Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE
Discussion
Garages haven't been lifting the bodies for years once they'd worked out how to do the belts without.
I've just had them done on my 3.0 Sport, five miles later the water pump fell out! It's on an aux belt so no damage done but I now discover it's quite common if the bolts are re-used. They don't like being torqued up twice.
I've just had them done on my 3.0 Sport, five miles later the water pump fell out! It's on an aux belt so no damage done but I now discover it's quite common if the bolts are re-used. They don't like being torqued up twice.
Main dealer servicing is eye wateringly expensive.
For a start you have to pay manufacturer parts prices.
I have just purchased the upper rear wishbones for my D3. I have bought OEM parts from my local specialist for half what they would cost me at Land Rover. I am going to fit them myself.
I am lucky that I have the facilities, equipment and time to do most of my own servicing and repairs. I think it brings my maintenance costs down to between 20 to 25% of a dealer.
Plus I have the satisfaction too.
For a start you have to pay manufacturer parts prices.
I have just purchased the upper rear wishbones for my D3. I have bought OEM parts from my local specialist for half what they would cost me at Land Rover. I am going to fit them myself.
I am lucky that I have the facilities, equipment and time to do most of my own servicing and repairs. I think it brings my maintenance costs down to between 20 to 25% of a dealer.
Plus I have the satisfaction too.
Alfahorn said:
This is the important point.
You've had the car more than 3 years would have saved quite a chunk when the car was new and it's given you great service and you're happy with the car.
It'd cost more than 4k to swap the D4 for something else so it's cheap really.
Nice car and nice read. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this, it summarises my feelings for the car exactly. I could have a D5 on PCP which is arguably a better car but I like this one and it's relatively cheap to run...You've had the car more than 3 years would have saved quite a chunk when the car was new and it's given you great service and you're happy with the car.
It'd cost more than 4k to swap the D4 for something else so it's cheap really.
Nice car and nice read. Thanks for sharing.
Storer said:
Main dealer servicing is eye wateringly expensive.
For a start you have to pay manufacturer parts prices.
I have just purchased the upper rear wishbones for my D3. I have bought OEM parts from my local specialist for half what they would cost me at Land Rover. I am going to fit them myself.
I am lucky that I have the facilities, equipment and time to do most of my own servicing and repairs. I think it brings my maintenance costs down to between 20 to 25% of a dealer.
Plus I have the satisfaction too.
I don't disagree. Unfortunately however I don't have the skills, time or equipment to do it myself!For a start you have to pay manufacturer parts prices.
I have just purchased the upper rear wishbones for my D3. I have bought OEM parts from my local specialist for half what they would cost me at Land Rover. I am going to fit them myself.
I am lucky that I have the facilities, equipment and time to do most of my own servicing and repairs. I think it brings my maintenance costs down to between 20 to 25% of a dealer.
Plus I have the satisfaction too.
A fun day out last weekend in the D4 at Tixover in Rutland with Protrax. Good tuition on how to actually drive the car off road and learn about its capabilities. I came away seriously impressed with the car and what it can do, particularly inching down steep loose slopes using HDC. The air suspension "super extended" mode when the car detects that it has grounded is pretty impressive too!
A water crossing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ-TsuYqlZw&fe...
Super extended mode:
A water crossing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ-TsuYqlZw&fe...
Super extended mode:
Really good thread.
I bought a D4 last week and i'm completely smitten. Mine is a 2012 HSE in grey. Brilliant stereo, super comfy, surprisingly swift in the mid-range.
We just loaded it up to the gunwales, stuck a roofbox on it and went camping in Devon for a week. It averaged 37mpg on the way back @ just under the NSL and with the aircon on. Staggering, if a little optimistic if i've done my own sums right.
Gripes? A little lethargic when you pull away and it often jumps from 2nd to 1st if you want decent acceleration. It's just clicked over 103k miles and i'm considering whether a gearbox oil change might help matters?
I bought a D4 last week and i'm completely smitten. Mine is a 2012 HSE in grey. Brilliant stereo, super comfy, surprisingly swift in the mid-range.
We just loaded it up to the gunwales, stuck a roofbox on it and went camping in Devon for a week. It averaged 37mpg on the way back @ just under the NSL and with the aircon on. Staggering, if a little optimistic if i've done my own sums right.
Gripes? A little lethargic when you pull away and it often jumps from 2nd to 1st if you want decent acceleration. It's just clicked over 103k miles and i'm considering whether a gearbox oil change might help matters?
KPB1973 said:
Really good thread.
I bought a D4 last week and i'm completely smitten. Mine is a 2012 HSE in grey. Brilliant stereo, super comfy, surprisingly swift in the mid-range.
We just loaded it up to the gunwales, stuck a roofbox on it and went camping in Devon for a week. It averaged 37mpg on the way back @ just under the NSL and with the aircon on. Staggering, if a little optimistic if i've done my own sums right.
Gripes? A little lethargic when you pull away and it often jumps from 2nd to 1st if you want decent acceleration. It's just clicked over 103k miles and i'm considering whether a gearbox oil change might help matters?
Congrats on the new car; they really are unique in that there’s no other car that does so many things so well. Waft along at 120 on an autobahn or climb a mountain... it’s a true Swiss Army knife.I bought a D4 last week and i'm completely smitten. Mine is a 2012 HSE in grey. Brilliant stereo, super comfy, surprisingly swift in the mid-range.
