Disco 4 best for touring Aust?

[Larabie]

Hi all, I'm just new to AULRO.

My reason for joining is that i love LRs and am wanting to buy one - Disco 4 I'm thinking - to tow a caravan around Australia but I'm concerned about the costs of owning one. They are cheap enough to buy second hand but what are the annual running costs and how reliable are they? At the risk of offending anyone, I'm wondering if i would be better off buying a landcruiser?


Any comments much appreciated.[smilebigeye]

[gavinwibrow]

Hi all, I'm just new to AULRO.

My reason for joining is that i love LRs and am wanting to buy one - Disco 4 I'm thinking - to tow a caravan around Australia but I'm concerned about the costs of owning one. They are cheap enough to buy second hand but what are the annual running costs and how reliable are they? At the risk of offending anyone, I'm wondering if i would be better off buying a landcruiser?


Any comments much appreciated.[smilebigeye]

Welcome. Might get better responses if you advise whether looking at older (2009+) or newer update versions.

I have a 2010 2.7 6 speed that I'm very happy with after 21K return from WA to Nth Qld and NT towing a 3.5T brick/block of flats, but the update with 8 speed box and various "refinements" would be an even better tow tug.

[Larabie]

Thanks Gav, I expect my money to run out about 2013 so yes I'd be looking at the older 2009 to 2013 D4.

[Dagilmo]

I'm in my 7th year of D3/4 ownership. I've used mine for the whole range of driving form long distance towing to beach work and bush bashing. My brother owns a 200 (with most of the bells and whistles) and I've a couple of friends with Prados. The 200 and Prados are all good cars and go well but at no point have I regretted getting into a Disco. When it came time to upgrade earlier this year, I looked seriously at the 200 (and to a lesser degree the Y62 Patrol) but couldn't go get inspired by either. Granted, this is very much subjective decision as I'm a car person and enjoy driving a good car.

With a 2013 budget, you'll get the 8 speed and a number of the upgrades. Check what your budget gets you in the Toyota range.

Also, do some searching in this forum, as this topic has been raised many times over the years.

P.S: I grew up I Castlemaine.....Well, Fryerstown actually....

[101RRS]

My brother also owns a 15MY Landcruiser 200 Sahara (50,000km) which he is now selling and his recommendation is to buy a D4 [thumbsupbig]

[Barraman]

I have a 2015 D4 purchased new, my first LR, now with 160,000 kn on the clock - about half of those km towing a 6.7 M boat.

I have not owned another 4 x 4 so, I can’t make any comparisons. I came to the D4 from an SS Commodore.

My D4 has been very reliable - but has had 1st Class servicing by a LR dealer throughout its life.

I luv it! Easily the best long distance touring/cruising/towing vehicle I have ever driven.

BUT, my perception is that it is relatively expensive to maintain at the level I do. Services are relatively expensive as is preventative maintainance that I have chosen to have done.

My last service was extreme at $6,500 for a vehicle with no faults! Done because I have chosen to keep it rather than replace it with something new - because I can’t find something I like. Most routine services are around $1,000.

In my opinion a D4 is not the vehicle for someone on a limited budget!

[shanegtr]

My D3 has averaged out to be a more expensive vehicle to maintain than my previous 80 series landcruiser, but cheaper on the diesel. Overall a more expensive vehicle to keep on the road. I do wonder however how it would compare to any modern 4wd on the market once theres a few kms on the odo.

[101RRS]

BUT, my perception is that it is relatively expensive to maintain at the level I do. Services are relatively expensive as is preventative maintainance that I have chosen to have done.

My last service was extreme at $6,500 for a vehicle with no faults!

Your maintenance is expensive because you choose to make it expensive - that is fine as it is your choice but if you had another brand and followed the same maintenance regime it would most likely be just as expensive.

A D4 is no more expensive to maintain as other brands.

As I do most of my RRS maintenance myself I find the vehicles are very cheap to maintain.

[rar110]

I think realistically, if maintenance cost over a Japanese brand will bother you, then don’t buy a Land Rover. They are superior on and off road to the Japanese brands, but you should expect any mechanic outside a capital city to refuse to work on any broken down LR vehicle in my experience.

They are nice vehicles, but there are trade offs.

[Graeme]

My last service was extreme at $6,500 for a vehicle with no faults!What work was done?

[Tombie]

8 years old. Only unplanned work was alternator replacement last week.

