What to look out for with these cars

Hi all,

Bear with me I'm new to the RR world (own a C63 AMG Merc so a geek about that world haha!).

I am looking to buy the wife a RR Evoque 2013 Reg (63 plate Pure) Auto - 65k miles - full service (last service 63k miles).

I have spoken to my dad and he has told me these cars are very unreliable, so I decided to go against his word and get one anyway LOL!

What should I look out for today before parting with my money? What are the service intervals and what are the major services the car needs to stay safe and away from any major issues.

Is there a chain or cambelt and does this need replacing?

Heard some issues with the gearbox can be problematic etc...?

Basically please go easy on me and educate me on what to look out for and check, also if it needs anything in particular changed at those miles.

Many thanks in advance for anyones help

Welcome to the forum Yasser

1st - does you dad own or has he ever owned any recentLand Rover or Range Rover? If not then he is only going on gossip/ hearsay as they are actually more reliable than Mercedes/Audis and BMW's these days - I see more Porsches on flat beds than I see Evoques.

Tips for buying -

Pay the little bit extra for a Land Rover Approved vehicle as you will get a very comprehensive warranty - dealers also have the best cars and they must all have full service history before they are accepted as Approved Used.

A 2013MY will have the 2.2 diesel or the 4 cylinder Petrol Turbo and a later one will have the ZF 9 speed Auto rather than the 6 speed auto (if you want an auto, but they perform better than the manuals and any a Range Rover should be an auto!)

An Auto is better for if you want to try a spot of offroad fun, manuals can cook their clutch quite easily, autos come with standard oil coolers and are also better towing cars, the 9 speed auto also has 1st gear as a crawler for towing and offroad, normally it should engage it for onroad, non towing scenarios.

Any special reason for going for a Pure? The Prestige and Dynamic have better quality trims and more useful toys - look for a Prestige or Dynamic Lux (it is an additional pack but also a separate model)

Manuals have had problems with crunching gear boxes so make sure that the gear selection is smooth and silent.

Power steering is electronic - we have had some extremely rare posts here about sudden failure but the cause has never been reported or the fix.

Mechanically they are sound - both engines are Ford derived with modifications to lubrication and breathing to suit Land Rover's requirement for off road use.

If you are not worried about offroad then there is an eco 2WD model - the ED4 which has a lower powered engine and a manual gear box along with 2WD. Otherwise all Evoques are permanent 4WD (95% to the front, 5% to the rear but can switch in an instant if slip is detected) ED4 was available as a Pure only.

Check for rattles - this is a common issue with Evoques, some of the fittings are flimsy and low rent, especially those out of sight.

Check that the boot is big enough for your needs - it is quite small.

If going for a Coupe (2 door) then the Panoramic Roof is really desirable on them especially if a Black interior is fitted and privacy glass. Getting in and out of the back of a Coupe can be tight and the front seat motors are deathly slow to move the seat forward. Getting a child seat/ booster is awkward in a Coupe too. Coupes are less common but don't pay any extra for one as for several years up to the facelift in 2016 the price was the same (you might even pay less for a Coupe compared to the Evoque 5 door!)

If buying from a non Land Rover dealership then before doing anything get the VIN and check out the history on the Land Rover Topix website - you will also find the full spec there. Like all Land Rovers a full main dealer service history is essential if buying used. They are not cheap cars to run and have very complex systems that most used car lots have no idea about - as a condition of buying I would even go as far to suggest that the seller gets the car serviced and all the recalls/TSB's and software updates checked and done by a franchised dealer at the sellers cost.

They are very capable cars but even the turbo petrol isn't a street racer - they are (even the ED4) very capable offroad but 99% of them get no further offroad than the pavement outside a school or the supermarket carpark.......... I offroaded my 1st Evoque a lot, it was brilliant and even on 20" wheels never got stuck.

Main dealer servicing is expensive but that is the same with most modern cars, once out of warranty most Land Rover Independents are well able to fix them, they aren't as complex as the bigger models made by LR.

Good luck with your search, I'm sure that there will be a heap more posts from guys who have bought used Evoques and love them to bits.

They aren't colour sensitive but there are a huge number of Fuji white, Santorini Black and Firenze Red ones out there. Some of the less common colours suit the car too and then there is Colima Lime............ metallic pale Kermit Green and Scillian Lemon Yellow........... both quite rare - the yellow one was a special edition, Colima was a standard option in the first couple of years production. There are some odd combinations of contrast roof though, this was available in Black, White, Silver and recently Red - most opting for a Contrast roof went for a black one, there are fewer white, grey or silver roofed ones around.

Moderator edited out the massive quote

WOW thank you so much for your answer. Honestly you have answered all my questions.

I am going to buy this vehicle today as have done extensive research and seems to hit the nail on each one.

It is a Pure but has everything including upgraded sound system. Only thing lacking is the bucket seats and reverse camera (not fussed) the rest is the same spec as the others.

It is in white and has 65k on the clock. Full JLR service recently done 2k miles ago. Everything seems to be fine and looks the part.

Its for the MRS and I am not to fussed, but will check for the things you have mentioned as was unaware of noises etc... So thank you for that.

In regards to my dad he has a showroom with them and he had gearbox's go on them and a clutch on the other. Had to pay big bucks as it was just outside warranty period unfortunately.

Thanks once again for informative answer, and hats off to you for taking the time!

Also take a look at the tailgate fitment. It can be pretty common for it to be out of alignment - the trim under the tailgate window should flow in a straight line to the rear wing and rear windows.

Obviously, take a good look over the vehicle before handing over your money - what out for signs of previous re-spray, panel fitment etc.

(23-06-2017 10:51am)Pete Wrote:  Also take a look at the tailgate fitment. It can be pretty common for it to be out of alignment - the trim under the tailgate window should flow in a straight line to the rear wing and rear windows.

Obviously, take a good look over the vehicle before handing over your money - what out for signs of previous re-spray, panel fitment etc.

Yeah have done all that, pretty solid car to be honest. Just wanted to know if the turbo noise is normal as you put your foot down on the accelerator.

Also my side mirror seems to be missing a piece which doesn't hold it in place solidly. Wondering if there is something i need to buy to put it in its place?

You could try getting the dealer to sort the mirror out for you..

This is a petrol variant I assume?

(23-06-2017 11:25am)Pete Wrote:  You could try getting the dealer to sort the mirror out for you..

This is a petrol variant I assume?

No its a 2.2 SD4.

I prefer not to go to the dealers unless its for parts to be honest. Do they normally cost an arm and a leg for parts. Its a very small part.

Well, I mean that you could get this corrected under the dealer warranty period. But of course if you've not bought to from a deal with a warranty, then you're left to self-fund.

I used to own an SD4 and I suffered from a whine in normal driving that seemed a bit too loud to be normal. I have no idea what caused it and it didn't happen all the time. I solved it by buying a Porsche - other people might have cheaper advice.

(23-06-2017 11:33am)Pete Wrote:  Well, I mean that you could get this corrected under the dealer warranty period. But of course if you've not bought to from a deal with a warranty, then you're left to self-fund.

I used to own an SD4 and I suffered from a whine in normal driving that seemed a bit too loud to be normal. I have no idea what caused it and it didn't happen all the time. I solved it by buying a Porsche - other people might have cheaper advice.

haha nice. Yeah I have a C63 and did tell the mrs to go for a porsche (was happy to fork out for it) but she wanted the evoque, cant stop her from what she wants. Happy wife happy life i guess haha

Your Mrs has fine taste, the Evoque looks so much nicer than any of the Porsches, even if the Evoque doesn't go quite as quickly