Buying an L405

Author
Discussion

BigBen

Original Poster:

11,860 posts

237 months

Tuesday 2nd November 2021
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After buying an L322 a few months back and really enjoying it the time has come to potentially upgrade.

The recent PH buyers guide suggested that the 2015 model year fixed a lot of early L405 niggles. My question is how do you spot a 2015 model year car, AFAIK a late 2014 car could be a 2015MY.

Is the 2015 MY a different transition to when the SDV8 gets Adblu and lower tax?

Ben

swisstoni

18,177 posts

286 months

Tuesday 2nd November 2021
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I had a 2015 L405 SDV8 from new (April delivery if I recall) and it didn’t have Adblu.

Stick Legs

5,916 posts

172 months

Tuesday 2nd November 2021
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My L405 March 2015 hasn't got AdBlue.

Now my understanding is that the cars had some minor wiring improvement about late 2014 with a change in supplier. This cured a lot of the issues.
I believe these are MY15 cars.

There was then a 'mini facelift' in mid/late 2015 where they got AdBlue and the heater controls had a short cut to the heated seat function instead of going through the menus. These are MY16 cars.

So my L405 has the better wiring, but not the heated seat short cut or AdBlue being an MY15 car.

Hope that helps.

High Peak Autos on YouTube, the chap there has just replaced his L405 for a later one and most of the visual clue are pointed out in his videos.
Just search High Peak Autos, Range Rover.




BigBen

Original Poster:

11,860 posts

237 months

Tuesday 2nd November 2021
quotequote all
Stick Legs said:
My L405 March 2015 hasn't got AdBlue.

Now my understanding is that the cars had some minor wiring improvement about late 2014 with a change in supplier. This cured a lot of the issues.
I believe these are MY15 cars.

There was then a 'mini facelift' in mid/late 2015 where they got AdBlue and the heater controls had a short cut to the heated seat function instead of going through the menus. These are MY16 cars.

So my L405 has the better wiring, but not the heated seat short cut or AdBlue being an MY15 car.

Hope that helps.

High Peak Autos on YouTube, the chap there has just replaced his L405 for a later one and most of the visual clue are pointed out in his videos.
Just search High Peak Autos, Range Rover.
That makes sense thank you. So a 2015 registered car should have the improved wiring which is the bit that really matters (I can take or leave heated seats and can certainly wait a few seconds to access them)

cayman-black

12,922 posts

223 months

Thursday 11th November 2021
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Have you found a car yet BB?
I believe cars registered after April 15 are £385 in road tax compared to the £585 pre.

BigBen

Original Poster:

11,860 posts

237 months

Thursday 11th November 2021
quotequote all
cayman-black said:
Have you found a car yet BB?
I believe cars registered after April 15 are £385 in road tax compared to the £585 pre.
Does not seem to be that simple. Some 15 plate cars have Ad-blu (which makes them Euro 6 so cheaper tax) and some are not. I 'think' a car registered after April 15 could still be £585

I went to look at a late 15 car last week and am struggling to see £25k of value over a really nice late 4.4 L322 especially as for both vehicles I would be buying at a market peak (cf all used cars)

Ben

shiversaint

104 posts

47 months

Monday 15th November 2021
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Yeah it's not that simple. Some 2015s have it and some don't.

When you are looking at cars on AT, you'll generally see whether it qualifies for ULEZ or not - the ones that do have had their VIN/reg checked and should be adblue cars. That's my best guess anyway.

I bought a very early model a few months ago, on a 13 plate, SDV8 Vogue SE. Very happy with it. The price premium for the slightly upgraded model didn't make sense to me as I'm not going to go near ULEZ with that car and the tax difference is neglible with the overall running costs IMO.

Whatever car you get, make sure its had the diff and trans fluids done on schedule. Mine had not and it was not a small bill. These cars have exceptionally complex running gear and need to be serviced properly. Lots of the city owners don't bother.

Cold

15,572 posts

97 months

Monday 15th November 2021
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BigBen said:
That makes sense thank you. So a 2015 registered car should have the improved wiring which is the bit that really matters (I can take or leave heated seats and can certainly wait a few seconds to access them)
As an FYI, the upgraded shortcut to the seat heater/cooler controls is a very easy retrofit. It's just a case of replacing this facia with the newer, cosmetically identical, version. It's plug and play.

The two outer rotary dials become multi-function. Turn each one for cabin heating/cooling or press to access the heating/cooling function of the seats.
Should you wish you can still go in via the screen by pressing the rectangular switch located next to the hazard lights triangle.


BigBen

Original Poster:

11,860 posts

237 months

Wednesday 17th November 2021
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to conclude this thread I went the other way and bought a late L322.

Ben

Stick Legs

5,916 posts

172 months

Wednesday 17th November 2021
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You’ll enjoy it.

I went the other way and looked for an L322 & bought an L405.

jacobsweden

1 posts

10 months

Friday 19th January
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Cold said:
BigBen said:
That makes sense thank you. So a 2015 registered car should have the improved wiring which is the bit that really matters (I can take or leave heated seats and can certainly wait a few seconds to access them)
As an FYI, the upgraded shortcut to the seat heater/cooler controls is a very easy retrofit. It's just a case of replacing this facia with the newer, cosmetically identical, version. It's plug and play.

The two outer rotary dials become multi-function. Turn each one for cabin heating/cooling or press to access the heating/cooling function of the seats.
Should you wish you can still go in via the screen by pressing the rectangular switch located next to the hazard lights triangle.
Sorry for replying in an old thread but I want to upgrade my AC panel to the one with multi-function rotary dials (and I don't want the newer touchscreen-type upgrade). Do you by any chance have info on how to confirm what build date or part no to look for? On ebay there are a lot of second-hand ones with different build dates and part numbers.