Service costs - first 3 years, None
Since then sub $500 dealer servicing
$900 to do the belts at 100k

[INter674]

Don't expect to buy parts for a Patrol or Cruiser in the outback...it's a myth propagated by Toyota and others. Mates 100 series crapped its upper ball joints and heater rad and other stuff whilst crossing Simmo. And yet the biggest Yota dealership in Alice had no parts. Worst still we waited 3 days for parts from Sydney that never arrived!

There was a que of cars ar the dealership workshop all waiting on parts which included a Prado with a cracked TC!

Interestingly the Alice LR dealer told me he could guarantee getting most parts overnight. I don't think any dealer keeps a stock of parts like they used to...it's all ordered on demand.

Get a Disco 4 with the 8 speed..they r v cheap and well equipped. Avoid the Toyota Tax and cruiser short comings..eg crap auto..poor filtration system..poor gvm..rubbish seats..lack of std features etc etc. The Y62 is a better car and cheaper and more reliable than a cruiser too. But a D4 is incredible value atm.

[rar110]

Don't expect to buy parts for a Patrol or Cruiser in the outback...it's a myth propagated by Toyota and others. Mates 100 series crapped its upper ball joints and heater rad and other stuff whilst crossing Simmo. And yet the biggest Yota dealership in Alice had no parts. Worst still we waited 3 days for parts from Sydney that never arrived!

There was a que of cars ar the dealership workshop all waiting on parts which included a Prado with a cracked TC!

Interestingly the Alice LR dealer told me he could guarantee getting most parts overnight. I don't think any dealer keeps a stock of parts like they used to...it's all ordered on demand.

Get a Disco 4 with the 8 speed..they r v cheap and well equipped. Avoid the Toyota Tax and cruiser short comings..eg crap auto..poor filtration system..poor gvm..rubbish seats..lack of std features etc etc. The Y62 is a better car and cheaper and more reliable than a cruiser too. But a D4 is incredible value atm.

At least they will put it on the hoist to look at it if it’s a Toyota/Nissan/Mitsubishi.

[Dagilmo]

Don't expect to buy parts for a Patrol or Cruiser in the outback...it's a myth propagated by Toyota and others.

Agreed. I couldn't get an alternator for a D40 Navara (when they were the second best selling ute) anywhere in the Kimberly (Broom, Derby, Kununarra). Had to be air-freighed to Kununarra and we drove from Derby to meet it.

[Tombie]

At least they will put it on the hoist to look at it if it’s a Toyota/Nissan/Mitsubishi.

Never come across that attitude in all the time I’ve owned LRs.

[Discodicky]

Agreed. I couldn't get an alternator for a D40 Navara (when they were the second best selling ute) anywhere in the Kimberly (Broom, Derby, Kununarra). Had to be air-freighed to Kununarra and we drove from Derby to meet it.

About two maybe three years ago my mates 100 series L/Cruiser V8 petrol had major engine problems at only 116,000 klms just outside Mt.Isa, had it and c/van towed to the Toyota dealer where at that time most of their mechs apparently were from o/seas on those special work visas whatever that visa number was. Well, after almost two weeks they still hadn't been able to diagnose the problem (running on 5 cyls) so he got tired of waiting in his c/van in the local C/Park so hired a renta car, drove to the coast and bought a S/Hand 100 series turbo diesel. His wife drove the renta car back to Mt. Isa and he drove the 'new' cruiser. Continued on their holiday with c/van and then returned to Tassy and the petrol V8 stayed at the Mt. Isa dealer for another few weeks until they finally found the problem associated with the valve gear/tappets and made a temporary fix. Having lost all faith with the Dealer he got it trucked to Melb at great expense and had the engine fully re-built by an Indie. Sold the car in Melb at great loss after a $10k engine rebuild. His experience with that Dealer's service Dept was something he'd rather forget. The lady running that Dept was, he says, "unhelpful and couldn't appreciate the urgency to get his vehicle back on the road asap". He was told by the lady Service Mngr they can't get or retain top mechs because they can get far more money working in the mines, hence the need to employ o/seas workers on the Work Visas.

One other comment re D3/4 service costs. It would seem to me after reading countless stories, that some Dealers and Indies leave a lot to one's desires re unnecessary service work/costs. One which springs to mind is the replacement of front suspension lower control arm bushes. I am amazed that some people are being told theirs need replacing at very low klms and well under 100k. Mine have done 126,000 (2013 D4) and are fine. Sure, heavy offroad and/or rough roads will reduce their life, but.......

