Intro and Disco 4 SDV6 test drive questions [Archive]

v8sruleok

24th June 2018, 12:35 AM

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to the Land Rover brand, guess I've heard too many negative comments over the years and consequently never had them on my radar. However things changed when I recently met up with an RRS enthusiast. I'd been looking for a suitable tug for a caravan for a while now, and explored the usual suspects to no avail. I've now got the Discovery on the top of my list, and have been searching and researching for just a short while....maybe not long enough.

Have looked at four vehicles in the last few weeks, and today put an offer in on one at a Perth used car dealership. It's a 2011 HSE with moderate/high Kms for age, and on the test drive after a short warm up I gave it a short full throttle burst from low speed to around 70kph. It blew out quite a bit of white smoke, and then shortly after de-rated with the red triangle light visible. The dealer explained it had an existing issue, something to do with a "vacuum" fault, and that they were awaiting parts for repair. Subsequently the offer is on hold until rectification of this issue and re test drive of vehicle.

How does this sound so far? I know the cost of ownership is going to be high anyway but I'd like a little bit of grace before I start forking out. And whether the vehicle is low milage or high, doesn't seem to make much difference to the ongoing running costs.... I've seen the invoices on previous vehicles inspected. I'd like to take out an extended warranty, but the supplier is voiding manufacturer faults from the start. I guess this might include the known problems that are well publicised in forums and social media, and specifically the reason I want insurance protection.

If you guys would like to provide advice or comment then I'd be glad to hear from you.
Cheers, Mike.

DiscoJeffster

24th June 2018, 01:24 AM

Welcome!

Could be one of a number of common faults. Likely a leak somewhere. Split intake manifolds, split throttle body, stuck actuators cause similar symptoms. Ensure the dealer clearly explains what was replaced and if possible get them to detail the fault codes associated so we can provide some advice in case the dealer tries to pull a swifty on you [emoji106]

None of the above is a reason not to buy. Part of the fun of a Disco.

jhsnow

24th June 2018, 07:47 AM

Have the vehicle inspected by an independent Land Rover specialist first. If they won't allow that be careful.

101RRS

24th June 2018, 01:23 PM

I know the cost of ownership is going to be high anyway but I'd like a little bit of grace before I start forking out.
Cheers, Mike.

I Mike and welcome to the LR brand and the forum.

Do not assume cost of ownership is going to be high - certainly when compared to the cost of ownership of equivalent well know Japanese products. Servicing costs overall will work out less. In addition through this forum you will soon learn about the parts infrastructure and where and where not to get parts at good prices.

Look closely at extended warranties - many are not what they seems and my not be "cost effective" - again the forum can provide good advice on this.

Cheers

Garry

Mungus

24th June 2018, 02:32 PM

If the dealer is willing to sell a vehicle and assuming that they did not mention the known fault prior to you questioning, then I would steer clear and move on to another seller. They sound dodgy right from the start. As you most likely already know, make sure the vehicle has a well documented service history and do exactly what you did on that test drive each time. Good luck on your search, despite all the blind follower LR haters, they no jack **** about these great vehicles.

DiscoJeffster

24th June 2018, 03:35 PM

loanrangie

24th June 2018, 04:36 PM

Unless it was real cheap and you were experienced with the vehicles i would walk away regardless what the salesman says, i certainly would not put a vehicle on the lot for sale if it had a known issue.

v8sruleok

24th June 2018, 05:03 PM

Thank you to those posters kind enough to reply so soon.

I do have a sales contract with the Dealer which I'm quite happy to proceed with as long as the fault is cleared and my "re" test drive is not problematic. I'm not actually sure if the wording in the condition box on the "Contract" is strong enough to allow the deal to be broken, I wouldn't want to put it to the test but would do so should the need arise. Hopefully the vehicle will perform flawlessly in the next test and both parties will be happy, I will however be particularly stubborn if there is any excess smoke from the exhaust, or problems of another nature.

If the dealer is willing to sell a vehicle and assuming that they did not mention the known fault prior to you questioning, then I would......................

