L405 real world running costs
Discussion
Somehow in terms of daily drivers me and the better half have ended up with two almost identical BMW 2.0d automatic M-Sport 8 speed automatic tourers, mines a 5, hers a 3 (and much newer). Both are hugely capable, reliable and very economical cars, my 5 will be going in the not too distant future, and there's an L405 SDV8 itch we'd like to scratch, they are now seeming like a colossal amount of car (literally!) second hand.
I'm an old school Land Rover fan (currently rebuilding an old Defender) and handy with spanners (so things like discs/pads etc I see as a DIY job). I'm less impressed with the newer JLR offerings, we had a Velar that needed an entire new engine under warranty at 25k miles, but I understand the L405 SDV8 to be a generally more reliable package.
How are people finding real world running costs and fuel consumption on an SDV8? I appreciate driving style is everything...and I'd very much see an L405 as a waft-o-barge, with genteel applications of throttle and probably no more than 75-80mph cruise on the motorw, erm, autobahn.
We live in the sticks so there's no urban crawling between traffic lights or ULEZ worried, but obviously shorter local runs around country A/B roads, as well as the occasional 150 mile plus weekend away on mainly motorway/dual carriageway.
I understand tyres are pretty expensive...any other pearls of wisdom from SDV8 owners?
I'm an old school Land Rover fan (currently rebuilding an old Defender) and handy with spanners (so things like discs/pads etc I see as a DIY job). I'm less impressed with the newer JLR offerings, we had a Velar that needed an entire new engine under warranty at 25k miles, but I understand the L405 SDV8 to be a generally more reliable package.
How are people finding real world running costs and fuel consumption on an SDV8? I appreciate driving style is everything...and I'd very much see an L405 as a waft-o-barge, with genteel applications of throttle and probably no more than 75-80mph cruise on the motorw, erm, autobahn.
We live in the sticks so there's no urban crawling between traffic lights or ULEZ worried, but obviously shorter local runs around country A/B roads, as well as the occasional 150 mile plus weekend away on mainly motorway/dual carriageway.
I understand tyres are pretty expensive...any other pearls of wisdom from SDV8 owners?
911wise said:
See the insurance thread.
Possibly more London? https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...But theft is a concern.
The v8 4.4 is a strong reliable engine. The 3.0 is more of a gamble. Unfortunately there seems to be more 3.0’s for sale. Probably because it’s a great engine that pulls well and doesn’t use too much fuel. All good unless you’re unlucky with the crank shaft.
405 specific wise the ffrr forums are very good. But after 2015 the electronics were well sorted and the front axel was redesigned. 17 model year got better updated/more modern infotainment screen.
All in all you could get unlucky with the dpf, or some other large bill, but I know people have had that with a q7. Or x5. All in all they aren’t any worse in 4.4/2015 model guise despite their reputation.
Don’t discount the last of the l332 4.4, which are also superb.
405 specific wise the ffrr forums are very good. But after 2015 the electronics were well sorted and the front axel was redesigned. 17 model year got better updated/more modern infotainment screen.
All in all you could get unlucky with the dpf, or some other large bill, but I know people have had that with a q7. Or x5. All in all they aren’t any worse in 4.4/2015 model guise despite their reputation.
Don’t discount the last of the l332 4.4, which are also superb.
I made the move from an F31 320d & F10 530d to my current L405 SDV8 Range Rover.
I also live rurally and do a lot of motorway trips for work.
Somerset to Kent & back returns 34mpg (mid 80’s but no more) and local driving on a mix of lanes & B-Roads returns mid 20’s mpg.
As for costs they vary, but hopefully my Reader’s Cars thread will help.
They are fantastic & I wouldn’t be without one.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I also live rurally and do a lot of motorway trips for work.
Somerset to Kent & back returns 34mpg (mid 80’s but no more) and local driving on a mix of lanes & B-Roads returns mid 20’s mpg.
As for costs they vary, but hopefully my Reader’s Cars thread will help.
They are fantastic & I wouldn’t be without one.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I’ve owned three L405 SDV8’s and covered a collective 100k miles in them, both Autobiography and VSE models. I’ve only recently swapped my last one for a L460. I can’t recommend the L405 experience enough. Drive one and you’ll be hooked 
The SDV8 are great engines and really suit the RR with 700nm of torque (from memory) making them surprisingly swift. I took one on a 3k mile journey to southern Spain and we averaged around 30mpg and 70mph (when moving). They don’t like short journeys as much and mpg can drop into low 20’s. Plus they need the occasional long run to clear the DPF. All were 100% reliable but I didn’t keep any longer than 3 years.
I used dealers for servicing and they range from £450-£700 each dependent on whether it was a small/large service. I’m sure you could do most of the maintenance yourself and a good independent is obviously an option. One thing to consider is a LR warranty which costs c.£1k+ per year (check the current prices with LR). It would be worth considering getting a warranty for at least the first year until you get to know the RR. Some RR problems can be expensive to fix.
