Discovery 4 - Low mileage 2010 vs High mileage 2012?

[JonLeech]

Hi,

I'm trying to weigh up the pros and cons between getting either:
- 2010 Discovery 4 with low miles or
- 2012 Discovery 4 with high miles (~125k)

I've got £17-18k, which will get me either of these..
Looking for the XS spec on either...

The facelift 2012 got the better Jaguar 3.0 Diesel engine and the 8 speed box, plus the interior /switchgear updates.. it does better MPG and is is lower emissions..

I'll only do 6-8k a year in it, and will keep it a while.. (5+ years)

If I can find a 1 owner, full history, motorway miles 2012 model, without a tow hook and with no signs of off-road use, is this a better option than a lower mileage but older model??

Thanks

[Integroo]

The absolute last thing I would be spending 18k on would be a 125k miles Land Rover.

[caelite]

125k... Pfft if the Disco 4 is anything like the 1&2 then 125k is just broken in. I'd go for the newer, higher mileage example.

[sjc]

caelite said:

125k... Pfft if the Disco 4 is anything like the 1&2 then 125k is just broken in. I'd go for the newer, higher mileage example.

Me too.
Just make sure the big belt service has been done, and look for paperwork for things like suspension compressors etc.
Our 3 is on 175K now.

[rufmeister]

I had a low mileage 2010 D4, gearbox issue requiring a new mechatronic unit within the first few weeks. Costing £2000.

Covered under a Warranty Direct policy we purchased.

Unfortunately terrified us, so sold it on.

Wouldn't want a high miler, but would try to get the 8 speed if possible.

[Big GT]

Hi OP

Go for the 2012 model.

125K on these is like 50K on a normal car.

It depends on how it was used. 125K 1 owner motorway muncher will be better that a 4 owner 40K miler used in towns as the lower millage car could of had more cold starts than a car with more miles.

We purchased a 2012 GS with 103K miles in 2015. Its now on 115K miles.

It had 1 previous owner which was the AA. So using 'man' reasoning I assumed it was used as a patrol vehicle so spent all its life with a warm engine, driven <70mph.
Also it is very well maintained. We had the cam chain changed at 108K.
Apart from the odd stone chip its in better condition than most with half the mileage
Its excellent and with this engine and gear box 100K is nothing.

We've had 2 services and was given a 43K miles D4 HSE. This was in worse condition inside and out than ours.

So don't worry about mileage on these. Check the number owners, condition, history, look at the interior if its tatty then maybe its had a hard life. If its high miles but clean and the interior reasonably unscathed then it could be a good one.

Also the 2012 model has the pop up gear lever which is cool.

Also don't worry about tow bar. Most Disco's have them whether used or not and these.

[JonLeech]

Thanks for the advice, will see what I can find...

[MuscleSaloon]

caelite said:

125k... Pfft if the Disco 4 is anything like the 1&2 then 125k is just broken in.

TDV6 has known issues with crankshaft bearings amongst quite a few other things. Let alone being just broken in many haven't got anywhere near to 125k without major issues. Welcome to a time when the newer stuff appears to have more catastrophic failures than the older stuff.

[Hainey]

Discoveries come in two flavours. High miles and broken in running sweet, or broken. Thats it.

I'd go for the later one as these trucks seem to prefer being used reguarly instead of sparingly.

[popeyewhite]

I'd save up a bit and go for a middle mileage one owner FSH 2012 model + warranty. Just to be safe.You'll probably need to find what?...an extra £6k though?

[sjc]

Just to add to my post above and to concur with a couple of posters, ours has average over 17k miles a year for 10 years, regular use and proper ( sometime preventative )maintenance should mean it's no worse than any other of it's ilk.

[caelite]

MuscleSaloon said:

caelite said:

125k... Pfft if the Disco 4 is anything like the 1&2 then 125k is just broken in.

TDV6 has known issues with crankshaft bearings amongst quite a few other things. Let alone being just broken in many haven't got anywhere near to 125k without major issues. Welcome to a time when the newer stuff appears to have more catastrophic failures than the older stuff.

