Are all Discovery 4 s just ready to empty your wallet?
Discussion
I owned a D4 new in 2011. I am looking at similar again after having a garage reshuffle. From what I can tell from the last few weeks of homework, besides the snappy cranks (between 1-3% of Lion 3.0SDV6s - depending on source) there isn't a huge amount to go wrong, given they were just an evolution of the D3 (same model designation L319, they were basically a facelift and new engine, with an 8-speed auto a couple of years later). Air suspension isn't as bad as people make out and not too expensive to fix. Some jobs are body-off but it is supposed to work that way and not that much of a faff for a garage used to these cars. I will say that my D4 was the best all-round car I've ever owned, but even new it was not without problems. I'm not bothering with a warranty this time around, but will budget a decent maintenance fund each month, and will be prepared to walk away if the engine pops. For a 10+ year old, sub-£15k car you can't reasonably expect a completely trouble-free experience, regardless of the badge.
They are a brilliant car.
Will tow 3.5 tons without a care, can seat 7 adults fine.
The boots massive so you can fit prams and suitcases in easily.
They drive pretty good, they aren’t fast. But they aren’t slow.
About par with a SD4 freelander 2.
But. They can be expensive if they aren’t looked after.
They can be expensive to insure and ved isn’t cheap for some of them.
I’ve a 2016 landmark.
It’s lovely, ulez compliant, does 30mpg average.
It’s a great family car.
It needs an 11 grand minimum engine replacement next month as it snapped its crank in May.
Will tow 3.5 tons without a care, can seat 7 adults fine.
The boots massive so you can fit prams and suitcases in easily.
They drive pretty good, they aren’t fast. But they aren’t slow.
About par with a SD4 freelander 2.
But. They can be expensive if they aren’t looked after.
They can be expensive to insure and ved isn’t cheap for some of them.
I’ve a 2016 landmark.
It’s lovely, ulez compliant, does 30mpg average.
It’s a great family car.
It needs an 11 grand minimum engine replacement next month as it snapped its crank in May.
A.J.M said:
They are a brilliant car.
But. They can be expensive if they aren t looked after.
It needs an 11 grand minimum engine replacement next month as it snapped its crank in May.
I've seen so many of these in dealer's stock needing the same.But. They can be expensive if they aren t looked after.
It needs an 11 grand minimum engine replacement next month as it snapped its crank in May.
Most dealers avoid them like the plauge.
Lovely cars when they're running.
The crankshaft is a lottery.
I know several friends who’ve had D4s and RRS with the 3.0 engine and have had zero issues with them over many miles.
Mine had a flawless history. A folder with every receipt stored in it. Wanted for nothing and drove beautifully. Owned by an old boy, lived in a private gated community, had a bloody lake in his backyard.
Died at 70mph on the cruise control, gave a split second thrum and then locked up. 120,127 miles.
It’s a shame. As they are superb cars.
Ours is the perfect family car, which is why it’s getting fixed.
Then I’m going to run it till the government bans me from driving it as I’ll need to get my money from it.
I know several friends who’ve had D4s and RRS with the 3.0 engine and have had zero issues with them over many miles.
Mine had a flawless history. A folder with every receipt stored in it. Wanted for nothing and drove beautifully. Owned by an old boy, lived in a private gated community, had a bloody lake in his backyard.
Died at 70mph on the cruise control, gave a split second thrum and then locked up. 120,127 miles.
It’s a shame. As they are superb cars.
Ours is the perfect family car, which is why it’s getting fixed.
Then I’m going to run it till the government bans me from driving it as I’ll need to get my money from it.
Trevor555 said:
I've seen so many of these in dealer's stock needing the same.
Most dealers avoid them like the plauge.
Lovely cars when they're running.
I suspect many dealers avoid them because owners only p/x them just after they’ve received a quote for an expensive job and decide to offload them onto the trade instead. Most dealers avoid them like the plauge.
Lovely cars when they're running.
Simon_GH said:
Trevor555 said:
I've seen so many of these in dealer's stock needing the same.
Most dealers avoid them like the plauge.
Lovely cars when they're running.
I suspect many dealers avoid them because owners only p/x them just after they ve received a quote for an expensive job and decide to offload them onto the trade instead. Most dealers avoid them like the plauge.
Lovely cars when they're running.
One of the reasons I was glad to get out of the retail trade.
I test drove all cars offered to me in PX (many main dealers don't)
You can imagine some of the conversations I had with people trying to PX cars with problems.
One guy had a proper go at me for refusing his knackered PX after he'd driven over 100miles.
Towards the end of having my forecourt I refused PX's it was so bad.
I've owned two. On both occasions I've sold them on the basis that I didn't want my luck to run out with the crank. If it wasn't for that aspect I'd own one forever. I just couldn't risk having to throw £11k at a car i'd bought for £12k. If I had that sort of money spare I would be looking elsewhere in the first place.
