RE: Shed Buying Guide: Land Rover Discovery 3
Discussion
I ran one of these for quite a while, but eventually moved on because of the increasing number of small, but inconvenient, niggles. A couple of inexpert points I would add, from my experience with the car:
1. The tailgate unlocking mechanism can fail. It did on mine, due to a snapped cable to the actuator. I was told it happens often, and it's quite a faff to repair, due to the necessity to remove quite a lot of trim. A LR dealer will charge accordingly, so a good independent remains the right approach.
2. Mine had a very hesitant gearbox (see also item (3) below). It was so bad that I returned it to the LR dealer soon after buying it. The dealer re-set the software. The gearbox is, supposedly, intelligent. It had clearly learned some odd shift patterns from the previous owner, but it was fine after the re-set.
3. There was quite a flat spot from idle when moving off. Re-setting the gearbox improved the step-off, but the engine's flat spot remained. It could be quite unsettling when going for a gap that should have been perfectly safe, only to find that it became marginal quite swiftly. After some research, I remapped the car using a Superchips Bluefin. I am not sure whether they are still available, but it was a really simple (and reversible) DIY task - the work of 5 minutes, as I recall. Not only did the re-map cure the flat-spot, it also greatly improved the drive generally. Fuel economy also increased considerably after the remap, but the car still passed emissions tests at MOT time and did not smoke excessively.
I liked driving it, but the niggles can be inconvenient if you don't have the time or inclination to deal with them.
1. The tailgate unlocking mechanism can fail. It did on mine, due to a snapped cable to the actuator. I was told it happens often, and it's quite a faff to repair, due to the necessity to remove quite a lot of trim. A LR dealer will charge accordingly, so a good independent remains the right approach.
2. Mine had a very hesitant gearbox (see also item (3) below). It was so bad that I returned it to the LR dealer soon after buying it. The dealer re-set the software. The gearbox is, supposedly, intelligent. It had clearly learned some odd shift patterns from the previous owner, but it was fine after the re-set.
3. There was quite a flat spot from idle when moving off. Re-setting the gearbox improved the step-off, but the engine's flat spot remained. It could be quite unsettling when going for a gap that should have been perfectly safe, only to find that it became marginal quite swiftly. After some research, I remapped the car using a Superchips Bluefin. I am not sure whether they are still available, but it was a really simple (and reversible) DIY task - the work of 5 minutes, as I recall. Not only did the re-map cure the flat-spot, it also greatly improved the drive generally. Fuel economy also increased considerably after the remap, but the car still passed emissions tests at MOT time and did not smoke excessively.
I liked driving it, but the niggles can be inconvenient if you don't have the time or inclination to deal with them.
tuscy said:
Total money pit - gearbox, steering rack, rear diff, most of the suspension, ARBs, leaks, door locks. Reckon we've spent over £10K on repairs. Body was lifted off a couple of years back to replace split exhaust crossover pipe. Lots of warning lights, reversing sensors never worked properly, heated drivers seat and heated windscreen have failed.
!
Looks like you got one of the more reliable ones !
Can you really get one for 3k now? If true surely it will already be a basket case.....
Had my D3 HSE Metropolis for 3 years, great do everything car.
Buuuuttttt, as written they do need looking after.
Mine needed new suspension arms, alternator, torque converter for the gearbox judder, drivers door lock on top of the usual cam belt/ servicing/ tyres as the sagging suspension chewed them up, 22mpg.
Oh & the heated drivers seat packed up after nearly melting my leg, & the spare wheel was kindly stolen (£500 for 2nd hand alloy new tyre & anti theft kit).
Still an imperious car, but I wil not be going back.
Had my D3 HSE Metropolis for 3 years, great do everything car.
Buuuuttttt, as written they do need looking after.
Mine needed new suspension arms, alternator, torque converter for the gearbox judder, drivers door lock on top of the usual cam belt/ servicing/ tyres as the sagging suspension chewed them up, 22mpg.
Oh & the heated drivers seat packed up after nearly melting my leg, & the spare wheel was kindly stolen (£500 for 2nd hand alloy new tyre & anti theft kit).
Still an imperious car, but I wil not be going back.
Johnnytheboy said:
Anyway, a mechanic once told me changing the clutch involves removing the entire body, or else cutting a hole in the floor.
Because they're a body-on-chassis the easiest thing to do for serious transmission work is to lift the body off. A couple of hours work and needs a 4-post lift, but it gives you excellent access to the rolling chassis then.
Interesting that they were the worst vehicle for warranty claims in 2012.
Back when I was a BIB our Roads Policing department had several of these.