[ATH]

I'd put it this way. We've had 3 Defenders (300Tdi, Td5 and a Puma) plus a series1 Disco 300 Tdi and now a 2016 D4 which has just come out of warranty. I do intermittent services at 10K and use an indie for others at 20, 40, 60K etc. It's now done 72K and the worst thing that's happened is a fault with the stupid EPB. Why LR should think that's an improvement over a short handbrake lever I'll never know.
Our son has a 200 series and if any of our Landies had the problems/faults that heap of soft snot has had I'd never buy another. Think 5K to upgrade suspension to tow a boat.
3 years of transmission probs. where it wouldn't drive after a week sitting idle while he's on site.... had to wait for pressure to build up. Tojo said it's "Hi-tech" so you should expect that!
An engine which burnt 2- 3ltrs of oil between Perth and Coral Bay.
All fixed eventually but it was off the road for 3 months while they did it. They did provide a Pajero for the time it took and that cost them 9K on an interdepartmental thing....
Don't tell the LC lovers that sort of thing though. :)
Good luck and enjoy the best drive of them all.
AlanH.

[Barraman]

Your maintenance is expensive because you choose to make it expensive - that is fine as it is your choice

I’m sure my dental work would be cheaper if I did it myself too !

[Barraman]

What work was done?

182,000 km service as per the handbook
All filters, including the pollen filter replaced
Front and rear timing belts, tensioners and tensioner bolt replaced
Top intercooler hose replaced
Front and rear diff oils replaced
Transmission oil and pan replaced
Coolant junction outlet housing and coolant replaced

[INter674]

Another LC story..a wheat farmer I met thru the Cat club has several V8 diesel LCs ..he would not buy anything else he said.

The local dealer said any time you need to top up the oil..just drop it in and we'll do it for free they said. Oh and the lack of lock..well his son was working on a mod to fix that he said..oh and the rear diff being narrower....his son had fitted huge spacers (illegal) and may get the wider 5k diff you can buy now.

He said all this over dinner without batting an eyelid. I had my D2 which he rode in for a week. Nice car he said😎

OMG how does Toyota get away with this scam?

[INter674]

So..just to contextualise..all cars can give trouble and parts are not necessarily available to hand when you need them...Roadside Assist fills that gap nowadays. Machinery is just the same...go get a Cat part other than service items and often you'll be waiting for it to come from USA or Mexico or elsewhere overseas..and you'll pay for the freight too😐

[scarry]

One other comment re D3/4 service costs. It would seem to me after reading countless stories, that some Dealers and Indies leave a lot to one's desires re unnecessary service work/costs. One which springs to mind is the replacement of front suspension lower control arm bushes. I am amazed that some people are being told theirs need replacing at very low klms and well under 100k. Mine have done 126,000 (2013 D4) and are fine. Sure, heavy offroad and/or rough roads will reduce their life, but.......

Not quite correct,mine were knocking badly at 75 000K.
A mate has a D4 thats knocking at less than 50 000K,hardly ever been off road.

Speak to a good Indy,and you will find out many go at less than 100 000K,even vehicles that don't go off road.

My D4 has been the most expensive vehicle to maintain i have ever had.And its now done around 80 000K.
Its serviced by a good Indy,prices are generally half the dealer,and they do a much better job.
Brakes all round.
Timing belts
Lower control arms.
EAS corner valve
Routine services
Auto flush and pan.

If you can do the work on the vehicle yourself,as some on here do,you will be fine.
If you have to get someone else to do it,then budget for a good few $$$.

As for Toyota,i have said on here previously,we run a fleet of their vans,they will do 300 000K without one repair.Not one van,but many.
Sure they don't have the complications of a 4WD,don't go off road,but they still have a lot that could go wrong.

[shanegtr]

Not quite correct,mine were knocking badly at 75 000K.
A mate has a D4 thats knocking at less than 50 000K,hardly ever been off road.

Speak to a good Indy,and you will find out many go at less than 100 000K,even vehicles that don't go off road.


I agree, they dont last all that long really - I replaced mine recently after 111,000km - but they where gone well before that (couldn't tell you exactly when as I didnt make a note of it)

[Graeme]

Oh and the lack of lock..well his son was working on a mod to fix that he said.
Kits have been available to fix this for quite some time.

[Odysseyman]

Hi all, I'm just new to AULRO.

My reason for joining is that i love LRs and am wanting to buy one - Disco 4 I'm thinking - to tow a caravan around Australia but I'm concerned about the costs of owning one. They are cheap enough to buy second hand but what are the annual running costs and how reliable are they? At the risk of offending anyone, I'm wondering if i would be better off buying a landcruiser?


