Reading the L494 forum posts it is very obvious that RR has maintained and even exceeded the lows of quality control in the new model compared to the L320 which in its own right could be terrible (my own a bad example). You have to ask how can things go so wrong - trim, paint and assembly seem to be major issues. Other manufacturers can get it right (mainly non premium brands) so why can't Range Rover. Having said that Landrovers opposition in the marketplace are lowering their standards too, so its not a case of how good you are its how bad the opposition is.

The moral of the story is if you buy a Range Rover and its a good one just keep it for a long time as if you trade it in for a new model there is a good chance you will buy a lemon. Seriously how much better is the L494 compaired to the L320 in normal driving, it may have better performance if you pedal it hard, it has a few more trinklets, but the old one drove really nicely (when they work). Do you trade your spouse in every few years because a new model has come out?

YES, if you can afford to!

Not sure where you are going with comparing people with cars

I had the pre-facelift 2.7 Sport which I traded in for the last of the old model i.e. 3.0 with 8 speed gearbox and lots of toys as standard. It was a totally different car to drive, even though the exterior could have looked very similar to the layman.

That was replaced by the 2016 model which has the same engine and gearbox as the last one (albeit with different software map so even more responsive and smooth) but the chassis, exterior and interior are totally new. It feels VERY different due to the improved handling in general and better Dynamic Mode in particular.

I have had issues with all 3 of mine (first 2 were bought used, one privately other from LR franchised dealer) but nothing of the nature that left me stranded so far (touch wood). Nothing major enough to put me off. On one occasion when my L320 was at risk of not being returned by the dealer in time for a holiday in the Alps, I had full support and assurance from LRCR that I will be provided a like for like or better car for the trip. Luckily mine was ready few hours before departure and I didn't need to use that facility but that gesture is good customer support in my books because LR had nothing to do with the delay at the dealer. While mine have not been 100% fault free, they certainly don't fall in the lemon category either. I wouldn't buy another if they did.

The last of RRS1 (by that I mean the 8 speed MY12 and MY13 cars only) are incredible value for money so it remains debatable whether the cost to change from those to L494 is worth it and comes down to personal preferences and circumstances. I do agree that L494 prices are getting a bit silly but may be that's just me and my affordability. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

I have owned a few different brands , the last was the v10 Touaregs which I owned two models, a V10 with everything and a R50. The first V10 did have quite a few issues fixed, but overall was a well engineered vehicle in fact I believe the Germans leave the Brits, or Indians , for dead in the engineering stakes. As most people seem to buy the RR for the image rather than the function their complains are about paint and squealing brakes , which IMO isn't the issues that really need attention,

My car has less features that my 10 6 yr old R50 , and quite a few features that are sub par in today's world. Pricing is also a little high , but price of entry is price of entry.

As a drivers car the vehicle is best in class for a true off road vehicle. So hence the reason for my purchase. M16 SVD8 ,4.4 HSE with a few extras, Sold R50 , Wife SQ5 , BMW R1200GSW.

If sales of Land Rover/ Range Rover products fell off a cliff because of poor quality then JLR would do something about it but as I see it, as long as sales mean waiting lists then JLR don't see any need to change their practises/ policies and things will not improve because the vast majority of their cars are sold before they even leave the production line.

If you think RRS has poor perceived quality and issues then you should take a read at the Evoque forums where there are regular posts of truly shocking issues with cars that should never have passed QC on the end of the production line, should never have got passed QC at the compound in Warwickshore where final production QC is done and should never have got passed a Dealership gate but they do and nobody seems to be bothered or do anything about it at the management end.

It is also strange that Jaguar products regularly feature in the top 10 (and often in the top 3) cars for owner satisfaction / build and quality of finish yet they contain many of the same parts/ components as their Land Rover cars have................ What could Jaguar Quality Controllers teach LR employees? Problem for Jaguar is it struggles to sell its cars in anywhere near the numbers that the LR side sells in, maybe they operate their production lines at a much slower rather as demand isn't there for Jaguar cars............... Although the new Jag XE seems to be selling very well in the small saloon car sector against BMW Audi and Mercedes competition. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I don't see your point? If you hate LR so bad because of the poor quality which you perceive then stop buying their product, which you appear to have had your fair share of in the past.

I seriously think that Landrover is like the Roman Empire at its pinacle - The fall is not nice.
They are living off the legacy off some really good people in the organisation who knew about ground breaking vehicles. RR quality has always been a joke but some how the product elevated itself above the quality problems - it was a highly desirable item.

The L320 made ML's, X5's and Q7's look like toys. It was sleek yet had that Range Rover tough look and could go offroad - it had the game to itself in terms of being a real sports 4WD.

If I want to spend the amount of money that the new L494 costs I want to feel special. The L494 just does not stand out from the crowd it blends in. Put a Hyundai badge on it and nobody would no the difference. The price they are asking also does not reflect the low build quality they put out.

I was talking to the dealer principal of my local dealership last year and we started talking about the Evoque. I said it does nothing for the true Landrover brand - he agreed, it dilutes its heritage but it sells big time not to traditional Landrover owners but to BMW and Mercedes owners who want something trendy.

Trends change - Remember The Chrysler Cruiser

There was an article I read about the US Specification RRS models which come with M+S tyres - but they are actually not, Landrover asked Michelin to put M+S lettering on the tyres as a marketing exercise. The were no good in driving in snow - a RRS that can't drive in snow - Its a 4WD isnt it.

