high mileage 2012 disco4 - run away?
Discussion
Starting to look like good value these - the SDV6 HSE for anywhere between 12 and 15 grand depending on mileage.
Aren't these the ones though with a crank made of chocolate? How often do they fail/is it fairly inevitable and is there anything to look out for in the history that might suggest it won't fail (any precautionary measures)?
Also apart from the engine, what are the other possible disaster areas ...
Aren't these the ones though with a crank made of chocolate? How often do they fail/is it fairly inevitable and is there anything to look out for in the history that might suggest it won't fail (any precautionary measures)?
Also apart from the engine, what are the other possible disaster areas ...
I have one (2015 model), not a high mileage at 105,000, but don't underestimate the need to maintain them properly. Find a good independent, change the oil every 6-8,000 miles, take a preventative maintenance approach rather than wait until things fail and you should be fine.
Ultimately, if the crank is going to break, it'll break. Nothing you can do about it, but it's not as common as the internet would have you believe.
They are a great thing to drive and own, a real swiss army knife of a car. But running one on a shoestring will bite you at some point, and probably bite you expensively!
Ultimately, if the crank is going to break, it'll break. Nothing you can do about it, but it's not as common as the internet would have you believe.
They are a great thing to drive and own, a real swiss army knife of a car. But running one on a shoestring will bite you at some point, and probably bite you expensively!
Maintained properly they are brilliant cars. My wife's Disco 4 is approaching 290k miles. We've had it from and the only major expense was a new gearbox
approx six thousand miles ago. Given the condition and history of the car it was worth doing. Only other other expense has been usual tyres, brakes, ball joints, track rods etc and routine servicing.
approx six thousand miles ago. Given the condition and history of the car it was worth doing. Only other other expense has been usual tyres, brakes, ball joints, track rods etc and routine servicing.
biggles330d said:
I have one (2015 model), not a high mileage at 105,000, but don't underestimate the need to maintain them properly. Find a good independent, change the oil every 6-8,000 miles, take a preventative maintenance approach rather than wait until things fail and you should be fine.
Ultimately, if the crank is going to break, it'll break. Nothing you can do about it, but it's not as common as the internet would have you believe.
They are a great thing to drive and own, a real swiss army knife of a car. But running one on a shoestring will bite you at some point, and probably bite you expensively!
You could change the oil every 50 miles and it won't prevent the crank snapping. Its a fault of the design and luck of the draw. Ultimately, if the crank is going to break, it'll break. Nothing you can do about it, but it's not as common as the internet would have you believe.
They are a great thing to drive and own, a real swiss army knife of a car. But running one on a shoestring will bite you at some point, and probably bite you expensively!
They are amazing cars.....but they are very complicated cars and built and design by a company who don't have the best track record.
Suspension
Check all the settings. Compressor should be considered a consumable. Various sensors and valve blocks can fail as well as the air cylinder its self They get rusty and the unions fail.
Gearbox
Just don't bother with the 6Sp. 8Sp is better and better on fuel
ULEZ
Its a slim list that are ULEZ compliant, but worth stretching your budget if you aren't far off especially iof you lve down south. Should depreciate less than others.
Leaks
They are Land Rovers after all. Windscreen doesn't leak like a D5 though, so not all bad.
The good bits
Amazing practical and one of the best designs that Land Rover have come out with.
Flat load floor with seats all down. Dont underestimate how useful this is.
254bhp is adequate and miles better than the D3 with its lack lustre 188bho
Usual Diesel gremlins
EGRs, Turbos, Injectors, Glow plugs, DPF blah blah. No different from other cars really
Towing
Unbelievably good. Never maxed my old D3, but towed just over two tonnes and it was super stable.
Engine
Rebuilds are available for as little as £6k, but you need £12k for a modified version from QP and my view is they are just not worth it anymore.
Desirability
A decent D4 will sell very quickly. They are in demand by LR fans even though the D5 drives better and is cheaper to run (Still questionable engines until the D300 came along, but engine rebuilders are seeing a few of those now too)
The L322 and D4 are LR at thier best, but you have to accept the foibles of Land Rover ownership.
My 2016 D4 blew it's crank at 59k miles on the M25.
Took over 6 months to sort, and by the time I'd got to the front of the queue spare parts were not readily available (original - not pattern parts) so I had an exchange engine from LR with a 2yr warranty at £10k. Add in refurbing a turbo, 2 batteries, oil etc etc and it was a £14k job in the end.
It was only getting bid of £5k for scrap so I decided to bite the bullet and do it; as it's an amazing car especially as we're a family of 6.
It's in the back of my mind if it'll go again, but may sell it soon just as we're using it less.
As a long term owner of a D3.
They are wonderful cats, but not cheap to keep in top condition.
A D4 is a D3 with some faults fixed and new ones added.
D4s can snap the crank, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. It’s a flaw in some batches of the crank casting.