Any comments much appreciated.[smilebigeye]

Just over one year ago we bought a 2016 D4 SDV6 HSE and love it. I researched and compared for months prior to buying it and kept looking until I found one that ticked most of the boxes on my list.
As part of my research I also considered the LC200 but found it was an easy decision to go with the D4 in the end.

I haven’t driven to 200 series so my knowledge is anecdotal but I do know quite a number of guys who own them. The things that put me off the Cruiser were things like suspension upgrades, transmission “locks”, chipping etc which seem to be needed in order to make them as good touring vehicle compared to the D4 which, I have discovered, is eminently capable without modification.

It seems to me that with both vehicles there will be some which have problems and faults that continue to cause angst for their owners but there will be many that go for years without trouble and niggles. As for cost of routine maintenance I doubt there would be much difference. Many people on this forum suggest that prevention is better than a cure and so that is what my approach has been.

The previous owner of my car had already taken it over the Simpson Desert and so had spent some money on light truck Maxxis tyres, UHF radio, and the Traxide dual battery system. It also came with the very desirable option of the electronic locking rear diff. He had only done routine servicing in accordance with LR’s service schedule. Mileage was around 68000km so I felt I had a relatively clean slate from which to start.

The first thing I did was book it in to my local Indy for a full service and complete change of all oils using all genuine parts. They weren’t able to do the transmission oil at that time so we left that out for the time being. this included oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, pollen filter, genuine LR engine oil, transfer case oil and rear diff oil. Brake fluid and coolant were tested and everything else checked. Mileage was 68846km
Cost was $1140.00. I also had a Tow Pro Brake Controller fitted at a cost of $990.

Next service at 75316km was prior to leaving on our annual winter trip north towing our AOR Odyssey camper trailer which weighs around 1.8 tonnes all up. Cost for Oil, oil and air filters and general check at Eastern Ranges Prestige was $520.

Next service was in Darwin at 87021km which included engine oil and all filters and a complete underbody check (we had travelled quite some distance on outback gravel roads including the alternative Savannah Way from Chillagoe Qld across through Burketown and Borroloola to Darwin. Cost was $874. He was an LR specialist and his hourly rate was $160 which was a bit of a surprise, but hey, it was Darwin...

We fitted a new set of 4 tyres back in Queensland at 94100km at a cost of $1485. We are continuing with Maxxis 255/55x19 AT980 and are pretty happy with their performance and wear although there was some evidence of tread chipping.

Once arriving home it was time to attend to a transmission oil service so booked in to A&B Automotive in Dandenong and this was done at 98655km at a cost of $930.

The car is now due for another service which I will get done in the next couple of weeks.

Three warranty issues have been dealt with by Doncaster Land Rover before warranty ran out in March 2019.
The top radiator hose was sliced through by the engine cover which I reported on an earlier thread. This was all rectified
A knock developed in the front of the car which turned out to be the lower control arms which were replaced. While driving in to the dealer to get the control arms replaced the parking brake locked on at a set of traffic lights :unsure: and so this was checked and was also repaired and parts replaced.
Their service was excellent and all issues were dealt with without any hassles at all.

I’m very happy with my decision and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the D4 for what you want to do.
cheers

David

[101RRS]

I’m sure my dental work would be cheaper if I did it myself too !

So you pay your dentist to brush your teeth [biggrin] - just kidding [thumbsupbig]

Seriously though, I certainly accept that the more tech aspects need to be done by a specialist and I do this such as oil pump replacement on a 2.7. As I indicated it is your choice and if you feel comfortable maintaining your vehicle solely by paid mechanics that is great. However my point was that you implied that it is more expensive to maintain a D4 than other vehicles and that is just not the case - if you had a 200 series Sahara as my brother does and you followed the same logic in maintaining that as you do with your D4, then expenses similar to what have experienced would be the norm - fuel is an exception as the 200 series consumes fuel with astonishing ease.

My brother has just taken delivery of his HSV Chev Silverado with its 6.6 litre TDV8 and it gives better fuel consumption than his 200 series in the same conditions. The Sahara is on the market now.

So I was not criticising you maintenance regime - just highlighting that the costs would be similar for other vehicles.

Cheers

Garry

[Barraman]

"One which springs to mind is the replacement of front suspension lower control arm bushes. I am amazed that some people are being told theirs need replacing at very low klms and well under 100k"

My D4 has 180,000 km on it - lower control arm bushes have been done once and feel like they need to be done again. It has a shudder coming in under light braking which disappears under heavy braking - which I understand to indicate LCA issues.

