Thread: Classic Rangie: Is it the ideal poor man's car?

Yes much more recent jap stuff. 2000 vintage. You need japanese sized hands to work on them. I have hands roughly double that size.

If you want a daily driver "family taxi' that is cheap to run and repair then buy a Commodore with the Buick 3800 V6.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

If you want a daily driver "family taxi' that is cheap to run and repair then buy a Commodore with the Buick 3800 V6.

A company I worked for ran two of those as company cars (VY I think). They used a horrendous amount of fuel. Like 15 litres per 100km average. I was thinking at the time that a carefully driven rangie would be doing much the same.

Have to agree

I have two defenders but bought a RRC as a toy.
Picked up a lpg 85 RRC carby V8 for $1200. Added a lot of toys to it off eBay
Winch bar , mud tyres, late eighties early 90's dash and seats in it. And just replaced all the bushes and just tidying up. Although it was already in pretty much good condition. When I bought it I got a roadworthy pretty much straight away.

I know they are the same underneath as the disco 1 but the drive and feel of the RRC is so much better I would always prefer a RRC over a disco.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1345497278.732347.jpg

Few years ago I looked at a 300tdi Disco to use as a runabout and have the rangie as the weekend basher.

They are nothing like a RRC to drive. Very disappointing

A company I worked for ran two of those as company cars (VY I think). They used a horrendous amount of fuel. Like 15 litres per 100km average. I was thinking at the time that a carefully driven rangie would be doing much the same.

Those commodores must have been thrashed.. I once had a VY SS 5.7. At worse it got 15l to 100k's around town. Trip from Gold Coast to Sydney it averaged at 8.7l to 100k's. Slightly better than my diesel L322 on a trip!

Camo

Originally Posted by Camo

Those commodores must have been thrashed.. I once had a VY SS 5.7. At worse it got 15l to 100k's around town. Trip from Gold Coast to Sydney it averaged at 8.7l to 100k's. Slightly better than my diesel L322 on a trip!

Camo

I also thought they might have been thrashed. So I reset the fuel computers and tried driving them nicely. No difference.

Best I got on a 30km trip (incl hilly city and hilly motorway) was 12 litres per 100km.
I have since read that these engines lean themselves out in steady cruise conditions. Which fits well with your long flat trip. But these cars were used in an area where they never got to do that.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

If you want a daily driver "family taxi' that is cheap to run and repair then buy a Commodore with the Buick 3800 V6.

Thanks, but not thanks, the are terrible cars, inefficient and bad road manners.
IMO there is not comparison between the RR and the Falcodoros, the RR is a class in its own and as I said one of the best touring vehicles that I ever have together with the 504.

Originally Posted by Dougal

I also thought they might have been thrashed. So I reset the fuel computers and tried driving them nicely. No difference.

Best I got on a 30km trip (incl hilly city and hilly motorway) was 12 litres per 100km.
I have since read that these engines lean themselves out in steady cruise conditions. Which fits well with your long flat trip. But these cars were used in an area where they never got to do that.

Makes sense. I know they are shocking on fuel towing.. be the same on hills. I still find it crazy a 5.7 V8 is more economical than a V6.. all comes down to gearing and load on the motor.

I reckon a Gen3 in a RRC would achieve about 12l per 100k's.. would be nice

Camo