Thirsty Discovery and Z4 thread
Discussion
Good news, and my idiot's diagnosis was half right. A nice change.
The condenser that was fitted three weeks ago had a manufacturing defect that prevented one of its O-rings from sealing, and didn't/doesn't show up on a vacuum test. So the garage are just chucking on a replacement this afternoon, and we should be good to go.
Free repairs are my favourite type of repair.
The condenser that was fitted three weeks ago had a manufacturing defect that prevented one of its O-rings from sealing, and didn't/doesn't show up on a vacuum test. So the garage are just chucking on a replacement this afternoon, and we should be good to go.
Free repairs are my favourite type of repair.
Edited by C70R on Wednesday 24th May 13:43
What an incredible machine the Discovery is. Just immense.
1500 miles in a week is quite a lot for an old, complicated car, and I can't think of another car at this sort of budget that could have completed it so effortlessly. From slogging 300 miles without breaks on the motorway, laden with 4 people and a week's luggage; to dragging 7 people and supplies up steep, rocky pathways to get to remote beaches - the Discovery just takes it all in its stride. Although the trip was not without frustrations, which I'll come onto in a moment.
Islay was, as ever, absolutely stunning. The weather was completely ridiculous, with barely a cloud in the sky for an entire week, meaning that plenty of beach visits and sea swimming were the order of the day. The whisky festival was, as ever, absolutely wonderful. Great people with a real passion for whisky, united through events, tastings and live music. Oddly enough, it's also a bit of a Mecca for Land Rover owners, which means you can often park alone and come back to find scenes like this. There were lots of far more serious LRs on the island, many of whom were Defender owners in various 'overland' configurations, and the Discovery tended to look like a glass of water in a cocktail bar next to such tough machinery.
We visit Islay with the same group each year, and stay in the same house - located up a brutal track, with stunning panoramic views of the island. This year, the group chose to bring their Defender up, and as you can see it very much looked the part. Aside from a dead battery, meaning that it needed to be pushed off the ferry, it gave excellent service throughout the trip. That said, in spite of it being both newer and more expensive than the Discovery, it's not a car I'd choose to spend 1500 miles in. Noisy, uncomfortable and unrefined service are, I guess, the payoff for something that looks so iconic.
On the subject of 'service', and coming back to my earlier comment, the Discovery performed dutifully throughout the week aside from two moments. The first was self-inflicted, and the second inflicted by a moron. I knew the (original, 18yo) front airbags were leaking slightly when I started the journey. It had been my plan to replace them before we left, but I simply ran out of time. The minor issue resulting from this was that we were met by a lowrider most mornings, where the airbags had depressurised overnight and the car had tried to level itself but ran out of adjustment. Annoying, but not the end of the world. The more annoying part was that three times over the course of the week I had the orange suspension warning flash up (only one bong, suggesting an annoyance rather than a catastrophe), signalling low pressure in the front airbags. A quick ignition cycle, and it disappeared. The second moment was more frustrating, as I came out of our Glasgow hotel on the return leg to find that some utter pillock had swiped the front arch in a car park and broken the fixings. Speed tape to the rescue, and we made it home without incident.
Time for a little TLC, I feel. The Disco is booked to go back to the local specialist for new front air-springs and shocks, and I may do the rears while I'm at it for peace of mind. I've also ordered a few bits of plastic trim to tidy up some little niggles - the front arch trim, the front towing eye cover (that Bambi broke last year), and the lock blank on the driver's door (which is a hideous piece of design). I've also been in touch with a company in East London about getting the largely useless upper nav/4x4 screen replaced with an Android Auto screen ( https://www.carsoundsecurity.com/Wireless-Apple-Ca...), which will enable me to get a reversing camera fitted at the same time. The last piece of the puzzle is to try and work out which CANBUS adaptor is required to enable the steering wheel buttons to control the unit. It's going to be a pricey addition, but should bring the car's tech right up to date and make it much more usable as a result.
I think this one is a keeper, so it's time to get the chequebook out...
1500 miles in a week is quite a lot for an old, complicated car, and I can't think of another car at this sort of budget that could have completed it so effortlessly. From slogging 300 miles without breaks on the motorway, laden with 4 people and a week's luggage; to dragging 7 people and supplies up steep, rocky pathways to get to remote beaches - the Discovery just takes it all in its stride. Although the trip was not without frustrations, which I'll come onto in a moment.