Never been off road and minimal dirt roads!

[scarry]

I agree, they dont last all that long really - I replaced mine recently after 111,000km - but they where gone well before that (couldn't tell you exactly when as I didnt make a note of it)

But they aren't a major,just another nuisance item to add to the list.Not a complete show stopper,such as, say an alternater.
Or a starter motor on a 200 series.

i have wondered how long they last on say a Y62,as a comparison.Or a PAJ,or Prado.I have a brother who hasn't touched the front end on his Prado in 200 000k's of rough NT outback roads.But the starter motor has recently failed.
They aren't even mentioned on any LC sites,so can't be an issue on them,although some use aftermarket suspension components when doing GVM upgrades and lifts,etc.

[scarry]

So you pay your dentist to brush your teeth [biggrin] - just kidding [thumbsupbig]

fuel is an exception as the 200 series consumes fuel with astonishing ease.

My brother has just taken delivery of his HSV Chev Silverado with its 6.6 litre TDV8 and it gives better fuel consumption than his 200 series in the same conditions. The Sahara is on the market now.



Cheers

Garry

But some forget,fuel consumption isn't everything.
The resale on an LC has always been way better than any LR product,except possibly Defenders.

Have a look at the prices of D3/4 and compare them to same year,same mileage LC200.
There is just no comparison.
Then have a look at what a good LC 100 series brings,an equivalent Discovery is less than half,same year/condition,etc.

There is a reason for these resale prices.Its supply and demand.

[INter674]

Yes resale value of 200 and esp 100 series is astonishing but that means 2nd hand Discos or newer Patrols (not zd30s tho) are even more attractive. TD42 Patrols are also high in value.

There's little doubt in Aus that it's not cool to be seen in a Disco or a Jeep😐

Why the heck Defers have become valued and acceptable but eg D2s with the same running gear are not is beyond me. And ex army Defers seem to have assumed a degree of Bush Tucker Man legendary status despite being so basic!

[Discodicky]

Not quite correct,mine were knocking badly at 75 000K.
A mate has a D4 thats knocking at less than 50 000K,hardly ever been off road.

Speak to a good Indy,and you will find out many go at less than 100 000K,even vehicles that don't go off road.

My D4 has been the most expensive vehicle to maintain i have ever had.And its now done around 80 000K.
Its serviced by a good Indy,prices are generally half the dealer,and they do a much better job.
Brakes all round.
Timing belts
Lower control arms.
EAS corner valve
Routine services
Auto flush and pan.

If you can do the work on the vehicle yourself,as some on here do,you will be fine.
If you have to get someone else to do it,then budget for a good few $$$.

As for Toyota,i have said on here previously,we run a fleet of their vans,they will do 300 000K without one repair.Not one van,but many.
Sure they don't have the complications of a 4WD,don't go off road,but they still have a lot that could go wrong.

Paul, why would you be allowing the Indie to replace the timing belts at 80,000 klm when they are not due until almost 160,000 klms??? I rest my case as that is my point; unnecessary repairs! Brakes will need replacing regardless of vehicle as are routine services and auto flush.

[scarry]

Paul, why would you be allowing the Indie to replace the timing belts at 80,000 klm when they are not due until almost 160,000 klms??? I rest my case as that is my point; unnecessary repairs! Brakes will need replacing regardless of vehicle as are routine services and auto flush.

Time comes into it,not unnecessary at all.
Mine did 7yrs,i think spec is 6yrs.
Mileage not relevant in my case.

Also,never had a vehicle that has needed rotors and pads at less than 120 000K,before.
And they were needed,done at 75K.

I rest my case[bighmmm][biggrin]

[rar110]

Never come across that attitude in all the time I’ve owned LRs.

You’re lucky. The two most memorable occasions for me was when I had a lift pump problem in Bamaga Cape York on my Isuzu 110 in 2000, what convinced him to look at it was that that Toyota had an identical part. And the other memorable occasion was last year in Roma, when the show stopper was a cut trans cooler line on the L322 tdv8. They didn’t want to waste there time looking at it as they had no time or parts to fix it. There have been other occasions on the road with the 110 where the first shop I came to said some other bloke down the road looks a LR stuff occasionally, so go see him.

[DiscoMick]

D4s are great things. Just do it.