Personally I think the VSE is the sweet spot in terms of spec but if you can get one with the fuel burning heater (FBH), they are a delight in the winter. All early L405 AB’s has the FBH as standard. If in doubt check if they keys come with an additional fob.
Definitely checkout some of the issues with earlier L405’s. One of the best resources for FFRR knowledge is https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/
People are generally well behaved and very helpful on that forum.
Edited to add, from memory the last time I put new tyres on they cost around £200 each but they tend to last 25k miles at least. My preferred tyres were the OEM spec Pirelli’s.
The SDV8 are great engines and really suit the RR with 700nm of torque (from memory) making them surprisingly swift. I took one on a 3k mile journey to southern Spain and we averaged around 30mpg and 70mph (when moving). They don’t like short journeys as much and mpg can drop into low 20’s. Plus they need the occasional long run to clear the DPF. All were 100% reliable but I didn’t keep any longer than 3 years.
I used dealers for servicing and they range from £450-£700 each dependent on whether it was a small/large service. I’m sure you could do most of the maintenance yourself and a good independent is obviously an option. One thing to consider is a LR warranty which costs c.£1k+ per year (check the current prices with LR). It would be worth considering getting a warranty for at least the first year until you get to know the RR. Some RR problems can be expensive to fix.
Personally I think the VSE is the sweet spot in terms of spec but if you can get one with the fuel burning heater (FBH), they are a delight in the winter. All early L405 AB’s has the FBH as standard. If in doubt check if they keys come with an additional fob.
Definitely checkout some of the issues with earlier L405’s. One of the best resources for FFRR knowledge is https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/
People are generally well behaved and very helpful on that forum.
Edited to add, from memory the last time I put new tyres on they cost around £200 each but they tend to last 25k miles at least. My preferred tyres were the OEM spec Pirelli’s.
Edited by Phil. on Friday 19th May 17:14
I have an older RR, but my advise would be the same, regardless.
Budget for an average of 25mpg
Allow £1k a year on maintenance
As above tyres are frickin' expensive and the go to is the Pirelli Scorpians.
Insurance is alarmingly expensive die to early theft and you need to be prepared to keep your keys in a lead lined box and some insurance companies may even insist on a tracker.
Personally, I would avoid the 3.0 due to crank issues and also early ones are 'only' 254bhp which isn't much in something of that size and weight. Character is also a bit numb when compared to the V8.The SDV8 is a juicy 330bhp and can be mapped to nearly 400 too.
Best of luck. Range Rovers are simply superb....when they are working.
Budget for an average of 25mpg
Allow £1k a year on maintenance
As above tyres are frickin' expensive and the go to is the Pirelli Scorpians.
Insurance is alarmingly expensive die to early theft and you need to be prepared to keep your keys in a lead lined box and some insurance companies may even insist on a tracker.
Personally, I would avoid the 3.0 due to crank issues and also early ones are 'only' 254bhp which isn't much in something of that size and weight. Character is also a bit numb when compared to the V8.The SDV8 is a juicy 330bhp and can be mapped to nearly 400 too.
Best of luck. Range Rovers are simply superb....when they are working.
Thanks all. Some really helpful info there, very insightful. I do really, really fancy an L405, TBH when I started looking I am staggered that they are as "old" as they are now, they still look incredibly fresh and absolutely timeless as a design IMHO.
However I was a bit surprised by the VED, £675 is one hell of a jump up from the £150 I pay on my 5 series estate, which is hardly a small car!
However I was a bit surprised by the VED, £675 is one hell of a jump up from the £150 I pay on my 5 series estate, which is hardly a small car!
Hard-Drive said:
Thanks all. Some really helpful info there, very insightful. I do really, really fancy an L405, TBH when I started looking I am staggered that they are as "old" as they are now, they still look incredibly fresh and absolutely timeless as a design IMHO.
However I was a bit surprised by the VED, £675 is one hell of a jump up from the £150 I pay on my 5 series estate, which is hardly a small car!
the post 2018 cars VED is 165 plus the first five years surcharge mine is due to drop to 165 in January. it isntmuch when spread over 12 months. However I was a bit surprised by the VED, £675 is one hell of a jump up from the £150 I pay on my 5 series estate, which is hardly a small car!
They're great cars, not cheap and may well break down annoyingly but I love mine
irish boy said:
17 model year got better updated/more modern infotainment screen.
That infotainment system is still a bit crap though. Takes quite a long time to start up (which is a pita if you want to set a nav destination before you start driving). Bluetooth takes an age to connect to phone, the address input function on the nav is terrible, and if you want to retain features such as traffic info/re-routing you need to pay a subscription in order to do so (tend to use Google maps via CarPlay instead). Some of the connected features are useful (like being told when MrsLT has forgotten to lock it and being able to do so remotely) but others are quite poorly thought through. For example, you can start the engine remotely via the app, but not fire up the fuel burning heater (for which you need the extra fob) even though I understand it to be programmable via the in car interface for planned starts.
