DISCO4.COM - View topic - Calling all Canadians

davesimmons

Member Since: 11 Feb 2006
Location: Alberta
Posts: 733

Calling all Canadians

I was just wondering what sort of costs are typical for a service on a D3/LR3 around the Calgary area, and also what issuses have you had your LR3's Welcome to the Global Warming Corner.

15th Jan 2010 2:47 pm

davesimmons

Member Since: 11 Feb 2006
Location: Alberta
Posts: 733

Come on you lot :whistle Welcome to the Global Warming Corner.

18th Jan 2010 9:54 am

ad15

Member Since: 14 Dec 2008
Location: up that tree
Posts: 4866

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Manual Tonga Green

[/quote]calling all canadians

Quote:

what ever you do,,,, don't call them "yanks"......

one wife.......livid

18th Jan 2010 10:52 am

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Costs in Edmonton Alberta Canada

In early January 2010 I just did the sort of 96K service at the the local Jag LR dealer on my 2005 LR3 HSE.

Costs are approximate and in Canadian dollars.

-replaced both V belts on my petrol 4.4 HSE; about $CDN 250 plus tax for Labour & Material
-coolant flush plus new antifreeze etc; about $CDN 240 plus tax for L&M
-installed new thermostat as I thought it would be a good idea; about $CDN 175 plus tax for L&M
-installed new spark plugs now rather than later on; about $CDN 500 plus tax for L&M
-replaced engine air filter; about $CDN 100 plus tax for L&M
-oil change, new filters, hot oil flush; about $CDN 400 plus tax for L&M
-transfer case drain etc, (note, did not flush/change automatic transmission however); about $CDN 185 plus tax for L&M 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

16th Feb 2010 2:37 am

mycleo

Member Since: 02 Jun 2008
Location: toronto
Posts: 7

Re: Costs in Edmonton Alberta Canada

bbyer wrote:
In early January 2010 I just did the sort of 96K service at the the local Jag LR dealer on my 2005 LR3 HSE.

Costs are approximate and in Canadian dollars.

-replaced both V belts on my petrol 4.4 HSE; about $CDN 250 plus tax for Labour & Material
-coolant flush plus new antifreeze etc; about $CDN 240 plus tax for L&M
-installed new thermostat as I thought it would be a good idea; about $CDN 175 plus tax for L&M
-installed new spark plugs now rather than later on; about $CDN 500 plus tax for L&M
-replaced engine air filter; about $CDN 100 plus tax for L&M
-oil change, new filters, hot oil flush; about $CDN 400 plus tax for L&M
-transfer case drain etc, (note, did not flush/change automatic transmission however); about $CDN 185 plus tax for L&M

those prices are crazy expensive

27th Apr 2010 1:53 am

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Cheaper in Toronto?

I agree that relative to a domestic vehicle, maintenance costs seem high.

I would think that for an LR3, the charges would be about the same in at an Ontario Land Rover dealer as with here in Alberta?

It did come as a bit of a surprise however, that when I was grumbling to an F250 diesel pickup guy that it cost me about $2,000.00 to do the brakes, he figured that was quite reasonable.

He had just done the brakes on his 250 and the mony was about the same. It seems that when one gets into these specialty heavy duty type vehicles, that nothing is cheap any longer.

The LR3 is unique in that it is part sports car and part dune buggy; that sort of versatility costs I gather. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

27th Apr 2010 3:22 am

ktm_525

Member Since: 23 Apr 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 141

Picked up a new to me 2006 LR3 HSE about a month ago. I was looking for LX470's in the States but even these in the same age range was around $40k. I picked this LR3 for almost half of that. As for costs I think they will be high. I will try to do the minor stuff myself (oil changes, brake servicing, spark plugs, engine belts etc) and this should mitigate some the costs. I find Land rover parts prices very high. What is troubling is that there is very little options, with the usual US web suppliers scarce.

Only current issue is a problematic cruise control switch.

29th Apr 2010 4:23 pm

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Guess that is why Disco3 forums are so valuable.

You say aftermarket stuff is scarce here on the Prairies - well, knowledge of the 3 is even more rare. That is why the resale price of them is what it is. As such, one can benefit from that.

That is the reason I find myself on the Disco3 site more often than not. At least the guys here know what goes wrong and how to fix them.

My view is that mechanically, the 3 is reliable, and as long as you can figure out the electrical, (not easy), that you will not ever be walking.

It could be a long walk as well, as north of Edmonton, your closest dealer is in Iceland.

If you are doing your own service, the only thing I would be really careful of is getting tangled in the suspension. On occasion, I have had the 3 drop to the stops for no apparent reason - and it was fast.