[PeterJ]

I'm in my 7th year of D3/4 ownership. I've used mine for the whole range of driving form long distance towing to beach work and bush bashing. My brother owns a 200 (with most of the bells and whistles) and I've a couple of friends with Prados. The 200 and Prados are all good cars and go well but at no point have I regretted getting into a Disco. When it came time to upgrade earlier this year, I looked seriously at the 200 (and to a lesser degree the Y62 Patrol) but couldn't go get inspired by either. Granted, this is very much subjective decision as I'm a car person and enjoy driving a good car.

With a 2013 budget, you'll get the 8 speed and a number of the upgrades. Check what your budget gets you in the Toyota range.

Also, do some searching in this forum, as this topic has been raised many times over the years.

P.S: I grew up I Castlemaine.....Well, Fryerstown actually....

Could not agree more with above. Mine is a 12/2013 SD 8 speed, done 130000km, a lot of it with my 3.2T van behind and I go searching for the out of the way places this country has so many of on offer. I have serviced it myself, paid particular attention to all fluids and nothing of any great concern. Dealer servicing costs and parts can be higher but there are a lot of quality aftermarket components and consumables available and an enormous amount of quality information and help from this forum.

BTW, here is one on this site https://www.aulro.com/afvb/vehicles-for-sale/275944-2015-d4-se.html#post2962933 not my car but a mates, he is getting a D5 in Feb.

Peter

[Turtle60]

D4s are great things. Just do it.

Exactly. Caravan 4x4 best tow vehicle for last ten years. Self levelling airbags and no level systems required or permitted. No brainer if you plan to tow. My Last two full services were less than $700. Local indie says they are tough as nails and very over engineered. Plenty of aftermarket available too. Bloody love my 2014 8sp and make excuses to drive it. They feel just that good to drive.

[INter674]

Exactly. Caravan 4x4 best tow vehicle for last ten years. Self levelling airbags and no level systems required or permitted. No brainer if you plan to tow. My Last two full services were less than $700. Local indie says they are tough as nails and very over engineered. Plenty of aftermarket available too. Bloody love my 2014 8sp and make excuses to drive it. They feel just that good to drive.

Absolutely...me n the missus look for reasons to drive our D4 SC and I look for reasons to thrash it☺

Looking at costs. .dealer records since new in 2014 show 1k$ service cost every 2 years. .so cost @3k$ b 4 me...new brakes n rotors at 100k.. .cost $500...new water pump at 90k cost 600 bucks..new rear pinion seal at 97k cost $250 bucks..new battery at 98k... other items such as 1 (?) set new tyres not counted.

I did a precautionary auto n TC n diff and supercharger service since then and will do all reduced k services/ repairs myself ..eg repaired the stuck auto rotary controller that the dealer wanted @2k to fix. Thanks to AULRO members.

So far LCAs seem okay but will tackle that issue when needed.

My Mates LC 200 costs over $750 to dealer service every year ...but it's also had an additional 25k spent on it. There's no comparision when it comes to features and comfort. ..the D4 is waaay better. He reckons we must be rich to own a D4.

So our car cost a lttle more than 10k than he's spent on suspension and other mods...eg auto n engine re map..bigger exhaust etc😎

Crazy but true!!

[Bigbjorn]

Don't tow!!!! Fly and stay in 5 star accommodation. Much cheaper in the long run than a van and appropriate tug.

[shanegtr]

Don't tow!!!! Fly and stay in 5 star accommodation. Much cheaper in the long run than a van and appropriate tug.
But no where near as much fun IMHO

[Tombie]

Don't tow!!!! Fly and stay in 5 star accommodation. Much cheaper in the long run than a van and appropriate tug.

And nowhere as versatile.

Drive and stay in accomodation works - many places you won’t fly to!

[whitedisco]

Hi Larabie, I just bought a low km 2014 TDV6 D4. I recon they are the best tow vehicle. The D3 has gone to my son with 230k on it and still in great condition. Routine maintenance by an excellent indie.

I got kind of close to buying a new bi-turbo Everest but really there is no comparison for towing and comfort and I saved more than $15k.

We travel north with 2.8 tons of full height accommodation on the back each year. The D3 did it easy and the D4 should be easier with 8 speeds and the 3.0 litre.

This is my third white Discovery! Do I have a problem?

Peter

[DiscoMick]

$700 is not dear for a serious service. Our Defender cost $2100 for the recent service, including a new vacuum pump, while the previous service was $1500.
Thorough servicing is an investment in the future, I reckon.