Islay was, as ever, absolutely stunning. The weather was completely ridiculous, with barely a cloud in the sky for an entire week, meaning that plenty of beach visits and sea swimming were the order of the day. The whisky festival was, as ever, absolutely wonderful. Great people with a real passion for whisky, united through events, tastings and live music. Oddly enough, it's also a bit of a Mecca for Land Rover owners, which means you can often park alone and come back to find scenes like this. There were lots of far more serious LRs on the island, many of whom were Defender owners in various 'overland' configurations, and the Discovery tended to look like a glass of water in a cocktail bar next to such tough machinery.
We visit Islay with the same group each year, and stay in the same house - located up a brutal track, with stunning panoramic views of the island. This year, the group chose to bring their Defender up, and as you can see it very much looked the part. Aside from a dead battery, meaning that it needed to be pushed off the ferry, it gave excellent service throughout the trip. That said, in spite of it being both newer and more expensive than the Discovery, it's not a car I'd choose to spend 1500 miles in. Noisy, uncomfortable and unrefined service are, I guess, the payoff for something that looks so iconic.
On the subject of 'service', and coming back to my earlier comment, the Discovery performed dutifully throughout the week aside from two moments. The first was self-inflicted, and the second inflicted by a moron. I knew the (original, 18yo) front airbags were leaking slightly when I started the journey. It had been my plan to replace them before we left, but I simply ran out of time. The minor issue resulting from this was that we were met by a lowrider most mornings, where the airbags had depressurised overnight and the car had tried to level itself but ran out of adjustment. Annoying, but not the end of the world. The more annoying part was that three times over the course of the week I had the orange suspension warning flash up (only one bong, suggesting an annoyance rather than a catastrophe), signalling low pressure in the front airbags. A quick ignition cycle, and it disappeared. The second moment was more frustrating, as I came out of our Glasgow hotel on the return leg to find that some utter pillock had swiped the front arch in a car park and broken the fixings. Speed tape to the rescue, and we made it home without incident.
Time for a little TLC, I feel. The Disco is booked to go back to the local specialist for new front air-springs and shocks, and I may do the rears while I'm at it for peace of mind. I've also ordered a few bits of plastic trim to tidy up some little niggles - the front arch trim, the front towing eye cover (that Bambi broke last year), and the lock blank on the driver's door (which is a hideous piece of design). I've also been in touch with a company in East London about getting the largely useless upper nav/4x4 screen replaced with an Android Auto screen ( https://www.carsoundsecurity.com/Wireless-Apple-Ca...), which will enable me to get a reversing camera fitted at the same time. The last piece of the puzzle is to try and work out which CANBUS adaptor is required to enable the steering wheel buttons to control the unit. It's going to be a pricey addition, but should bring the car's tech right up to date and make it much more usable as a result.
I think this one is a keeper, so it's time to get the chequebook out...
Edited by C70R on Monday 5th June 10:31
Tom4398cc said:
Great to read the Discovery has acquitted itself so well on your tip OP. Amazing to get such good weather.
It's equal parts impressive and relieving, although I never worried unduly about it 'failing to proceed'. I guess that's a measure of a car you trust.I notice you have a prefacelift L322, with the BMW petrol engine. I had given very serious thought to one of these, but decided I was looking for a later car for the interior updates. How is it to live with?
That £3-5k annual maintenance budget is starting to resonate. I think there are two approaches to running complicated, older Land Rovers.
1. Budget. Wait until something breaks and the car leaves you stranded, then fix with the cheapest parts available.
2. Proactive. Identify weak points and fix before total failure with good quality or OEM parts.
I know having a car that failed on me regularly would annoy the heck out of me, so I fully endorse anyone going down the second route. The budget route is the reason I believe these cars have such a bad reputation for reliability. Watching people do coil spring conversions because they can't be bothered to diagnose and fix the air suspension is heartbreaking. The ride is sublime and a real part of the character.
For £3k a year, I can't think of anything I'd rather own.
1. Budget. Wait until something breaks and the car leaves you stranded, then fix with the cheapest parts available.
2. Proactive. Identify weak points and fix before total failure with good quality or OEM parts.
I know having a car that failed on me regularly would annoy the heck out of me, so I fully endorse anyone going down the second route. The budget route is the reason I believe these cars have such a bad reputation for reliability. Watching people do coil spring conversions because they can't be bothered to diagnose and fix the air suspension is heartbreaking. The ride is sublime and a real part of the character.
