Yet another buyers question (and some)

[dangermousehouse]

Finally, I'm in a position to start looking seriously at the Mk3 Rangie. I've been reading up on what to look out for, so I'm fairly prepared.

Having said that, I do remember reading somewhere that you can have a look at any fault codes just by pressing a button somewhere and observing the read out on the dash board. I can't recall, for the life of me, where I read this and now can't find the thread.

Am I imagining this?

Other things to look out for are -

Service history (obviously)
Water in spare wheel well
Steering wheel reach motor can fail (expensive)
Check for dead pixels in dash displays
V8 alternator is a weak point (How to check this)
Check front diff recall

For the TD6 economy averages are -
round town: 11L/100
open road cruising: 9.5L/100

V8 'economy' -
round town:18L/100
Open road: 12L/100

Lastly, is there a reliable way of checking the transmission for any signs of abnormality or terminal illness? I understand that the gearboxes can be a bit of a problem. This mostly seems to be with the V8 rather than the TD6, here in Australia, but overseas my reading on various forums reveals both gearboxes to be potentially problematic. (Usually avoidable, if the gearbox is regularly serviced....contrary to LR (GM or ZF) recommendations.

Many thanks

[Scouse]

V8 cooling systems are also a big concern. Some cars have a habit of springing leaks from radiators, water pumps, expansion tanks, etc on a very regular basis.
What the exact cause is, I don't know. I have my strong suspicions as to the cause though.

I checked out a few cars for a member here recently & just about everyone had a history of coolant leakage issues.


In regards to the transmissions, besides actually driving the car & checking the oil condition, there's not much else you can really do when buying one.
Radiators tend to block over time which affects the transmission cooling. Budget for a transmission service/flush & maybe a new radiator with the V8.

[dangermousehouse]

Hi Scouse,

I've read about the radiator issue and the clogging in the lower section which provides coolant to the transmission cooler.

How much is a new radiator?

Didn't know about the coolant leaks, though. I have read about differing fluids (blue and green colours??). Could this be a cause?

Thanks for the pointers