonnet

There’s a lot of surface rust and dirt on the components, but there aren’t any signs of oil or water leaks, and the pipes and electrical wires aren’t perishing. There’s very little in the way of history supplied, so it’s difficult to vouch for how well it’s been previously looked after, but look beyond the grubby appearance and it’s an engine that feels like it’s got plenty more life left in it.

Our Verdict

While there’s lots of work to do to make it a show star, it’s fundamentally good once you get past the scruffy paintwork. As long as you’re prepared to live with left-hand drive this is a twodoor Rangie at a real world price.