[PeterJ]

Don't tow!!!! Fly and stay in 5 star accommodation. Much cheaper in the long run than a van and appropriate tug.

Now, where was that airport and hotel again[biggrin]156794 Montecollina Bore in SA. Yep D4, great vehicle for touring

WTF - load the photo upside down, it imports upside down, load it right way up and it's still upside down. Maybe time for some of the annual fees to be used to make this site more user friendly:soapbox:

[Barraman]

I have a 2015 D4 purchased new, my first LR, now with 160,000 kn on the clock - about half of those km towing a 6.7 M boat.
I have not owned another 4 x 4 so, I can’t make any comparisons. I came to the D4 from an SS Commodore.
My D4 has been very reliable - but has had 1st Class servicing by a LR dealer throughout its life.
I luv it! Easily the best long distance touring/cruising/towing vehicle I have ever driven.
BUT, my perception is that it is relatively expensive to maintain at the level I do. Services are relatively expensive as is preventative maintainance that I have chosen to have done.
My last service was extreme at $6,500 for a vehicle with no faults! Done because I have chosen to keep it rather than replace it with something new - because I can’t find something I like. Most routine services are around $1,000.
In my opinion a D4 is not the vehicle for someone on a limited budget!

Just to illustrate my point made above - I would argue that I give My D4 the best regular and preventative maintenance that I am able to.

However, I am currently sitting on my blot in Toowoomba waiting for the local LR dealer to fix a leaking radiator hose. That follows on from an unexpected battery replacement yesterday.

$425 for the battery! I expect maybe $4-500 for the hose job. Plus $200+ for unexpected accomodation, food, taxis etc.

Unanticipated $1000+ addition to my holiday expenses!

I guess it could happen with any othe brand of 4 x 4 also.

Does seem to sting a little harder having forked out $6,500 on maintenance only a month ago.

A bit of sympathy from my mates would help! “What do you expect, you Disco driving wanker”!

[scarry]

Battery can happen to any vehicle.

Is the hose leaking where it rubs on the engine cover on the 3.0L?

OR the one that runs close to one of the pullys on the 2.7 that can also be an issue?

Sorry don't know which engine you have?

If so both are common issue that any good LR mechanic would know about and keep an eye on.

[Barraman]

I believe that it’s the one that is known to rub on the engine cover. You can be sure that I will be having a conversation with my local dealer - who serviced it 4 weeks ago.

[Dagilmo]

A bit of sympathy from my mates would help! “What do you expect, you Disco driving ******”!

Sounds like true mates.....

[DieselLSE]

WTF - load the photo upside down, it imports upside down, load it right way up and it's still upside down. Maybe time for some of the annual fees to be used to make this site more user friendly:soapbox:

Nothing to do with the site. Your phone adds a "this way up" tag to a meta data file called EXIF. It stipulates that no matter how the picture is loaded, it must be presented with this side up. This can not usually be user fixed as you need some sort of EXIF editor to amend the file. Or import the file into a graphics package, rotate it, and save it.

[101RRS]

Or import the file into a graphics package, rotate it, and save it.

But often still posts the wrong way up.

[DiscoMick]

Now, where was that airport and hotel again[biggrin]156794 Montecollina Bore in SA. Yep D4, great vehicle for touring

WTF - load the photo upside down, it imports upside down, load it right way up and it's still upside down. Maybe time for some of the annual fees to be used to make this site more user friendly:soapbox:Check the settings in your membership.

[Tombie]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200103/d190c1d10925c80eead96604c859fa32.jpg

Works fine [emoji48][emoji48][emoji48]

[RobA]

Not bad for 5 years and 113,000km towing and exploring. We're going to really miss it

Rob

156843156844156845

[scarry]

Now, where was that airport and hotel again[biggrin]156794 Montecollina Bore in SA. Yep D4, great vehicle for touring

WTF - load the photo upside down, it imports upside down, load it right way up and it's still upside down. Maybe time for some of the annual fees to be used to make this site more user friendly:soapbox:

Export to Flicka,then back to AULRO,and it will be the right way up.

Don't ask me why,but seems to work with me.

[Discodicky]

Time comes into it,not unnecessary at all.
Mine did 7yrs,i think spec is 6yrs.
Mileage not relevant in my case.

Also,never had a vehicle that has needed rotors and pads at less than 120 000K,before.
And they were needed,done at 75K.

