LandRover dealership visit

[sikadog]

About 16-17 years ago I though I would have a change of vehicle I had been running Subarus for about 8 years so I purchased a Discovery, within a week i found out why they call them discoveries.
Every week you discover something else wrong with it, I had it 4 years did most of the repairs myself and still it cost me about £1000 a year in repairs.
Then I had a brain wave.
I purchased an Isuzu, in 9 years and 9 months other than service items its had an alternator because it was over charging and a brake master cylinder because the seals wore out.
The milage in that time 127000 mls.

 

[Mossypaw]

Have you noticed the secondhand price of a defender ! They don't retain that value by being crap.
Just spent the last eight months rebuilding my 90 on a new chassis, every nut and bolt replaced. Think of it as "Zen and the art of Land Rover maintenance"

 

[Klenchblaize]

Defenders retain their value not because they are good/reliable but rather that they're an icon and, for those that care about these things such as Red-Dot and myself, they are given of an aesthetic capable of conveying something very particular about the owner's values.

Now there's a gift of a post to invite thread hijacking and let any number of prejudices hang out!!

K

 

[sauer]

Never owned one but always had a hankering to do so .....
Aesthetically .....always look the part ....
Jumped into a defender on a shoot & couldn't believe how folk drive these things !!! Right hand arm basically hard up to the door ?!?!

Too many horror stories of the discovery with discovering stuff going wrong ....

But ..... Keep looking at the new discoverys .. If I buy will be a disco 4 but Christ they expensive


Paul

 

[tackb]

I like the idea of a defender but at 6'4'' and 18 stone , it's just not for me ! and they are under powered !

the new disco 4 is supposed to be much better in the reliability stakes , still not Toyota reliable but better ! I suppose one poke in the eye a day is better than two.................

the other problem with the new disco is weight , check it out and remember that weight is your enemy off road !

there is a lot of nonsense talked about off roading , I work with supposedly all terrain cranes some with 8x8x8 for example with long difflocks and cross difflocks , and in more recent years they even have rudimentary traction control and abs , however once you are sunk to your belly none of that counts for toffee ! you need recovering by something else.

I've seen and done enough off roading to know that when people say defenders are the greatest it usually comes from marketing hype rather than real experience or they have never owned and taken off road another type of 4x4 , apples for apples there is next to nothing in it and it basically boils down to tyres , weight and driver in roughly that order.


isn't it amazing how well top gear did with estate cars crossing Africa ? low ground clearance and two wheel drive !

and whilst talking about top gear , it's interesting they didn't run a landrover alongside the Toyota hilux in that test to destruction..........

 

[Hornet 6]

Only ever owned one LR, an old H plate series 3 88 inch truck cab, I bought it in about 1985 for a £1100.00
It was a one owner vehicle, owner was a district council, so one owner and 500 abusive drivers. Lol
The entire load area was plated in steel, ½ on the floor and ¼ inch everywhere else, it had been a mobile welding
set up, full size oxy/acetylene bottles and a rack of batteries for ark welding, so it did not have an easy life.
I serviced it and replaced the entire braking system, more for the feel good factor than anything, over the next couple
of months I also replaced the radiator and battery. It then ran without a problem and my only car for the next 5 years
and as a second car for another 2 before I had to sell it due to a divorce, still regret getting rid of it.
Other than the initial work I did it received a service every year, an exhaust system once, and a couple of half shafts.
The exhaust and half shafts were down to me abusing it, it never needed a tool kit to be carried and never failed to get me home.
I would love a new defender 90 truck cab, but also know I will never be able to afford one, so I make do with a Jimny.

Neil.

 

[Malxwal]

I would have to concur with the comments on weight. I could not drive a P38 Range Rover offroad for toffee, as I'm used to Japanese stuff, although I have never known my old man to get stuck in his in many years of using Range Rovers offroad.
I would just say that there are places I've been in a Land Rover that I have thought "I'm nae sure the Hilux/Surf would have managed this", but it's often due to the wheelbase or ground clearance, the latter which though can easily be modified.
There will always be a part of me that would like a 90/Defender, but as for driving it any distance, no thanks, been there, and the experience is no better in a new one than it was in the 1976 diesel one I used to own many years ago.
They Defenders are fantastic tools, very agricultural (it's what they were designed for). I actually found the older Land Rovers to be pretty good, just oil leaks, half shaft seals etc. No use if you werenae handy with a spanner though. It seems to have taken LR a long time to get their electronics reliable.

