2004 Land Rover Range Rover 2.9L Diesel · HC04 FPK

The most recent DVSA examination on 2 May 2025 resulted in a failure, and the nature of the defects recorded is concerning enough to warrant serious caution from any prospective purchaser. The vehicle was refused a test pass due to a deformed and holed offside rear integral body structure with significantly reduced structural rigidity, extensive corrosion of the entire offside sill, a parking brake efficiency below the required minimum, and a split offside front inner driveshaft CV boot permitting contamination of the constant velocity joint. A 2024 test also failed on a dangerous nearside rear tyre below the 1.6mm tread limit, an excessively binding offside rear service brake, imbalanced rear axle braking, and a worn nearside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint. Reviewing the trajectory from 2018 through 2022, the vehicle was accumulating advisories progressively relating to rear sub-frame bushes, anti-roll bar ball joints, and front tyre wear, which is typical wear progression on a heavy luxury SUV. However, the jump from advisories on the 2022 test to outright structural failure and dangerous brake defects by late 2024 indicates a sharply worsening maintenance trend rather than a stable one, and the structural corrosion issue alone would warrant a thorough independent body inspection before any commitment. The recorded mileage of 180,770 miles across approximately 22 years equates to an annual average of roughly 8,217 miles, which is broadly typical for a vehicle of this age. The MOT record shows regular annual testing from 2018 through 2025 with no extended gaps, suggesting consistent use rather than long periods of standing. This level of sustained use on a heavy, complex vehicle such as a Range Rover will have placed considerable accumulated strain on the air suspension system, engine cooling components, transmission, transfer box, and drivetrain, in addition to the chassis and braking components referenced in the test history. At this mileage and age, buyers should anticipate that major service items such as timing chains, automatic transmission fluid changes, transfer box and differential oils, and the air suspension compressor and struts will either have been replaced or be imminently due. Given the recurring advisories on rear sub-frame bushes, anti-roll bar linkage ball joints, and suspension arm bushes first noted in 2019 and 2020 and persisting through to the 2022 test, these components have clearly been deteriorating progressively and would almost certainly now require replacement. On a test drive, listen carefully for clonking or knocking noises from the rear suspension over uneven surfaces, particularly on acceleration, deceleration, and when traversing speed humps, as this is characteristic of worn sub-frame and trailing arm bushes. The 2024 advisory of a binding offside rear caliper combined with imbalanced rear braking suggests the rear brake calipers may be seizing or the handbrake mechanism may be sticking; during a road test, verify that the vehicle pulls up straight under firm braking without any pulling to one side, and confirm that the rear wheels rotate without excessive drag once the handbrake is released. The front inner CV boot failure noted in 2025 should be inspected to confirm professional rectification, and the joint itself checked for any clicking or vibration under load indicative of grease loss and internal wear. Beyond the recorded defects, a 22 year old Range Rover with this mileage demands a rigorous age-appropriate physical inspection regardless of any MOT outcome. Tyre sidewalls should be examined closely for cracking and perishing caused by UV exposure, even where tread depth remains adequate, as aged rubber can fail catastrophically. The 12 volt battery, cooling system, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and engine oil should all be considered time-expired regardless of mileage intervals, as calendar degradation rather than distance is the relevant factor; any evidence of recent servicing with dated records would be reassuring. Standing-related issues such as corroded brake disc surfaces, binding caliper sliders from infrequent use, seized handbrake mechanisms, and perished rubber hoses throughout the underbonnet and braking system are highly probable on a vehicle of this vintage. Given the documented structural corrosion to the offside sill, a professional pre-purchase inspection including the vehicle raised on a ramp is essential to assess the full extent of any chassis and body integrity concerns, the cost of which may render the vehicle uneconomical to repair.