Some advice please...

I wrote this recent thread and perhaps I appear to be some sort of Range Rover "wanna be" or poser. Perhaps I didn't phrase the question properly for Range Rover aficionados but I really need a hand here. I am deeply devoted to own an HSE 2003/2004 model but simple need some advice on what to avoid etc......here's my original thread : I'm a first time buyer and I'm looking at buying an HSE -either a 2003 or 04. I'm scared of ending up with a fussy vehicle that will cause more headache than enjoyment. I live in Eastern Canada and need a reliable winter ride, something that will last me the next 4 years minimum with an expected 30-40,000 miles a year of driving. The nearest dealer is 4 hours away so I have some obvious concerns. Am I crazy to put 35K into a HSE with 40-60K miles already on it or should I just go by a Toyota and forget my HSE adventure. I can live with the occasional problem but what am I really getting into here and what will I have left when I finally want to trade it?....I just need some good practical advice on what to avoid or look for. Please help!

I will refrain from commenting on the choice beyond saying that having previously driven and owned a number of RR's I could have gone bankrupt trying to keep them on the road.
How severe is winter in your area, the majority of RR's and drivers in Uk are lucky if they ever see more than a couple of inches of snow and minus 10 deg for a day.
At this point I'm sure many RR owners will now pile in with the contradictions, but thats what the forum is for.

i work for the fire service and we had both a RR and a Disco, the RR was police spec and went like stink until it came to a petrol station like a dog and a bitch in heat.

cost a fortune to maintain and nobody wanted to use it because of the fuel consumption on their allowances. got rid of it and kept the disco. never bought another one.

yep they sure are nice to drive but yel never have any money wif them kind of miles even on gas.

the oil burners are not much better from what i read, the new v6 seems to be better but wif your mileage why dont ye buy a 4x4 skoda 50 mpg and mega cheap to run.

hope a huvnae upset the landy people wiv that quote.

I hate to say this (i have a RR P38a and love it) but.... the length of time you want it for and the extreme weather you guys get, and parts hard to get (you will need to put some kind of overnight pre-heater on it too) i would not get one in your circumstances you would be better off with a Toyota to be honest m8, Landys have never been that reliable to begin with, there a top car and lets face it designed for people who have money and stick them in the garage rather than get there hands dirty and work on them...............Let me get my coat............

If Landys were perfect and never gave trouble, how many more bored guys & gals would be out there? The makers of Swarfega and oil seals would go bust and the divorce rate would go up because we would be getting couch bound. Don't bear thinking about-society as we know it could collapse

Amen to that

do yer maths,

how much fuel

who's gona repair it, and how often (high mileage = big bills

where ye gona get yer parts, how much, and on average how often yer gona service it. Three times a year ???

It's horses fir courses mate, but am gona stick wiv the donkey.

yel be bankrupted and divorced in a year, if it disnay break down in a snow drift ye freeze tae death starve tae death waiting tae be rescued or wan oh they big snow munching things al come along and eat yer rr yer wife an the kids.

ave got a sore head just thinkin about the costs, am gona lay down fir ah bit.

Bellagio67 said:

...I just need some good practical advice on what to avoid or look for. Please help!

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To summarise the responses so far........don't do it. Nobody doubts the ability and comfort, but for remote locations they do not have the required reliability.

Do these issues carry over into other models like the LR3 etc. I thought BMW may have improved things during their brief time together.

Bellagio67 said:

Do these issues carry over into other models like the LR3 etc.

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Early LR3's are coming to end of warranty periods now, so up to now most owners would leave everything to the main dealers. These vehicles cost a 'chunk of change' and many owner's would not typically have a go themselves and possibly wouldn't even know how to open the bonnet.
You may have to search some of the other sites or periodicals such as What Car which collate that sort of data to get a balanced and fair picture of downtime troubles on these vehicles.

Here's my twopence worth I have a p38 its my second one the first one broke my heart the second one not to bad as I am ready for problems I purchased a Rovercom diagnostic bit of kit with the test moduals cost about £1500 sounds alot.But when you consider that when I had to go to a dealer with my first one they wanted £ 2000 to change the air suspension springs I have since changed 4 on the latest one for 400 euros. I also had to have a BECM ECU that sits under drivers seat £1500. an air bag ECU £200 P38's have inherant problems, the design was fantastic but badly let down in contruction there are multiple ECU that write to a central ECU the BECM [about twenty, the higher up the HSE ladder you go the more there are] they also suffer from electrical connection problems which put up faults on dash board which can only be found and cleared with the diagnostic equipment.If your not prepared for this dont get one, it will go wrong. But I still Like to drive the one I have. Never seen a Range Rover on the Paris /Dakar ? ? ? ?

