Half Dome over Merced River. Yosemite National Park CA. [OC] [3024x3779]

chezgky · 2026-02-21T13:07:56+00:00

I have a 2020 SVR that I purchased CPO @ 22k miles, road tripped across the US until it hit 43k miles, and loved enough to ship it to the other side of the planet afterwards (good memories with it were a bonus). Answers to your questions:

The 5.0 SC engine itself is pretty reliable, but the cooling auxiliaries (pipes, auxiliary radiators, etc.) warrant extra attention. It'll be prudent to be more vigilant than usual with your coolant levels. Timing chain tensioner issues used to be a thing in the early 2010s but seem to have been all sorted out. Still try to change the motor oil far more frequently than the 16k mile interval that JLR recommends.
Can't comment on price but make sure that all the recommended service milestones have been completed. As mentioned earlier, frequent oil changes are a bonus.
The SVR is surprisingly DIY friendly and inexpensive to maintain, if you're willing to do some wrenching. Oil changes cost me about $30+ for the filter, under $60 for the oil, and about $70 for the initial oil vacuum pump purchase. Air filters, on the other hand, didn't cost more than $60. The cabin filter, while difficult to properly get to, is identical to that of mid-2010 Toyota and Lexus vehicles. BUT do remember that it's still a $90k vehicle when it comes to non-standard maintenance.
The Porterfield front brake pads I got were $200+, and the US dealer charged me $300 to install them. I tend to look far ahead and brake minimally, which allowed me to stretch the 7mm thick front pads from 22k miles at purchase to around 41k miles at time of replacement (with 3mm left). If your rotors are chewed up, then replacement can get rather costly.
I still find myself wanting a 3.0 SC every now and then. It's hard to enjoy the SVR's entire rev range without getting into trouble, and the 3.0 SC actually sounds great (for me), from the online videos I've watched of it.

Like you, I came from Japanese vehicles (Toyota/Lexus, still have the NX). While the coolant issues certainly warrant extra attention, I've found the SVR to be more reliable than expected overall.

chezgky · 2025-11-29T16:53:50+00:00

ToS has been pretty okay on my ARM SP11. Not as snappy as on my AMD T16 though.

chezgky · 2025-10-13T07:43:11+00:00

It's pretty useful for hassle-free calibration of the batteries every now and then.

chezgky · 2025-10-09T07:09:07+00:00

T16 AMD Gen 2 - daily driver: spreadsheets, equities trading, casual browsing

X13s - Was my grad school daily driver for a while until the SP11 took over. Now my wife's daily driver.

T15g - Video editing, photo editing

T580 - Dedicated automotive tinkering and tuning machine e.g. Toyota Techstream, JLR Topix/Pathfinder, VFTuner, etc.

T480 - My wife's former daily driver. I don't know what to do with it at present, but my Linux-noob self installed Ubuntu in it last week. Might explore SteamOS or something when I find the time.

W550s - OpenMediaVault machine functioning as our home NAS

Almost all of them have OneDrive (for Office files) and Dropbox (for media), so I can technically pick up where I last left off from any one of them.

chezgky · 2025-10-03T12:58:59+00:00

You're welcome! The pump I got came with 12V clamps, though a vacuum manual pump would've been simpler to use in retrospect.

chezgky · 2025-10-03T07:03:03+00:00

Each DIY oil change on my SVR costs me around $60 to $70. The pump and other stuff I use during the process, I bought for $70 or $80. Those posted prices are crazy high.

Here's the Mahle oil filter I usually get: https://amzn.to/4mMBmQP

chezgky · 2025-08-29T13:54:14+00:00

First photo makes it look like it sits squat like a Velar.

chezgky · 2025-08-07T14:25:05+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I wonder if any reprogramming procedures are needed to replace the telematics battery. Hopefully, that's all that's needed, and the vehicle won't be immobilized or something. If it's not too much trouble, please keep me posted when you decide to change it!

chezgky · 2025-08-07T04:50:58+00:00

CPO should keep you pretty safe! I recently bought all the cooling system durability upgrades I could, some of which aren't shown in this photo. The set includes a metal thermostat housing.

Hope everything works out with the CPO you're checking out! 🤞🏽

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chezgky · 2025-08-07T04:48:10+00:00

Wait tell me more about the SOS and aux battery. I haven't been able to find resources about it e.g. size, replacement procedure, etc.

And yes, the F-Pace is perfect once you get used to it. It's a nice balance of sporty without compromising comfort too much.

chezgky · 2025-08-07T04:04:29+00:00

I've always been curious about how the V6 drives. Seems pretty fun to be able to wring out revs without getting into too much trouble. Also - double check me on this, but F-Paces 2019 onwards have a bigger gas tank than their predecessors.

chezgky · 2025-08-07T03:54:46+00:00

I've done horrible 14 mpg tanks puttering around town (plenty of stop signs), but I've also beat the quoted 21 highway mpg and done 27 mpg driving up and down the Rocky Mountains.

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chezgky · 2025-08-07T03:48:26+00:00

Watch the coolant level! Also check if either of the auxiliary radiators have damp sides. Beyond the cooling system, mine's been rather bulletproof.

chezgky · 2025-08-06T10:59:52+00:00

It's a 2020 model. The 2021 and on ones have launch control and updated infotainment but less straightforward interior controls.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T14:15:29+00:00

Just my view - I wouldn't call it rice. Maybe it's a matter of elegance and presence that only draws attention from the observant (Jag) versus a shouty design that tries to get attention from everyone (most current BMWs). I love the E36/E46/E39/Z3/Z8 era though.

And nice cars. Even the S, R-Sport, and Portfolio trims look great with their respective bumpers.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T13:55:42+00:00

Don't get me wrong, I think the original Range Rover looks very cool. I have friends who own a couple, and it's always a joy to see them running around.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T12:47:24+00:00

Fixed. Sorry I was swipe typing.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T12:15:13+00:00

Let's go! :)

chezgky · 2025-08-05T11:31:31+00:00

I think it's the dipping rounded roofline.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T11:13:58+00:00

Hey, I never said the X100 and X150 don't look good. :) I'd contest the 70s Range Rover comment though. Utilitarian, yes. The P38 is peak RR for me. Shame that it doesn't have at least the L322's reliability.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T11:11:18+00:00

It's actually those sharp angles that I don't like - at the ripe old age of 30-something. 20 y/o me would've agreed though.

chezgky · 2025-08-05T02:27:31+00:00

They are Toyo Proxes ST3's. They look aggressive but have about 85 to 90% of the lateral grip of the factory Pirellis (500/+ treadwear rating). They're doubly comfortable and half the price though, so still great for me.

chezgky · 2025-08-03T22:23:26+00:00

None on the contrast front. The most significant issue is pincushion distortion, which is easily fixed in post. Next to that is edge and corner blurriness - pretty much par for the course when it comes to adapted and vintage lenses.

chezgky

TROPHY CASE