The 3.0 can split the inlet manifolds, my dad’s XF with the same engine suffered it.
Front lower arms and rear uppers take the worst of the wear. Fit Meyle HD arms. 4 year warranty.
Front wheel bearings will go roughly every 100k, fit Timkin. Anything else is a false economy.
2016 ones are ULEZ compliant but command a premium because of that.
2012 is when the 6 speed became the 8.
6 speed is a lever, 8 speed is the rotary dial.
The dial can fail though, replace with new one fixes it.
Unlike the claim above.
You don’t have to remove a body for timing belts.
Before he got his first unit, I had one of Scotland’s best Disco specialists. Change belts on my driveway, and 2 others in the yard at work..
They are wonderful cats, but not cheap to keep in top condition.
A D4 is a D3 with some faults fixed and new ones added.
D4s can snap the crank, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. It’s a flaw in some batches of the crank casting.
The 3.0 can split the inlet manifolds, my dad’s XF with the same engine suffered it.
Front lower arms and rear uppers take the worst of the wear. Fit Meyle HD arms. 4 year warranty.
Front wheel bearings will go roughly every 100k, fit Timkin. Anything else is a false economy.
2016 ones are ULEZ compliant but command a premium because of that.
2012 is when the 6 speed became the 8.
6 speed is a lever, 8 speed is the rotary dial.
The dial can fail though, replace with new one fixes it.
Unlike the claim above.
You don’t have to remove a body for timing belts.
Before he got his first unit, I had one of Scotland’s best Disco specialists. Change belts on my driveway, and 2 others in the yard at work..
Yes don't need the body off to do the front timing belt. Unless that was having other things done as well?
I've got to replace the oil pump and crank seal on mine, which will be a fun job. It's got 40,000 miles on its current timing belt so at the point that it's a false economy not to change that "while im in there"
I've got to replace the oil pump and crank seal on mine, which will be a fun job. It's got 40,000 miles on its current timing belt so at the point that it's a false economy not to change that "while im in there"
camel_landy said:
I don't see what the issue is with lifting the body... It doesn't take long and it makes access significantly easier.
It's no more different than dropping the engine out on the sub-frame, on a regular car.
M
Most decent independents can do it in 90 minutes now. Early advice was it was needed for cambelt removal, but that was many years ago. It's no more different than dropping the engine out on the sub-frame, on a regular car.
M
Makes the rear belt easier, but that rarely goes, not timed and just drives the fuel pump (If memory serves)
I'd really like a D4....but worrying about the engine is just not something I need in my life.
Tin Hat said:
miniman said:
Heavens above, I think that this image says a thousand wordsFunnily enough, that’s where my D3 is.
They posted up pictures of mine back in March as it’s getting the welding and Dinitrol treatment.
They can take a body off in about an hour or so.
They are designed to come apart, gives ultimate access to everything and gets the jobs done quicker.
It’s not as bad as it looks.
A.J.M said:
They can take a body off in about an hour or so.
They are designed to come apart, gives ultimate access to everything and gets the jobs done quicker.
It’s not as bad as it looks.
It something often used by people scaremongering. It can look scary to someone ignorant to the process but it makes access much easier. After all, a lot of modern cars require the removal of the entire front end for some jobs and people don't whinge about that.They are designed to come apart, gives ultimate access to everything and gets the jobs done quicker.
It’s not as bad as it looks.
There's even a how-to guide on Disco3:
https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic76002.html
M
A.J.M said:
Tin Hat said:
miniman said:
Heavens above, I think that this image says a thousand wordsFunnily enough, that’s where my D3 is.
They posted up pictures of mine back in March as it’s getting the welding and Dinitrol treatment.
They can take a body off in about an hour or so.
They are designed to come apart, gives ultimate access to everything and gets the jobs done quicker.
It’s not as bad as it looks.
Still, as a home mechanic (without a lift) anything body off is scary - as I don’t have the facilities! I think there was a guy who did it with high lift axle stands but he must have added to the disco’s considerable weight with his massive balls to do that!
Sadly 20 years of Scottish climate hasn’t done the underside of mine any favours.
When they went over it with the nailer, it found some thin metal at the rear of the body shell.
Still, it’s nothing that the metal glue gun hasn’t been able to fix and my beloved D3 will be back on the road for another 200+k soon.
The good news is that if you need a towbar, interior trim, general bits n bobs then there's a ready supply from people who have dead ones sat on their driveways.
I'm not a hater - i've owned two - and if it weren't for the crank issue then i'd have one until I die...but I just couldn't live with the risk of sinking £12-15k into one with the potential of having to either throw it away, or spend the same on a new engine.
Then again, every time I see one I get a pang for another.
I'm not a hater - i've owned two - and if it weren't for the crank issue then i'd have one until I die...but I just couldn't live with the risk of sinking £12-15k into one with the potential of having to either throw it away, or spend the same on a new engine.
Then again, every time I see one I get a pang for another.
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