Finally got a RRS

[101RRS]

Well after months of researching and asking silly questions I have finally acquired a RRS. Ended up getting a 07 TDV6 with 38,000km. Metallic light blue with a cream and olive interior - not the usual grey exterior and black interior.

Flew down to Melbourne yesterday and drove back to Canberra last night. It is a nice vehicle to drive and I think I have sussed out most of the operating procedures. I was surprised at how much it is like my old D1 V8 to drive. Has similar performance on the road, feels similar to drive with similar comfort levels and noise levels One thing that it has over the D1 is fuel consumption - averaged 8.3l/100km for the trip.

I had to buy the vehicle sight unseen but the vehicle was basically as presented - near perfect interior just a couple of wear marks and the exterior has no dents or marks - nearly changed 10km after pickup when semi blew a tyre and sprayed me with rocks, rubber and bits of truck trailer mudguard - thankfully no damage. One thing that I should have discussed with the dealer was tyres but for some reason I didn't and of course they were marginal - they were Goodyear Wrangler F1 - I assume the original road tyres.

So when I took it in for a roadworthy today it got knocked straight away for two tyres. Following the D3/D4 tyre theads, I want to put on something better for offroad later so did not want spend big on a full set of tyres just now - even if I wanted to put on full set there are none in Canberra of the correct size in Canberra at the moment so I put on two half worn Pirellis road tyres to get through rego. One of my first major tasks will be to read all the D3/D4 wheel/tyre threads to work out what I want. Am leaning to a set of 17' with good MTs for offroad and stay with the alloys with cheaper road tyres for around town but I need to research it a bit more.

Some early questions - the FAQ indicates that the tow points are suitable for recovery however the handbook specifically states they are only suitable for towing the vehicle on paved roads so what do people do for recovery points on the RRS.

What do you do for roof rails and roof racks - I understand Landrover Expedition roof racks fit but what are the alternatives?

The Landrover tow hitch with wiring harness sells for about $600 and a Mitch Hitch is about $670 without wiring harness. I will probably go for the Mitch Hitch but where could I get a plug in wiring harness without having to buy the hitch.

Lastly - anything I should be specifically be looking for maintenance or reliability wise - 07MY.

Looks silver here but is actually blue.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/gazzz21/IMG_00581.jpg

Cheers

Garry

[justinc]

Nice, Garry.

I had an '06 in today with the brembo brakes and 20" rims etc, surprisingly quiet on the road with those wheels:eek:

Enjoy, they are a very nice vehicle, and surprisingly 'cheap' to own.

Compare brakes, servicing and tyre prices with ML series Mercs or X5's, you'll be VERY glad you bought a RRS:)


JC

[BigJon]

If you bought it from a dealer and it failed rego, get in touch with them. They should come to the party with helping to cover the tyre costs, as it is illegal for a dealer to sell an unroadworthy vehicle.

It looks great though and I am most jealous.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Good one Garry :BigThumb:

Not that I like all the let you down electronics, but I guess they'll be sorted by now!

Is the freelander staying or going?

[chuck]

GARRY

Nice it does look silver.
Your car will fit 17" alloys.
Ebay UK is a good source - you should be able to get 4 + air freight for about $900.00 - $1000.00 landed.
The 17" rims on the D3 are fitted standard to the RRS in the UK although I am not sure until what MY.

One tip go air freight not sea freight - I recently received 4 via sea freight & got stung badly for additional charges. For some reason the idiots thought they had tyres on them so they went for AQUIS inspection & fumigation.
The wheels are like brand new & spotless so I think they just on sell & you are held to ransom.

I was lucky & bought them cheap (Like New) so the sea freight sting was a little more palatable.

No such bull**** with air freight & you get them in 3 - 4 days.

Regards

Chuck

[Neil P]

...... it is illegal for a dealer to sell an unroadworthy vehicle.

There're plenty of shysters in the Trade who'll try it on
with a vehicle that doesn't have $85 tyres ....... trust no one.

[Jamo]

Some early questions - the FAQ indicates that the tow points are suitable for recovery however the handbook specifically states they are only suitable for towing the vehicle on paved roads so what do people do for recovery points on the RRS.


Cheers

Garry

Good on you Garry!

They are recovery points. The handbook just tows (haha) the insurance line. You'll note that even ARB calls it's recovery hooks 'Tow Hooks'.

[Grover-98]

Very Nice Garry!

I would love to be in your shoes... or should that be seat? Always had a soft spot for Range Rovers of any class!

Kind Regards, James.

