Thread: Also looking at L322 Rangies !

Can't do a comparison for you about towing, as I only know about the TD6 engine, but you will have no problems towing 2T with it at all.

It is a heavy car, but it seriously gets up and goes. Even towing it is still very acceptable. TD6 give stunning MPG on a long trip too. We get 10L/100 fully loaded on trips to the snow cruising around 100-110.

Engine is a bit noisy at idle, and at certain RPMs it cuts through the cabin insulation on hard acceleration, but just driving around normally it is most civilised. Compared to the V8 it will be slower and noisier, but when I fill it up the the computer says "Range" of over 900Kms I still smile

(BTW - my acceleration comparisons are comparing to a 300TDi Disco and a TD5 Defender, so no surprise that the TD6 feels sprightly....)

Never towed with our v8 as the D2 still gets that duty, but if you're planning on towing make sure the one you buy already has the tow pack and electronics fitted as it's $$$ to retrofit now.

Only other option I would say def don't be without is the Vogue spec comfort seats over the standard HSE ones. Traveled in an HSE recently and the seats were nowhere near as supportive or adjustable as in our Vogue.

Hi all, Iam also new to the R/Rover scene and a mate suggested a 2003 L322,3lit diesel for towing a 20ft van.Up to this point I have been searching for the mainstream 4x4 (landcruiser/patrol).Would I be correct in saying a 2003,low K's.,one owner,excel.condition etc would cost approx.$45 grand.Also does anyone know the towing max.weight....also any other things to look out for.....Cheers Paul

Hi Paul, ive just got a 2003 TD6 133klm. very nice and cant believe the mpg . i have just towed my classic rangey on a car trailer for a couple of hours and have never experienced towing like it, i suppose it was just under 3 ton on the back and had to slow down and watch my speed all the time. very impressed with the towing. i think the max braked towing capacity is 3500kg.
there is loads of info on the net as well as on here, have a look at rangerovers.net and ffrr.co.uk
just make sure its got full history and everything works as we all know parts can be dear (not from the uk though).
make sure the diff recall was done and change the auto fluid as soon as you get it as its not on the landrover service schedule, a full service with the correct oil just cost me $260. bargain i reckon.
the power steering can get heavy at idle but its usually just the solenoid/flow valve on the rack so not to bad.
they have there quirks like anything else but the experiance of owning/driving them is second to none and good economy and performance for the first time in a range rover diesel. apart from the complexity of the electronic controls i was supprised how simple and unclutered the underneath and under the bonnet was, looks like a very strong car just as rangies should be.

good luck with your search and theres plenty around under $40k

neil

Hi, I am also considering jumping in to the L322 at some point. I am wondering which would have the nicer ride - a '03 L322 (Td6), or a '05 D3 (tdv6) . Any opinions out there?
thanks,
Greg

Mate I like the latest shape rangie. I had a good look at a black 03 TDV6 the other day and it is a much nicer looking vehicle in my opinion than a D3...the following is from Top Gear:

Only the growing and innately wrong-headed anti-SUV mob can stop the new Discovery 3. It deals with muck and mountains better than any Land Rover before it, and (this is the really clever bit) drives better on the road than any other SUV. Yes, including the Range Rover. A grand design, it is so unrelentingly modern on the outside and so clever inside that it makes you wonder if you read that badge correctly: this is a Land Rover Discovery, right?

With a single turbo version of Jaguar's impressive new 2.7-litre diesel, it is even competitively fuel-efficient for a seven-seater. Swap that 2.7-litre oil burner for another Jaguar engine, a 4.4-litre V8, and Disco 3 tosses the anti lobby a fistful of easy points. The V8 is an amazing vehicle; the Disco 3 of choice if you pay for your fuel in dollars. But at 18.8mpg, it's likely to be as rare as other sensible and appropriate choices of vehicle on the school run here in the 53rd State.

First, let's pretend someone else is paying your fuel bills. I can't stress enough just how good the V8 Discovery 3 is. The $114,160 Range Rover, with its own 4.4-litre V8 is slower to accelerate, and steers, brakes and handles less well. OK, you say, that's progress. But if I tell you that the Disco 3 is also quieter and more refined, and remind you that the Range Rover is still our limo of choice around here, you'll understand what I'm saying; the Disco 3 is one of the very best cars in the world.

Like the Range Rover, the Disco 3's shtick is that it handles on-road business better than anything in its class (easy to justify since this class does not include Jag XJs and Audi A8s) and then does all the muddy stuff better too. Talk at Land Rover of late is all about 'breadth of capability', and behind the wheel you soon get a feel for what this means. It's a sackful of tricks made easier by the simple and elegant Terrain Response system, standard on all V8 Disco 3s.

TR remixes seven of the Disco's critical dynamic control systems: throttle and gearbox maps; the air suspension's ride height settings; DSC (Land Rover's stability system); the traction control, anti-lock brake and brake force distribution suite; the patented Hill Descent Control; and the two (centre and optional rear) diffs. Dial in 'sand', for example, and the DSC switches off; the traction control eases back a little; the suspension automatically rises; the throttle travel extends, and higher engine speeds become forbidden territory. Twist it in to 'rock crawl' 'mud and ruts' 'grass/gravel/snow' or the regular 'general driving' and TR gets stuck in again, effectively respecifying the car for the surface it's on. There's no new individual technology here, TR is just a deeply effective interface.

The TR knob sits at the base of a oddly unambitiously designed dash. It sets the tone for an interior that's big on equipment, functionality and luxury, yet stops a good $35,000 short of a Range Rover on sheer indulgence. There's no wood, leather doors, deep carpets or sexy down-lighters here. Funny that."



NOW - I dont have much experince with either vehicle, and I dont believe everything Clarkson and his crew say either...but its an interesting write up. Having said that whilst I can see a case for the new D4 versus the Rangie I reckon the D3 loses out in style (particularly interior) to the Rangie of the same year(s). Apart from that I dont know. I assume that for towing the chassis/mono construction of the D3 would be stronger at a guess and it would tend to be a bit better off road in air suspension form but I cant see there would be much in either of those things. Im guessing.

Cheers

Originally Posted by ozscott

Mate I like the latest shape rangie. I had a good look at a black 03 TDV6 the other day and it is a much nicer looking vehicle in my opinion than a D3...t

NOW - I dont have much experince with either vehicle, and I dont believe everything Clarkson and his crew say either...but its an interesting write up. Having said that whilst I can see a case for the new D4 versus the Rangie I reckon the D3 loses out in style (particularly interior) to the Rangie of the same year(s). Apart from that I dont know. I assume that for towing the chassis/mono construction of the D3 would be stronger at a guess and it would tend to be a bit better off road in air suspension form but I cant see there would be much in either of those things. Im guessing.

Cheers

There's some confusion here with Range Rover L322 being confused with the Range Rover Sport models.

The L322 came out about 2003 whereas the RRS wasn't released till 2005.

The L322 has a monocoque chassis and a td6 engine where as the RRS has a tdV6 with a normal chassis. Both have more than ample towing capacities that leave most jap crap vehicles for dead. The L322 chassis setup is far more comfortable than the D3/ RRS which share a common chassis.

The D3 cabin set up (as well as the RRS for that matter) is far inferior to the L322.

No confusion on my part mate...the sport is (Imo) a fat, squat pretender...very personal view of course, and the Rangie is a Rangie.

Cheers

PS. Compare the up spec D4 cabin to the Rangie cabin and it gets interesting