For £3k a year, I can't think of anything I'd rather own.
So, a call from the Land Rover specialist. I was preparing myself to hear that I need 4x new air springs and dampers - not that I would have begrudged this, but it's a fair old chunk of cash. They've been checking the car on and off for 3 whole days, including leaving it overnight on uneven surfaces, spraying everything with leak detection fluid, and have concluded that there's nothing wrong with the air springs. They plugged in the specialist Land Rover suspension diagnostic machine, which apparently runs through a full series of checks on all components (cycling compressor/valves, checking pressure at all points), and found zero discrepancies from the factory figures.
It's a bit of a head-scratcher for them, and the guy who owns the garage called them an "absolute bugger". The only thing the diagnostic test did throw up was that the ride heights had been last set (before my ownership) at different values from the factory. He reset them, the rear dropped a touch (not that I'd noticed it being higher), and apparently it passed the diagnostic check with zero issues. He can't be sure that this caused the orange light and the bong, but "anything's possible with these bloody things".
They also spotted a couple of rusted studs on the centre exhaust join, which are beyond salvation, and undoubtedly the source of the 'tick' I've noticed on acceleration. They are planning to grind/drill out the studs and fit a bolt and nut instead.
Overall, less painful than expected. Hopefully the car rides (smoothly) again.
I had convinced myself to go down a path of tidying up the bodywork over the winter, alongside getting the tiny amount of rust sorted. But thinking more critically about it, it's never going to be mint and I really don't want to get to a position where I'm worrying about it getting scratched etc. Some of the plastic trims are starting to peel a little, suggesting that someone might have been in there with plastidip or similar in the past. No idea how to resolve that, but it's annoying me enough that I might decide to do it.
Came across this photo I took of MrsC driving it through Inverary on the way to Islay. She's finally decided that it's more comfortable and practical than the Volvo or the Z4, but it's a bit big and it doesn't quite meet her expectations on CO2 emissions. I'll take that as an overall win...
As for me, I'm still very much in the supporters' camp.
It's a bit of a head-scratcher for them, and the guy who owns the garage called them an "absolute bugger". The only thing the diagnostic test did throw up was that the ride heights had been last set (before my ownership) at different values from the factory. He reset them, the rear dropped a touch (not that I'd noticed it being higher), and apparently it passed the diagnostic check with zero issues. He can't be sure that this caused the orange light and the bong, but "anything's possible with these bloody things".
They also spotted a couple of rusted studs on the centre exhaust join, which are beyond salvation, and undoubtedly the source of the 'tick' I've noticed on acceleration. They are planning to grind/drill out the studs and fit a bolt and nut instead.
Overall, less painful than expected. Hopefully the car rides (smoothly) again.
I had convinced myself to go down a path of tidying up the bodywork over the winter, alongside getting the tiny amount of rust sorted. But thinking more critically about it, it's never going to be mint and I really don't want to get to a position where I'm worrying about it getting scratched etc. Some of the plastic trims are starting to peel a little, suggesting that someone might have been in there with plastidip or similar in the past. No idea how to resolve that, but it's annoying me enough that I might decide to do it.
Came across this photo I took of MrsC driving it through Inverary on the way to Islay. She's finally decided that it's more comfortable and practical than the Volvo or the Z4, but it's a bit big and it doesn't quite meet her expectations on CO2 emissions. I'll take that as an overall win...
As for me, I'm still very much in the supporters' camp.
Bobupndown said:
You're doing well with 18 yo airbags. I'd say they must be marginal by now?
This is what I'd prepared myself for, to be honest. I think the low mileage (116k) combined with it leading a charmed life with its only owner before me (he never took it off-road once, according to his widow), has been their saviour. There's money in the maintenance kitty for them to be replaced, but there's no sense chucking parts away if they are passing the diagnostics with flying colours and showing no visible leaks.I'm still not 100% convinced the problem is solved, but that's half the fun with owning a LR of this vintage. It's almost certainly not going to let me down and leave me stranded (said in pure optimism), so I'll wait until I see further symptoms before worrying any more.
