So guys I am looking at a range rover sport 2009 with fantastic service history and in great condition, a little on the expensive side , but being pulled towards the 2010 model, but with lots more mileage, is their a significant change between the models to improve the reliability of the range rover sport,

New shop is much better in my opinion as I have just sold mine, the interior is better as are the lights etc..
As for reliability well same old Range Rover reliability IMO.
Go for a well specked one with plenty of service history and see if the main faults associated with the engine size you buy have been sorted out…

I'd be drawn by the service history. History is everything with second hand cars, especially Land Rovers. A big file full of receipts etc., is a lovely thing. It shows care and attention being given to the vehicle. A simple service book with just LR main dealer stamps in it would scare me away.

The later version's "better interior" is arguable. Yes, it looks nicer but in my experience it is slightly less practical.

As for the headlights, again I found the earlier version's lights to be better. The face-lift version doesn't have the same "pavement cut" to the beam in order to avoid having to adjust the lights for LHD situations. Cost cutting by LR but a reduced light effectiveness.

Ultimately it's personal choice on whether the interior is a selling point. Mechanically there are no real differences and no big fixes applied between versions. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Hi so the model I am looking at is the 3.6 Hse with part main dealer and 4x4 specialist, the thing is the sport model comes with such bad feedback, like leaking ace bar blown turbos , rusting brack pipes and nearly all of these need the shell lifted so my question is do I buy jap, our are the range rovers just getting bad press

What do you want the vehicle to do? Is it just going to be a car? Just driven to the shops, to work, to school? If so, a Jap box would be a better option.

If you want something to drive long distances in a day, then the RRS is a good option. It loves being driven, hates short journeys.

If you want something to tow a big 'van or a heavy trailer, then the RRS is excellent. They are brilliant tow vehicles.

If you want to go off road at all, then the RRS is a good choice - extremely competent off road.

The TDV8 is an excellent lump, by the way, if you're looking at one.

The biggest thing with regards to reliability is to drive the thing. They do not like short journeys. Get them warmed up and driven for an hour at a time and they're very happy. Let the turbos cool down for a minute before turning off the motor and they'll last much longer.

The other big thing to help your ownership enjoyment is to get a decent LR independent to look after the vehicle. Main dealers are rubbish and hugely expensive. A "4x4 specialist" is better than nothing but probably not as well versed in the foibles of LRs. Likely doesn't have a full LR diagnostic system either so may struggle with some error codes - they throw up error codes all the time but most of them aren't an issue. SO a proper LR indie is the best place to go.

My old TDV8 had all sorts of issues when being serviced by a main dealer. Got to the point where I was thinking of chopping it. Then I started using an LR indie and never looked back. The vehicle's reliability improved. Yes, really. Nothing else changed other than a change of garage and a change from shorter journeys (although not silly short ones) to hour long commutes. Had a whole bunch of problems in the first 25k miles of ownership, the next 90k went by in three years and it hardly missed a beat. Drove it down to Spain a couple of times without issue (other than a brake pad wear light coming on as we set off on the trip - pads changed in a car park in Spain by a mate!).

As for lifting the body. It seems scary but the designers designed it to be done relatively easily. It adds a couple of hours to the bill which, at an indie, isn't too bad. Of course, if one needs the body lifting, then changing other items at the same time makes sense - I did that last year. Body was lifted to change the crossover pipe on the back of my SDV6. So the indie did the fixed brake pipes at the same time. Extra cost was the pipes and an hour's labour. Simple choice to make.