Mungus, interesting you should say that, it crossed my mind at the time and I even mentioned it to the rep, but it went through to the keeper without so much as a snick along the way.

v8sruleok

24th June 2018, 05:09 PM

Thanks DiscoJeffster,

I'm not deterred by this, there's too much about the vehicle to like. I'll take your advice and follow up with dealer re the fault codes.

Welcome!

Could be one of a number of common faults. Likely a leak somewhere. Split intake manifolds, split throttle body, stuck actuators cause similar symptoms. Ensure the dealer clearly explains what was replaced and if possible get them to detail the fault codes associated so we can provide some advice in case the dealer tries to pull a swifty on you [emoji106]

None of the above is a reason not to buy. Part of the fun of a Disco.

LRD414

24th June 2018, 05:22 PM

I would be ensuring you get full details of what part(s) get replaced and fault codes logged. For some air intake issues it is not unheard of for something to get replaced but the issue be still present and even potentially intermittent. So an exact history of what is undertaken at this stage may also be useful in a few months when still in the statutory warranty period.

It does sound likely to be one of the more common issues and therefore should be simple to fix.

Scott

v8sruleok

24th June 2018, 05:27 PM

Hi Garry, thanks for your comments,

I'm kind of prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best. All of the horrendous invoices I've viewed so far have been for what I would regard to be fairly routine work, and the price of parts supplied was actually a very small component of the costs. I'll be hoping to do much of the general maintenance and repairs myself especially now that the vehicle has clocked a few kays and has depreciated significantly from new.

I'll be getting all those various oils replaced, and the transmission serviced professionally (as we wish to tow a van). I'll need to get it wired up for a brake controller, a red anderson and a grey anderson, a 12 pin trailer socket, and a UHF too. I want side steps, and the wife wants to toughen the look up a bit with chunkier A/T tyres. Hmmm....the cost of ownership is starting to mount already.

I Mike and welcome to the LR brand and the forum.

Do not assume cost of ownership is going to be high - certainly when compared to the cost of ownership of equivalent well know Japanese products. Servicing costs overall will work out less. In addition through this forum you will soon learn about the parts infrastructure and where and where not to get parts at good prices.

Look closely at extended warranties - many are not what they seems and my not be "cost effective" - again the forum can provide good advice on this.

Cheers

Garry

Graeme

24th June 2018, 06:27 PM

See if there is any record of the gearbox oil having been changed. If not changed by around 80K then by 120K or so then the gearbox will be close to needing a rebuild due to inferior stator bushes wearing badly without regular fresh (clean) oil. This is regardless of whether or not the gearbox / oil has otherwise been looked after.

scarry

24th June 2018, 07:13 PM

First,make sure the vehicle has a full service history.
Second,get an Indie to check the vehicle out.Indies are independent guys that work on LR's only,often these guys know them much better than the dealers.
Someone will chime in with one in your area,or do a search on here.

D4's are fantastic vehicles,but they need correct maintenance by someone who knows them,not just the mechanic around the corner.

rocket rod

25th June 2018, 02:33 PM

If it was me buying I wouldn't go ahead with this one. You can see there is a problem, why buy a problem? Wait and see other cars pop up on the market and even look over east.

LRD414

25th June 2018, 04:31 PM

You can see there is a problem, why buy a problem?
Another way to look at this is; this problem will now be fixed on this vehicle & may occur anyway but after purchase on another similarly aged vehicle. So you could potentially be better off by purchasing this one but it all depends on level of confidence that issue is actually found and fixed. Also depends on how many similarly optioned vehicles in your price range are out there. If there's plenty of fish in the sea that's great, easy to move on.

Scott

DiscoJeffster

25th June 2018, 07:00 PM

Another way to look at this is; this problem will now be fixed on this vehicle & may occur anyway but after purchase on another similarly aged vehicle. So you could potentially be better off by purchasing this one but it all depends on level of confidence that issue is actually found and fixed. Also depends on how many similarly optioned vehicles in your price range are out there. If there's plenty of fish in the sea that's great, easy to move on.

