Interesting assessment of LR models from LRA

mcrover · 27th March 2008, 08:52 PM

Where do I start with this one.......

Les Richmond Auto motive is just the name of the buisness for those that dont know.

The guy who runs the show is Andrew Richmond and it used to be called Rangie Spares but they changed the name to LRA after Les died years ago (thus why Les cant spell too well) and they started doing more than just rangies and LR product.

They are one of the best LR workshops in melbourne, may be australia and deffinatly know what they are talking about and are not backward backyard oldschool mechanics.

They have a dedicated engine shop with machining machines and I have been told that they are about the only people around that can seal a LR V8 and never have it leak again as well as their workman ship is meant to be second to none....Which is a pretty big call from some fairly well heeled experts that have worked as mechanics for other LR shops such as RangeRov, Deakins and ULR.

Most people have use one of their products or delt with them at some stage in their time with a LR, maybe it was a lift kit, some flares or just some information they are always helpful.

There is nothing wrong with an electronically controled fuel system until you have an electrical problem and then you have nothing as with the rest of the systems such as air suspention, ACE, ABS, Traction control and even the central locking and immobiliser.

If it is just 1 system such as with a Defender or Andrews Rangie (The TD5) then it's not too much to diagnose in the middle of nowhere but it might be a major problem if any of the other systems connected to all the others goes which then takes everything else out or if your Alternator craps itself and your not getting the correct voltage to the computer and it craps it self at the wrong time.....you get the idea.

There is deffinatly nothing wrong with electronics in a car that is not driven heavilly off road but no matter how much you seal something up, the more sensors, switches and circuits you put in a car the more there is to go wrong.

I think that covers it, by the way, I went through trade school with Andrew but I generally dont deal with them that much due to the distance and I can get most stuff a bit cheaper over my way so there isnt the need.

mcrover · 27th March 2008, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by Bulldog

I don't know much about these guys (heard alot

), but i think they're trying to make a subtle hint:

Buy whatever model you want, as simple as possible (easier for them), then BRING IT HERE AND SPEND $15000 on tyres, axles, lift, diffs, lockers, g/box rebuild, new 4.6L, rear drawers, fridge, etc, etc, etc...

They would say that. Why would he say "this ones the best, buy it, it'll be fine as it is, nothing to spend".

HE'S A SALESMAN GUYS!!!

I dont get where your coming from, I know people who get their Rangie Sport serviced and repaired there as do plenty of D3 owners.

They do do plenty of mods and I think thats what he is selling and thats why he has built a vehical more to advertise what they can do rather than just buying a Nissan pootrol and kit it out like his bro did.

**Utemad** · 27th March 2008, 09:07 PM

In the article they talk of the new Td5. So this is pretty old. Long before D3s and RRS etc

**Bulldog** · 27th March 2008, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by mcrover

I dont get where your coming from, I know people who get their Rangie Sport serviced and repaired there as do plenty of D3 owners.

They do do plenty of mods and I think thats what he is selling and thats why he has built a vehical more to advertise what they can do rather than just buying a Nissan pootrol and kit it out like his bro did.

Just saying that the linked page was an obvious add to buy an older LR and spend thousands on it in their shop... Not saying that people shouldn't do that - its their money.

Also not saying that people shouldn't pay outragous amounts of money to service and repair a new RR Sport or D3 - its their money.

**EchiDna** · 27th March 2008, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by Bulldog

... Why would he say "this ones the best, buy it, it'll be fine as it is, nothing to spend".

HE'S A SALESMAN GUYS!!!

I don't agree, he says this is 'what I want' in a 4x4... not 'what you need'.

personally, I did basically the exact same process myself in selecting a vehicle, and I came up with the 110 powered by the 4BD1 as my choice - yes because it's easy to work on and I can do 95% of it myself!

Rangier Rover · 27th March 2008, 10:34 PM

15k and nearly unstopable. 80k and hates H20 and panel damage

Come on

The payments on my old rangie are $0. As for Rangie sport

LRA have have a great knowlege of what does mix. Andrew is very dedicated to his clients and is honest. They are not cheap. But get it right the first time.

**Lucus** · 27th March 2008, 11:06 PM

I rolled into LRA when i was on holidays in melb to have a chat with Andrew, I was buying a new set if flares, a snorkel and a bodylift. Andrew went out of his way to help me decide on what mods would suit my needs and even answered all my kid in a candy store type questions when i was oggling all the goodies in the show room(for the best part of two hours....

). I had decided what i wanted but hadnt paid any money when Andrew offered myself and my fiance a lift to the train station to save us a second taxi fare.

I was stoked at the service and Andrews attitude and at getting a ride in the TD5 Rangie....can't ask for much more than that.

Oh and when the parts did arrive here in perth or course the quality was A1

Luke

Rangier Rover · 27th March 2008, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by Lucus

I rolled into LRA when i was on holidays in melb to have a chat with Andrew, I was buying a new set if flares, a snorkel and a bodylift. Andrew went out of his way to help me decide on what mods would suit my needs and even answered all my kid in a candy store type questions when i was oggling all the goodies in the show room(for the best part of two hours....

). I had decided what i wanted but hadnt paid any money when Andrew offered myself and my fiance a lift to the train station to save us a second taxi fare.

I was stoked at the service and Andrews attitude and at getting a ride in the TD5 Rangie....can't ask for much more than that.

Oh and when the parts did arrive here in perth or course the quality was A1

Luke

I asume your doing a Rangie

How far are you going with it? Did you get XL flares

I'm still at mine

**Lucus** · 28th March 2008, 07:27 AM

I only went for the stg1 flares. Flares are on. Snorkels one. My car is a 93rrc.
I want to run 33"s so i didnt see the need for the XL's

I plan to go for sequencial lpg injection soon so i will leave the body lift until after it goes over the pits for the lpg install inspection.

I have almost finished fitting the ver4 wolf ecu. I got a bit over zealous with the adjustment of the crank angle sensor and wiped the nose off the sensor.

I have made a sturdier bracket and will hopefully get it on the road to start tuning this weekend.

**MacMan** · 28th March 2008, 07:56 AM

I've dealt with Andrew in person and over the phone, and he's never been anything other than extremely helpful. He obviously loves what he does, and he asks as many questions as he does give answers - something I respect.

I also got the tour of the shop and some of the machining gear for castor correction and so on.

In terms of engineering, they design, test and manufacture their own stuff. Their steering guards (for example) are not so strong that you can jack the vehicle up on them - his explanation was that he'd prefer to have the GUARD bend when he hits something with it, than have the guard get a scratch and have the chassis rails deform. Makes sense to me. His body lift kits are a whole lot more sophisticated than the usual block sets, as are the suspension kits.

He's not the cheapest, but if you only shop on price you are on your own a lot of the time.

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