Whatever you do, remember you're buying a 10+year old vehicle that has more bits on it to go wrong - they're complicated beasties with lots of control systems. They aren't as cheap to run as a Jap box. That's just a fact of life. But go in with your eyes open and you can find a peach which will bring a smile to your face on every drive - and not many Jap boxes will do that. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

WOW thank you so much , great advice, and keeping the turbos in good working order , i am happy to jump under and do the easy bits suspension arms pads disc's , my big concern was the ACE on the rear and the turbos if they had to be done ,, and yep it would be used for a bit of both short and long ,, perhaps not to the top of the road to the shops lol ,, thank you so much for getting back to me its really good to hear positive stuff about RRS ,eddy

Fantastic write up! I was in the same position as you Eddy a few months back, I have always loved the RRS L320 since it Launched and every time I see one I think - "one day - one day" so I decided to sell my Audi S3 that was literally like new with 100% reliability with a heavy heart and bit the bullet.
I was worried about reliability / being able to get one in good condition, running costs blah blah blah I saw some at dealers for sale that were all dogs and then was about to give up and looking at German equivalents such as the Q7, X5 etc. it doesnt take long to realize that not only are these just as expensive with their own issues but I would always see an RRS and feel like I have second best and still want the RRS.
I kept looking a found a mint Autobiography on a private sale with FSH - Very happy! just dont get one without a warranty that covers wear and tear and consequential cover with the known issues covered in writing might struggle with a car over 10 years / 100K miles though. At the end of the day I knew I wanted one but Im not daft nor made of money.
As said, go into this with your eyes WIDE open and buy with your head - not your heart.

For thought,. Face lift is far superior looking for everyday life inside and outside. unless your going to get it dirty offroad. sit in a FL then sit on a PFL, you will see. The PFL isnt bad at all but just very agricultural in comparison. There are a lot of small common issues that can put off a fussy buyer that are easy fixes too.

guys thank you,, so i had to laugh yep been looking German /jap/ and any other 4x4 maker but always come back to the RRS, its like a tune you cant get out of your head (hold fire you kylie Minogue fans) , i want a rugged car inside and out , so not fussed about the soft touch's of the 2010 model, the keyless entry would be nice but as long as the engine and all the other bits are as good as that model, and yes a warranty is a must to drive away with

I bought a 2007 TDV8 HSE almost two years ago low ownership & a very comprehensive service history most of it LR independent , I have spent approximately £1700 on it with my independent bringing it right up to my standard, I have owned virtually every Japanese 4x4 but without a doubt the RRS is the best vehicle I've ever owned/driven.I tow a twin axle 26 foot caravan regularly with it and you hardly know it's there , good luck with your purchase you won't be disappointed.

its so good to hear positive feedback about RRS , the web is full of disaster stories , and i am sure some of them are correct but some simple things like let the engine run for a few min to let the turbo's cool could prolong the life of it and i did hear dont over do it until the car has been running for sometime as the oil is slow getting to the turbo's , don't just go off the temperature gauge as the oil takes longer to heat ,

thank you guys for taking the time to feedback ,, now i have to find one that ticks all the boxes

Yep, nice to read some of these tips and positive stories

I pick up my first RRS tomorrow (2012) and must say I've been a little concerned of what I might be getting into so have taken out an extended 2 year warranty which covers pretty much everything so have that peace of mind for a couple of years at least.

My only problem is that it wont be used much (3-4k per year), only used for the long family camping trips or for when we need to lug large stuff about - would this cause any issues? It could be sitting on the drive for a couple of weeks sometimes in between drives (but would never be used for very short drives)

If it's going to be sitting for a period, it would be wise to buy something like a CTek smart charger and wire it up. Can charge through the towing power point if fitted, or a set of permanent leads can be used with a simple break can be fitted. You then just plug it in and leave it smart charging.

One thing these things don't like is a low battery voltage. A full battery is the first step to keeping it happy.

I'd think that a 100 mile run and then sitting for two weeks before another 100 mile run would be better than lots of little journeys over the two weeks. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Ok, thats good to know.

Apologies to the OP for the thread hijack

Since you are looking for a car that is in great condition, It’s always recommended to check its history reports. I agree with RRSTDV8 that history is everything when buying a second hand car. There is https://www.rapidcarcheck.co.uk/ where you can check everything about the car you are eyeing in. I have a spare code from the bulk pack I bought from them. Pm me if you want?