SERIES 1, ISSUE 10
SHOP NOTES
What’s in the Bay This Week?
This Colour Has Us Feeling Blue
A Range Rover Classic arrived at the shop this week wearing a colour we've been debating ever since it rolled through the door. It's clearly a fresh respray, but it doesn't quite match anything in the factory catalogue. It's in the family of Tuscan Blue or Marine Blue, but with something else going on. Maybe a little more grey, a little more green.
From the outside and inside, this Classic presents beautifully. But get underneath it, and there's work to do. Suspension, bushings, and a handful of other service items require attention, and we're happy to do it. We'll have it sorted properly before it leaves.
In the meantime, we have a question for our readers: what do you call this colour? Drop us a reply with your best suggestion, and we'll share the favorites in the next issue.
Discovery II Is No. 1 In Our Hearts
We recently purchased a Discovery II from a customer, and it's now in the middle of a thorough refresh. When it comes to D2’s, we don't just work on them because they come through the door. We seek them out, we buy them, and we put them back together properly because we believe these trucks deserve to keep going.
There aren't many shops that know the Discovery II the way we do. We've seen every failure and developed a strong sense of what it takes to bring one back to its best. This one is getting all of it, including mechanical refreshes throughout and interior work to bring the cabin back up to where it should be.
The unique spec makes it worth every hour. Green outside, tan with green trim inside. It's a handsome combination that feels exactly right for a Discovery.
When it's done, it'll be ready for a new owner who wants a Discovery II they can simply drive and enjoy. We'll be listing it on our cars for sale page soon, so keep an eye out.
FIELDCRAFT TIPS
Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Summertime And The Roving Is Easy
Spring in the DC area is a rumour more than a season. One week you're still in a jacket, and the next the humidity has arrived, and it's not leaving until October.
If you're planning to get your Rover to the beach, the mountains, or anywhere in between this summer, now is the time to make sure it's ready. A little attention before the heat sets in means you stay on the road and out of the shop.
Here's what we look for when a customer brings in a car to check that it's ready for the summer driving season:
Cooling system. This is the one that matters most as temperatures climb. If you haven't flushed your coolant recently, now is the time. Check your hoses for softness, cracking, or swelling at the ends. A hose that looks fine in April can surprise you in July. While you're in there, take a look at the radiator cap and thermostat.
Fluids. Summer heat accelerates wear on everything. Check your brake fluid as it absorbs moisture over time, and that moisture lowers its boiling point. And top off washer fluid, coolant, and make sure the transmission and differential fluids are clean and fresh.
Tires. Pressure rises with ambient temperature, so check yours cold and adjust accordingly. More importantly, look at the sidewalls. UV exposure and age cause cracking that the tread doesn't reveal. If your tires have been sitting through a few winters, have someone look at them before you're loading the truck for a summer trip.
Air conditioning. There's nothing quite like discovering your air conditioning doesn't work on the first truly hot day. In fact, it happened to us this week in our LR3 shop truck! If it hasn't been tested since last year, run it now while a fix is still convenient. Refrigerant leaks slowly, and compressors can seize from disuse.
Sunroof seals and drains. If you have one, summer is the season it matters. A seal that weeps in a spring rain becomes a real problem in a downpour. Clean the drain channels, test the seal, and address any leaks before they become an interior issue. We see this one often.
Underneath. Take a look, or have us take one. Bushings that have been flexing through cold and wet months can show their age in spring. Inspect your brake lines, check for any new fluid weeping from seals, and give your CV boots a look. None of this takes long, and finding it now is always better than finding it later.
The best summer with a Rover is an uninterrupted one. A few hours of attention now is the best investment you can make in the months ahead.
If you'd like us to go through your truck before the season gets going, give us a call. We're happy to help!
ROVER CULTURE
Events and Land Rover News
Stellantis & JLR, A Partnership No one Saw Coming
Stellantis and Jaguar Land Rover have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore joint product and technology development in the US, and the timing is no coincidence.
JLR builds zero vehicles on American soil, costing the brand over half a billion dollars in tariffs last year alone. Stellantis, meanwhile, has underutilised factories sitting idle. Shared platforms, co-developed tech, or even JLR vehicles built at Stellantis plants could solve both problems at once.
The announcement drops just ahead of Stellantis's Investor Day, where CEO Antonio Filosa is expected to reveal a turnaround plan centred on four core brands — Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, and Fiat — with partnerships playing a key supporting role.
It's an unlikely pairing. But in today's automotive industry, with tariffs reshaping supply chains and costs climbing, strange alliances are becoming the new normal.
AGULHAS UPDATES
Current Builds
Agulhas At Bring a Trailer Meetup
Last weekend, we took Charles down to Lewes, Delaware for a Bring a Trailer meetup.
The weather was perfect and there were a lot of cars to look at. The Porsche Club and Corvette Club were in attendance, plus exotics, classics, drivers, and showpieces. The variety was impressive and the crowd was welcoming and enthusiastic. Lewes being Lewes, you could smell the ocean in the air the entire afternoon.
There were several other Defenders on site, which was a pleasure to see. We'll say diplomatically that Charles represented the breed well. Very well.
The conversations were great with people who actually know cars and wanted to talk seriously about the build philosophy behind Charles and what heritage-led design means in practice. That kind of engagement is always welcome.
We'll be back.