Range Rover v Range Rover Sport v Discovery which one
Discussion
For versatility, I would recommend a Discovery. More practical than the RR and RRS.
£10k is an awkward amount as its low spec/high miles D4 Vs low miles high spec D3. The D4 is a much better car. Interior is nicer and much more modern compared to the d3, which is really showing its age now.
However, do your research! D3/4 consumables are pretty expensive. Decent tyres are 550-600 a set depending on what you want.
Torque Converter is a known issue on 6Sp box (D3 and D4). Your budget won’t stretch to the later 8Sp cars. If you don’t get the TC changed in time, then it can fook the box and that is £2500 bill as a worst case scenario. Budget £1200 for the TC. Any fluctuation on the revs at motorway speeds or grumbling under load. That will be the TC.
Suspension arms are a common issue as are ARB bushes and corroding brake lines. £500 for an indy to get arms done.
Air Suspension. Check every setting there is and the D4 is better, but the suspension and electronics can be a real pig on these cars. Sensors go and wiring looms wear through which can cause huge numbers of issues.
Oil change service can be done for buttons, but the cambelts (every 100k/7 years) is a major job and budget around £800
D3 is a slow, wallowy and underpowered for its size and weight. I’ve owned many vehciles over the years and the D3 certinaly NEEDS a remap IMO, so budget £250-£400 for that and that takes it from around 188 to 230bhp. BAS and Alive are the only maps to consider.
Land Rovers in general have a massive following and the FB group is excellent. Because of the fan culture, some of the parts are insanely cheap. 320mm front brake discs for £28 each and these are practically Porsche sized discs. Thanks to an ebay 10% off day, I recent bought my oil and filters for £38 
The Discovery is an amazing car and the off road performance is pretty amazing for its size and weight. No need for mud pluggers really. The electronics can do an awful lot with just ATs.
General advice suggests budget £1k a year on maintenance. I’ve had mine for just over two years and I’m sad to say that is about right and some people buy low miles cars and end up spending more than that. Mine is on 184k and I bought it at 169. Mine has cost less than someone I know who bought a car with 110k on the clock.
Because its an enthusiast car, you have to be quick if you want to pick up a decent one.
They are very big inside, but not as big as you think. My wife’s Citroen C4 Grand Picasso has more space for passengers (Leg and head room). However the D3 has a bigger boot and a flat floor, which makes it easier for bigger loads. Gearbox and engine are nicer too.
Infotainment in D4 and D3 is well behind the times. In fact it was rubbish when it was launched let alone 10 years down the line. The HSE Logik 7/HK audio cars are an absolute pain to upgrade to modern audio systems and budget £1k if you want to keep the amp but add a modern double din with Apple Car Play or similar.
Having committed to paying for my wifes C4GP, I am stuck with the D3 for at least anouther 4 years and to be honest I don’t know if it will last that long. The values really are tumbling and S&R cars are now going for £2k and less, so not sure if its worth putting new boxes in the older cars anymore.
£10k is an awkward amount as its low spec/high miles D4 Vs low miles high spec D3. The D4 is a much better car. Interior is nicer and much more modern compared to the d3, which is really showing its age now.
However, do your research! D3/4 consumables are pretty expensive. Decent tyres are 550-600 a set depending on what you want.
Torque Converter is a known issue on 6Sp box (D3 and D4). Your budget won’t stretch to the later 8Sp cars. If you don’t get the TC changed in time, then it can fook the box and that is £2500 bill as a worst case scenario. Budget £1200 for the TC. Any fluctuation on the revs at motorway speeds or grumbling under load. That will be the TC.
Suspension arms are a common issue as are ARB bushes and corroding brake lines. £500 for an indy to get arms done.
Air Suspension. Check every setting there is and the D4 is better, but the suspension and electronics can be a real pig on these cars. Sensors go and wiring looms wear through which can cause huge numbers of issues.
Oil change service can be done for buttons, but the cambelts (every 100k/7 years) is a major job and budget around £800
D3 is a slow, wallowy and underpowered for its size and weight. I’ve owned many vehciles over the years and the D3 certinaly NEEDS a remap IMO, so budget £250-£400 for that and that takes it from around 188 to 230bhp. BAS and Alive are the only maps to consider.