Scott

Exactly. Thankfully the previous owner of mine fixed the intake manifold so now I know that won’t be an issue (well not for one of them).

v8sruleok

25th June 2018, 10:13 PM

Thanks for all the recent comments. I take on board what has been said. I cannot walk away from the contract I have entered into with the dealer. I spoke with the Manager today about the Special Conditions added to the contract but he reckons if the repairs check out on the test drive, then the deal is done. That's not quite my understanding but I'm not an expert in contract law. It might be interesting to put it to the test. Apparantly, according to the Manager (a man of significant Land Rover dealer/experience), all Discoveries emit copious amounts of smoke routinely, and never need their gearbox oil changed.

But that's jumping the gun anyway. I spoke with one of the "indies" today, he reckons it's not so much about what has and hasn't been done to the car in the past, it's all the condition of the vehicle in the present...and I subscribe to this. I can see an argument opposing this view would/could also be made. I'm looking forward to taking delivery of the vehicle (hopefully on Saturday), but I will be scrutinising it closely on my test drive.

Hoping that it all goes well with the purchase. I've seen vehicles that I definitely would not buy. This one's got potential....and it wears an HSE badge.

BradC

25th June 2018, 10:41 PM

Hoping that it all goes well with the purchase. I've seen vehicles that I definitely would not buy. This one's got potential....and it wears an HSE badge.

We checked out over 8 before we bought the Antichrist. 2 of them at dealers had a HSE badge, but we're certainly not. Incredible what dealers will try and pull.

LRD414

25th June 2018, 10:50 PM

.... Apparantly, according to the Manager (a man of significant Land Rover dealer/experience), all Discoveries emit copious amounts of smoke routinely, and never need their gearbox oil changed.
If these ridiculous and incorrect statements were made in seriousness I would be very concerned about the veracity of anything you are told regarding the problem, its rectification and indeed the potential for other existing issues which have not come to light in your test drive.

Scott

DiscoJeffster

26th June 2018, 12:19 AM

After purchase, take the vehicle for an independent check and use the three-month statutory warranty to remediate any issues identified.

Arapiles

26th June 2018, 07:19 PM

I cannot walk away from the contract I have entered into with the dealer. I spoke with the Manager today about the Special Conditions added to the contract but he reckons if the repairs check out on the test drive, then the deal is done. That's not quite my understanding but I'm not an expert in contract law. It might be interesting to put it to the test. Apparantly, according to the Manager (a man of significant Land Rover dealer/experience), all Discoveries emit copious amounts of smoke routinely, and never need their gearbox oil changed.

I'd invest the money in a chat with a good local solicitor - I'd be surprised if you couldn't walk away from this one. Chatting to a solicitor would also be cheaper than the average car service. Also tends to work wonders in this sort of situation.

Also, bluntly, I'd walk away from a car that's being sold with faults when there's plenty around in good condition.

Celtoid

26th June 2018, 08:02 PM

We checked out over 8 before we bought the Antichrist. 2 of them at dealers had a HSE badge, but we're certainly not. Incredible what dealers will try and pull.

Or previous owners …. have seen a HSE Luxury badge and the MY14 + darkened light features, headlight change, etc, on a MY13 added by the owner …. The guy was a D**K!

The potential there is for the un-initiated to get sucked into to buying a car that it is not. Not that there is anything wrong with a MY13 SE …. I own one ...LOL!!! But a HSE has different standard features and I don't even think 'HSE Luxury' existed for that model..... the flip side being ...the un-initiated owner losing potential sales later when the car comes into question.

Celtoid

26th June 2018, 09:09 PM

Aren't there mandatory cooling off periods and the like when purchasing a car .... or am I thinking of realestate? Aren't there also legally binding warranties for three months after purchase on any car?

Bottom line, if I was losing sleep over a car, I wouldn't buy it. There are plenty more out there.

I'd be quickly … since you are running rapidly out of time … having a discussion with your state's equivalent of Fair Trading. Don't listen to anything a 'tool' salesman is telling you, regardless of his position in the organisation.

Don't sit on your hands mate... make the calls. You may find that you have the power of 'NO'.

Also … on extended warranty …. I did a fair bit of research when I purchased extended warranty on my first D4. The black and white terms for all the reputable ([bigwhistle]) companies were that the car cannot be out of the original OEM warranty. You can take out the extended warranty on the very last day but once that window is closed, it's closed forever.

I'd be very suspicious of the T&C's, scope, etc., of an extended warranty offered on a 2011 vehicle.

