Hi,

I'm about to buy a 1998 Range Rover HSE with 106,000 miles on it. My parents are a little worried because they have heard that Range Rovers are unreliable and are very expensive to fix. Can anyone tell me if this is a smart buy or if this car is already dead?

 

How old are you, what do you plan to use it for, are you at all mechanically minded?
Mike

 

Okay, I'm 19, use it for daily driving, no off-road usage, and I know the basics I'd say. Mostly about sport-compact cars.

 

The word unreliable is kinda relative.
Mine has started and driven every time and has never left me stranded since I have owned it.
With that said; I have also taken the time to make sure certain things are taken care of. This includes plugs, wires, dist. cap and rotor, belts, brakes and exhaust.
These vehicles will run basically forever with the proper care. Most of which is actually easier to do than on the imports.
They have one major item that the tuners don't. Room to work! Manuals are available that give detailed info on how to fix just about anything.
As for expensive; most parts really aren't that bad unless something major goes wrong. The expensive part is when you have electrical issues and have to take it to the dealer for diagnostics.
If the vehicle starts and idles good, shifts without clunks, drives straight and smooth, doesn't rattle and doesn't tick at idle after it has been driven; it could be a good deal at the right price.

 

okay, sounds good, i'll make sure it runs good before i buy it...what is the mpg gonna be on this thing?

 

DO NOT BUY IT, TRUST ME!!!!!!Your parents are right........Wait until you have the $$$ to get a new one under warranty.

 

For starters the fuel effeciency is about the same as every other SUV 15-23MPG depending on how you drive.
Big catch... It runs on Premium Gas.
How big is the city you live in?
Is your regular travel more than 50 miles a day?
Do you have to get on the highway or intersate to get where you are going?
Nedmoore this is a 19 year old kid. I don't think he is going to come up with $60-90K anytime soon.
I got my 94 RRC LWB at 167,000 for $3000.
How much do they want for this one?
Is it at a car lot? If so they should still be able to sell you an extended warranty up to 150,000 miles.
This would eleminate any major out of pocket costs for a while.
Truth be told; these vehicles require a lot of TLC as they age.
Just like your tuners; they need to be tuned, tighened and lubricated.
I guess it really comes down to is the fact that this is a $70,000 vehicle new and by design it requires that the owner be willing to spend the necessary money to keep it maintained.
Good Luck.

Anyone can afford to buy one, but not everyone can afford to drive one.