Discovery 4 Sell or No?

Hi
We've got a bit of a dilemma.

We own a Discovery 4 XS SDV6 2011. We have had an extended warranty but that runs out end of this month. We've had quite a bit of work done under the policy :
Transfer Control Module
Rocker cover cracked and rocker cover gaskets
Control Arms (front) and did bushings at same time at our cost
Steering column replacement

And now it's currently in Land Rover Faro for emissions collector and diesel pipe to the injectors for replacement (restricted performance on way down from UK)

We've just moved to Portugal. We're in the process of importing the car.

We've heard unofficially through a family friend who knows a Land Rover mechanic (bear with me) that "this is only the start of the problems".

We are really looking for some objective information/experience/guidance from those in the know hence posting here.

We love the car and are hoping that there's not much else to worry about but we've got a premium car, now out of extended warranty in a notoriously slow (and expensive for premium vehicles) country.

Do we cut and run or bear with?

Appreciate any and all feedback.
Thanks

buy another warranty

Go onto the Disco4.com website. Extremely helpful and knowledgeable .
They will keep you right. Log into " www.disco3.co.uk" . then scroll down to the Disco 4 section.

Jim A.

2002 Disco 2 Td5 auto
1996 Disco 1 300Tdi auto (gone)

Keep it, its buy far the best one they have made

Why not run it into your local indy tell him you would like him to look at the car and make a list of what he reckon may fail in the next 1/2 years?

What mileage is the vehicle on?

Part ex it against something else ! Cracking car and the engine when they are working is lovely. BUT as you have found out they can be very problematic. The SDV6's that I have helped repair have had the following problems :-
Cracked inlet manifold (they are plastic) 9 Hrs labour
Two have had timing belt tensioner failure's that wreck the heads ( all heads replaced with Jaguar heads as they are cheaper than Land rovers at Breakers) Several Day's labour Plus loads of parts
Two turbo replacements ( choice of body off or a struggle to do with body in ! We have done both ways )

The mileage we have found gets very expensive is around 140,000

Thanks for the responses so far. Much appreciated. There's currently 84,000 on the clock.

Surely, all landrover mechanics see faulty vehicles all day, every day. I own a Kia, very reliable but the Kia mechanics are fixing them on a regular basis. Whatever car you own will have faults at some point, if you don't want to live with the expense of that reality, buy old bangers for a couple of hundred pounds and just scrap them when something prices goes wrong.

Col

Hi Col
Thanks for you input and opinion too.

When analysing the responses I am getting I am trying to ascertain a couple of things.

Firstly, are there common big jobs that have to happen and when do they usually occur and at what cost? For example, my S5 needed a clutch at 80k. The usual is 65k on those cars. 2.5k bill.

Secondly, using the information can I match any of that to the jobs already done and ascertain risk for next 5 years. Which is the length of time we must legally keep the car once we import it tax free (and customs do come knocking and will present a bill for 30k if we don't still own the car).

So now you know why I am asking and what I am planning to do with the information.

That said, your advice is pretty poor for a couple of reasons. Buying bangers is false economy. And anyone buying a premium car can be assumed, mostly, to have some common sense (see above) and not want to drive around in a banger

Hope you're having a lovely day my friend and thanks for the inputs

Disco4Dilemma said:

Hi Col
Thanks for you input and opinion too.

When analysing the responses I am getting I am trying to ascertain a couple of things.

Firstly, are there common big jobs that have to happen and when do they usually occur and at what cost? For example, my S5 needed a clutch at 80k. The usual is 65k on those cars. 2.5k bill.

Secondly, using the information can I match any of that to the jobs already done and ascertain risk for next 5 years. Which is the length of time we must legally keep the car once we import it tax free (and customs do come knocking and will present a bill for 30k if we don't still own the car).

So now you know why I am asking and what I am planning to do with the information.

That said, your advice is pretty poor for a couple of reasons. Buying bangers is false economy. And anyone buying a premium car can be assumed, mostly, to have some common sense (see above) and not want to drive around in a banger

Hope you're having a lovely day my friend and thanks for the inputs

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I agree, the fact that you want to import complicates the decision and I didn't know about the 5 year rule but buying a premium car is no guarantee of reliability unless you buy a new one, as you mention, a clutch change at 65k for £2500. That's not what I would call reliable. I understand people don't want to be seen in old bangers but I would rather be seen in one rather than broken down at the side of the road with a flash motor. I bought my son a Rover 25 for £200 with 12 months mot, after 3 years, he is still driving around in it and does regular 200 mile journeys. Each to his own and I wish you the best of success with whatever decision you make.

