I just graduated college and am looking for a new SUV. I drove almost all of them out there and the only one I like, actually I love it, is the Range Rover Sport. I can't afford a $60k+ vehicle right out of college though.

I'm looking at older versions of the Range Rover and was hoping to hear from current or past owners of the 2002 (+/- a year or two) Range Rover. I'm looking at a 2002 that's fully loaded with 60k miles on it. It's going for $20k or $25k, but it's not a certified pre-owned vehicle. I'm seriously considering, but I want to make sure that I'm not buyingsomething that costs me thousands a year in repairs.

I don't need anew vehicle as my current car runs great. I just want to upgrade from a 4-door sedan that got me through college to a comfortable, yet rugged, SUV. Any inputregarding past problems, expected repairs, typical annual costs, common problems, etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

If I was going for a Range Rover I'd be looking at a Classic LWB and having it fully restored. The less electrical on a Rover the better.

 

I agree with ajh , The P38's are rare to find in good condition( that dont need thousands in repairs),I'm not saying dont get it because it might be a great car, just remember that you will need to stay on top of things to keep it under control, Spend a hundred bucks and bring it to a dealer for an inspection and dig up a service history,( For any year you choose).Dont forget to ask the dealer what they would offer for that vehicle on a trade in.My 95 LWB has about 150k now but it still needs constant TLC, I have said this for years , Its Never Over With a Rover, but I still love em.

 

I'm not too familiar with all the models. All I know is that I love the 02 Range Rover and the new Range Rover sport. Would you say it'll run me a few thousand a year in electrical and mechanical repairs?

I'm really pumped about this car but if you're advising me to beware of buying the car becauseit's been known to have alot of bugs with it then I might reconsider. Thanks for your feedback!

 

If you're going that new, a Sport should have fewer issues than the older one due to the non-1950's engine fitted. It really depends why you want a Rover, do you want to hit serious trails or impress women? (or both) if you just want something fancy go for the Sport, but if you want off-road performance you'll need a P38 or older to start from and find a good local shop familiar with it who can handle the work you can't, then learn, learn as much about the vehicle as you can because in the end, on the trail, the only person there to help is you.