BradC

27th June 2018, 04:01 PM

Or previous owners …. have seen a HSE Luxury badge and the MY14 + darkened light features, headlight change, etc, on a MY13 added by the owner …. The guy was a D**K!

Yes, apparently in both these instances it was the previous owner and the car yard didn't know enough to get the difference and paid the HSE price for the vehicle. They were pretty miffed when they realized what they'd actually paid for. I never bothered to check if they revised the ads for the vehicles. We stayed well away.

speleomike

27th June 2018, 04:51 PM

Hi

> Aren't there mandatory cooling off periods and the like when purchasing a car

Yes there are in Vic, NSW and Qld. Not in WA.
1 day in Qld: Cooling-off period for buying a used car | Your rights, crime and the law | Queensland Government (https://www.qld.gov.au/law/your-rights/consumer-rights-complaints-and-scams/buying-products-and-services/buying-products/buying-a-car/buying-a-used-car/cooling-off-period-for-buying-a-used-car)
3 business days in Vic: Used car cooling-off period - Consumer Affairs Victoria (https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/cars/buying-a-used-car/cooling-off-period)
None in WA: Motor vehicle sales contracts and cooling off | Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/motor-vehicle-sales-contracts-and-cooling)

Search for "cooling off period site:gov.au" in Google.

Mike

Celtoid

27th June 2018, 10:00 PM

Yes, apparently in both these instances it was the previous owner and the car yard didn't know enough to get the difference and paid the HSE price for the vehicle. They were pretty miffed when they realized what they'd actually paid for. I never bothered to check if they revised the ads for the vehicles. We stayed well away.

I actually have no issue with the physical changes or in many cases improvements to the car e.g., changing the standard halogen to the very change-worthy bi-xenon. As long as they are done safely and correctly ….. and it's declared upfront. In most cases these are genuine options that LR offer and owners have done it after the fact.

What peeves me is when somebody tries to sell the car as a model that it isn't, due to these changes. And if I were a new prospective buyer, and I did an internet sniff and realised there were differences between what was in front of me and a TOPIx printout or some other specification, I'd probably run too. But if an owner just did the mods and said nothing … as in didn't try to sell an S with non-standard options as an HSE, it's probably OK, I think. Nothing wrong with pointing out your improvements are maybe worth extra $ … but saying the car is another model is sh*t. I think it's also fraud.

v8sruleok

27th June 2018, 10:49 PM

Hi again, thanks to all.

I did a Topix check on it and its legit. I wont be persuaded or influenced by any sales talk or veiled threats, and I know BS when I hear it. If the vehicle drives and behaves like it should then I wont have a problem, if it doesn't then I'll be digging my heels in. Remember....I do actually "want" this vehicle. Sure, I may find a better one if I look around long enough, but that's not assured....especially in the price bracket I'm searching. If I was spending $50k I'd have access to higher quality/lower km vehicles but unfortunately I'm not.

I really do appreciate all your comments to date, thanks again for them. Cheers for now.

Nagaman

28th June 2018, 08:41 AM

I’d take out premium breakdown insurance and ensure I had a cash reserve just for peace of mind.

ghoti

28th June 2018, 08:53 AM

Hi, I dont often post, but perhaps can share a couple of things to put your mind at rest.

We have a 2010 HSE which we bought in 2012 with 62000 on the clock. At the time we were a little concerned it left a small cloud of smoke when you put the boot into it...and at 226000 it still does :-).

We had the gearbox serviced by A&B transmissions in Dandenong (Australian ZF gearbox agent) at 180000. They gave it clean bill of health. At the time Land Rover claimed the ZF didnt need servicing...though at my service last month they told me it did. Seems they now get the kits from A&B!

Last service we needed front and rear brakes done...roughly $1250 each end. I call that expensive. We also needed lower control arms (apparently they need doing evry 100,000 or so). All up with the service I dropped $4700.

To put things in perspective, we had a Pajero between our Disco 3 and 4. The dearest service was just under $500. At 283,000 we had to replace front shocks and rear diff rubber bushes at a cost of $600. We also put an altenator in it along the way which was circa $400. I DIYd disc pad changes but it still had the original rotors.

