Cheap high mileage Discovery 4 - madness??
Discussion
Have been offered a 59 plate Disco 4 HSE, fully loaded including rear seat entertainment for 8K. It’s just had new discs and pads all round, it’s had the timing belt done, new EGR and a few other preventative bits… sitting on nearly new matching Michelin tyres all round.. full service history.
The only rub is the mileage - 176,000 miles…
Would I be crazy to consider this? I’ve access to a decent ramp / garage with mechanic in the family so not entirely reliant on garages for work to be done… my main worry would be the potential for engine borkage at this mileage…
The only rub is the mileage - 176,000 miles…
Would I be crazy to consider this? I’ve access to a decent ramp / garage with mechanic in the family so not entirely reliant on garages for work to be done… my main worry would be the potential for engine borkage at this mileage…
Our 59 plate Disco 4 is on 135k miles. It has been good as gold for the 5 years we have owned it, with only routine servicing and consumables and still feels like a special vehicle (when cleaned!). We have no intention of changing it.
That sounds like a reasonable buy to me - just have a couple of £k slush fund to cover the potential problems further down the line (as any car at that mileage).
That sounds like a reasonable buy to me - just have a couple of £k slush fund to cover the potential problems further down the line (as any car at that mileage).
My brother-in-laws late model D3 is somewhere around that mileage and apart from the common weak points of suspension arms and suspension compressor (2nd one!) has had nothing else fail as far as I'm aware and it gets used and abused as a farm truck.
As above, keep a >£2k a year aside for maintenance/repairs just in case.
Great cars, I owned the above car originally.
Go for it!
Cheers,
Chris
As above, keep a >£2k a year aside for maintenance/repairs just in case.
Great cars, I owned the above car originally.
Go for it!
Cheers,
Chris
I’ve previously had two D3s:
2004 D3 4.4 V8. After 2 compressors, 1 handbrake module and lots of suspension components the V8 timing chain tensioners gave up the ghost just shy of 200,000 miles - at the same time as the torque converter.
2005 D3 TDV6. Also had 2 compressors but also 2 handbrake modules. Same gig with suspension components but the big ticket item was the torque converter. Ultimately gave up at 190,000 miles.
Bought a 2012 D4 HSE with the 8 speed box and more powerful engine. It’s just hit 95,000 miles and has lunched another £1,300 worth of suspension components.
Despite all this we were talking about what we will buy next and the answer was a mildly newer D4 HSE. They are just amazing machines on and off road. Motorway cruising is like sitting in your favourite armchair and they’re equally at home pulling a livestock trailer up a muddy track. They do about 30mpg and can cruise at motorway speeds without breaking sweat.
If I were you I would be most worried about the torque converter. We change the auto gearbox oil every 75k now and it costs a fortune - but much less than a new torque converter every 150,000 miles.
2004 D3 4.4 V8. After 2 compressors, 1 handbrake module and lots of suspension components the V8 timing chain tensioners gave up the ghost just shy of 200,000 miles - at the same time as the torque converter.
2005 D3 TDV6. Also had 2 compressors but also 2 handbrake modules. Same gig with suspension components but the big ticket item was the torque converter. Ultimately gave up at 190,000 miles.
Bought a 2012 D4 HSE with the 8 speed box and more powerful engine. It’s just hit 95,000 miles and has lunched another £1,300 worth of suspension components.
Despite all this we were talking about what we will buy next and the answer was a mildly newer D4 HSE. They are just amazing machines on and off road. Motorway cruising is like sitting in your favourite armchair and they’re equally at home pulling a livestock trailer up a muddy track. They do about 30mpg and can cruise at motorway speeds without breaking sweat.
If I were you I would be most worried about the torque converter. We change the auto gearbox oil every 75k now and it costs a fortune - but much less than a new torque converter every 150,000 miles.
Just a quick update, I drove the car yesterday and had a good check that everything works. All well apart from a sticky folding mirror which isn’t a deal breaker!
It’s had the belt / water pump done, new intake manifolds and just had front calipers plus discs and pads all round.
Decided to take the plunge and put some cash aside for potential borkage!
Thanks for all the advice!
It’s had the belt / water pump done, new intake manifolds and just had front calipers plus discs and pads all round.
