DISCO4.COM - View topic - D4 reliability from another perspective

promitheus

Member Since: 04 Jul 2009
Location: Afidnes, Greece
Posts: 572

2014 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Auto Corris Grey

D4 reliability from another perspective

Hippocrates used to say that we have to get our feelings out in order to achieve health and welfare.

Hence there I go:

I have had one Freelander 1 some years ago and have been the owner of two FL2's recently. Before I say more, let me make myself clear: I love Land Rover's! However, I must admit I always had problems with every single one of them.

Now I'm seriously considering a D4 - actually I think I'm already convinced. However having been reading through disco3 forum for years (although I only recently became a member) I must say that sometimes I feel this overwhelming fear on the subject of reliability.
To make a long story short, I've seen posts on:
1) Air suspension problems (always recurring no matter how hard owners or dealers try - maybe situation is better in MY08 and later vehicles) ,
2) EGR (no chance to avoid this apparently, except if blanked) and turbo issues,
3) EPB (have to always keep an eye on this),
4) Suspension knocking (sometimes never solved by dealers),
5) Brakes vacuum pump getting oil through the system (a serious life threatening issue I suppose),
6) Wheel tracking issues
I would really appreciate any of your opinions on these. Do you trust your LR? Why aren't these issues never solved? I'm pretty sure that there are a few guys (TLO, TFC to mention just a few of our forum friendly members) who can actually give the proper advice and help you solve most/all of the problems. However why should these issues arise in the first place (so often - I realise that issues always arise with machines) and shouldn't LR show a more responsible attitude to all of us, LR lovers, who are not lucky enough to live near these respectful mechanics?
Do you think that the above issues will be solved in the new D4?
I suppose that most of the D4 parts are D3 descendants, so do you think it will have any birth problems?

Sorry to repeat myself, I love Land Rover's, but when you spend about 50000 pounds (or more for some of us) on a vehicle shouldn't we have more expectations, than someone who buys a TOYOTA (much cheaper), but however usually encounters much fewer problems? I need a car that I will like a lot (like the D4) and a car safe and sound to put your family/friends in and go on vacation without regretting. Is D4 the one, sometimes I wonder? Then, again I remember how much I love it!

I think that LR's 'resemble' women in a sense (only). If you go out with a very beautiful one she usually isn't a good mother and housewife

(she IS good in other fields though

), no matter how much you love her. Still you always feel more and more passion for her. The question is: should you commit?
Sorry for the long post, thanks for listening, all advices welcome; about LR's (and women

I guess... )

Last edited by promitheus on 21st Jul 2009 3:06 pm. Edited 1 time in total

20th Jul 2009 9:22 am

simon

Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296

2011 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Auto Fuji White

Don't forget that you will generally read posts on problems and issue on any forum dedicated to most any product. Its the nature of the thing.

People join forums and search the internet seeking advise on problems they are experiencing... very rarely will a person search the internet to see who else is not having problems...

TBH, the current LR product range is as reliable as any other manufacturers product range.

Just order the D4, select a dealer you can rely on and enjoy it.

TBH, both my D3's have been the most reliable vehicles I've owned. Even our Freelander 1 (nearly 10 years old) has only let us down once.

20th Jul 2009 10:20 am

ad15

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

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Manual Tonga Green

agree totally with simon

if you look at how many d3's have been sold and then add up EVERY problem reported on here, you'd probably fins it is a very very small % of owners that have a problem,

like simon says, you don't go trawling the internet looking for owners that DON'T have troubles,,

Buy the D4, enjoy every second you are in it, am sure it'll be great, and IF you have any problems, then rest assured there's a bunch of very envious D3 owners that'll gladly help/ rip the p

SS/ offer assistance..

one wife.......livid

20th Jul 2009 11:47 am

promitheus

Member Since: 04 Jul 2009
Location: Afidnes, Greece
Posts: 572

Thanks ad15 and simon for your reassuring posts. As I said I think I'll take the 'risk' and order the D4. I already love the car and have this naive smile on my face when I think of me driving it. However....