Damn, my buddies 200tdi has just coughed and smoked its way past 260k. All it owes him is service items, some rust repairs on the rear chassis mounts and a new radiator at some point. He polybushed it last year when it was getting squeaky, he keeps saying he's going for new struts and springs to refresh the whole suspension geometry 'soon'.

My mum's next door neighbour has a TD5 D2 which I'm sure was encroaching on 200k last time I spoke to him, he absolutely beats the st out of it too.

I will admit to knowing minimal about the newer ones, nobody I know owns one. Everyone going for a new-ish 4x4 I know seems to be picking up crew cabs, which again, are all bulletproof to a certain extent.

So yeah OP... save a few grand buy a clean D1/D2 with money left over too eat out every night of the week for a couple of years ... Td5 makes a beautiful rumble with the right pipes.

[Hainey]

caelite said:

MuscleSaloon said:

caelite said:

125k... Pfft if the Disco 4 is anything like the 1&2 then 125k is just broken in.

TDV6 has known issues with crankshaft bearings amongst quite a few other things. Let alone being just broken in many haven't got anywhere near to 125k without major issues. Welcome to a time when the newer stuff appears to have more catastrophic failures than the older stuff.

Damn, my buddies 200tdi has just coughed and smoked its way past 260k. All it owes him is service items, some rust repairs on the rear chassis mounts and a new radiator at some point. He polybushed it last year when it was getting squeaky, he keeps saying he's going for new struts and springs to refresh the whole suspension geometry 'soon'.

My mum's next door neighbour has a TD5 D2 which I'm sure was encroaching on 200k last time I spoke to him, he absolutely beats the st out of it too.

I will admit to knowing minimal about the newer ones, nobody I know owns one. Everyone going for a new-ish 4x4 I know seems to be picking up crew cabs, which again, are all bulletproof to a certain extent.

So yeah OP... save a few grand buy a clean D1/D2 with money left over too eat out every night of the week for a couple of years ... Td5 makes a beautiful rumble with the right pipes.

I look after a 190k td5 with a centre exhaust bypass and a dynochip upgrade. Its an early pre facelift so no cat; thet were clean enough that they didn't need one for the time of build.

He gives it the beans and its been faultless. Sounds great on load as well.

It'll likely need a viscous fan pulley bearing next time i see it but thats it.

Great machine.

[rooflover]

Just read the post. My Disco 4 2013 has done 185k miles, mostly motorway and towing. It’s been superb. Couple of minor issues with exhaust manifolds but other than that incredibly reliable, economical and comfortable. Couldn’t recommend it enough.

[Pitz]

I’m back and forth between disco 3 and disco 4. Bit more money for a 4 but they look great cars. Seen one with 150k on it for 12k...... tempted!!

[Tomo1971]

OK, I am not the most educated on vehicles here (especially with regard to the Disco's) - however, I used to own a Freelander van and had it serviced at a LR specialist (Mike Aitken 4x4 in Ladybank Fife) and never had an issue. The garage new the LR range inside out and did a lot of preventative work and highlighted any potential issues - ie, they are mechanics and not 'technicians'.

Compare that to a colleague who bought a Freelander at around the same time, had it 'serviced' by his local LR dealer at £400 a pop and had no end of issues with it and was off the road (and not in that sense) more time it was on.

So my advice, if you see a Disco with a non dealer service history that happens to be a 4x4 specialist, buy that over a dealer serviced one. Then, once purchased, find a local specialist yourself, look at the LR forums and find out if they have a good reputation.

[bga]

I was in a similar position and went for a tidy 2011 with average miles and the 6 speed box. The 2012 8-speeds in budget were a bit tatty and the driving experience wasn't all that different.

[Big GT]

Pitz said:

I’m back and forth between disco 3 and disco 4. Bit more money for a 4 but they look great cars. Seen one with 150k on it for 12k...... tempted!!

I know this D4 GS 2012 for sale.

It was immaculate for its mileage and was really well looked after with new belts etc.. One of the best at this age and mileage.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...