Decided to take the plunge and put some cash aside for potential borkage!
Thanks for all the advice!
Set aside a lot of cash for the engine, if it is a TDV6.
Early ones had a chocolate crankshaft due to a fault in the manufacturing process.
Later ones have insufficient bearing surface area/oil feed on the big ends for cylinders 2/3 and 4/5, which leads to them eventually overheating and spinning. This is a open timescale depending on usage and servicing.
Net result in both cases is a snapped crankshaft, and £10k bill for a new engine, and total disinterest from Land Rover.
Early ones had a chocolate crankshaft due to a fault in the manufacturing process.
Later ones have insufficient bearing surface area/oil feed on the big ends for cylinders 2/3 and 4/5, which leads to them eventually overheating and spinning. This is a open timescale depending on usage and servicing.
Net result in both cases is a snapped crankshaft, and £10k bill for a new engine, and total disinterest from Land Rover.
ChemicalChaos said:
Set aside a lot of cash for the engine, if it is a TDV6.
Early ones had a chocolate crankshaft due to a fault in the manufacturing process.
Later ones have insufficient bearing surface area/oil feed on the big ends for cylinders 2/3 and 4/5, which leads to them eventually overheating and spinning. This is a open timescale depending on usage and servicing.
Net result in both cases is a snapped crankshaft, and £10k bill for a new engine, and total disinterest from Land Rover.
I’ve always wondered why they haven’t sorted this by now, it’s been a well known issue for years.Early ones had a chocolate crankshaft due to a fault in the manufacturing process.
Later ones have insufficient bearing surface area/oil feed on the big ends for cylinders 2/3 and 4/5, which leads to them eventually overheating and spinning. This is a open timescale depending on usage and servicing.
Net result in both cases is a snapped crankshaft, and £10k bill for a new engine, and total disinterest from Land Rover.
Don’t know what reason the TDV8 is immune from this issue either as I thought they’re quite similar engines overall.
We've had a few. The last one was a 62 plate Disco TDV6 3.0 and we ran from 105K to 155K miles over 3 years. No issues other than regular servicing which included cambelt / chain replacement at purchase.
I've seen many of these with 250K miles. My advise is look at the service history and previous preventative works, put aside £150 a month for remedial works and you should be fine.
I've seen many of these with 250K miles. My advise is look at the service history and previous preventative works, put aside £150 a month for remedial works and you should be fine.
rallyeS2 said:
Just a quick update, I drove the car yesterday and had a good check that everything works. All well apart from a sticky folding mirror which isn’t a deal breaker!
It’s had the belt / water pump done, new intake manifolds and just had front calipers plus discs and pads all round.
Decided to take the plunge and put some cash aside for potential borkage!
Thanks for all the advice!
Sounds nice, get a gearbox flush if it hasn’t had one. The engines aren’t as bad as people suggest. I put 150k on a TDV6 D3 and 75k on my SDV6 D4, both without issue. So not every car is doomed to failure. It’s had the belt / water pump done, new intake manifolds and just had front calipers plus discs and pads all round.
Decided to take the plunge and put some cash aside for potential borkage!
Thanks for all the advice!
Mouse Rat said:
We've had a few. The last one was a 62 plate Disco TDV6 3.0 and we ran from 105K to 155K miles over 3 years. No issues other than regular servicing which included cambelt / chain replacement at purchase.
I've seen many of these with 250K miles. My advise is look at the service history and previous preventative works, put aside £150 a month for remedial works and you should be fine.
Sounds a sensible amount as I’m sure most bills are big on them! Big stack of service history with it and mostly main dealer stamps in the book so hopefully a good sign. I've seen many of these with 250K miles. My advise is look at the service history and previous preventative works, put aside £150 a month for remedial works and you should be fine.
wormus said:
Sounds nice, get a gearbox flush if it hasn’t had one. The engines aren’t as bad as people suggest. I put 150k on a TDV6 D3 and 75k on my SDV6 D4, both without issue. So not every car is doomed to failure.
Current owner doesn’t think the box has been flushed so will budget for this to be done. Shifts nicely from what I could tell but am one for prevention rather than trying to fix it when it breaks. Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff