xs2man
Member Since: 08 Aug 2014
Location: Arbroath
Posts: 28
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Wow. Thanks for the more useful comments, again, very much appreciated.
I guess some background then on my driving habits.
I usually don't need to commute. My usual driving is probably either 6-8 miles each way to the local shops, or 20 miles each way to the local city. Mostly A / B roads at 60 mph, driving through the occasional town / village. Easily enough to get the V8 warmed up to fire onto the gas, but then again, easily enough to get reasonable figures out of a diesel (My MY2014 530d BMW averages over 40 mpg for example).
I do occasionally have to go to the office though. That is 50 miles each way, with around 35 of these miles on dual carriageway, usually sat at 70-80. So again, a decent drive. And I have LPG stations within a couple miles of both home and work (although the one at work is cheaper at 65p per litre.
Then there are "days out", which are often either Dual Carriageway / Motorway for 130+ miles each way, or over country A/B roads to some farm or other with the kids. These happen reasonably regular though.
I do around 25k per year total, of which I currently do around 15k of them in the BMW. However, the plan is to do more in the Disco as the 7 seats will allow for the kids to take friends. That said, my kids are only currently 3 months and 2 years, so the youngest doesn't have friends, and the eldest's friends usually have parents tagging along (hence the want for 7 seats).
So I'm probably looking at around 10-15k per year in the motor. And looking at the lower end of the market for the motor, around £10-13k. So looking at around 2005/6 examples with around 100k on them. I do plan to keep the car for a few years, so probably looking at putting 50-60k on whatever I buy. But I wouldn't expect anything I buy now to be worth more than around £3-5k when I'm finished with it, as it will then be 13-15 years old, with around 160 -170k on it. In this case, I can't imagine there being too much depreciation difference between the V8 (with LPG) and the Diesel.
So looking at longer term running costs, I'd expect at least one full belt change on the diesel at best. Obviously not required on the V8. I just went to look at a 2008 diesel example today (slightly out of budget right enough, but was local), with 100k on it. They had to replace the turbo on it, and the fuel gauge was dodgy on it too. They told me the fuel gauge would cost £1k to fix, and they would knock the £1k off it as they had spent £3k getting it to where it currently is and didn't want to spend any more. Now obviously that could happen on either engine, but the £1k turbo is exclusive to the diesel, so that is a risk that's no longer relevant with the V8.
I am, despite this, not adverse to the diesel, but it would need some tuning, as neither of the 2 diesels I have driven thus far have felt anything other than sluggish. So that's more cost on the diesel, and probably more strain on the turbo, which wouldn't matter quite so much on the diesel I just looked at with the new turbo, but may well be relevant on any other one I look at. (the one I looked at was proper poverty spec GS with NO leather, NO nav, No Xenons, No HK, so I probably WONT go for that one).
So what it comes down to there, is me expecting nearly £3k of expense on a diesel (belts, tuning and possible turbo), compared to the £2k conversion cost of the LPG. For similar fuel economies, but more power, and better noise from the V8.
The downside to the V8 of course, is that there doesn't appear to be any within 200 miles of me. So the diesel isn't ruled out yet, lol.
Of course, I COULD chop in my 530d and get a D4 SD with the better engine and all that, but I REALLY like the 5 series.
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 11th Aug 2014 5:34 pm |
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Riccarton Disco
Member Since: 24 Jan 2013
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 565
  
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Good lord you've got some tough decisions to take there.
Your budget is good and you should get a decent car - I've just sold my 56 HSE full spec D3 with full service history (and 18 months warranty for a private buyer) for £11k with 89k miles and pretty much immaculate so you're right to shop around 'til you find what you're after. They are out there and if you go V8 then a low mileage one may well be on your cards.
Personally I think you'll love the TDV6 once you get used to it but good luck either way.
Best of luck,
Steve.
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| 11th Aug 2014 6:03 pm |
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xs2man
Member Since: 08 Aug 2014
Location: Arbroath
Posts: 28
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See, now that's just the sort of motor I'm after. Now just need to find another, lol. Where is a good place to look? Apart from here, Ebay and AT?
Where do you get warranty for such a car anyway? With that age and mileage, that is actually worth having.
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| 11th Aug 2014 6:39 pm |
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Riccarton Disco
Member Since: 24 Jan 2013
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 565
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I used Warranty Direct and surprisingly they were actually very good. No quibble to replace every suspension bush, alternator & air-con pipes (all known issues). However, you'll also find plenty of people ready to slag them off so I guess satisfy yourself before splashing the cash.
Have you spoken to any Land Rover dealers? In the past I have spoken to a friendly sales chap at our local dealer, told them what I was looking for and the budget. When they get a trade in that they don't want on the forecourt you get a call as you pay more than the trade but still alot less than an indie's forecourt. Worth a shot??
AT is a good source and if you're prepared to buy a warranty then buying privately will have big savings!
Good luck - YOUR car is out there 
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| 11th Aug 2014 8:24 pm |
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