Beschreibung
For Sale is my 1993 Classic Range Rover 3. 9 Vogue SE in Westminster Grey with matching leather interior. L487YCC, 131, 000 miles, Multipoint LPG system, MOT valid till 13/ 08/ 21.
Price reduced to £8500 for a quick sale
This is one of the last of the hard dash models, and I think it’s the best model in the best colour and specification in the entire production history of the Range Rover Classic.
After three years of fun and duty as a daily driver, having covered many miles around the UK including some epic road trips from Herts to Scotland and up to Anglesey, it’s time to say goodbye to this fantastic car. We are now living abroad and so it's time to find a new owner for our much loved Rangie.
The car is well-maintained and in very good health especially considering its twenty eight years of service. In my favourite colour combo of Westminster Grey inside and out, this car is original and unmolested, and having been well looked-after I have not needed to do any major work on it (with the exception of the gearbox - see below). As such it has the patina of a well loved and carefully used car; it was our everyday driver for three years so please don’t expect a perfect pampered restoration as you’d have to find at least £30k for one of those.
This particular car is special as it is one of the very last hard-dash models, but is in the highest possible Vogue SE trim level with the most robust 3. 9L variant of the fuel injected V8. As such it came from the factory with all the options including a/ c, cruise control, air suspension, heated electrically powered seats, ABS, electronic traction control, anti-roll bars, electric glass sunroof, heated windscreen, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, automatic lcd dimming rear-view mirror with map lights, factory alarm and central locking. The interior is in very good condition with no tears or damage to the leather and most importantly a complete and undamaged dashboard with every switch, plastic cover and rubber mat present and correct. All the wood is healthy, the carpets are in very good condition and I replaced the gear selector quadrant as the celluloid strips in the old one had perished and the bulbs had blown. There is some sun fading to the back of the instrument binnacle, but as a bonus there are thick lambswool mats for the rear passengers and in the boot the parcel shelf and supports are in very good condition. The headliner was replaced by the previous owner and is in excellent shape. I had a Pioneer head unit in the car which I have removed, but I am including in the sale the Land Rover stereo that came with the car.
The car runs very well indeed; the engine is strong and smooth, the driveshafts, diffs and transfer box are quiet and don’t whine or rumble and the gearbox operates perfectly, which is not surprising seeing as it’s a refurbished Ashcroft ZF4HP22 unit which I fitted two years ago at a total cost of around £2000. The LPG conversion is an Italian OMVL multi-point system and the 65L tank takes the place of the spare wheel in the boot. The previous owner had the conversion carried out but did it without cutting into any body panels or dashboard plastics, and so it would be very remove the system. Of course on LPG you cut the fuel bills almost in half (depending on pump prices) which makes the car much more affordable to run. The steering and suspension is also in excellent shape with no creaks, bumps, knocks or wobbles to disrupt the driving experience.
As it was a daily driver, and for reliability's sake I converted the car to coil springs. The ride and handling feel just as good as it did on airbags, but apart from the air springs themselves, all the other air suspension components are still in situ if anybody would want to restore the original system.
The bodywork exhibits an honest patina (faded black paint around window frames, weathered exterior plastics, vinyl and rubbers, minor scuffs, small dings and scratches, and a few small rust bubbles) but still looks very nice and gets a huge amount of attention on the road. The original three spoke alloy wheels need refurbishing and the rear bumper either needs a good rubbing down and respray, or a replacement steel section. I fitted a new upper tailgate with new gas struts as the one which came on the car however, the lower tailgate is now at the stage where it too needs to be replaced or re-skinned.
The underside of the car is honest and unmolested and you can still see the original factory marks on the axles but there is now some surface rust which would benefit from a rub down, treatment and a good coat of suitable underbody protection.
The brakes are amazing on this model of Range Rover as the brake servo incorporates an electric motor to pressurise the ABS system’s nitrogen filled accumulator, which gives a beautifully firm and powerful brake feel - this car has the best brakes of any car I’ve driven and provides massive confidence on the road. I changed the ABS valve block to get the car through the MOT last year, but the ABS light is lit so that will need further investigation, but may simply be the relay. Three tyres still have plenty of miles left in them, but one will need replacing soon. Under the bonnet everything is clean and orderly. I replaced the radiator and refreshed some hoses due to a coolant leak and I resealed the sump gasket due to an oil leak. There was an oil leak from the rear diff due to a blocked breather but I’ve just had that sorted and the diff refilled with EP90, and have fitted a brand new battery.
In summary then this is a nice honest and well-maintained example of what I think is the best model in the best colour and specification that Solihull ever offered. It comes complete with Drivers Handbook, Land Rover bottle jack and handle, Land Rover wheel chocks in zip-up case, an original stereo and a file with all the receipts and bills running into the thousands from my ownership along with some former history.
Good points:
Reconditioned Ashcroft gearbox with new transmission fluid fitted less than 5000 miles ago
Coil springs replace the troublesome air suspension
Lpg runs nicely and provides good equivalent economy
Car hasn’t been messed with and is in mostly original condition
Drives beautifully - quiet and smooth engine, drivetrain and suspension
Replaced upper tailgate complete with central locking module which was missing before, and new gas struts.
New battery
New fuel filter and renewed associated fuel lines
Suspension ball joints replaced
Front brake lines replaced
ABS unit replaced
New radiator and fresh coolant
Resealed sump gasket
Rear diff leak fixed and fresh fluids in both front and rear diffs and transfer case
Excellent interior with no holes or damage to dashboard, seats and carpets
Electric seats - fully functional except for memory
Parcel shelf present and in top condition
Thick lambswool floor mats in rear
Headliner replaced within last five years
Original owners manual, jack, wheel chocks
History and receipts from the last few years
Original radio included
Work still needed:
Abs light and traction control lights are on - needs investigating
Cruise control does not work
A/ c does not blow cold
Blower operates on 1 & 3 but not position 2
Rear window drivers side is slow - needs exercising!
Some small spots of corrosion on Birmabrite panels and leading edge of bonnet
Wheels need refurbishing
One tyre a bit worn
Rear bumper needs rubbing down and repainting or replacing
Lower tailgate is rusty - needs a re-skin or replacement.
Underside needs rubbing down, painting and underseal protection is due.
Rust starting to show in one or two places where welded in the past
Tailgate locks on central locking fob, but unlocks on key.
The car is located near Taunton in Somerset and can be viewed by appointment. Test drives only with proof of comprehensive insurance.