My longest standing friend used to sigh with resignation when he was allocated one instead of one of the BMWs for the shift
He always said that he used to wonder if it would reach the end of the shift without some malady manifesting itself. Every month they were in try Police workshop for suspension and brake issues, and so many electrical faults it was hilarious.
I remember ambitiously pursuing a disqualified driver down a steepish hill in a local town, and hitting the brakes near the bottom
Stunned to find that the windows started going up and down of their own accord and every single warning light on the dash illuminating like they were in Blackpool.
The vehicle was just awful and I last saw it sitting forlornly in the corner of the police compound sagging on its 4r5e.
I’ve forwarded this buying guide to my wife’s best friend, whose daughter is looking at buying one, despite all advice to the contrary.
Personally I’d rather hammer blunt rusty nails into my eyes than buy one.
Back when I was a BIB our Roads Policing department had several of these.
My longest standing friend used to sigh with resignation when he was allocated one instead of one of the BMWs for the shift
He always said that he used to wonder if it would reach the end of the shift without some malady manifesting itself. Every month they were in try Police workshop for suspension and brake issues, and so many electrical faults it was hilarious.
I remember ambitiously pursuing a disqualified driver down a steepish hill in a local town, and hitting the brakes near the bottom
Stunned to find that the windows started going up and down of their own accord and every single warning light on the dash illuminating like they were in Blackpool.
The vehicle was just awful and I last saw it sitting forlornly in the corner of the police compound sagging on its 4r5e.
I’ve forwarded this buying guide to my wife’s best friend, whose daughter is looking at buying one, despite all advice to the contrary.
Personally I’d rather hammer blunt rusty nails into my eyes than buy one.
Best and worst vehicle I've ever owned! had a 2006 low mileage and in a year it cost £8k to repair. Air suspension total failure, turbo failed, boot opening failed. Electric hand brake... failed. I love the way journalist make a joke out of 'best to make friends with a local mechanic' or 'get used to warning light failures' - no where does anyone ever tell the truth about these. They may be able to go off road and pull a 747 out of mud but they are a complete and utter money trap. £8k is the price of a good GSXR1000 wasted on keeping one of these on the road. Brilliant fun to drive though when it worked! I would never buy one again but would take one on pcp or lease it so I can hand it back before they become money pits.
Had mine nearly 7 years now, love it but they do need care and attention to keep them at their best.
I’ve had a couple of good specialists keep mine in order. Best way for them. They know the cars and I get a good mechanic at a good price.
I use mine for work, it’s clocked over the 189,000 mile mark and has been all over the uk, done Le Mans and is going to Spain later this year.
Top spec HSE, RS500 intercooler and BAS remap among with the better brake servo, 4 pot brembo fronts and V8 rear brakes helps it go and stop far better than factory.
I replaced the oil pump last year before Le Mans when it got full belts changed and some other work.
They aren’t cheap, but they are a superb jack of all trades car. Mine is a keeper and it’s value to me is far greater than its resale value.
I have come to a conclusion on these: If you do horses, than its perfectly acceptable to own something that will s
t itself daily, requires trailering on a frequent basis, requires far more than routine vet appointments, will pop huge unexpected bills, will throw a wobbly at anything random, is fully expected to be shot at any time (with another big bill) & there is always another better one for sale.
So many of the ex wife's horsey friends had these, every few weeks I was being called to assist, or called to offer advice on buying another one. Quite how something so ruinous, with such a high bork factor can be bought on the pretence that they needed a reliable car to get them about in any bad weather. The fact is most that bought them spent way more than asking price on repairs, recoveries & every time it happened it was "we must be unlucky, we've seen another better one for sale what do you think?" !!!
Invarably I used my Landcruiser to recover them & their horsebox every time. The same one that has proven relentlessly reliable & bork free since I've known them all.
These are all intelligent people (to a degree) but would not be seen dead in anything other than Horse & Hound's finest chariots.
My advice is don't buy a horse or an old Landrover product they are one & the same.
t itself daily, requires trailering on a frequent basis, requires far more than routine vet appointments, will pop huge unexpected bills, will throw a wobbly at anything random, is fully expected to be shot at any time (with another big bill) & there is always another better one for sale. So many of the ex wife's horsey friends had these, every few weeks I was being called to assist, or called to offer advice on buying another one. Quite how something so ruinous, with such a high bork factor can be bought on the pretence that they needed a reliable car to get them about in any bad weather. The fact is most that bought them spent way more than asking price on repairs, recoveries & every time it happened it was "we must be unlucky, we've seen another better one for sale what do you think?" !!!
Invarably I used my Landcruiser to recover them & their horsebox every time. The same one that has proven relentlessly reliable & bork free since I've known them all.
These are all intelligent people (to a degree) but would not be seen dead in anything other than Horse & Hound's finest chariots.
