A few weeks ago The Daily Telegraph had a feature about Land Rover vehicles. James Foxall chose six models which he thought were the most likely to appreciate in value. Although I have never owned a Land Rover (I don’t think I’ve even ever sat in one) I found the article interesting and thought that you too, reader, might think the same.
The six models are shown below:
|
Model
|
Years
|
Price
|
|
Land Rover Series III
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1971-1985
|
£8,000-£25,000
|
|
Range Rover third generation (L322)
|
2006-2012
|
£3,000-£14,000
|
|
Land Rover Freelander 2 (L359)
|
2006-2015
|
£1,700-£5,000
|
|
Range Rover fourth generation (L405)
|
2013-2022
|
£10,000-£30,000
|
|
Land Rover Defender 2.2 TDci 90/110 (L316)
|
2012=2016
|
£30,000-£45,000
|
|
Land Rover Discovery 5 3.0 P360 MHEV (L462)
|
2021-to date
|
£45,000-£65,000
|
Although it appeared 24 years after the original Land Rover, the Series III’s shape is almost the same. Land Rover specialist Jake Wright from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, thinks this last of the “Series” models is the one to have: “The short-wheelbase, soft-top is a really fun car to own. It’s the most driveable of the Series models and looks relatively modern in a timeless sort of way. Most people who want them as a fun car go for petrol models.”
The L322 initially featured BMW engines and switchgear. In 2006 the engine was replaced by a 4.2-litre V8 Jaguar Land Rover engine and it’s this model that is considered the pick of the bunch by Ross Brunyee, a Land Rover and Range Rover specialist in Hampshire: “I have one myself and they’re comfortable, competent in all driving situations and reasonable to maintain. If you find a nice one, you’ll be set. They’re budget money (to purchase) but if you look after them properly and expect to spend £1,000 to £1,500 a year on maintenance, you’ll have a car with character, soul and class.”
The Freelander was the first Land Rover to have a unibody or monocoque construction. Justin Lacey, a specialist in Devon, said “If you get a nice low-mileage model with a full service history you won’t go far wrong. If they haven’t been looked after they can have rear differential issues but as long as they’ve been serviced properly, they’re pretty good.”
The fourth generation Range Rover was “a couple of steps” up the luxury ladder on previous models and James Kendall, a specialist in Oldham, believes you’ll struggle to get better value. He said “Range Rover values took a big hit last year and the market crashed (because of a high-profile theft problem). I’d suggest people go for the SV model. Prices of them have halved. You can now get a top model of a very high-end car for less than a BMW X5.”
Production of the Defender ended in January 2016 and it’s the final model that Andrew Harrison-Smith, a specialist in Peterborough, thinks is best: “I would recommend the classic Defender 2.2 TDCi90 short wheelbase and 110 long wheelbase station wagons, manufactured between 2012 and 2016.
The Discovery 5 petrol model launched in 2021 is the sweetest according to Danny Bryant, a senior buyer in Essex: “This model strikes the perfect balance between power, refinement and practicality, featuring a smooth 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.”
Do you have a Land Rover? Do you have your own particular favourite model? We’d like you to write in and let us know. Gary Whittle