The Pajero was cheaper to buy and cheaper to own. It even survived my DIL filling it with petrol and driving it till it stopped (dealer flushed tank and lines, replaced fuel filter and $170 later we drove it home).

But...it was noisy, harsh riding and while rated to tow our boat and caravan it really struggled. It also struggled to stop with the 2 tonne boat attached. Hence why we bought another disco and never let our DIL borrow it!

luxman

28th June 2018, 09:16 AM

Wojer

28th June 2018, 11:09 AM

Here are my thoughts. I have owned a D3 from new. They are a great vehicle if looked after. White smoke can mean a vacuum leak and is caused by brake fluid being sucked into the manifold. Don't believe the hype about not changing the transmission fluid. Get a kit fitted for this to happen' and if you tow, I would suggest a transmission oil cooler. They say the gearboxes are sealed for life, but you should disregard this. In Europe, life is about 60k. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of transmission failure if fluid isn't changed.There is a genuine ZF kit available [that should tell you something] with a new steel pan and replaceable filter. Cost me $395.00. Hope this helps.

I can only support this suggestion.

It is now almost 12 months since we joined the ranks as a LR owner, when we purchased a MY2013 Discovery 4, 104,000 Kms with many extras fitted. Seemed like a great deal and I was cautious as we hadn't planned to replace the Patrol for another 12 months, but the heart gave way with encouragement from the family. We took the extended warranty, had the service history all looked great until 3 weeks later 120Kms into our return journey home warning lights aglow all over, into limp mode, eventual shut down just off the freeway. In short, 2 x JLR dealers failed to locate the cause as there were no relevant fault codes apart from the warning 'transmission overheating". With the support of friends in the 4WD community & fellow LR owners I located an ex-LR mechanic (not a technician!). After some angst our concern was damage to the transmission so off to a highly regarded Auto Specialist who diagnosed the issue immediately. An almost collapsed heat exchanger. On recommendation this was removed from the circuit & a direct transmission cooler installed, with not an issue since.
Thankfully not any damage to the transmission......:thumbsup::whistling:
On contacting the dealer & the extended warranty company, the cover is for "Mechanical Failure only" which the cooling circuit was not listed as being covered.

I concur that if towing beware of the TC cooling issue, and have the transmission serviced earlier particularly if travelling in the dusty outback. Whilst this is not a common fault, it is not unknown among transmission servicing companies and is prevalent with vehicles towing frequently.

101RRS

28th June 2018, 11:12 AM

I am not sure where this sealed for life crap comes from - the D3/D4 service schedule has a service schedule which is clearly not "sealed" for life - an urban myth. For sure it is too long but not sealed for life.

greg-g

28th June 2018, 11:43 AM

The D5 transmission is sealed for life, but under arduous conditions should be serviced every 48,000 km !!!!

101RRS

28th June 2018, 12:48 PM

But the thread is not about a D5 and its later gearbox. A 2011 D4 should still have the 6 speed but if it is a 12MY it will have the 8 speed - not sure which gearbox from the posts.

Celtoid

28th June 2018, 01:39 PM

I can only support this suggestion.

It is now almost 12 months since we joined the ranks as a LR owner, when we purchased a MY2013 Discovery 4, 104,000 Kms with many extras fitted. Seemed like a great deal and I was cautious as we hadn't planned to replace the Patrol for another 12 months, but the heart gave way with encouragement from the family. We took the extended warranty, had the service history all looked great until 3 weeks later 120Kms into our return journey home warning lights aglow all over, into limp mode, eventual shut down just off the freeway. In short, 2 x JLR dealers failed to locate the cause as there were no relevant fault codes apart from the warning 'transmission overheating". With the support of friends in the 4WD community & fellow LR owners I located an ex-LR mechanic (not a technician!). After some angst our concern was damage to the transmission so off to a highly regarded Auto Specialist who diagnosed the issue immediately. An almost collapsed heat exchanger. On recommendation this was removed from the circuit & a direct transmission cooler installed, with not an issue since.
Thankfully not any damage to the transmission......:thumbsup::whistling:
On contacting the dealer & the extended warranty company, the cover is for "Mechanical Failure only" which the cooling circuit was not listed as being covered.