Hi there Belagio

I would have thought In your neck of the woods you might be better sourcing something more local from GM Or ford

But if you did want a more exotic / reliable "sudo-european" - have you thought about a BMW X5
i would imagine the dealer / support network is better than LR in canada

all the best

Abe said:

Hi there Belagio

I would have thought In your neck of the woods you might be better sourcing something more local from GM Or ford

But if you did want a more exotic / reliable "sudo-european" - have you thought about a BMW X5
i would imagine the dealer / support network is better than LR in canada

all the best

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I currently own a Chevy Silverado supercab. It's a 2005 with 97,000Kms on it. I drove an 03' Discovery with 60,000Kms on it this week and when I compare the two the Disco was so much smoother, quieter and refined than my newer Chev there is simply no contest. This has made me want an LR3 or HSE that much more.......I've really got the fever for a LR!. As for service, the nearest dealer is 4 hours away and directly across the street from the BMW dealer so it's a wash when it comes to service. Visiting this site: 2005-2006 Land Rover LR3 Reliability - Consumer Guide Automotive

I discovered the following estimated repair costs: Whey are CV joints and shock or struts so expensive? this is shocking!!!!!!

LR3:

A/C Compressor $920

Alternator $580

Automatic Transmission or Transaxle $3,330

Brakes $540

Clutch, Pressure Plate, Bearing


Constant Velocity Joints $1,450

Exhaust System $930

Radiator $540

Shocks and/or Struts $2,930

Timing Chain or Belt $1,230
VS Chevy Silverado:

A/C Compressor $390

Alternator $325

Automatic Transmission or Transaxle $1,115

Brakes $375

Clutch, Pressure Plate, Bearing $455

Constant Velocity Joints $890

Exhaust System $455

Radiator $555

Shocks and/or Struts $665

Timing Chain or Belt $610

Both you guys are getting ripped off!! A new BECM fitted is £700 max.
Bellagio-you should look at aftermarket suppliers for prices e.g. Paddocks etc. who export-I would think that even with shipping costs, you are still going to beat parts prices over there hands down. I will not buy main dealer parts unless I have to.I didn't think Land Rover had a plant manufacturing spark plugs or brake pads etc.-do you get my point??
I live in Ireland and although there are main dealers, they carry hardly any spares "Have to get it in from the U.K." is the answer.
I buy essential spares when I go back to the U.K. e.g. gasket sets,belts,seals,filters etc. and have them in stock for when I need them. If I'm stuck, I can get the parts shipped for low cost.

Bellagio67 said:

IVisiting this site: 2005-2006 Land Rover LR3 Reliability - Consumer Guide Automotive

I discovered the following estimated repair costs: Whey are CV joints and shock or struts so expensive? this is shocking!!!!!!

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To steal a phrase from someone else, 'You need a strong stomach and a fat wallet to own one of these'.

You are lucky with labour quoted at $50 an hour, our main dealer is £79 an hour which at current conversion rates is close to $158 .

Hi Bellagio

When I lived in the U.S I had a sucession of Local vehicles chev S10`s the full & compact sized ford bronco. - More recently where there on business in the winter it tends to be a ford explorer (for the minnesota winter)

I agree with you in-so-far that the local fare in many way do lack refinements take away the plush cab and the mechanics / engineering ias not as good as some of the far eastern / european equivs. ( you nicte i have even mentioned Build quility)

At present - Iam based in Belgium at the moment and although there have a reasonably good LR dealer network - other than the services for the p38 i have all the spares inported out of the Uk for both the P38 & the defender

Outside of Europe (exception of the gulf states) i would really avoid LR products mainly for the lack of dealers ( low local residual stocks of parts etc).
Nice though they are i need a vehicle to be there & to be used. not awaiting bits to arrive at the local dealers.

As you mention - with either BMW or LR you have a 4 hr trip to a dealer i would really source "something closer to home" friends of mine (out in Wis) run a nice SWB Pejaro with all the bits - nice drive but even in a "city" anything other than the standard parts have to be shipped.

hope the info helps