There are other minor irritations such as things that reset when you turn-off and restart the car (such as driving mode) when others (such as electric seat heating settings) are retained during brief stops.
Watch for warranty. I’ve posted about it before but both myself and several friends have had issues with the LR approved warranty.
They are wonderful vehicles, and quite addictive - always seem to back to a RR
VED is cheaper on newer ones, but the purchase price of the newer ones (ie after 2017) is substantially higher.
Infotainment is fine - DAB actually works and I use google maps on my phone when I need satnav. Streaming music via bluetooth works well and is stable. I don't mind if it takes 20 seconds for infotainment to start- no need to rush everything. Part of the RR experience - waft everywhere at decent but not fast pace - it's not a Ferrari
Fuel consumption is pretty good on my SDV8 - get about 30mpg in mixed driving. I live in the home counties and while insurance is high, it's less than 1000 a year for me.
The oil cooler leak is a common problem on the 4.4 TD - see if you can find one where it has been replaced. Cost is one issue (about 1.5k to repair), and current parts availability the other. Apparently LR has moved factories and I have heard of people waiting over 6 months for a new oil cooler.
VED is cheaper on newer ones, but the purchase price of the newer ones (ie after 2017) is substantially higher.
Infotainment is fine - DAB actually works and I use google maps on my phone when I need satnav. Streaming music via bluetooth works well and is stable. I don't mind if it takes 20 seconds for infotainment to start- no need to rush everything. Part of the RR experience - waft everywhere at decent but not fast pace - it's not a Ferrari
Fuel consumption is pretty good on my SDV8 - get about 30mpg in mixed driving. I live in the home counties and while insurance is high, it's less than 1000 a year for me.
The oil cooler leak is a common problem on the 4.4 TD - see if you can find one where it has been replaced. Cost is one issue (about 1.5k to repair), and current parts availability the other. Apparently LR has moved factories and I have heard of people waiting over 6 months for a new oil cooler.
megenzo said:
the post 2018 cars VED is 165 plus the first five years surcharge mine is due to drop to 165 in January. it isntmuch when spread over 12 months.
They're great cars, not cheap and may well break down annoyingly but I love mine
17 year model the tax is now £180 before this they are in the high bracket.They're great cars, not cheap and may well break down annoyingly but I love mine
MarcelM6 said:
Infotainment is fine - DAB actually works and I use google maps on my phone when I need satnav. Streaming music via bluetooth works well and is stable. I don't mind if it takes 20 seconds for infotainment to start- no need to rush everything. Part of the RR experience - waft everywhere at decent but not fast pace - it's not a Ferrari
Not a case of rushing, more a case of wanting to be able to programme the navigation before I start driving. Not unreasonable given the car’s purpose is to get from A to B and the address entry/destination search isn’t easy to use when driving (unless it’s a destination pre-stored in favourites). Hard-Drive said:
Thanks all. Some really helpful info there, very insightful. I do really, really fancy an L405, TBH when I started looking I am staggered that they are as "old" as they are now, they still look incredibly fresh and absolutely timeless as a design IMHO.
However I was a bit surprised by the VED, £675 is one hell of a jump up from the £150 I pay on my 5 series estate, which is hardly a small car!
Once you have driven an RR, its hard to go back to normal cars and I'd say the same if you got in my leggy 2007 3.6TDV8. The engine is an absolute gem and whilst it only has a lowly 276bhp, it makes a great noise and surprisingly quick. However I was a bit surprised by the VED, £675 is one hell of a jump up from the £150 I pay on my 5 series estate, which is hardly a small car!
If you want to save several thousand, I'd advise looking at a run out L322 4.4TDV8 as at least that way you are buying an end of the line rather than an early L405.
The L322 is a bit more understated but considered to by many to be peak RR and that is a view that is even held by people within Land Rover. Massive boot and later ones had Bluetooth streaming and DAB, so there is a enough there to make it easier to live with. However as a family car, they are no where near as good as a Discovery 3/4. However, they are superbly comfortable and eat miles very well
Lots od debate on fullfatrr forum about L322 vs L405.
Have had both with same engine - both fantastic, but the L322 is essentially a 20 year old design and the L405 more modern & lighter. I had a very late L322 and had to get the separate dongle for bluetooth streaming.
I preferred the ride of the L322 over the L405, but that is probably due to wheel size on the L405. 22s look good but are very low section for a SUV. If you can get one with smaller wheels I would recommend it.
Have had both with same engine - both fantastic, but the L322 is essentially a 20 year old design and the L405 more modern & lighter. I had a very late L322 and had to get the separate dongle for bluetooth streaming.
I preferred the ride of the L322 over the L405, but that is probably due to wheel size on the L405. 22s look good but are very low section for a SUV. If you can get one with smaller wheels I would recommend it.
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