IroningMan said:
C70R said:
So, a call from the Land Rover specialist. I was preparing myself to hear that I need 4x new air springs and dampers - not that I would have begrudged this, but it's a fair old chunk of cash. They've been checking the car on and off for 3 whole days, including leaving it overnight on uneven surfaces, spraying everything with leak detection fluid, and have concluded that there's nothing wrong with the air springs. They plugged in the specialist Land Rover suspension diagnostic machine, which apparently runs through a full series of checks on all components (cycling compressor/valves, checking pressure at all points), and found zero discrepancies from the factory figures.
It's a bit of a head-scratcher for them, and the guy who owns the garage called them an "absolute bugger". The only thing the diagnostic test did throw up was that the ride heights had been last set (before my ownership) at different values from the factory. He reset them, the rear dropped a touch (not that I'd noticed it being higher), and apparently it passed the diagnostic check with zero issues. He can't be sure that this caused the orange light and the bong, but "anything's possible with these bloody things".
They also spotted a couple of rusted studs on the centre exhaust join, which are beyond salvation, and undoubtedly the source of the 'tick' I've noticed on acceleration. They are planning to grind/drill out the studs and fit a bolt and nut instead.
Overall, less painful than expected. Hopefully the car rides (smoothly) again.
When mine was dropping at one end - occasionally overnight at first, and then eventually whenever it was parked for more than half an hour - it turned out to be rust pinholes in the reservoir. That was also a protracted diagnostic journey, but it might be worth checking.It's a bit of a head-scratcher for them, and the guy who owns the garage called them an "absolute bugger". The only thing the diagnostic test did throw up was that the ride heights had been last set (before my ownership) at different values from the factory. He reset them, the rear dropped a touch (not that I'd noticed it being higher), and apparently it passed the diagnostic check with zero issues. He can't be sure that this caused the orange light and the bong, but "anything's possible with these bloody things".
They also spotted a couple of rusted studs on the centre exhaust join, which are beyond salvation, and undoubtedly the source of the 'tick' I've noticed on acceleration. They are planning to grind/drill out the studs and fit a bolt and nut instead.
Overall, less painful than expected. Hopefully the car rides (smoothly) again.
That said, if I'm reading the various technical documents properly, when the ignition is off the three valve blocks should 'lock' closed. This would mean that dropping overnight can technically only be one of a handful of things.
1. A leak in an air spring
2. A leak in the pipework between valve blocks and air springs
3. A failed valve block
4. Something odd going on with the sensors and self-leveling system (the system checks the level every 30min with the ignition off and lowers until the car is horizontal)
These are funny old things. I guess this complexity is the cost of having a car with both magic carpet ride and ridiculous off-road ability. I love this promo photo showing how hilarious the standard articulation is.
Edited by C70R on Wednesday 14th June 07:08
braddo said:
I saw one of these with the V8 badge near Balham on the weekend. It always raises a smile when I see one.
The early Disco 3 is going to be a design icon but by God there's no way I could stomach owning one! Good luck
The V8 is (quite literally) vanishingly rare. They only sold a few hundred, and the engine option was dropped altogether after a couple of years, because the 00s was the period when diesel SUVs were in vogue, and many buyers couldn't stomach the cost of fuelling the V8.The early Disco 3 is going to be a design icon but by God there's no way I could stomach owning one! Good luck
Howmanyleft suggests there are less than 300 V8s left on the road (c.200 in my HSE spec), which seems like a reasonable level of attrition for an 18yo car. Unless you really needed the extra space, then I'd imagine the vast majority of petrol buyers would have simply bought an L322 at the time.
Fortunately, I probably need less luck running a petrol version (fuel costs aside) than a diesel. Some of the packaging on the diesel version was very marginal, and a number of the bigger maintenance jobs (typical for cars of this age) require a 'body off' service. The pictures are petrifying.
Clarkson, a staunch Land Rover advocate was, perhaps unsurprisingly, quite complimentary of them when new. He rightly calls out some of the compromises (the weight, the performance, the rear seat access etc.), but his conclusion about it being the sweet spot between the "luxury" of a Range Rover and the utilitarianism of something more agricultural hits the mark for me.
https://youtu.be/QznF1tiG6vc
I do wonder sometimes whether I'd have enjoyed a different ownership experience with a supercharged L322. But then the moments when I'm loading a huge piece of furniture or a pile of recycling, or carrying 7 people along, make me think I probably made the right call on balance.
https://youtu.be/QznF1tiG6vc
I do wonder sometimes whether I'd have enjoyed a different ownership experience with a supercharged L322. But then the moments when I'm loading a huge piece of furniture or a pile of recycling, or carrying 7 people along, make me think I probably made the right call on balance.