We just loaded it up to the gunwales, stuck a roofbox on it and went camping in Devon for a week. It averaged 37mpg on the way back @ just under the NSL and with the aircon on. Staggering, if a little optimistic if i've done my own sums right.
Gripes? A little lethargic when you pull away and it often jumps from 2nd to 1st if you want decent acceleration. It's just clicked over 103k miles and i'm considering whether a gearbox oil change might help matters?
Regard gearbox oil change; the official line is that nothing needs to be done which is generally ignored as best practice is to get an oil change. Depending on where you are, Land Ranger indy’s have the correct kit for the job.
agent006 said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lBe2ao3j1Q
A test of how well it deals with loss of traction on various wheels.
Interesting video. This confirms my experience at the weekend of the terrain response taking a few seconds to seemingly analyse tricky terrain before finding a way to move forward, very impressive.A test of how well it deals with loss of traction on various wheels.
KPB1973 said:
Really good thread.
I bought a D4 last week and i'm completely smitten. Mine is a 2012 HSE in grey. Brilliant stereo, super comfy, surprisingly swift in the mid-range.
We just loaded it up to the gunwales, stuck a roofbox on it and went camping in Devon for a week. It averaged 37mpg on the way back @ just under the NSL and with the aircon on. Staggering, if a little optimistic if i've done my own sums right.
Gripes? A little lethargic when you pull away and it often jumps from 2nd to 1st if you want decent acceleration. It's just clicked over 103k miles and i'm considering whether a gearbox oil change might help matters?
Couldn't agree more with all of that except maybe the economy! I struggle to get more than 30 mpg. They are apparently known for the hesitation when pulling away, the remap helped though hasn't completely eliminated this.I bought a D4 last week and i'm completely smitten. Mine is a 2012 HSE in grey. Brilliant stereo, super comfy, surprisingly swift in the mid-range.
We just loaded it up to the gunwales, stuck a roofbox on it and went camping in Devon for a week. It averaged 37mpg on the way back @ just under the NSL and with the aircon on. Staggering, if a little optimistic if i've done my own sums right.
Gripes? A little lethargic when you pull away and it often jumps from 2nd to 1st if you want decent acceleration. It's just clicked over 103k miles and i'm considering whether a gearbox oil change might help matters?
anomaly said:
agent006 said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lBe2ao3j1Q
A test of how well it deals with loss of traction on various wheels.
Interesting video. This confirms my experience at the weekend of the terrain response taking a few seconds to seemingly analyse tricky terrain before finding a way to move forward, very impressive.A test of how well it deals with loss of traction on various wheels.
There are a few things you can do.
Get the gearbox software updated/recalibrated but I think it is a main dealer job.
Change gearbox oil and filter.
Add gearbox oil treatment (Redex I think).
If you need to move off really quickly - press brake with left foot and apply a bit of throttle, then release brake and floor throttle. It will leap off like a scalded cat,
The engine remap only really comes into it’s own if the gearbox is behaving as it should.
Get the gearbox software updated/recalibrated but I think it is a main dealer job.
Change gearbox oil and filter.
Add gearbox oil treatment (Redex I think).
If you need to move off really quickly - press brake with left foot and apply a bit of throttle, then release brake and floor throttle. It will leap off like a scalded cat,
The engine remap only really comes into it’s own if the gearbox is behaving as it should.
I have just ordered this to upgrade the factory media to Apple CarPlay:
https://www.naviplus.com.au/online-store/Land-Rove...
The factory nav is starting to look quite dated so I'm looking forward being able to use Google maps etc. This upgrade seems to be the best available while keeping the factory display for 4x4i, fuel burning heater, reversing camera etc.
https://www.naviplus.com.au/online-store/Land-Rove...
The factory nav is starting to look quite dated so I'm looking forward being able to use Google maps etc. This upgrade seems to be the best available while keeping the factory display for 4x4i, fuel burning heater, reversing camera etc.
Storer said:
There are a few things you can do.
Get the gearbox software updated/recalibrated but I think it is a main dealer job.
Change gearbox oil and filter.
Add gearbox oil treatment (Redex I think).
If you need to move off really quickly - press brake with left foot and apply a bit of throttle, then release brake and floor throttle. It will leap off like a scalded cat,
The engine remap only really comes into it’s own if the gearbox is behaving as it should.
Thank you (and others too) for the advice. I think i'll get the oil and filter changed just for peace of mind.Get the gearbox software updated/recalibrated but I think it is a main dealer job.
Change gearbox oil and filter.
Add gearbox oil treatment (Redex I think).
If you need to move off really quickly - press brake with left foot and apply a bit of throttle, then release brake and floor throttle. It will leap off like a scalded cat,
The engine remap only really comes into it’s own if the gearbox is behaving as it should.
I do think it's quite swift in the mid-range and wouldn't be surprised if it's already been mapped. It does have a few cosmetic enhancements so clearly one of the previous owners wasn't adverse to a bit of customisation, which may have stretched to the mechanicals and may perhaps explain my unusually high MPG on a light throttle.
I have installed the naviplus CarPlay upgrade. It was quite involved necessitating removal of quite a bit of console and dashboard. The result though is brilliant. Full Apple CarPlay (or the android equivalent if you like). This includes Google maps, Spotify etc. It uses the existing screen so the graphics are not brilliant but perfectly acceptable and quite clear for satellite view in maps. It retains most of the functionality of the existing Land Rover system including 4x4i, timed climate control etc but does lose the original Nav (no loss there!). I would certainly recommend it if you want a more modern system in your Discovery.
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