Land Rovers in general have a massive following and the FB group is excellent. Because of the fan culture, some of the parts are insanely cheap. 320mm front brake discs for £28 each and these are practically Porsche sized discs. Thanks to an ebay 10% off day, I recent bought my oil and filters for £38 
The Discovery is an amazing car and the off road performance is pretty amazing for its size and weight. No need for mud pluggers really. The electronics can do an awful lot with just ATs.
General advice suggests budget £1k a year on maintenance. I’ve had mine for just over two years and I’m sad to say that is about right and some people buy low miles cars and end up spending more than that. Mine is on 184k and I bought it at 169. Mine has cost less than someone I know who bought a car with 110k on the clock.
Because its an enthusiast car, you have to be quick if you want to pick up a decent one.
They are very big inside, but not as big as you think. My wife’s Citroen C4 Grand Picasso has more space for passengers (Leg and head room). However the D3 has a bigger boot and a flat floor, which makes it easier for bigger loads. Gearbox and engine are nicer too.
Infotainment in D4 and D3 is well behind the times. In fact it was rubbish when it was launched let alone 10 years down the line. The HSE Logik 7/HK audio cars are an absolute pain to upgrade to modern audio systems and budget £1k if you want to keep the amp but add a modern double din with Apple Car Play or similar.
Having committed to paying for my wifes C4GP, I am stuck with the D3 for at least anouther 4 years and to be honest I don’t know if it will last that long. The values really are tumbling and S&R cars are now going for £2k and less, so not sure if its worth putting new boxes in the older cars anymore.
Diesel engines do have there issues, EGRs, turbo actuators, D3 have known to have oil pumps go and D4's have seen quite a few snapped cranks !!!
I was in a similar situation, RRS or D3 for my wife, in the end we went D3 due to the 7 seats options and added practicability, and we went V8 (4.4 AJ engine) which is superb. Had it just over a year, flew through 2 MOT's with no advisories and all I have had to buy is a Air suspension leg as it got a leak when we went a bit off road.
As said get on Facebook and either disco3 or RRS forums, plenty of info there, and if your handy with a spanner they arn't too scary.
Oh and buy an IID tool for diagnostics as it WILL throw up some bongs and you will need to read the error codes.
Happy hunting
I was in a similar situation, RRS or D3 for my wife, in the end we went D3 due to the 7 seats options and added practicability, and we went V8 (4.4 AJ engine) which is superb. Had it just over a year, flew through 2 MOT's with no advisories and all I have had to buy is a Air suspension leg as it got a leak when we went a bit off road.
As said get on Facebook and either disco3 or RRS forums, plenty of info there, and if your handy with a spanner they arn't too scary.
Oh and buy an IID tool for diagnostics as it WILL throw up some bongs and you will need to read the error codes.
Happy hunting
Troll2 said:
Diesel engines do have there issues, EGRs, turbo actuators, D3 have known to have oil pumps go and D4's have seen quite a few snapped cranks !!!
I was in a similar situation, RRS or D3 for my wife, in the end we went D3 due to the 7 seats options and added practicability, and we went V8 (4.4 AJ engine) which is superb. Had it just over a year, flew through 2 MOT's with no advisories and all I have had to buy is a Air suspension leg as it got a leak when we went a bit off road.
As said get on Facebook and either disco3 or RRS forums, plenty of info there, and if your handy with a spanner they arn't too scary.
Oh and buy an IID tool for diagnostics as it WILL throw up some bongs and you will need to read the error codes.
Happy hunting
What he said, nothing slow about a D3 V8. Put 100k on ours so far and whilst it's getting a bit tired purely from age, it's still a monster.I was in a similar situation, RRS or D3 for my wife, in the end we went D3 due to the 7 seats options and added practicability, and we went V8 (4.4 AJ engine) which is superb. Had it just over a year, flew through 2 MOT's with no advisories and all I have had to buy is a Air suspension leg as it got a leak when we went a bit off road.
As said get on Facebook and either disco3 or RRS forums, plenty of info there, and if your handy with a spanner they arn't too scary.
Oh and buy an IID tool for diagnostics as it WILL throw up some bongs and you will need to read the error codes.
Happy hunting
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