Triumph Man said:
I've enjoyed reading your Discovery endeavours - shame the 4 didn't get a V8 in this country! I'd say you got quite lucky with the rear A/C pipes being fine, as apparently it is body off to replace them!
They are such a deeply impressive vehicle in so many ways
Likewise, I'm envious of your attitude to maintaining your D4 yourself. I don't really have the time or facilities (not keen on jacking up 2.5T on a gravel driveway) to do any major work myself, so I'm at the mercy of the specialists. Luckily I've found one that seems decent enough a short drive away from home.They are such a deeply impressive vehicle in so many ways
Fun fact. The Discovery can wade to a depth that would have water pouring over the top of the Z4's door. They are very different cars. 
Dropping the BMW off for its pre-Euro titivation on Friday, and heading straight over to collect the Discovery. I'm away with work next week, so the Z4 is booked in for an aircon top-up (it's definitely cold, but not freezing) and re-alignment the following week before I set off on the Saturday morning.
Officially starting to get a bit excited now. Plans can be found here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
After Stuttgart I'm heading over to the Ring, where I'm hoping to squeeze in two evening sessions as the track is closed for testing during the day. I definitely want to take the Z4 out for a couple of laps to see how different it feels to my old Mini there, but I'm contemplating renting something from one of the local companies on the other evening. Either that or I'll book a passenger lap in something ballistic.
Dropping the BMW off for its pre-Euro titivation on Friday, and heading straight over to collect the Discovery. I'm away with work next week, so the Z4 is booked in for an aircon top-up (it's definitely cold, but not freezing) and re-alignment the following week before I set off on the Saturday morning.
Officially starting to get a bit excited now. Plans can be found here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
After Stuttgart I'm heading over to the Ring, where I'm hoping to squeeze in two evening sessions as the track is closed for testing during the day. I definitely want to take the Z4 out for a couple of laps to see how different it feels to my old Mini there, but I'm contemplating renting something from one of the local companies on the other evening. Either that or I'll book a passenger lap in something ballistic.
Crikey! You're much braver than me!! 
I gave serious thought to a 35i, particularly given that they could be had for very little money. But I ended up with an E85 because I wanted to enjoy it on track. I still have moments when I wonder if I'd enjoy the punch from a DCT-boxed 35i with a map more.
I gave serious thought to a 35i, particularly given that they could be had for very little money. But I ended up with an E85 because I wanted to enjoy it on track. I still have moments when I wonder if I'd enjoy the punch from a DCT-boxed 35i with a map more.
A lovely sunny day after a week spent on planes and in airports gave me the opportunity to tick a few jobs off the Discovery list while I wait for the Z4 to come back.
Way back in December, Bambi decided to headbutt the recovery point cover at 40mph. It didn't end well for either party, so Bambi was thrown into the hedge and a Chinese pattern replacement was ordered. If you scroll back a few posts, you'll spot the gaffer tape holding my passenger front arch on after someone walloped it in a car park. A new part would have stood out against the 20yo plastics, so a used arch was sourced from a breaker.
Armed with a bunch of new trim clips, I made a start. Frustratingly, the starting point for removing the old arch was to remove the grille and headlight. This is because one of the securing screws is located behind the headlight. Luckily it only took about 5min, but it's a bit of a disturbing start...
Thankfully everything was pretty straightforward, and it all went back together looking as it should. I think I probably lost about 3kg in sweat, but great to tick these jobs off the list.
Way back in December, Bambi decided to headbutt the recovery point cover at 40mph. It didn't end well for either party, so Bambi was thrown into the hedge and a Chinese pattern replacement was ordered. If you scroll back a few posts, you'll spot the gaffer tape holding my passenger front arch on after someone walloped it in a car park. A new part would have stood out against the 20yo plastics, so a used arch was sourced from a breaker.
Armed with a bunch of new trim clips, I made a start. Frustratingly, the starting point for removing the old arch was to remove the grille and headlight. This is because one of the securing screws is located behind the headlight. Luckily it only took about 5min, but it's a bit of a disturbing start...