I concur that if towing beware of the TC cooling issue, and have the transmission serviced earlier particularly if travelling in the dusty outback. Whilst this is not a common fault, it is not unknown among transmission servicing companies and is prevalent with vehicles towing frequently.

Extended Warranty has been covered in many other threads but to briefly visit this topic again. Extended Warranty has many traps for young players. Even the LR Warranty does not offer the same level of cover the original OEM Warranty did. Ironically the LR Warranty is underwritten (or was) by Allianz and yet Allianz had an Extended Warranty that was better than the LR one for the same price (not cheap though). Be careful of tricky LR sales comments ... "as close to the original as you'll get' is often used and misleading. The Allianz top level of cover was as close to the original OEM that you could get .... it pretty much covered everything. It had to be taken out before the originally warranty expired.

It's a murky subject and needs to be explored carefully before spending the dosh or you could very much end up having the "Mechanical Failure Only" or something similar, type conversation leaving you greatly out of pocket.

v8sruleok

28th June 2018, 09:03 PM

I'm quoting all of this post because it sums it up pretty good....
The LR could cost me a few dollars to fix and maintain.....
I've looked at Prados, Pajeros, Isuzus, Rangers, Nissans, LC100 4.2TD....and all of their ilk.
I really want the LR....its going to cost me up front pretty much what a used version of above would....
So in the end I've got to take a chance....an educated one hopefully.
600nm and 3500kg towing.....yes! (only going to tow 2.5T....want to keep a bit up my sleeve).
I've got a quote for an autotrans service including full flush, and sump replace ($1250).
I asked for the code, (thanks DiscoJeffster), they gave me P006A which they are fixing.

I've learnt heaps since I've been on aulro, I thank you.

Hi, I dont often post, but perhaps can share a couple of things to put your mind at rest.

We have a 2010 HSE which we bought in 2012 with 62000 on the clock. At the time we were a little concerned it left a small cloud of smoke when you put the boot into it...and at 226000 it still does :-).

We had the gearbox serviced by A&B transmissions in Dandenong (Australian ZF gearbox agent) at 180000. They gave it clean bill of health. At the time Land Rover claimed the ZF didnt need servicing...though at my service last month they told me it did. Seems they now get the kits from A&B!

Last service we needed front and rear brakes done...roughly $1250 each end. I call that expensive. We also needed lower control arms (apparently they need doing evry 100,000 or so). All up with the service I dropped $4700.

To put things in perspective, we had a Pajero between our Disco 3 and 4. The dearest service was just under $500. At 283,000 we had to replace front shocks and rear diff rubber bushes at a cost of $600. We also put an altenator in it along the way which was circa $400. I DIYd disc pad changes but it still had the original rotors.

The Pajero was cheaper to buy and cheaper to own. It even survived my DIL filling it with petrol and driving it till it stopped (dealer flushed tank and lines, replaced fuel filter and $170 later we drove it home).

But...it was noisy, harsh riding and while rated to tow our boat and caravan it really struggled. It also struggled to stop with the 2 tonne boat attached. Hence why we bought another disco and never let our DIL borrow it!

Nankas

28th June 2018, 10:14 PM

Good luck with your purchase. My suggestion is that you take it for a good hour plus long run pushing it through its paces before you make final payment . Take your mate who owns the RRS with you. Make sure you are happy with it.

101RRS

29th June 2018, 12:16 AM

Is this 3.0 SDV6 the hi powered 3.0 or the low powered 3.0? Not sure if it is relevant for a HSE but some people are not aware that the D4 has two variants of the 3.0 in them.

garry

veebs

29th June 2018, 09:07 AM

Is this 3.0 SDV6 the hi powered 3.0 or the low powered 3.0? Not sure if it is relevant for a HSE but some people are not aware that the D4 has two variants of the 3.0 in them.

garry

2011 only had high power 3.0s - the alternative was a 2.7...

101RRS

29th June 2018, 12:43 PM

Thanks - still not sure if this car which is a 2011 is a 11MY or a 12MY - I assume the 2011 year applies to when it was first sold - so if later in 2011 could be a 2012MY so could have the low powered 3.0 engine.