I have found that if one disconnects the battery, that seems to kill the suspension system auto level "brain". I make a distinction between auto level and height by the way. Vehicle height is controlled via the centre consol switch and fuse 35P in behind the glove box and is movement is supposed to be inhibited when the ignition is off or a door is open.

The auto level on the other hand, is controlled by a couple of always alive fuses in the engine compartment fuse box. The system is programmed to wake up every so often and vent air if it thinks the 3 is not level - as in jacking.

Also, I would probably use factory parts. Land Rover has enough trouble with its own parts, that to introduce other variables might be making things even more difficult.

Last week, I just discoved that all the Land Rover W3W factory bulb packages, (in Edmonton anyway), contain the W5W bulbs - not a big deal until you replace the W3W in the front headlight yellow side marker with the W5W and melt the bulb socket. Yes, it fuses into the lens plastic and you cannot remove the W5M, and hence you lose that socket. The apparent solution is a new headlight assembly for a thousand dollars. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

Last edited by bbyer on 29th Apr 2010 10:18 pm. Edited 1 time in total

29th Apr 2010 4:57 pm

ktm_525

Member Since: 23 Apr 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 141

With regards to the auto level. You say not to disconnect the battery? Or is this what set the system back to normal? If I read you post right you have removed the 35W fuse from the panel behind the glove box. Why did you do this?

In regard to Land Rover Parts I agree. I am trying to find a cheaper source for LR parts in the US. With my Volvo there is a couple of US based Volvo superstores whose prices are 1/2 of what the local retailer is charging. This doesn't seem to exist for LR.

29th Apr 2010 5:29 pm

cleppard

Member Since: 06 Oct 2009
Location: Calgary
Posts: 42

There is quite a bit of aftermarket stuff to be had in the US its just expensive to post the heavy parts.

29th Apr 2010 5:36 pm

ktm_525

Member Since: 23 Apr 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 141

I am not refering to bolt ons like racks , gaurds etc. Parts along the lines of air springs, compressors, brake rotors, pads, etc..

29th Apr 2010 5:43 pm

cleppard

Member Since: 06 Oct 2009
Location: Calgary
Posts: 42

Thankfully I have not needed many parts so far, I got some rotors and pads from Atlantic British last year though but the shipping was quite a bit. but still better value than getting them locally.

29th Apr 2010 5:52 pm

ktm_525

Member Since: 23 Apr 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 141

So what is this battery disconect and the suspension issue all about? Is it for rest? Also pulling the fuse? These could be very helpful tips in future situations.

I disconnected my battery last night to se if that would correct the cruise switch (it did not). I blasted some electrical contact cleaner in the sides of the switch (didn't help). I can only switch cruise on by hitting the switch with a forceful balled hand.

29th Apr 2010 6:04 pm

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

Yes, disconnect the battery.

Re killing the auto level system to make the 3 less of a hazard while working on it, yes, disconnect the battery and leave it disconnected while you work on the vehicle. Remember to unlock all doors, roll the drivers window down, and also to open the tailgate as if you want access to the cargo area, you will be locked out.

If I am actually going to go under the 3, I also locate 4 axle jacks between the frame and the concrete of the driveway so if/when the air system lets go, there is nowhere for the frame to go. This is why at a tyre shop, I tell the guys to raise the 3 up so that all 4 wheels are hanging down, even if they are going to work only on one wheel. For the most part, they listen as they seem to know that these things can be dangerous.

With regard to disconnecting the battery, remember, it is a Land Rover, not a Chev so there is a procedure.

Basically, make certain that the computer systems have shut down. In other words, if the GPS display and or the clock display on the radio is not there, then your 3 has gone to sleep and it is OK to remove the negative battery cable from the battery. That is why you roll down the window as opening the door to see the display wakes the 3 up and then you have to wait some more.

You can take off the positive cable instead if you wish, but if so, watch that you do not ground your wrench while undoing the nut on the positive. Remove the negative first, and you do not have the problem.

With regards to the problem re the cruise control, (or other glitch type problems), try what is called a "Hard Reset".

If you use the search function on Disco3 you will be able to read more about Hard Resets. (call up Search and then type in +hard +reset ) In short, a "Hard Reset" is something that the dealer routinely does with his T4 upon completion of their whatever they do, and its purpose is to cancel/remove/erase/clear the various error codes, (P codes), that are in your system with the idea that all is well and the system starts over fresh.