My advice is don't buy a horse or an old Landrover product they are one & the same.
It's a no thank you from me. I always thought these looked like a giant fridge on wheels and by every account are built to Landrover's usual utterly hopeless standards and crammed with every pointless electronic system possible which is just a sure recipe for rage and financial ruin.
I'd pick a Grand Cherokee or a Landcruiser over these every single time.
I'd pick a Grand Cherokee or a Landcruiser over these every single time.
The biggest fault with these and the RR sport are the cranshaft snapping and the oil pump splitting off the engine, you can use a uprated oil pump but you need to take off the timing belt so might as well put a new one one at a specialist this job is £650..
Nothing you can do about the crank snapping and its happening to every model from 2004 to 2015 could go on to 2015 to 2019 models.
The handbrake needs servicing or will stick if it does you will get a loud squeak noise..other things to watch compressor overheating ,,will probably need a new one the AMK is mostly used as its a bigger up rated compressor. £700 fitted.
gaearbox can be flushed out and new oil £250..
The fuel tank guard is big and heavy and can rust away, budget £200,,air tank rusts ,new one is £125,also the bottom steering rack UJ can seize over night one fitted around £300,,the fan belt tensipner gets noisy to replace allow £70 to £100...propshaft uj are going now so the uj can be replaced or new prop shaft ,plus lots of electrial niggles, dont expect more than 18 to 25mpg on a 2,7 diesel,,road tax on early 2005 is around £350 ,after 2005 road tax is £550..They are money pits you need £2k in a draw for the next problem,if the engine goes just scrap it ,land rover used to charge £12 to £16k for replacment engines when they were new.
Other problems ,,windscreen electric de frost not working , heated seats not working,,elec windows and locks failing,, key not charging up,, turbo needing replacing ,,egr valves ,, dpf on later models,, sunroof leaking ,,alternator setting on fire ,,i cant be bothered listing any more faults too many
Nothing you can do about the crank snapping and its happening to every model from 2004 to 2015 could go on to 2015 to 2019 models.
The handbrake needs servicing or will stick if it does you will get a loud squeak noise..other things to watch compressor overheating ,,will probably need a new one the AMK is mostly used as its a bigger up rated compressor. £700 fitted.
gaearbox can be flushed out and new oil £250..
The fuel tank guard is big and heavy and can rust away, budget £200,,air tank rusts ,new one is £125,also the bottom steering rack UJ can seize over night one fitted around £300,,the fan belt tensipner gets noisy to replace allow £70 to £100...propshaft uj are going now so the uj can be replaced or new prop shaft ,plus lots of electrial niggles, dont expect more than 18 to 25mpg on a 2,7 diesel,,road tax on early 2005 is around £350 ,after 2005 road tax is £550..They are money pits you need £2k in a draw for the next problem,if the engine goes just scrap it ,land rover used to charge £12 to £16k for replacment engines when they were new.
Other problems ,,windscreen electric de frost not working , heated seats not working,,elec windows and locks failing,, key not charging up,, turbo needing replacing ,,egr valves ,, dpf on later models,, sunroof leaking ,,alternator setting on fire ,,i cant be bothered listing any more faults too many
Edited by leedsutd1 on Tuesday 12th March 16:58
Edited by leedsutd1 on Wednesday 13th March 09:29
A.J.M said:
Had mine nearly 7 years now, love it but they do need care and attention to keep them at their best.
I’ve had a couple of good specialists keep mine in order. Best way for them. They know the cars and I get a good mechanic at a good price.
I use mine for work, it’s clocked over the 189,000 mile mark and has been all over the uk, done Le Mans and is going to Spain later this year.
Top spec HSE, RS500 intercooler and BAS remap among with the better brake servo, 4 pot brembo fronts and V8 rear brakes helps it go and stop far better than factory.
I replaced the oil pump last year before Le Mans when it got full belts changed and some other work.
They aren’t cheap, but they are a superb jack of all trades car. Mine is a keeper and it’s value to me is far greater than its resale value.
A.J.M said:
Had mine nearly 7 years now, love it but they do need care and attention to keep them at their best.
I’ve had a couple of good specialists keep mine in order. Best way for them. They know the cars and I get a good mechanic at a good price.
I use mine for work, it’s clocked over the 189,000 mile mark and has been all over the uk, done Le Mans and is going to Spain later this year.
Top spec HSE, RS500 intercooler and BAS remap among with the better brake servo, 4 pot brembo fronts and V8 rear brakes helps it go and stop far better than factory.
I replaced the oil pump last year before Le Mans when it got full belts changed and some other work.
They aren’t cheap, but they are a superb jack of all trades car. Mine is a keeper and it’s value to me is far greater than its resale value.
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