Col

Bangers are great no need to wash them care for them or even give a toss park them anywhere and when they die who cares its literally pocket change, any friends you have will be friends with you and not your car, plenty of people who dont give a toss how they get from A to B so long as they get there.
I like a nice car but can see the merits of a banger.

Hi I'm near you in Loule not far from Faro I take it your car is in Fiial the main dealer unfortunately they don't have a good reputation.
I have a friend a fellow Scot ex Disco owner who works out of the English Mechanic garage near Vilamoura on the 125 can put you in touch with him if you want,they just sorted a Range that dealer wanted 10k+€ to sort turned out it wasn't electrical but diesel pump.

Have you started matriculation yet? I'm just about there with my 101 It's a long process but if you know the right people it can be easier!

Colthebrummie said:

I agree, the fact that you want to import complicates the decision and I didn't know about the 5 year rule but buying a premium car is no guarantee of reliability unless you buy a new one, as you mention, a clutch change at 65k for £2500. That's not what I would call reliable. I understand people don't want to be seen in old bangers but I would rather be seen in one rather than broken down at the side of the road with a flash motor. I bought my son a Rover 25 for £200 with 12 months mot, after 3 years, he is still driving around in it and does regular 200 mile journeys. Each to his own and I wish you the best of success with whatever decision you make.

Col

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There's no such thing as cheap bangers down here especially 4x4s a 5k discovery in UK will cost circa 17k here and if you matriculate and pay the tax you can sell within 5yrs but the cost will be about as the original poster said 30k my 101 would have been 12k but as it only has 2 seats is being matriculated as a commercial and tax is nearly zero they changed the law in 2007 in my opinion is if it's RHD don't bother you'll never get your money back.

I currently run a 2003 Audi A4 with around 195k on the clock. Second owner from new and touch wood nothing has failed on it, changed belt and water pump etc. Tempted to just keep running it as it cruises on motorways and excellent fuel economy...

I'm hankering after a landrover again but know I can probably only afford a high miler which could be buying trouble.

Coupled with fact even the landrover Indy i know in my area charged Dealer servicing rates I'm slightly put off.

There is definitely something in not worrying about where you park your car in street or supermarket or curbing the wheels!

If it's a UK car presumably it's right hand drive. I wouldn't bother importing it into Europe at all 'cos when it comes time to pass it on it'll be worth much, much less. Sell it in UK, get a decent LHD car over there that is independently supported locally. If you're already unhappy about how often you've had to use the warranty then I'd guess importing it will only add to that unhappiness as you add more miles. Only vehicle I'd import to Europe if I lived there would be one that held some emotional tie to me, which a D4 probably wouldn't.

Whichever way you go, a premium car doesn't necessarily mean a reliable car, but it is one which you'll pay a premium for, especially in servicing, all it's life!

Sorry, but if you're already 'there' and going through the process of importing it then maybe you should have asked questions a bit earlier in the importation process unless you can get out of it ...

Paul D said:

If it's a UK car presumably it's right hand drive. I wouldn't bother importing it into Europe at all 'cos when it comes time to pass it on it'll be worth much, much less. Sell it in UK, get a decent LHD car over there that is independently supported locally. If you're already unhappy about how often you've had to use the warranty then I'd guess importing it will only add to that unhappiness as you add more miles. Only vehicle I'd import to Europe if I lived there would be one that held some emotional tie to me, which a D4 probably wouldn't.

Whichever way you go, a premium car doesn't necessarily mean a reliable car, but it is one which you'll pay a premium for, especially in servicing, all it's life!

Sorry, but if you're already 'there' and going through the process of importing it then maybe you should have asked questions a bit earlier in the importation process unless you can get out of it ...

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Agree it's not worth it if it's rhd, but the problem here is that you will get nothing like the vehicle for the money as you would in the UK especially 4x4 and Indy's just don't exist it's main dealer or car lot(think EastEnders!)and they will not haggle the price is the price in most cases their excuse is they don't own them.
Once you start the matriculation the car is logged as being in the country on the computer system and if you cancel you have 183 days from when it entered after that it must return to UK for a further 183 days before coming back the only way to exceed 183 days is to matriculate it,it must if on UK plates be road legal in the UK at all times to drive here