...are there any of the more tech oriented ones who could shed some light on issues 1 to 6 that I describe in this popular thread I started (

)? Have they been addressed (technically) in the new D4 (new parts or new technologies)? So please do share some of your thoughts/knowledge with us before you disappear on vacation (although I'm pretty sure you can't go away of the forum for long

).
Thanks

22nd Jul 2009 10:51 am

lafona00

Member Since: 30 Nov 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 808

2008 Discovery 3 TDV6 XS Auto Java Black

Just like you I have been a LR fan for many years.
I have always been told that will get some issues with it.
I did to a certain extend but nothing more than few friend who went for Toyo.

I bought a D3 at exactly the same time than 2 other friends decided to get Land Cruiser.

I bought it new in Dec 2007... I had not add any issue yet (I touch wood)
Once I could not turn the radio on at all... it went dead. Had to restart the car!
My electro interior miror stop working Had to get it change through warranty...

Friend 1 had to get his Land cruiser twince at the garage
Friend 2 had his blocked at the dealer for 1 week

Not a real difference. Arno
No more LR... but a Toyo

Disco 3 XS Auto - MY2008 - Leather, heated seats.

Def 90 - 1993

22nd Jul 2009 4:34 pm

russel

Member Since: 20 Mar 2009
Location: Beds
Posts: 6

LR reliability

I have agonised for 6 months over whether to buy a D3 or a Land Cruiser. I have seen the recent world-wide D3 failure statistics. They are approximately twice the industry average.

A month ago I spoke to a D3 HSE owner who expressed his frustration that the D3 is just not reliable enough for a Â£40,000 vehicle. While he enjoys his vehicle, he advised me to buy the Land Cruiser. I thought that this was amazing ! A LR D3 HSE owner advising someone to buy a rival's product.

Anyway, I have done just that. I recently ordered a Land Cruiser Invincible. This is with a little regret, for the LR D3 is a more capable vehicle on paper. The problem is that I was concerned over the vehicle's reliability.

I will follow the reliability issues affecting the D4 closely. Hopefully in three years time I will consider the D4 a realistic proposition.

Regards

28th Jul 2009 5:02 pm

NJF

Member Since: 05 Oct 2007
Location: Gone
Posts: 2466

OMG, another reliability thread.

It's a great car. Fantastic reliability. Great on and off-road. Buy one. 'nuff said.

28th Jul 2009 6:32 pm

caverD3

Member Since: 02 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922

2012 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 SE Auto Fuji White

Re: LR reliability

russel wrote:
IAnyway, I have done just that. I recently ordered a Land Cruiser Invincible. This is with a little regret, for the LR D3 is a more capable vehicle on paper. The problem is that I was concerned over the vehicle's reliability.

Hope you didn't get the diesel V8; drinks oil (needs a long range oil tank),drinks fuel (well above stated in real driving), glazing of the cylinders, burning out valves and failing, fuel pump failures transmission failure.

There is a guy here who was on his third engine and second transmission in nine months. Landcruiser forum on here has a lot of

off folk on it. â€œThere are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.

28th Jul 2009 11:36 pm

BlackPerth2

Member Since: 09 Apr 2009
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 63

2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Java Black

I think the guys above are right - if you have owned a trouble free D3 for years you arent on this forum writing about it.......having said that alot of us (self included) have had problem free cars (mine is 2006 TDV6 SE in Oz with 70,000 on the clock) and have done some really hard off road trips in it. On the rough Finke Desert track with a bunch of other non LR cars (outback Northern Territory) all other cars had issues except the D3. Sorry, I'd buy another without even blinking - its sensational on and off road; will trade to D4 when I prices come down.. 2006 SE TDV6 with G4 Options ("A" Bar, Driving lights, expedition rack, ladder; fr & r light guards, side steps, G4 logos) door moulds; plus Long Ranger 115L sub-tank; OL rear wheel carrier; OL rear drawer system; Kenwood / Garmin Satellite Nav/bluetooth/iPod/rear camera/DVD); LR roof mounted DVD; GME 3440 UHF; Tyre Dog tyre monitoring system; Optima Yellow second battery and Traxide dual battery management system; Mitchell Bro's tow hitch;