[101RRS]

If you bought it from a dealer and it failed rego, get in touch with them. They should come to the party with helping to cover the tyre costs, as it is illegal for a dealer to sell an unroadworthy vehicle.

It looks great though and I am most jealous.

It was roadworthy in Victoria but that does not matter at all when you have to go through the process in a different state. The ACT tester decided that two of the tyres did not have enough tread even though the centers were not down to the wear markers but the edges were a bit scruffy. I guess he could have failed the lot if he wanted.

Garry

[101RRS]

Is the freelander staying or going?

As soon as the rain stops I can get my 101 back on the road (just need to put the radiator back in), the garage gets cleaned up so I can get a car in (it hailed here today and I had the blankets all ready to go over the RRS.

Then cam, injection and serpentine belts get changed in the Freelander along with a section of exhaust then yes it will be going. That has turned out to be a great car, one of the most reliable I have owned - I will be sad to see it go but it cannot tow 101s so I will not be sad for long.

Garry

[101RRS]

They are recovery points. The handbook just tows (haha) the insurance line. You'll note that even ARB calls it's recovery hooks 'Tow Hooks'.

Yeah I know but they also made the point of saying that it could only be towed using them onroad - no offroad so I figured they were not suitable.

Cheers

Garry

[Jamo]

I think that's more a case of UK/europe 'Nanny State' self protection by LR (with a bit of 'Let's try and get out of the warranty any way we can!' mentality thrown in) than anything else.

There's info on the Disco3 site as to the exact loads they can take. I can't remember off hand, but it's quite significant.

I did loads of recovery off the ones on my D3 with no probs at all, including snatching and winching.

[101RRS]

I think that's more a case of UK/europe 'Nanny State' self protection by LR (with a bit of 'Let's try and get out of the warranty any way we can!' mentality thrown in) than anything else.

There's info on the Disco3 site as to the exact loads they can take. I can't remember off hand, but it's quite significant.

I did loads of recovery off the ones on my D3 with no probs at all, including snatching and winching.

Yes all the information is in the FAQs - you see some people do read them :D. That is what prompted my question. The issue is probably academic at the moment because with road tyres I will not be doing any muddy type offroading or anything very serious.

I will get used to the car first before I decide on what I need to do or not to do.

Cheers

Garry

[Tote]

Hi Gary,
If it has 18"rims I have 4 wranglers with about 10K left on them you can have if you like.
PM Me if interested

Regards,
Tote

[101RRS]

Hi Gary,
If it has 18"rims I have 4 wranglers with about 10K left on them you can have if you like.
PM Me if interested

Regards,
Tote

Are you going to the club meeting on Monday - if so I will have a chat - got a couple of other questions.

Garry

[Tote]

See you there
Regards,
Tote

[101RRS]

I have now put up 1500km and absolutely love the car. Really love the auto lights and auto wipers.

Some questions:

1. Where is the best place to mount a brake controller around the dash?

2. I have an Icom 440 and will mount it under the steering column with the handset mounted to the little panel above the Phone button on the radio. Where have people mounted the UHF aerial and run the cable into the car - I have seen on on a bracket just in front of the passenger rear view mirror but it looks vulnerable there.

3. Roof rails - the Landrover item is a full kit - any one been able to buy aftermarket roof rails - I do not need the cross bars.

4. I see that suspension compressor seems to fail fairly regularly. Is this aggravated by use as it is easier to get in and out of my car (saves the seat bolster as well) with the suspension in the low access position.

5. While the radio has good sound it is a bit ancient and would have been old technology when built. No iPod connection on the dash (in the back yes), no display of songs being played on CD, only 2 FM bands etc. So has anyone replaced it with something more modern - I see the brackets and frames to mount more modern radios in the RRS are available in the UK. I am aware the old radio might have to be mounted somewhere else to retain connectivity to the computer systems

6. Can a mobile phone be connected to the radio (there is a phone button). If not, does the radio have a auto mute function if I connect it to my nokia blue tooth hands free system.

That will do for now - now doubt I will have more questions as time goes by.

A great drive:).

Cheers

Garry

[Tote]

If the audio is the same as the mid level Disco 3 system (six stack CD) any bluetooth kit can be connected and the stereo will mute and route the phone sound via the speakers. Works quite nicely and the volume is adjustable on the phone independantly from the music sources. I use a nokia bluetooth carkit but a parrot or other brand would work just as well.
I use my air suspension every day to get in and out of the work carpark and got 130K out of my compressor. I believe that the failure is more dependant on the software controlling suspension pressure than use. Make sure the latest updates have been done on your car.
Onthe D3 there is a grommet at behind the second battery box that is the path to run all things inside to the outside. I'd suspect there is also one in a similar spot on the RRS.
Disco3.co.uk has a weath of technical info on fitting all manner of extra electronics on D3/4. Have a look there for some more answers.

