Dear Tom and Ray:

I am a young adult looking to purchase an automobile. I have always wanted a Jeep type vehicle of some sort. I recently saw a something called a "Land Rover" parked in my neighborhood. I fell in love with this Jeep! It has a tire on the hood and the back seats are parallel to the front doors. My problem is it's not for sale, and I can't seem to find one for sale anywhere. Could you please tell me anything and everything about this Jeep called a "Land Rover." How can I find one? Where should I look? Thank you for your help. Corey

Ray: This Jeep isn't a Jeep, Corey. Land Rover is a British company.

Tom: Unfortunately, the Land Rover you saw is an old one, and those haven't been imported into the United States since the late 1970's. In fact, the last time I saw one, it was being driven by Marlon Perkins, who was using it to chase down a rhino on a rerun of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.

Ray: If you want a new Land Rover, the cheapest one you can get now is the Land Rover "Discovery," which lists for just under $40,000! Can swing that on your allowance?

Tom: If you want a used Land Rover, there are two publications you can check. One is Hemmings Motor News (published in Bennington, VT), where you'll find ads by people who specialize in old Land Rovers. The other is the Nairobi Evening News (at news stands everywere....in Kenya). Check the classified section.

Ray: But I think you'll be surprised to see how much even the used ones are selling for. So if you can't find one in your price range, here's the best alternative: Go out and buy yourself a pith helmet, a pair of khaki pants, and a set of high-powered binoculars. Then get an old Toyota 4-Runner. Bolt the spare tire to the hood, and inflate the tires to 60 psi each. That should faithfully recreate the feeling you're looking for in the old Land Rover.

Tom and Ray lead you step by step through the process of finding and buying a reliable used car in their pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1993 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Back to the September 1993 index