 

[User00003]

and whilst talking about top gear , it's interesting they didn't run a landrover alongside the Toyota hilux in that test to destruction..........

they did, it just broke down before passing the M25

 

[Roedinator]

Oh goody. The monthly Land Rover thread. I do so look forward to them.

Here's my experiences on them:

1. Had a 2000 TD5 Discovery. Not the most reliable. Brake calipers, air suspension (changed for springs), Active Cornering Enhancement (dropped it's oil in a cloud of smoke that would rival a WW1 battleship), leaking sunroofs, power steering all gave problems. Lovely when it worked though and I did work it. but not overall a good or cheap experience.

2. Glutton for punishment, got a 2004 TD5 Discovery. Absolutely delightful. Trundled across the shoot, towed all sorts, drove daan saaf and as far up as Orkney. Never missed a beat. But I did get it with springs, no sunroof and normal roll bars (not the troublesome ACE).

3. Encouraged and with a bit of a rush of blood to the head, bought a 2010 Discovery 4 XS (3000cc twin turbo). What a fantastic car. Better off road than the previous two while still on road tyres (put A/T's on the others, haven't on this yet). Plush as anything but still gets used lugging mucky dogs, pheasant food, quads on trailers, caravan, grandkids, etc. All this and it'll still embarrass the unwary BMW driver with his cap on backwards. That can be just a tad funny. Off the roundabout onto a dual carriageway and the Beemer behind takes the outside lane, thinking he'll knock the trundling Land Rover off in a matter of seconds. A thousand yards later he gives up and pulls in behind. No doubt suitably smaller in the trouser department. Of course I stop accelerating at the legal limit and if he goes past after, well he knows it's hollow.

So the moral of this little missive is that reliability in the marque has increased in leaps and bounds in my experience of late. The actual driving experience simply can't be matched by the Orientals or a pickup of any sort. But it's right, they ain't cheap.

Pedro
Absolutely priceless loved it
Had a 300 tdi a few years back great vehicle never cost me a penny
then as you describe moved onto the Td5 also 2004 I think what rubbish that was
spent more time in the garage being fixed than on the road
now a proud owner of a freelander great vehicle drives lovely just put some All terrains
on the rear
just got to avoid main dealer service ouch terrible experience and costly
regards pete

 

[Redleicester]

Some people use and abuse Rangies and Discos, it's down to the owner - Chelsea or country.

I had a 2005 RR V8 which ran like a dream, now have a Disco 3 V8 which has just had its rear wishbones replaced.... At 110k. I'll live with that. Costs a couple of hundred a year to service, and with decent ATs on has gone everywhere I have ever asked it to without fluster.

I do still have a hankering for a 90. Would have to be a V8 though.

 

[RED-DOT]

Roedinator... Do not mix AT's with road tyres they will have you off roading when you least expect it.

 

[Roedinator]

Roedinator... Do not mix AT's with road tyres they will have you off roading when you least expect it.

RD
many thanks. For the advice i will take her a bit steady
fronts will need replacing soon so will get them matched up
just a bit close to crimbo to get the full set and over indulging on Blaser gear
Regards pete

 

[Wingy]

My last visit to a Landrover showroom, I was looking around when I was pounced upon by a sales rep all nice & polite. When I said I was looking for a secondhand 110 defender CSW for about £10,000 the attitude changed to the extent I had to check I'd not walked dog poo in on my shoes.
I ended up getting one for £11,000 from another dealer, loved it to bits but was always having to repair it. Had it 5 years and not had a LR since
Wingy

 

[cambsman]

I love these LR threads. Lots of landy haters! Lots of jealous folks who can't afford a D4 or RR so just follow the herd and chuck abuse? Mine is great. No bother at all. Great on road. Great off road. Never missed a beat. Thrives on neglect and abuse. Maybe I got lucky? Must be the luckiest guy on the planet cos I have also had lots of Jags. People hate them too. Say they are unreliable. Never had a problem. Mmmmmm. What's going on here?

 

[Cascade]

I love these LR threads. Lots of landy haters! Lots of jealous folks who can't afford a D4 or RR so just follow the herd and chuck abuse? Mine is great. No bother at all. Great on road. Great off road. Never missed a beat. Thrives on neglect and abuse. Maybe I got lucky? Must be the luckiest guy on the planet cos I have also had lots of Jags. People hate them too. Say they are unreliable. Never had a problem. Mmmmmm. What's going on here?

