Thread: Questions Buying 1986/1988 Classic Range Rover

Originally Posted by spudboy

I've been looking at getting a manual 5sp EFI 1986 thru 1989 Range Rover for the last few months. Been keeping an eye an all the usual .com sites plus eBay and also the AULRO markets section. Not so many manuals, mostly autos.

From what I've read here (Michael2, BigJon, AquaRangie, et al), it seems that a 1988 model is the pick of the bunch. I want to spend around $5K to 7K.

If you have an opionion on the following topics then please reply:
- What year did the viscous centre diff come in? I think I want to avoid this. 1989
- Is the manual box pretty sorted in these year models? Mmm, weak but treated nicely will give a good life
- There seems to be a model shift between 1986 and 1987/88/89. Any major reasons to go with the later update? It seems the 86 is missing things like Cruise Control, etc. Never seen cruise on any of those years, slight cosmetic changes, like indicator/wiper stalk and surround and a few others
- Are these early-ish EFI engines reliable. Anything dire to watch out for with the EFI? Flappers, coolant temp sensor few others
- I much prefer the later horizontal grille. Is it a simple swap from the older style vertical grilles? Need the headlight buckets from the later one aswell, or cut the grill to suit, but thats a bit ugly

Thanks
David

BTW - if you have a 1988 manual surplus to your requirements then send me a PM.... esp if it is White (my fav. colour in a Classic). Am happy to travel interstate for a good example.

I had an 86 and i now have a 93. I paid $ 6200 for my 93. I would get the lastest rrc you can get and take a punt on the viscous transfer. I feel the 93 is about 900% better that the 86 in fit and finish and comfort. The borg warner transfer case is sooo much smoother that than the lt230. If the borg warner dies i will think long and hard about replacing it with an lt230 because as this seems to be the in thing if you a hardcore off roader. The borg warners are getting cheaper to rebuild as parts can be source from o/s.


thats just my 2c's tho

OK. What are the chances of finding a manual 93 though ......?

Originally Posted by spudboy

OK. What are the chances of finding a manual 93 though ......?

Excellent, might take a few decades but

If its a road goer, lucus is on the money, plus the 3.9 is a little more tolerable power wise

not too sure on that one mate. I have seen a couple of late model manuals but not too many. Why are you dead set on the manual? The auto in the later rrc is very good?

Im sure tony from on here still has his LSE for sale id be going that if i were u

I think most of the Q's have been answered.

The '88 still had the LT77 5 Speed with the poorly lubricated output gear at the end of the main shaft. I was told by Fred Smith that mine was worn and not to take it on long trips after I bought it and had it inspected by him. I still got another 200,000km out of the box though. The clunk was noticable when other people drove the car for the first time and didn't ease the clutch at just the right spot, but once you were used to it, you could do a lot to prevent wear. I rebuilt the LT77 at 406,000km.

I'd sell you ours, but I promised my wife her next car will be a Range Rover Sport, so we need to get another 1,000,000km out of the '88 before the RRS depreciates to a price we can afford.

Originally Posted by Michael2

I think most of the Q's have been answered.

The '88 still had the LT77 5 Speed with the poorly lubricated output gear at the end of the main shaft. I was told by Fred Smith that mine was worn and not to take it on long trips after I bought it and had it inspected by him. I still got another 200,000km out of the box though. The clunk was noticable when other people drove the car for the first time and didn't ease the clutch at just the right spot, but once you were used to it, you could do a lot to prevent wear. I rebuilt the LT77 at 406,000km.

I'd sell you ours, but I promised my wife her next car will be a Range Rover Sport, so we need to get another 1,000,000km out of the '88 before the RRS depreciates to a price we can afford.

I had a customer the same, D1 Tdi LT77, got about 120,000km further before it turned up on a flat tray with no drive!! He said he wanted to get as much out of it before the rebuild, and he got a lot further than I said he would!

JC