That's a lot of words but you still don't have a point other than YOU don't like the current chaff which LR is churning out.

Buy something else then

Being a resident of what is probably the most remote major city on the planet. Selling a RR to a non Landrover dealer means you have to give it away. The Landrover dealer here is chocked full of new LR/RR products which he cannot sell. They have about 50 new cars in the lot and a bond yard full of imports. They don't want 2nd hand RRS models 5 years old.

Thats why I am not selling it. Its not worth very much. I paid the equivalent of over UKP100,000 for the vehicle 5 years ago. I would be lucky (on a really good day) to get the equivalent of UKP20,000.

Its only got 27,000km (16,700 miles) on the clock - it look like new. I shouldn't have to trade it in if Landrover had done a decent job building it.

Meiang wrote:

I seriously think that Landrover is like the Roman Empire at its pinacle - The fall is not nice.
They are living off the legacy off some really good people in the organisation who knew about ground breaking vehicles. RR quality has always been a joke but some how the product elevated itself above the quality problems - it was a highly desirable item.

The L320 made ML's, X5's and Q7's look like toys. It was sleek yet had that Range Rover tough look and could go offroad - it had the game to itself in terms of being a real sports 4WD.

If I want to spend the amount of money that the new L494 costs I want to feel special. The L494 just does not stand out from the crowd it blends in. Put a Hyundai badge on it and nobody would no the difference. The price they are asking also does not reflect the low build quality they put out.

I was talking to the dealer principal of my local dealership last year and we started talking about the Evoque. I said it does nothing for the true Landrover brand - he agreed, it dilutes its heritage but it sells big time not to traditional Landrover owners but to BMW and Mercedes owners who want something trendy.

Trends change - Remember The Chrysler Cruiser

There was an article I read about the US Specification RRS models which come with M+S tyres - but they are actually not, Landrover asked Michelin to put M+S lettering on the tyres as a marketing exercise. The were no good in driving in snow - a RRS that can't drive in snow - Its a 4WD isnt it.

Meiang wrote:

Being a resident of what is probably the most remote major city on the planet. Selling a RR to a non Landrover dealer means you have to give it away. The Landrover dealer here is chocked full of new LR/RR products which he cannot sell. They have about 50 new cars in the lot and a bond yard full of imports. They don't want 2nd hand RRS models 5 years old.

Thats why I am not selling it. Its not worth very much. I paid the equivalent of over UKP100,000 for the vehicle 5 years ago. I would be lucky (on a really good day) to get the equivalent of UKP20,000.

Its only got 27,000km (16,700 miles) on the clock - it look like new. I shouldn't have to trade it in if Landrover had done a decent job building it.

Meiang wrote:

Reading the L494 forum posts it is very obvious that RR has maintained and even exceeded the lows of quality control in the new model compared to the L320 which in its own right could be terrible (my own a bad example). You have to ask how can things go so wrong - trim, paint and assembly seem to be major issues. Other manufacturers can get it right (mainly non premium brands) so why can't Range Rover. Having said that Landrovers opposition in the marketplace are lowering their standards too, so its not a case of how good you are its how bad the opposition is.

The moral of the story is if you buy a Range Rover and its a good one just keep it for a long time as if you trade it in for a new model there is a good chance you will buy a lemon. Seriously how much better is the L494 compaired to the L320 in normal driving, it may have better performance if you pedal it hard, it has a few more trinklets, but the old one drove really nicely (when they work). Do you trade your spouse in every few years because a new model has come out?

Apart from purchasing a Honda Civic in 2005 (which I still own) I have bought nothing but Landrover vehicles since 1996 (5 of them) which camp do I fit in. Isn't an enthusiast allowed to express dissatisfaction. I think to categorise members in to 2 types does a lot of people a disservice.

The only way to truely understand a marque is to own their vehicles over many years. A forum is a means of communicating information - good and bad.

I keep my Honda because it is a mission critical vehicle - it never lets me down, it never goes wrong, maintenance costs are negligable. I can rely upon it to serve me when the Landrover goes wrong.

I have a Landrover because it is a desirable vehicle. The Honda is an appliance.

Sorry, nowhere did I say you could not express whatever sentiment you wished, I was merely commenting upon your conclusion from the content of this L494 subforum that LR quality had not improved or, indeed, further reduced.

You don't have an L494, so your post here about the quality or otherwise of our vehicles was always going to be challenged, surely? MY2016 HSE D SDV6 - gone due to fuel dilution problems.

By the age of 50 you have the face you deserve - George Orwell.

Meiang wrote:

Being a resident of what is probably the most remote major city on the planet. Selling a RR to a non Landrover dealer means you have to give it away. The Landrover dealer here is chocked full of new LR/RR products which he cannot sell. They have about 50 new cars in the lot and a bond yard full of imports. They don't want 2nd hand RRS models 5 years old.

Thats why I am not selling it. Its not worth very much. I paid the equivalent of over UKP100,000 for the vehicle 5 years ago. I would be lucky (on a really good day) to get the equivalent of UKP20,000.

Its only got 27,000km (16,700 miles) on the clock - it look like new. I shouldn't have to trade it in if Landrover had done a decent job building it.

You dont like the car/ LR service but cant/ wont do anything about it?

You have insurance surely, burn it out and make a claim