First timer guidance on a new (to me) Land Rover

Eminent1 · May 16, 2020

Hello.
I've been a huge fan of Range Rovers and the LR brand since I was very young, helped by being born and raised in Solihull.

I've now got to a stage in my life where a Land Rover is more appropriate and, now living in a fairly remote location, a necessity.

I can't quite afford the Range Rover I want (post 2014 models) but do like the Discovery 4 in my price range.

I'm not here to ask for anyone selling one but I am looking for advice.

I hear so much about [poor] reliability, what do I need to look out for, are there ideal features that are a must have, gadgets to avoid? For example, the auto transmission can differ between the dial selector or the stick, is one better than the other?
Are some models better than others? Any advice would be very gratefully received.

Thank you very much

Mike

gold rover · May 16, 2020

Welcome

Addit: There are hundreds ,nay thousands of posts on this site alone about the pluses and negatives of the Disco. All there for the reading, digesting , and coming to conclusions, of anyone who takes the time. Enjoy.

Stanleysteamer · May 16, 2020

Depends to a large extent on two things.
How much you want to spend.
How much work you are prepared to do yourself.

Eminent1 · May 16, 2020

Stanleysteamer said:
Depends to a large extent on two things.
How much you want to spend.
How much work you are prepared to do yourself.

Ha! Thanks for the reply. Well, I'd say budget is max £14k and I unreasonably expect to do no maintenance whatsoever (apart from standard service).

Eminent1 · May 16, 2020

gold rover said:
Welcome

Addit: There are hundreds ,nay thousands of posts on this site alone about the pluses and negatives of the Disco. All there for the reading, digesting , and coming to conclusions, of anyone who takes the time. Enjoy.

Fair point, thank you.

brianp38dse · May 16, 2020

Hello and welcome

The most important part of owning a LR product is to have a back up mode of transport

Eminent1 · May 16, 2020

brianp38dse said:
Hello and welcome
The most important part of owning a LR product is to have a back up mode of transport

Oh

Stanleysteamer · May 16, 2020

Eminent1 said:
Ha! Thanks for the reply. Well, I'd say budget is max £14k and I unreasonably expect to do no maintenance whatsoever (apart from standard service).

LOL!!!!!!!!!

brianp38dse · May 16, 2020

They are very complex beasts and the hardest part is diagnosing what the fault actually is, best to also buy the appropriate diag tool it will save an awfull lot of wasted time and save you a lot of money.

Stanleysteamer · May 16, 2020

brianp38dse said:
They are very complex beasts and the hardest part is diagnosing what the fault actually is, best to also buy the appropriate diag tool it will save an awfull lot of wasted time and save you a lot of money.

I think you are expecting OP to be able to find the socket and plug the plug in. Don't think he wants to do that.

brianp38dse · May 16, 2020

Stanleysteamer said:
I think you are expecting OP to be able to find the socket and plug the plug in. Don't think he wants to do that.

Then he will need a big pot of money spare

RangeRoller dt · May 17, 2020

If you intend to just drive it without maintenance, first sign of anything off you sell it

LR will charge you a LOT of money just to tell you what is wrong, without fixing it. If you are lucky they will get it right

RangeRoller dt · May 17, 2020

Best thing is if you are getting one, get diagnostics first.
I’d ask about the vehicle, get them show me round, ask how much....
Plug it in then say ‘how much now?

’

gold rover · May 18, 2020

Eminent1 said:
Ha! Thanks for the reply. Well, I'd say budget is max £14k and I unreasonably expect to do no maintenance whatsoever (apart from standard service).

In that case you do not have £14k to spend on an LR product. If you're not going to do the maintenance someone will have to. So spend £10k on the vehicle and put £4k aside for maintenance, paid of course to others. Not kidding around, not taking the mickey, not being harsh, just letting you know. If things go well, your £4k on an 8yr+ vehicle will last a couple of years, you will in the mean time have been adding to the pot when you can. If things do not go well, your £4k might be eaten up on the first fault.
Whilst putting aside £4k, and continuing to save a little , each month, you will also have to ensure that, if you rely on the vehicle, as an every day veh, when your vehicle breaks down , you can still get around. That is why most of us, usually, have a second vehicle.
Welcome to your dream brand

Hippo · May 19, 2020

Welcome to the forum

Have a read though the disco section below for typical faults. Most problems on the disco 3 are the same or similar to the disco 4. Like eating suspension bushes and brake pads. It's an eggspensive vehicle to buy new. Even when it's 10 years old it's still full of eggspensive components. If yer can't fix it yerself then serious consider the maintenance costs of running such a vehicle. Then buy a Freelander 2 instead and live a less stressful life.

Main forum index:
www.landyzone.co.uk/forum

Discovery:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/land-rover-discovery.8

Freelander 1 and 2:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/land-rover-freelander.9

Eminent1 · May 20, 2020

RangeRoller dt said:
Best thing is if you are getting one, get diagnostics first.
I’d ask about the vehicle, get them show me round, ask how much....
Plug it in then say ‘how much now?’

Good tip, thank you.

Eminent1 · May 20, 2020

gold rover said:
In that case you do not have £14k to spend on an LR product. If you're not going to do the maintenance someone will have to. So spend £10k on the vehicle and put £4k aside for maintenance, paid of course to others. Not kidding around, not taking the mickey, not being harsh, just letting you know. If things go well, your £4k on an 8yr+ vehicle will last a couple of years, you will in the mean time have been adding to the pot when you can. If things do not go well, your £4k might be eaten up on the first fault.
Whilst putting aside £4k, and continuing to save a little , each month, you will also have to ensure that, if you rely on the vehicle, as an every day veh, when your vehicle breaks down , you can still get around. That is why most of us, usually, have a second vehicle.
Welcome to your dream brand

Thank you - really useful advice.

Eminent1 · May 20, 2020

Hippo said:
Welcome to the forum

Have a read though the disco section below for typical faults. Most problems on the disco 3 are the same or similar to the disco 4. Like eating suspension bushes and brake pads. It's an eggspensive vehicle to buy new. Even when it's 10 years old it's still full of eggspensive components. If yer can't fix it yerself then serious consider the maintenance costs of running such a vehicle. Then buy a Freelander 2 instead and live a less stressful life.

Main forum index:
www.landyzone.co.uk/forum

Discovery:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/land-rover-discovery.8

Freelander 1 and 2:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/land-rover-freelander.9

Many thanks!

RangeRoller dt · May 20, 2020

The forecourt guys will all tell you there aren’t any faults, this in reality is very very unlikely.
If it feels wrong walk away

gstuart · May 20, 2020

Hi and welcome to the asylum , lol

Personally would get a warranty , Which also covers the crankshaft as if that breaks and need a new engine ur looking up to around £8-10k

if ur going to get a garage to do it, dealer prices are £150 per hr plus vat

As mentioned spend around £10k on a D4 and keep some by , general parts , ie pads, Discs, bushes etc last around 30-40,000 miles, plus have to allow Around £1,000 for timing belts and oil pump,

so if u get a warranty that will take a lot of pressure off so that if something goes wrong ur have that to fall back on , but as always check the small print

there’s a good few of us that own D3/4 and must say owning a D3 it’s the best landy I’ve owned so far , extremely nice but do need looking after , mustn’t ignore things , alas do all the work myself

Plse pop over to the discovery section, plenty of us to always help u

hope that helps

First timer guidance on a new (to me) Land Rover

New Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Sprung Member

Well-Sprung Member

Well-Known Member

Lord Hippo

New Member

New Member

New Member

Well-Sprung Member

D3 Grandad

Similar threads