29th Jul 2009 4:51 am

promitheus

Member Since: 04 Jul 2009
Location: Afidnes, Greece
Posts: 572

Thanks for your replies guys,
I apologise for starting a thread on such a well knows subject NJF, but as a prospective buyer I needed to relief my agony about the reliability of the D4 and the only way to do this would be through your valuable advice.
So it's nice to hear that people like BlackPerth2 are extensively using their D3's off road with no problems at all and it's nice to share the enthusiasm about their D3's from many others (widely spread throughout this forum anyway).
I was also trying to be a bit more technologically specific, and was wondering if LR has addressed the issues 1-6 mentioned above. I found out - going through many technical spec bulletins - that they have changed things in the EGR, suspension, terrain areas. I'm afraid that EPB, brake vacuum pump remain the same (didn't find sth relevant anyway - since D4 has bigger brakes shouldn't that be accompanied by different peripheral pump?). I hope that this will make the D4 even more reliable!

Let me also tell you that I'VE MADE MY MIND UP AND GOING FOR A D4.

Waiting for some offers and should order soon. I'll let you know.

30th Jul 2009 9:46 am

BLACK BETTY

Member Since: 18 Oct 2008
Location: Louth
Posts: 575

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Manual Zermatt Silver

i know i love my D3, and its the second one so i knew what i was buying, no excuses
BUT

LR were voted the most , the most unreliable marque this year

now dont flame me on this but i happen to agree, LR do a shoddy job in most respects and then depend on outstanding individuals like Nick TLO

to shore up their shoddy performance throughout the organisation
things like ERG valves etc should have been sorted out in the first few months and have been bullet proof since, if its a priemum marque then they need to behave like one

every day i get into my D3 and the thought crosses my mind, will it let me down today, and will the dealer shaft me again
my whole family drive Land Cruisers ( i'm the black sheep) and none of them ever ever have experienced the amount of niggles I've come across in the D3 circle

ok
now line up to the left to flame me Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.

Also appears 9/10 of stopping is stopping in time

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DiscoReaper&view=videos

30th Jul 2009 10:43 am

caverD3

Member Since: 02 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922

Any of your family got the LC200 V8 diesel? â€œThere are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.

30th Jul 2009 12:34 pm

JR

Member Since: 23 Jul 2009
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 76

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Alaska White

I stumbled onto this thread by mistake - and having read through it, I need to offer the following:

My first 4 x 4 was a 200 Series 110 TDI. I loved it. I spent money fixing it, but I loved it. It was the butt of many a joke, but I loved it.

Sadly I sold it because my wife battled with the clutch

I replaced it with a pre-owned 1998 Pajero 2.8 TDI (big enough / fast / reliable / light on fuel) which I kept for about 5 odd years.

I very recently replaced it with a TDV6 SE, which has been back to the dealer three times in as many weeks, but I love it....

In short, Landy's have personalities. Some are very pleasant and give no trouble at all. Some are a little more temperamental... but either way, they burrow under your skin and make themselves a topic for conversation around a campfire, or at the poshest restaurant. They become part of the family and like to be tendered to - tucked up in bed at night if you will.

Other adventure vehicles are like electric lawn mowers... They always work (well) when you need them to, but you don't talk lovingly, or affectionately about them, with other electric lawn mower owners...

The one thing that owning a Pajero taught me was the camaraderie of owning a Landy. The solidarity one feels with people (like you) who live thousands of kilometres away â€“ over oceans and continents. In the years I owned the Pajero, I never botherd to look for a forum like this. Not because Pajero's don't have issues, but because the people who drive Pajero's (or other makes) are somehow different. Nice, but different.

We own Land Rovers, because we are passionate.......... and understanding (read sympathetic) of one anotherâ€™s vehicle based issues.

I just hope Land Rover donâ€™t abuse this passion and deliberately build unreliable vehiclesâ€¦ safe in the knowledge that we are a forgive and forget kind of peopleâ€¦ and keep coming back for more