Thankfully everything was pretty straightforward, and it all went back together looking as it should. I think I probably lost about 3kg in sweat, but great to tick these jobs off the list.
I collected the Z4 this morning, and popped down to meet up with some friends who were on a trackday at Snetterton. I was hopeful that replacing a load of bits would make a difference, but I wasn't quite prepared for how much better it would feel.
The original rear trailing arm bushes were absolutely knackered, and the new ones have absolutely transformed the way it feels on B-roads. Gone is the pulling into camber and wheel ruts, and the steering feels altogether more sharp and direct. For anyone who has a BMW running on original RTABs, change them immediately!
Both engine mounts had lost almost all of their oil, and the new ones have really improved the way the car feels when transitioning on/off the throttle at high revs.
I popped along to my local tyre place to get the car on their Hunter system and tidy up the alignment back to my specs, and we're back in business.
I also visited an aircon specialist with the expectation that the system would need a top-up, but their machine showed it was well within the expected pressure range. That'll do, pig.
Because my BMW mechanic works out of a unit on a farm, the car was absolutely filthy. Think I'll try and give it a wash this evening.
The Land Rover is still dropping a little overnight, so I did some very scientific diagnosis last night. I jacked it up into its highest setting, and stretched some tape from the arch to the wheel rim on all corners. I then removed the fuse for the suspension ECU so that it wouldn't try and self-level. The idea behind this is that any slack in the tape demonstrates corners that aren't holding pressure.
The scores were clearly on the doors this morning, where the tape on both front sides was slack. So back it goes to the specialist while I'm on my Euro trip, for them to figure out whether it's a leak in the pipework or the airbags. I'm preparing for both airbags, which should come to a smidge under a grand fitted. Yay.
The original rear trailing arm bushes were absolutely knackered, and the new ones have absolutely transformed the way it feels on B-roads. Gone is the pulling into camber and wheel ruts, and the steering feels altogether more sharp and direct. For anyone who has a BMW running on original RTABs, change them immediately!
Both engine mounts had lost almost all of their oil, and the new ones have really improved the way the car feels when transitioning on/off the throttle at high revs.
I popped along to my local tyre place to get the car on their Hunter system and tidy up the alignment back to my specs, and we're back in business.
I also visited an aircon specialist with the expectation that the system would need a top-up, but their machine showed it was well within the expected pressure range. That'll do, pig.
Because my BMW mechanic works out of a unit on a farm, the car was absolutely filthy. Think I'll try and give it a wash this evening.
The Land Rover is still dropping a little overnight, so I did some very scientific diagnosis last night. I jacked it up into its highest setting, and stretched some tape from the arch to the wheel rim on all corners. I then removed the fuse for the suspension ECU so that it wouldn't try and self-level. The idea behind this is that any slack in the tape demonstrates corners that aren't holding pressure.
The scores were clearly on the doors this morning, where the tape on both front sides was slack. So back it goes to the specialist while I'm on my Euro trip, for them to figure out whether it's a leak in the pipework or the airbags. I'm preparing for both airbags, which should come to a smidge under a grand fitted. Yay.
Tom4398cc said:
Great to read your updates C70R. I love that your petrolhead activities range from replacing trim on a 19 year old Land-Rover to hot laps of the Nurburgring in a 911.
On the dropping suspension - you might find the specialist can’t find the leak. That was certainly the case with my L322. The nationally / internationally famous Range Rover specialist I used went right round mine looking for a small leak, but couldn’t find it. They advised me to keep running it as it was until I hear a hissing after I have parked it up, then get it in for diagnosis and work. They said that until it is hissing or shows in the soapy water survey of the system, they’d just have to throw expensive parts at it.
This is part of my ennui. I actually don't mind spending money on parts (my track record should show that), but I just want to be sure I'm replacing the right parts.On the dropping suspension - you might find the specialist can’t find the leak. That was certainly the case with my L322. The nationally / internationally famous Range Rover specialist I used went right round mine looking for a small leak, but couldn’t find it. They advised me to keep running it as it was until I hear a hissing after I have parked it up, then get it in for diagnosis and work. They said that until it is hissing or shows in the soapy water survey of the system, they’d just have to throw expensive parts at it.
Given that the front and centre valve/distribution blocks were replaced with OEM parts last year, it's REALLY unlikely that one of those is the problem. That only leaves the front air springs and their air lines as the potential root causes. It's not a catastrophic loss of pressure (as evidenced by the small drop (1cm or so in 24hrs), but it's enough to periodically bring up the warning light which annoys me.
