1994 Land Rover Range Rover User Reviews

Through Thick And Thin —

Land Rovers/Range Rovers have two fundamental flaws (after all these years and after exhausting the patience of multiple corporate overseers): 1. sporadic infestations by electrical gremlins, and 2. air suspensions that are not up to the task of propping up two tons of steel and aluminum. Range Rover Classics are, however, fantastic to drive and, if properly maintained, mechanically solid. The 1993-1994 RR County LWB 4.2 is the best of the first generation "Classic" models (but not the transitional 1995 with its Discovery innards). They possess an elegant design, bullet-proof engines and transmissions, and extraordinary abilities both on and off road. My 1994 has been utterly reliable. Advice: 1. Dump the air suspension and replace it with the tried-and-true Old Man Emu and Bilstein spring/shock 2" lift combo; 2. Change all your fluids every 5,000 miles with the original spec LR lubricants; 3. Biennially lubricate and grease axles and bearings (and check the swivel housings and steering rack for leaks); 4. Steam-clean and Waxoyl the chassis and all box sections every three years; and 5. Just don't bother to repair the following items that you really don't need and which WILL fail repeatedly: fan speeds 1 and 2 on the dash heater control panel (but not speed 3, for some reason, which is really all you need); heated front seats; rear side window lifters; heating elements in the side mirrors and rear windshield; rear window wash/wipe mechanism; and cruise control. If you can Keep Calm and Carry On without these items, and just enjoy the driving experience with the rock solid engine, transmission and other drive line components (and the numerous surviving, robust luxury amenities, including the great sound system and the sweetest smelling, most comfortable Connolly leather seats this side of a Rolls-Royce), then by all means buy a RR Classic yourself. They really will take you anywhere you want to go, on road or off, legal or wildly illegal (we all have stories), and you'll periodically experience the Schadenfreude that comes from seeing almost every other vehicle bogged down or flailing about in ice, snow, mud and all manner of muck, while you shift into low range and diffidently go about your business somewhere down the road. Of course, you could always tarry a while and tow one or two of them out of the quagmire, but we don't always have the time or inclination, do we? By the way, if you don't want any fuss and don't mind driving a vehicle with all the character (and driving dynamics) of a brick, purchase a Landcruiser or G-Wagen. Blah. Baaaaaa.

Primary Use: Family transportation

Range Rover Classic — Accelerates slowly but brakes well even on ice. Its handling is good at high speeds it doesn't have the best handling. As it is 14 years old it has had many repairs, after all my dad has driven it into a river and it went through my brothers high school years, 2 of his college years and my high school.