Q for DriveSafe - RR Transmission problems

[spudboy]

DriveSafe, I just saw the following on Ron's broken horn thread:


It seems you really need deep pockets when owning a RR.

Mine is just about to cost me $6k for a new transmission.

I should have got rid of it before the warranty ran out but I like it too much to part with it.

Cheers.

and was wondering what has happend with your tranny. I've got another 3 or 4 months of warranty left on my 03 Diesel RR so wondering if there's anything I should have checked out before it expires.

Mine is having some vibration issues when in drive (or Reverse) at standstill. I have put it in to Land Rover twice now to be looked at but they say it is acceptable, which doesn't make me very happy as I have taken to shifting into Neutral whenever I pull up at lights etc so I don't get the vibrations.

Thanks
David

[drivesafe]

Hi Spudboy, I no longer have that RR but even with all the problems I had which were mostly manufacturer faults, I have no one to blame for my transmission failure but myself.

I thrashed the guts out of my 03 RR towing a heavy trailer between Sydney and the Gold Coast on too many trips to count.

As to what happened, sounds just like yours and if I was you I would get it independently checked before your warranty runs out.

To my knowledge there is no on going problems with these GM boxes but they are expensive to fix if they do stuff up.

The other option is to buy a new box, $32k PLUS fitting.

The choice is yours

[spudboy]

:eek: $32K !!!!!!!!!

What were the symptoms on yours? Did you have the similar "vibratory" experience when in gear at standstill?

[Xavie]

sounds like you should get an after market warranty.

Xav

[drivesafe]

Did you have the similar "vibratory" experience when in gear at standstill?

Yep, as I slowed down and came to a stand at traffic lights, the RR would vibrate, some times very roughly.

On one occasion I just missed the lights and knew I was going to be there for a while so selected park but the RR still vibrated.

This lead me ( incorrectly ) to think it might be the motor.

About a month after that the RR just stopped. No noise, just the motor revving but no action.

The dealer suggested that I try having the filters cleaned, which I did and all was well for about two weeks and then nothing again.

I had the existing box rebuilt, $6,000. I should have had an exchange box fitted, $7,500.

Best of luck.

[ak]

32K plus fitting that's a disgrace.

[drivesafe]

32K plus fitting that's a disgrace.

Hi ak, what really sucks is that exchange boxes in the USA ( same box ) are only $1,500 USD. :mad:

[antvc]

Tim, how does your new Range Rover compare to the old one you had?
How do you think it would compare against a porshe 4wd or a bmw 4wdor some other upmarket 4wd?
Anthony

[drivesafe]

Hi Anthony, I didn’t expect so much difference between the two but, as I have posted somewhere else, there are so many changes between the 03 and 07, I don’t know why they didn’t bring it out as a new model.

There are only a few external differences but loads of differences everywhere else.

The 03 handled well but this one is unreal on road, haven’t had it off road much yet so I haven’t had much of a play with all the changes to all terrain side of it.

I’m yet to sort out the Nav yet and so far I think my wife’s Tom Tom is a lot easier to use, but.

The sound system is great and I get more channels on the RR’s TV than I do at home.

Lots of other goodies I have yet to play with, like the Venturecam wireless video camera.

But, when I get some time I’ll be having a real play with it but the one thing just about everybody seems to like, and I originally took as being not much more than a gimmick ( I’ve well and truly changed my opinion now ) is the air conditioned front seats.

And just love that TDV8.

Cheers.

[antvc]

RR’s TV?
is the T.V. in the front or the back?
What is the point of having a T.V. in the car anyway?
I suppose air-con front seats may be more use that heated seats, or does it have it as well.
Anthony

[drivesafe]

RR’s TV?
is the T.V. in the front or the back?
What is the point of having a T.V. in the car anyway?
I suppose air-con front seats may be more use that heated seats, or does it have it as well.
Anthony

All seats and the steering wheel are heated, I really need that in QLD.

As to the TV, the are three LCD screens, main one in the dash and one in the rear of each front seat headrest. Oh and the headrests are powered so they can be raised or lowered to give the rear passengers the best viewing angle.

There’s a six stack CD player and a six stack DVD player and two video/audio inputs in the back of the of the center console so the rear passengers can have Ipods and/or play stations going.

This all makes going shopping with the girls a new experience. They go off and do there thing while I watch TV or DVDs. Shopping has never been so good.

The two rear screens come with their own wireless headsets. No more racing home so the girls can catch their soapies. They watch them in the back and I can listen to the sound system.

WHO WANT’S TO GO HOME.

Cheers

[antvc]

Unbelievable!
and here I am with still only a tape player in the car

So, have you done much of a comparison with the BMW4wd and the like, or didn't waste your time and just bought the best:)

[drivesafe]

My 03 RR was probably one of the most unreliable vehicles I have ever had but I have never had a vehicle that was so totally enjoyable to drive, whether it was down to the shops or down to the other end of the country.

I had 180,000 on the clock and after driving through some heavy traffic while in Melbourne, the trany started to show signs of giving up the ghost again so I went looking for a new RR.

I could have got some other make for a lot less but I didn’t even consider anything else, manly because none of the others have both good on road and off road capabilities.

And as you posted, why waste my time slumming when there is only one best of the best.

Cheers.

[spudboy]

Yep, as I slowed down and came to a stand at traffic lights, the RR would vibrate, some times very roughly.

On one occasion I just missed the lights and knew I was going to be there for a while so selected park but the RR still vibrated.

This lead me ( incorrectly ) to think it might be the motor.

About a month after that the RR just stopped. No noise, just the motor revving but no action.

The dealer suggested that I try having the filters cleaned, which I did and all was well for about two weeks and then nothing again.

I had the existing box rebuilt, $6,000. I should have had an exchange box fitted, $7,500.

Best of luck.

Thanks for the extra info. Mine is as smooth as silk as soon as I put in in Neutral, which is different to yours. The vibration is not severe, just annoying on such an expensive car. My Disco 300TDI is probably about the same vibrations but I don't care on a 12 year old car.

I have flagged it as an issue for the last 3 times it has been in there so I'd be hoping that even if it goes south when the warranty runs out in October that they'd still cover it. That maybe wishful thinking though.....

[drivesafe]

Mine is as smooth as silk as soon as I put in in Neutral, which is different to yours. The vibration is not severe, just annoying on such an expensive car.

Mine was smooth as while driving and a few months before it spat the dummy it would only vibrate as I came to a stand or was stopped.

Get yours checked by your equivalent of RACQ/NRMA or a decent transmission expert.

Cheers