I'm going to have a stern-ish word with the garage when I drop it off tomorrow morning, and tell them I expect to collect it with shiny new parts and the promise of no more warning lights. Let's see how that works out for me...
In other news, I'm really looking forward to my roadtrip that starts at 5am on Saturday morning in deepest, darkest Norfolk. Working at a big tech company means that it's been a year of frustration and uncertainty professionally, so I'm really keen to detach myself from work for a few days and just spend some time in the moment. Just me, the car, and the 800 podcasts I've been storing up.
Edited by C70R on Thursday 29th June 10:54
On the subject of those podcasts, the Z4 received its final bit of pre-trip titivation.
Since buying it I've been using a Bluetooth-to-FM thingy that plugs into the cigarette lighter to get Fleetwood Mac from my phone to the miserly 6-speaker stereo system. I had thought this was working pretty well, apart from at the point on the North Circular where Dreams was replaced by some sort of Grime pirate radio station for a mile or so. Phonecalls were also painful, because I was using the phone's hands-free mic, which isn't great at separating background noise.
This was enough to make me want to do a decent job of sorting it, so I shelled out £15 for one of eBay's finest Bluetooth dongles that plugs directly into the back of the OEM stereo in place of the AUX port. I've done a lot of car audio fettling in my life, including building custom door pods and sub enclosures, but removing the Z4's stereo was one of the most annoying things I've ever dealt with. The videos on the internet suggest that one simply pokes a pick or small screwdriver into the top of the airvents, and they will "just pop out". Did they balls.
After an hour of swearing, manhandling and checking the price of replacement vents on eBay, it finally "just popped out". It looks like someone had been in there before me (although thankfully no signs of cable molestation), and broken one of the tabs that secure the vents. Great. A dab of Araldite, and everyone's a winner.
Thankfully after all that aggro for what should have been a simple job, the sound quality has greatly improved. I ran the mic around the steering column and attached it between the two dial binnacles, and call quality seems to be up to the task which is always good.
An annoying job that was (almost) worth the effort.
Since buying it I've been using a Bluetooth-to-FM thingy that plugs into the cigarette lighter to get Fleetwood Mac from my phone to the miserly 6-speaker stereo system. I had thought this was working pretty well, apart from at the point on the North Circular where Dreams was replaced by some sort of Grime pirate radio station for a mile or so. Phonecalls were also painful, because I was using the phone's hands-free mic, which isn't great at separating background noise.
This was enough to make me want to do a decent job of sorting it, so I shelled out £15 for one of eBay's finest Bluetooth dongles that plugs directly into the back of the OEM stereo in place of the AUX port. I've done a lot of car audio fettling in my life, including building custom door pods and sub enclosures, but removing the Z4's stereo was one of the most annoying things I've ever dealt with. The videos on the internet suggest that one simply pokes a pick or small screwdriver into the top of the airvents, and they will "just pop out". Did they balls.
After an hour of swearing, manhandling and checking the price of replacement vents on eBay, it finally "just popped out". It looks like someone had been in there before me (although thankfully no signs of cable molestation), and broken one of the tabs that secure the vents. Great. A dab of Araldite, and everyone's a winner.
Thankfully after all that aggro for what should have been a simple job, the sound quality has greatly improved. I ran the mic around the steering column and attached it between the two dial binnacles, and call quality seems to be up to the task which is always good.
An annoying job that was (almost) worth the effort.
And my final update, so it doesn't feel like I'm spamming the thread to death, is that I've registered for my MSUK RS Clubman licence. That sounds much grander than the actual process of filling out a form on the MSUK website, but it allows me to take the Discovery along to my local Land Rover club's trials days and see what it's actually like on the loose stuff. How exciting! At least it will keep me busy during the winter trackday 'off season'.
I've also booked Cadwell Park on the 31st of August with a big group of friends. It's been a while since I was last there in my Mini track car, and I met a lovely chap from here who was kind enough to treat me to a few laps in his M2. I'm doing a Drive Limits instruction day at North Weald airfield the week before, so I'm hopeful that this will give me the confidence to push the Z4 a bit harder than I did at Snetterton. That said, the Z4 is probably the least 'hardcore' car out of the group, so I'll be very happy to just have fun and get around in one piece.
I've also booked Cadwell Park on the 31st of August with a big group of friends. It's been a while since I was last there in my Mini track car, and I met a lovely chap from here who was kind enough to treat me to a few laps in his M2. I'm doing a Drive Limits instruction day at North Weald airfield the week before, so I'm hopeful that this will give me the confidence to push the Z4 a bit harder than I did at Snetterton. That said, the Z4 is probably the least 'hardcore' car out of the group, so I'll be very happy to just have fun and get around in one piece.
Had a phone call from the Discovery specialist halfway up the side of an Austrian mountain in the Z4 (thanks hands-free!) to tell me that I was bloody right all along and they've found leaks in both front airbags at full extension.
Luckily OEM-spec replacement parts are only 300-something a side and fitting isn't too tricky. It's going to be an expensive month of car fettling...
Luckily the Z4 is acquitting itself very well on my Euro trip (full write-up to come), and I'm heading over to the Ring this evening after visits to the Porsche and Mercedes museums in Stuttgart.
Luckily OEM-spec replacement parts are only 300-something a side and fitting isn't too tricky. It's going to be an expensive month of car fettling...
Luckily the Z4 is acquitting itself very well on my Euro trip (full write-up to come), and I'm heading over to the Ring this evening after visits to the Porsche and Mercedes museums in Stuttgart.
Well, my Euro trip is done. I had thought about writing up as I went along, but I ended up having far too much fun to spend time 'live-blogging' (not that anyone would have been interested), so I'll do a roundup instead.
Day 1. London to Lausanne
One word: "Rubbish". It's too far. Much too far. Almost 12hrs driving in total this day left me absolutely knackered.
On the plus side, I did get to take this cool photo at Reims and pop into my old local pub in Lausanne for a pint and a burger.
Day 2. Swiss passes to Liechtenstein
I had no real idea what to expect from these passes, as I didn't drive that way much when I lived there, but boy did they deliver. Even with an early start on a Sunday morning, traffic was such that I very rarely got an unobstructed run up the passes. Going down felt more like a war of attrition with my brakes as much as anything else. I think the pace can be best described as 'gentle touring', given that you're prone to rounding a bend to discover any one of cyclist/motorhome/bus/camper, but the scenery was absolutely ridiculous.
After lunching at Schattdorf, I struck out East on the 17 (House of Love, anyone? No? Anyone?), and found probably my favourite road of the entire trip. A snaking ribbon that climbed gently from the base of a wide valley, and ran for 20-odd miles across the valley's side, winding in and out of the hillside contours, with the occasional tunnel and forest for good measure. It was narrow in parts, but very quiet on a Sunday afternoon. Save for a few miles following a biker, I pretty much had this one to myself. Roof down, music up; pure bliss. Up there with the best drives of my life.
I stayed the night in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, which was eminently forgettable and one to avoid in future. Like Switzerland, but less interesting.
Part 2 coming shortly...
Day 1. London to Lausanne
One word: "Rubbish". It's too far. Much too far. Almost 12hrs driving in total this day left me absolutely knackered.
On the plus side, I did get to take this cool photo at Reims and pop into my old local pub in Lausanne for a pint and a burger.
Day 2. Swiss passes to Liechtenstein
I had no real idea what to expect from these passes, as I didn't drive that way much when I lived there, but boy did they deliver. Even with an early start on a Sunday morning, traffic was such that I very rarely got an unobstructed run up the passes. Going down felt more like a war of attrition with my brakes as much as anything else. I think the pace can be best described as 'gentle touring', given that you're prone to rounding a bend to discover any one of cyclist/motorhome/bus/camper, but the scenery was absolutely ridiculous.
After lunching at Schattdorf, I struck out East on the 17 (House of Love, anyone? No? Anyone?), and found probably my favourite road of the entire trip. A snaking ribbon that climbed gently from the base of a wide valley, and ran for 20-odd miles across the valley's side, winding in and out of the hillside contours, with the occasional tunnel and forest for good measure. It was narrow in parts, but very quiet on a Sunday afternoon. Save for a few miles following a biker, I pretty much had this one to myself. Roof down, music up; pure bliss. Up there with the best drives of my life.
I stayed the night in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, which was eminently forgettable and one to avoid in future. Like Switzerland, but less interesting.
Part 2 coming shortly...
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