Mine were reasonably reliable and very tough, bar the first one blowing a manifold a week out of warranty. Looking through the service history of a good used one is always a decent check of what they're like to run in terms of consumables and maintenance. The answer is generally 'not cheap' even via Indys, who to a man are always very, very busy fixing broken ones.
I have no stats to prove it, but I don't buy the 1-2% statistic mentioned above. When looking for a 2nd hand detachable towbar there were dozens of D4s and RRS' around the country on people's drives, or at breakers, with snapped cranks. Even if it is true, the sheer randomness of the problem frightened me.
All that said, every time I see one I feel a wee bit jealous of the owner.
Mine were reasonably reliable and very tough, bar the first one blowing a manifold a week out of warranty. Looking through the service history of a good used one is always a decent check of what they're like to run in terms of consumables and maintenance. The answer is generally 'not cheap' even via Indys, who to a man are always very, very busy fixing broken ones.
I have no stats to prove it, but I don't buy the 1-2% statistic mentioned above. When looking for a 2nd hand detachable towbar there were dozens of D4s and RRS' around the country on people's drives, or at breakers, with snapped cranks. Even if it is true, the sheer randomness of the problem frightened me.
All that said, every time I see one I feel a wee bit jealous of the owner.
My son has one . He bought it with the broken crank engine and he put a replacement used engine in, from a jaguar.
He is a very skilled mechanic and it took about 4 days on the drive. Engine out not body off.
It's a nice vehicle, I do doubt it's only 1 or 2 % though. The amount for sale with failed engines is remarkable, you really have your pick .
He is a very skilled mechanic and it took about 4 days on the drive. Engine out not body off.
It's a nice vehicle, I do doubt it's only 1 or 2 % though. The amount for sale with failed engines is remarkable, you really have your pick .
The 2 biggest factors in you having a good time with that generation of LR products are:
1) Buy a really nice one.
2) Have a specialist or garage nearby that likes them.
You’d think 1) is obvious but it’s amazing how many people buy a scruffy 180k mile heap, then expect to run it on a Zafira budget, then b
h when it lets them down.
2) is less obvious but of great importance. A local garage that likes them will make your issues cheaper & more easily resolved, plus will be able to spot issues & nip them in the bud early.
My mate’s garage has installed a 6 post ramp (a 2 poster halfway down a 4 poster) specifically to do body off Land Rover jobs. That kind of thing is invaluable as it saves huge amounts of time, and ultimately your money!
They are great, and frankly the best single vehicle Land Rover probably ever made in terms of being a practical go-anywhere-do-everything vehicle.
Crank issues are a lottery unfortunately but most that will have failed have failed, I drove one the other day that’s been seriously neglected, stinks inside like a old wax jacket, has nearly 300k on the clock & runs sweetly.
They can be repaired.
Go watch Land Rover Time on YouTube & start looking!
1) Buy a really nice one.
2) Have a specialist or garage nearby that likes them.
You’d think 1) is obvious but it’s amazing how many people buy a scruffy 180k mile heap, then expect to run it on a Zafira budget, then b
h when it lets them down.2) is less obvious but of great importance. A local garage that likes them will make your issues cheaper & more easily resolved, plus will be able to spot issues & nip them in the bud early.
My mate’s garage has installed a 6 post ramp (a 2 poster halfway down a 4 poster) specifically to do body off Land Rover jobs. That kind of thing is invaluable as it saves huge amounts of time, and ultimately your money!
They are great, and frankly the best single vehicle Land Rover probably ever made in terms of being a practical go-anywhere-do-everything vehicle.
Crank issues are a lottery unfortunately but most that will have failed have failed, I drove one the other day that’s been seriously neglected, stinks inside like a old wax jacket, has nearly 300k on the clock & runs sweetly.
They can be repaired.
Go watch Land Rover Time on YouTube & start looking!
Stick Legs said:
The 2 biggest factors in you having a good time with that generation of LR products are:
1) Buy a really nice one.
2) Have a specialist or garage nearby that likes them.
You d think 1) is obvious but it s amazing how many people buy a scruffy 180k mile heap, then expect to run it on a Zafira budget, then bh when it lets them down.
2) is less obvious but of great importance. A local garage that likes them will make your issues cheaper & more easily resolved, plus will be able to spot issues & nip them in the bud early.
My mate s garage has installed a 6 post ramp (a 2 poster halfway down a 4 poster) specifically to do body off Land Rover jobs. That kind of thing is invaluable as it saves huge amounts of time, and ultimately your money!
They are great, and frankly the best single vehicle Land Rover probably ever made in terms of being a practical go-anywhere-do-everything vehicle.
Crank issues are a lottery unfortunately but most that will have failed have failed, I drove one the other day that s been seriously neglected, stinks inside like a old wax jacket, has nearly 300k on the clock & runs sweetly.
They can be repaired.
Go watch Land Rover Time on YouTube & start looking!
Watching LRTime is a terrible idea if you are considering a purchase 1) Buy a really nice one.
2) Have a specialist or garage nearby that likes them.