The good news is that you can do a short hand version of a hard reset without the T4, (or Faultmate Extreme). As above, make sure your 3 has gone to sleep and then remove the battery terminals from both posts of the starting battery. Then touch together the two battery cables. In reality, you cannot, as there is not enough play or stretch between the two cables. As such, I use one of my battery jumper cables to join the positive and negative cables together. (A foot of 16 gauge wire would work just as well.) Make certain nothing touches the battery posts. Keep the cables connected for a a couple of minutes or so to allow various capacitors in the system to drain. Then attach the positive cable back on the positive post and the negative cable back on the negative post.

Nothing bad should have happened, and while you will never know, various error codes will have been cleared. This is good as many of them are false codes due to the same usual computer glitches we have in our desktop computers. You will find the radio still has its station presets, however the clock will be at midnight and any seat memory presets will be lost and the custom units settings and the like for the little mileage display will be back to default. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

29th Apr 2010 9:02 pm

bbyer

Member Since: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 702

What the Fuse 35P disconnect is supposed to do.

I have installed a switch in the Air Suspension ECU 35P fuse circuit located in the fuse box behind the lower glove box. (P is the label I give to the passenger side interior fuse box behind the lower glove box door; E would be for the Engine compartment fuse box.)

In my gallery, I have a jpg showing the installed switch which I located in the blank knockout on the end of the dash where it appears a manual passenger air bag switch could be located. All I did was remove the 5 amp fuse from MINI fuse location 35 and install a Littelfuse Add-A-Fuse adapter and then run a 16 gauge conductor to and from a SPST switch purchased from Radio Shack.

The idea is that should the air system wiring, wheel level sensors, or something in the electrical circuit fail, turning the switch off would remove ignition power to the air system ECU and hence the air spring air line valves, (valve blocks). Upon power loss, the valves fail closed, and that traps whatever air is still in the airsprings.

The concept is that with the valves deactivated in a closed postion, that the vehicle would at least not drop down to the stops, (assuming that it was not already there). If it was, then depending upon what has failed, sometimes the vehicle will raise off the stops upon startup assuming the air compressor and air spring / air lines are OK, and that would allow one to shut the block valves off once desired height had been achieved. I might add that just removing the F35 fuse does the same thing and without the fuss of a switch and wiring. Installing the switch just makes shut off easier in the dark and cold.

I have driven around a bit with the circuit installed and the vehicle height at normal city driving elevation and the switch in the off position - that is no power to the air valves. Note that I turned the switch off prior to starting the LR3, but with the vehicle at normal height, (not access).

Upon start up, I noted that there was no illumination of the trouble display re the vehicle height control lever for about 30 seconds. Then there was a bong, the yellow suspension trouble light at the bottom of the tach lit up, there was the air suspension failure message in the display, and the "normal height" line illuminated at the lever switch down on the console. The 4x4 Info display showed all four wheels to be in line with the axle as they should be.

When driving, other than the yellow suspension trouble light being on, all seemed about normal. There was the sound of a single bong about 30 seconds after engine start, but after that, there was no more bonging or suspension messages; also moving the vehicle height change lever did not do anything.

I felt that perhaps the ride on City paved potholed winter streets was a bit rougher, (less smooth and more harsh than normal), but that may have been my imagination. I also think that the wheel depiction on the 4x4 display was what I call frozen. I think when all is normal, there is a bit of bobbling on the display, but with the F35 power off, the wheel display did not move at all, but showed normal height.

While a few weeks may change my thoughts, for the moment, I think the installation of the switch is a success and it does what I had hoped it would - that is give me the chance to avoid going down to the stops upon failure of the electrics related to the Air Suspension ECU and wiring.

What I have since determined is that killing power to the 35E circuit does not kill the auto level circuit and that when the 3 is parked and off, air can still release from the system.

Under the bonnet fuse box, there are two fuses, Fuse 3E, a 5 amp labelled "Air Suspension ECU" and Fuse 26E, a 20 amp labelled the same. There is also a 60 amp fusable link labelled FL10 which I presume protects the Air Compressor. The two fuses feed full time power to the ECU and that keeps the auto level circuit alive. As such, to be certain that the air valves will not auto dump, they have to be removed as well, or the battery disconnected.

In spite of this, I think that should I have a wiring problem or level sensor problem while driving, shutting the 35P circuit will lock the air in the air springs as I do not think the auto level circuit functions when driving, hence the air should not be dumped from the springs. If the system did dump, one could pull 3E and 26E after/if the air springs filled during the initial startup/test cycle. Sometimes the compressor will run just long enough to fill the airsprings before the self testing function shuts all down and dumps the system - got to love computers.

For all its shortcomings, I regard the F35P circuit as at least a fair attempt to reduce the chance of a possible few hundred mile drive at 20 mph on the stops to a Dealer with a T4 and a parts department. 2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.

29th Apr 2010 9:40 pm