Regards,
Tote

[djhampson]

I have now put up 1500km and absolutely love the car. Really love the auto lights and auto wipers.

Some questions:

1. Where is the best place to mount a brake controller around the dash?

We cut a hole in the panel in front of your knees... The front of the Takonsia just sits out while the rest of the body is hidden. You can't really band it with your legs but you can still read the screen by glancing down. I'll get a photo for you tonight if you want.

2. I have an Icom 440 and will mount it under the steering column with the handset mounted to the little panel above the Phone button on the radio. Where have people mounted the UHF aerial and run the cable into the car - I have seen on on a bracket just in front of the passenger rear view mirror but it looks vulnerable there.

We mounted the radio on the passengers side under the glove box. The antenna is mounted on the same side and comes up thru the black plastic between the windscreen and the bonnet. Again can get a photo if you want.

3. Roof rails - the Landrover item is a full kit - any one been able to buy aftermarket roof rails - I do not need the cross bars.

4. I see that suspension compressor seems to fail fairly regularly. Is this aggravated by use as it is easier to get in and out of my car (saves the seat bolster as well) with the suspension in the low access position.

Every time the compressors starts and stops is one less time that it will start and stop before it fails. I don't change the suspension height unless I'm off-road or going into a undercover car-park.

5. While the radio has good sound it is a bit ancient and would have been old technology when built. No iPod connection on the dash (in the back yes), no display of songs being played on CD, only 2 FM bands etc. So has anyone replaced it with something more modern - I see the brackets and frames to mount more modern radios in the RRS are available in the UK. I am aware the old radio might have to be mounted somewhere else to retain connectivity to the computer systems.

The LR iPod connectivity kit is pretty good. Dad's RRS has a great stereo so I can't comment on changing it in the RRS. I think the clock under the speedo is set via the clock menu so removing the radio would probably remove any way of setting the clock.

I removed the stock radio in my D3 and I didn't have any issues. I bought a mount and frame from the UK.

6. Can a mobile phone be connected to the radio (there is a phone button). If not, does the radio have a auto mute function if I connect it to my nokia blue tooth hands free system.

There is no mute wire. Dad and I experimented with cutting the power to the radio with a relay but eventually decided not to bother. Its easy enough to hit the button when you get a call.

That will do for now - now doubt I will have more questions as time goes by.

A great drive:).

Cheers

Garry


Hope that helps...

[101RRS]

Thanks Ian - I have a genuine nokia hads free system in my Freelander so I will pull that out - from you say I will not need the speaker connected.

The seat bolster gets crunched a bit when you get in and out so dropping down to access height will be good as long as it is not going the wear out the compressor.

I am on the RRS UK site but I will also join the D3 site. I hear that in a D3 the second battery goes in front of the main battery but I had a look at mine this morning and I cannot see how one will fit unless I move the radiator filler and a few other things - but I will have a look at see what others have done.

PS - shouldn't you be working and not surfin the web.

Cheers

Garry

[djhampson]

If the audio is the same as the mid level Disco 3 system (six stack CD) any bluetooth kit can be connected and the stereo will mute and route the phone sound via the speakers.

Do you know which wires you connected to do that? I've not been able to do that in any of our LRs.

[101RRS]

Hope that helps...

Thanks for that - good information.

Can you get a pic of the UHF aerial. I will probably put my radio under the passenger seat as I need to move it from vehicle to vehicle - the radio just unclips from its mounting bracket and I have a spare bracket to go into this car.

Yes the radio (6 stacker) does set the clock in the main computer system and I believe it has some connectivity to other aspects. On the UK forum some people have the radio still connected but stored somewhere in the car and installed another radio in the dash.

That helped a lot

Cheers

garry

[Tote]

Do you know which wires you connected to do that? I've not been able to do that in any of our LRs.

Looking at plug from back with the release clip at top.

The yellow mute cable goes into the bottom row, pin number 10, that is the fourth square from the left. The yellow mute cable seems to have a small connection covered with a rubber sleeve, this connection seems to stop it from working, so I cut this connection out and it worked.

The black/white audio + cable connects into top row second from right.

The Black audio – cable connects into top row third from left.

From Here DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - PARROT 3200 INSTALLATION EXPERIANCE. (http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic15321.html?highlight=parrot+ck3100)

The pinouts are also in the installation material for the aftermarket bluetooth kit in Land Rover GTR.

Regards,
Tote

Regards,
Tote

[Bushwanderer]

TSNIP
I hear that in a D3 the second battery goes in front of the main battery but I had a look at mine this morning and I cannot see how one will fit unless I move the radiator filler and a few other things - but I will have a look at see what others have done.

SNIP

Hi Garry,
In the D3, the common fitment point is the "box" opposite that for the starting battery.

For the D4, some are fitting the aux battery in front of the starting battery, but only if you don't have a fbh. They do this as the äux battery box" now has some "stuff" that LR wanted more protected. A number of people have shifted this "stuff" around and still fit an aux battery in there.

HTH,
Peter

[101RRS]

Thanks Pete,

Yeah sussed that out since the post though the space in that spot will not fit a normal 100Ah deep cycle the ABS thingy is a bit big. Something like an optima battery should fit though. The same applies to the space in front of the main battery - probably get something like an optima in there and maybe something physically bigger if the power steering and radiator expansion bottles are moved - but not sure where this would be.

Garry

[djhampson]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1374.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1375.jpg

[101RRS]

Thanks for the pics - does the mast have to be removed before lifting the bonnet?

Cheers

Garry

[djhampson]

No the bonnet slides forward a tad as it pivots up so it doesn't hit the antenna.

[Graeme]

What's it mounted to?

[CaverD3]

Thanks Pete,

Yeah sussed that out since the post though the space in that spot will not fit a normal 100Ah deep cycle the ABS thingy is a bit big. Something like an optima battery should fit though. The same applies to the space in front of the main battery - probably get something like an optima in there and maybe something physically bigger if the power steering and radiator expansion bottles are moved - but not sure where this would be.

Garry

The largest battery that will in the second battery bay is a Varta 80AmpH.

[djhampson]

What's it mounted to?

A bracket that comes from under one of the bolts for the bonnet hinge.

[camel_landy]

Nice one Garry. :D

Just had a quick flick through the posts and have a couple of comments for you:


Recovery points: We use the rings front & rear for recovery. They are rated to 2x vehicle weight (so at least 5 tonne).
Radio: On the G4, the radios were mounted in the top glove box. An external speaker was mounted on the little shelf above together with the fist mike.


HTH

M

[ozscott]

I was surprised at how much it is like my old D1 V8 to drive. Has similar performance on the road, feels similar to drive with similar comfort levels and noise levels ...
Cheers

Garry

Well done mate. I love the relaxing drive that is my 95 V8 D1. Had I even dared to mention its ride quality versus the Range Rover Sport I would have been the recipient of some serious abuse. You cant be abused because you have had both!

I reckon its great that modern RR's still have that 'feel', that special something that can take an owner back to earlier LR's....too many cars move away from their roots, but then again few can claim to have LR's roots.

Cheers

[101RRS]

Thanks Mark - my UHF has everything including the speaker on the handset - I think I will mount the radio in the glove box and just take power via one of the cigarette lighter sockets.

Ozcott - I think the land rover feel has carried through very well - when I first got into the RRS there was certainly a familiarity about it even though I had never been in a RRS before.

Workshop Manual

I tend to do a lot of the basic work on my cars myself - so will need a workshop manual. I have a Rave and Haynes for my current drive as they provide a good combination. The Rave assumes you are a mechanic so tends to be a bit light on in the detail on how to do things whereas the Haynes assumes you are an idiot and provides more of the detail so both have their place.

Is there anything similar for the RRS and where would I buy them.

Cheers

Garry

[camel_landy]

If you want to make that UHF install neat, run all the wires through the back of the upper glove box. :cool:

M

[gghaggis]

Is there anything similar for the RRS and where would I buy them.

Cheers

Garry

No, there's no official hard-copy. You can go to

Land Rover Owner Information (prs01736) (http://www.ownerinfo.landrover.com/extfree2viewlrprod/index.jsp)

and click on "View technical information". For a small fee, you then have access to all the workshop information.

Cheers,

Gordon

[101RRS]

Thanks Gordon - surprisingly I was already registered - don't remember doing that but I am getting old.

Not sure about the small fee - might be Ok to look at one small thing for an hour or so but at 200pounds for a years access it is a bit much.

Might keep looking but the site is good if you needed to look up something quickly to do a small job.

Cheers

Garry

[Graeme]

Not sure about the small fee - might be Ok to look at one small thing for an hour or so...
Lots can be downloaded in 24 hrs if you're keen to get value for money!