You d think 1) is obvious but it s amazing how many people buy a scruffy 180k mile heap, then expect to run it on a Zafira budget, then b
h when it lets them down.2) is less obvious but of great importance. A local garage that likes them will make your issues cheaper & more easily resolved, plus will be able to spot issues & nip them in the bud early.
My mate s garage has installed a 6 post ramp (a 2 poster halfway down a 4 poster) specifically to do body off Land Rover jobs. That kind of thing is invaluable as it saves huge amounts of time, and ultimately your money!
They are great, and frankly the best single vehicle Land Rover probably ever made in terms of being a practical go-anywhere-do-everything vehicle.
Crank issues are a lottery unfortunately but most that will have failed have failed, I drove one the other day that s been seriously neglected, stinks inside like a old wax jacket, has nearly 300k on the clock & runs sweetly.
They can be repaired.
Go watch Land Rover Time on YouTube & start looking!
I enjoy tempting fate.... but mine has done 140k and is used for about 15k a year now. Mostly on big journeys around Europe, but it is taken off-road often, and I wouldn't hesitate to take it on its next adventure.
It has let me down twice - transfer box failure, whilst stuck off-road, in France.
Steering UJ failed.
Neither left me stranded, but did cost c.£1500 to fix. Fear that the below pic may highlight the reason for the UJ failure.
It has let me down twice - transfer box failure, whilst stuck off-road, in France.
Steering UJ failed.
Neither left me stranded, but did cost c.£1500 to fix. Fear that the below pic may highlight the reason for the UJ failure.
Stick Legs said:
The 2 biggest factors in you having a good time with that generation of LR products are:
1) Buy a really nice one.
2) Have a specialist or garage nearby that likes them.
You d think 1) is obvious but it s amazing how many people buy a scruffy 180k mile heap, then expect to run it on a Zafira budget, then bh when it lets them down.
2) is less obvious but of great importance. A local garage that likes them will make your issues cheaper & more easily resolved, plus will be able to spot issues & nip them in the bud early.
My mate s garage has installed a 6 post ramp (a 2 poster halfway down a 4 poster) specifically to do body off Land Rover jobs. That kind of thing is invaluable as it saves huge amounts of time, and ultimately your money!
They are great, and frankly the best single vehicle Land Rover probably ever made in terms of being a practical go-anywhere-do-everything vehicle.
Crank issues are a lottery unfortunately but most that will have failed have failed, I drove one the other day that s been seriously neglected, stinks inside like a old wax jacket, has nearly 300k on the clock & runs sweetly.
They can be repaired.
Go watch Land Rover Time on YouTube & start looking!
I work in a garage .... 1) Buy a really nice one.
2) Have a specialist or garage nearby that likes them.
You d think 1) is obvious but it s amazing how many people buy a scruffy 180k mile heap, then expect to run it on a Zafira budget, then b
h when it lets them down.2) is less obvious but of great importance. A local garage that likes them will make your issues cheaper & more easily resolved, plus will be able to spot issues & nip them in the bud early.
My mate s garage has installed a 6 post ramp (a 2 poster halfway down a 4 poster) specifically to do body off Land Rover jobs. That kind of thing is invaluable as it saves huge amounts of time, and ultimately your money!
They are great, and frankly the best single vehicle Land Rover probably ever made in terms of being a practical go-anywhere-do-everything vehicle.
Crank issues are a lottery unfortunately but most that will have failed have failed, I drove one the other day that s been seriously neglected, stinks inside like a old wax jacket, has nearly 300k on the clock & runs sweetly.
They can be repaired.
Go watch Land Rover Time on YouTube & start looking!
Oh and LR time is scary !!
Well mine is now at the specialist for its new engine.
LR revised the crankshaft on 2019 and then in 2024.
Strengthened it and modified the oil galleries.
My engine was built between April to June this year, its build date will be on the box that has to go back to LR, so I’ll see it before it goes.
I’m also getting the crankshaft out of my engine to keep.
A reminder of the repair bill…
The specialist has stated that he’s never had a crate engine fail.
Be it 2.7/3.0 5.0 or even an ingenium engine…
If you want one rebuilt, there’s a specialist called ILS automotive who will build you a facelift Discovery, with fresh engine, turbos, paintwork sorted, wheels refurbished and underside rust treated.
It’s about £20k for a car and they sell quickly.
Usually a HSE, or HSE luxury or Landmark spec car.
LR revised the crankshaft on 2019 and then in 2024.
Strengthened it and modified the oil galleries.
My engine was built between April to June this year, its build date will be on the box that has to go back to LR, so I’ll see it before it goes.
I’m also getting the crankshaft out of my engine to keep.
A reminder of the repair bill…
The specialist has stated that he’s never had a crate engine fail.
Be it 2.7/3.0 5.0 or even an ingenium engine…
If you want one rebuilt, there’s a specialist called ILS automotive who will build you a facelift Discovery, with fresh engine, turbos, paintwork sorted, wheels refurbished and underside rust treated.
It’s about £20k for a car and they sell quickly.
Usually a HSE, or HSE luxury or Landmark spec car.
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