+1 totally agree

Bought a TD5 in 1999 had it 5 years NO TROUBLE ! Bought the blue one s/h in 2004 with 41k on the clock had it 7 years sold it with 178k on the clock, NO PROBLEM! Bought the D4 new in 2011 Never missed a beat Fantastic bit of kit 43k so far, used every day on/off road feeding, shooting, foxing, stalking, to and from work absolutely top drawer!

View attachment 51694 View attachment 51692

Like anything else if you look after it, it will serve you well I've got a shotgun I`ve had for 39 yrs, a rifle that I`ve had for 35yrs, both still work as good as the day they were made because they have been looked after and serviced regularly, there are exceptions of course, I `ve got a wife I`ve had for 34 years she plays up a bit from time to time and over the years has cost me a small fortune even with regular servicing BUT I wouldn`t swap her for anything, there are some things that just aren't made the same as they used to, but Discos aren't one of them! ............... IMHO


Bob

 

[Apache]

I drive a Discover 3 commercial (bought via this forum). Yes it's cost me a bit of money, but she is 6 years old and has covered 180,000+ miles.

I use it for work and pleasure. Last year I drove up to Caithness in the North of Scotland and down to Poole and over to Jersey. She was faultless. It's like sitting in an armchair. The best driving position of any car.

I'm sure there may be better cars if you spent all your time on the motorway.

I'm sure there would be a better car if you spent your live seriously off roading.

Nothing does it all as well as a Discovery does. That's the crux of it - she takes everything with no effort.

(the worst car I ever had was a bloody Navara!)

 

[Rake Aboot]

Jealous can`t afford


Sick of throwing spanners at the piles of ****, yup, I`ll hold my hand up to that one. (yes I have owned a few)

 

[tackb]

I love these LR threads. Lots of landy haters! Lots of jealous folks who can't afford a D4 or RR so just follow the herd and chuck abuse? Mine is great. No bother at all. Great on road. Great off road. Never missed a beat. Thrives on neglect and abuse. Maybe I got lucky? Must be the luckiest guy on the planet cos I have also had lots of Jags. People hate them too. Say they are unreliable. Never had a problem. Mmmmmm. What's going on here?

your lying , you have had trouble.

have you had both LR and jap ? I've had a few of both , top of the pile Toyota lancruiser amazon 250,000 miles trouble free apart from servicing. bottom of the pile , a TD5 es discovery 75,000 miles , first recovery at 2768 miles and recovered a total of ten times over the course of the next three years , never made it between services without needing to go in for warranty work , marshalls LR in Cambridge were quite possibly an example of the worst kind of customer care possible!

people don't bash LR without reason , everyone who posts critical posts of the marque will have a story to tell of shocking reliability , shocking running expenses , shocking customer service (I have all three , with proof if required?)

it took me 12 years but I finally forgave LR and brought a range rover again , it broke down in the first month and everyday I start it up there is various warning lights , which it's been in for already by remain un fixed ? my phone only connects randomly which is apparently normal , in my 7 year older landcruiser it connected every time without fail (same phone)

so far my experience of landrover is very average ! (AGAIN)

now the good bit , I like the car , it drives well and is comfortable plus the 4.4 V8 diesel goes well and can return 30 mpg+ on a run if I drive sensible which is nice after 15mpg from the landcruiser (4.7l V8 petrol/lpg) sadly the boot is only half the size of the Toyota though.

the japs can make reliable cars , if landrover did the same the japs wouldn't get a look in !

don't believe me? do a search on reliability it's all out there for those who are willing to see past the green oval !

 

[RED-DOT]

Current car... 2007 Defender XS
Cost new with extras £24,000 otr
Value now in standard trim £17-20,000
Problems.. Stripped wiper spindles due to ice
Three 5W bulbs
Two dip beam bulbs
Washer jets X two

Recalls.... Clutch upgrade.
Sump replaced.
Check brake pipe for fouling (OK).
I can live with that!

 

[tackb]

Current car... 2007 Defender XS
Cost new with extras £24,000 otr
Value now in standard trim £17-20,000
Problems.. Stripped wiper spindles due to ice
Three 5W bulbs
Two dip beam bulbs
Washer jets X two

Recalls.... Clutch upgrade.
Sump replaced.
Check brake pipe for fouling (OK).
I can live with that!

if it was a hi-lux you wouldn't have to...........

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-57-L...WAGON-XS-2-4TDCI-ZAMBESI-SILVER-/191482023595

unlikely to sell for that price , does anybody get the asking price?