Land Rover Problems

YOUR mileage is about average for a 1999 model car rather than low, so I wouldn't be too concerned that it's been tampered with. If you are concerned you should be able to get a guide as to the way the odometer has been climbing by looking at the dates and odometer readings of past services. By law the dealer is required to keep a record of the odometer reading when the vehicle came into his possession. You could also ask for the details of the previous owner and check with them.

YOU have to look behind the rate of depreciation to find the cause. The Range Rover is a big, heavy car with a very thirsty V8 engine, so it is best suited to someone who wants to tow a fairly big trailer. It also had engine reliability issues that can be expensive to repair. You need to do homework on the car you are thinking of buying and find out what goes wrong with them. If you buy carefully you can get a well-designed, well-built car for a fraction of its original price. Your idea of buying an old Volvo isn't a bad one, but it's getting hard to find good examples of those models. Their best years have long passed. But again, if you do your homework you might just find a gem that will serve you well for years.

OAKLEIGH Locksmiths, a specialist in car locks, confirms that only Land Rover dealers are able to replace your key.

THE problem with ethanol is that is attacks materials in the fuel system, plastics and rubber materials in particular. Engines that run on high levels of ethanol need protection and carmakers who do use it have to go to extra lengths to add that protection. The level of ethanol here in Australia is limited to 10 per cent, which shouldn't really cause you trouble, but clearly it has in this case. The answer is easy: switch to another brand that contains no ethanol.

AS WILL all carmakers, except for those that make an LPG-compatible model, the Land Rover people will tell you automatically their cars are designed to run on petrol or diesel. They will try to discourage you from converting to LPG simply because they don't have the experience of running their cars on LPG. To get the best advice you need to consult an expert in the field, and that means a Range Rover specialist service agent.

I CAN'T tell you how accurate trip computers are, but I am cautious about their accuracy. Nothing is 100 per cent accurate. I have had some very suspicious results from trip computers. For instance, I recently tested a new Falcon XR8 ute and the trip computer told me the average fuel consumption was 16.5 litres/100km in the week I drove it. I next tested an FPV Pursuit that had a more powerful version of the same V8, but the indicated fuel consumption was 12.5 litres/100km in similar driving conditions. Granted there were some inaccuracies in what I was doing, but I can't believe there was a difference of 4 litres/100km. I wasn't surprised the XR8 was a gas-guzzler, but I was very surprised at the economy of the Pursuit. It made me suspicious of trip-computer readings.

LOCAL experts say a few early cars experienced the problem here, but it's unlikely it would take seven years to surface as you suggest with your car. I would be looking elsewhere for the problem.

THE cracks are most likely in the paint or joint sealer, rather than the body panels themselves, but I agree they're unsightly and give a bad impression of the structural integrity of the vehicle. I would certainly pursue Landrover and demand they take action to repair the area affected.