I have noticed sellers are often reluctant to mention this point and just advertise it is a 3.0.

v8sruleok

29th June 2018, 07:48 PM

It's an SDv6 MY2011.
Early TDV6 are 600nm, but the later ones are 520nm.
The Topix report states 600nm for my vin.
Even 520nm would be enough for me, most of the opposition (if u can call it that) are around 450nm.
Tks for asking the question, it can be confusing.

Thanks - still not sure if this car which is a 2011 is a 11MY or a 12MY - I assume the 2011 year applies to when it was first sold - so if later in 2011 could be a 2012MY so could have the low powered 3.0 engine.

I have noticed sellers are often reluctant to mention this point and just advertise it is a 3.0.

scarry

29th June 2018, 08:07 PM

It's an SDv6 MY2011.
Early TDV6 are 600nm, but the later ones are 520nm.
The Topix report states 600nm for my vin.
Even 520nm would be enough for me, most of the opposition (if u can call it that) are around 450nm.
Tks for asking the question, it can be confusing.

MY12 was last of the TDV6 2.7,6 speed.
After that the TDV6 was 3.0l and had 8 speed box,520nm.
SDV6 was always around 600 to 650nm.

101RRS

29th June 2018, 10:39 PM

And I think there is about 30kw difference in power between the two 3.0 V6s

v8sruleok

30th June 2018, 08:59 PM

UPDATE: The vehicle drove flawlessly on the test drive today. Had it to ourselves (the wife and I) and we gave it a good run, suburban streets, freeway, some hard accelerations and hard brake tests, and I was very impressed, given that it's a bit of barge and all that. I'm told that the "vacuum" problem was related somehow to the EGR and that a faulty sensor was replaced to rectify the problem.

It's going to need some fairly urgent preventative maintenance, replace oils and filters, timing belt (no record of having been done...170km now), autotrans service, and I'll do an EGR/inlet manifold clean sometime down the track cos it's probably coked up anyway. So I know that's going to cost me a bit, but we are planning on travelling/caravanning, so it'll be good to know that it's up to date as reasonably practicable mechanically. The only discrepancy is a tickety tick noise coming from the front of the engine, apparant when it's idling, I can hear it when I'm outside but not inside.

I'd post a picture, but I'm sure you all know what a standard Discovery 4 looks like.

Cheers for now, thanks for all your advice along the way.

Ferret

30th June 2018, 09:13 PM

... The only discrepancy is a tickety tick noise coming from the front of the engine, apparant when it's idling, I can hear it when I'm outside but not inside.

I've had a tickety noise from the front of the engine for years. Dealer told me it's related to the fan clutch or something. Its only on idle and goes away once engine revs up. Dealer says they can fix if I want to pay $ but cheaper to ignore it because its not a problem.

Possibly lots of reasons for tickety noises but if it's the same as mine, I've ignored it for years without problems.

I would add, it's sometimes apparent (usually when engine is cold) and some times you don't hear it at.

speleomike

30th June 2018, 09:14 PM

Hi

Nice that you had a good drive of it and your happy with it. Always good also to understand the possible costs and have factored that in, very sensible. A pic of it will be nice of course.

My wife and I just got a D4 SDV6 in mid May and wow, it's just soooo nice to drive, roomy, comfortable, with power when we need it, but if driven sensibly it delivers quite good economy. You will really have a great time enjoying trips with it.

Mike

v8sruleok

30th June 2018, 09:42 PM

Hi, thanks Ferret, would be nice to know if it's anything to worry about, I'll monitor it and see if I can identity the source.

Possibly lots of reasons for tickety noises but if it's the same as mine, I've ignored it for years without problems.

v8sruleok

30th June 2018, 10:28 PM

Hi Mike, congrats on your purchase too. I'm in love with ours already. Am going to have to read the manual to find out about all the tricks. We'll be towing a 2.5T van which we have just bought, so there's two new toys in the yard right now.
141769

A pic of it will be nice of course.

My wife and I just got a D4 SDV6 in mid May and wow, it's just soooo nice to drive, roomy, comfortable, with power when we need it, but if driven sensibly it delivers quite good economy. You will really have a great time enjoying trips with it.

Mike