1985 Range Rover Vogue 2.5TDI

A good winter project with bills of £3,300...In 1985 Range Rover had established itself as the premium luxury off-roader with the official production of the Vogue. As the flagship model of the Rover group, it was the Vogue that went on to conquer this sector. A sector that Range Rover still dominates. The 1985 Range Rover Vogue offered as standard a refinement that was classes ahead, passenger and drive arm rests, a staple of today's Range Rover, electric windows, power steering, electric mirrors and wood door cappings.

This 1985 Vogue, is one of the earliest production Vogues and was bought by this consignor to offer motorway cruising and country pottering. It was purchased with a 1.9 Perkins diesel engine, a common engine that was fitted in the Eighties as the only diesel, before Land Rover's launch of the 200TDI, that fitted into the Range Rover's engine bay. Suffice to say that the Perkins engine couldn't pull a leaf from a tree, and the consignor was offered a donor engine direct from a 1999 Land Rover Discovery. The 2.5 300TDI fitted well and returned some 35mpg on motorway trips over some 15,000 miles from October 2014 to the present. Currently showing an odometer reading of 62,300 miles, although not warranted, the condition of the interior suggests it may be accurate.

Bought as a rolling restoration, the paint has oxidised and the door cappings need re-varnishing, this consignor intended to sort out the mechanicals before finishing off the restoration with a respray in what is believed to be the original Venetian Red. A full service was carried out in October 2015 that included timing belt, rear coil springs, some welding on the chassis, brake pipes, full set of pads and discs, rear calipers, new tyres, exhaust manifold, head skim among others to include a total cost of some £3,300. To try and solve an intermittent overheating issue a new radiator was fitted in June 2016. The mechanic in July 2016, after a ""sniff test"" of the coolant whilst the engine was running, has suggested that the cylinder head gasket needs addressing. Although it pulls strongly on the road and is MOTd until October 2016 this car is offered at No Reserve and is sold as a ""non-runner"". A competent mechanic can address these issues, or a restorer could fit a period correct 3.5 V8 Rover petrol engine.

Any interested parties are welcome to contact the consignor, Arwel Richards, for further information photos and videos.*