I rest my case[bighmmm][biggrin]

Never considered it being an 'age' factor when I opened my big mouth, ha. Even so, when considering the belt/s replacement as an expensive pain in the proverbial, i look at it this way: About $2k for labour, belts, idler pulley brgs, coolant, oil pump if necessary, etc, factored over 154,000 klms works out at 0.0129 cents per klm which i can live with. In the earthmoving business that is one of the methods they judge their costs (maintenance cost in $'s, per machine hours worked "uptime") which helps to determine which brands are better etc.
My mate with his (now ex) 100 Series L/cruiser V8 petrol was quoted $1500 to replace timing belt and also water pump which he was told is absolutely essential to replace at the time (120,000 klms) as it is such a pita to do later. He was also quoted 'up to and around' $1000 to check and if necessary set valve tappet clearances as they are done by shims. Very time consuming job. I have done many early Jaguars which use the shims.

[INter674]

Just had beers with a VW/Porche/Merc/Skoda mechanic. OMG the issues they are having with Amaroks and indeed with other VWs etc ...esp related to dpf and ad blue systems causing fault lights and limited performance issues. Plus costs to resolve if out of warranty...plus costs re maintenance eg timing belts etc.

He was brutally honest about the cost and inconveniences of owning these cars which he said shocked many owners esp if they were not being used for long runs to operate the dpf systems adequately. Seems like LRs many owners simply bail out b 4 major costs arise leaving new owners to cop the bills.

Take an Amarok across Aus or indeed across a dry paddock? No way he said!

Of course we also discussed flaws other brands. ..but that's for another day. Suffice to say his business is hiring more and more mechanics😎

[scarry]

Just had beers with a VW/Porche/Merc/Skoda mechanic. OMG the issues they are having with Amaroks and indeed with other VWs etc ...esp related to dpf and ad blue systems causing fault lights and limited performance issues. Plus costs to resolve if out of warranty...plus costs re maintenance eg timing belts etc.

He was brutally honest about the cost and inconveniences of owning these cars which he said shocked many owners esp if they were not being used for long runs to operate the dpf systems adequately. Seems like LRs many owners simply bail out b 4 major costs arise leaving new owners to cop the bills.

Take an Amarok across Aus or indeed across a dry paddock? No way he said!

Of course we also discussed flaws other brands. ..but that's for another day. Suffice to say his business is hiring more and more mechanics😎

My BIL has 11 company Amaroks at the moment,will never ever buy another.He only bought them cos they were cheap,and everyone said they were fantastic....[bigsad]

Had Toyotas before,no comparison,back to Toyotas is what they have started doing[bighmmm]

[DiscoMick]

To be fair, the DPF problems would be worsened because our government has delayed moving us to the latest fuel standards now common overseas.
New vehicles are tuned to run on the latest fuel quality. If you put dirty fuel in clean engines you get dirty filters. Toyota is not the only company having this problem with its DPFs.
The short term answer is to go for regular long drives.
The better answer would be to move to the cleanest fuel standards.
That would require leadership.

[scarry]

My mate with his (now ex) 100 Series L/cruiser V8 petrol was quoted $1500 to replace timing belt and also water pump which he was told is absolutely essential to replace at the time (120,000 klms) as it is such a pita to do later. He was also quoted 'up to and around' $1000 to check and if necessary set valve tappet clearances as they are done by shims. Very time consuming job. I have done many early Jaguars which use the shims.

As a comparison,to replace the timing belt on our 3.0L diesel Tojo vans is half an hour extra on that particular service,plus the belt price.[bigwhistle]

The Ford designed engines in the D3/4 are ridiculously difficult to do,and there is more than one belt.[bigsad][biggrin]

[INter674]

True the Ford engine is stupid in regards to belts. Reminds me of our old pajero v6 which was also a difficult and expensive job to replace the cam belt. But at least you could get reasonable access albeit having to remove lots of stuff in front of the engine. Doing the cam seals was also challenging and if too brutal could result in broken parts. Most repairers left the cam seals alone. ..just too hard and risky😎

[Tombie]

It’s not a Ford engine [emoji41]

Part of their group, however it’s Pug [emoji6]

[101RRS]

It’s not a Ford engine [emoji41]

Part of their group, however it’s Pug [emoji6]

Yes (PSA) with design input from Ford as part of the joint venture - but the engines are actually built by Ford in the UK.

[StewG]

For what its worth, three years ago I ordered a 2.5 tonne off-road caravan and then looked around for a good vehicle to tow it. The short list ended up with 2013 Disco SDV6 versus a Toyota 200 series. I test drove both and couldn't go past the Disco. The main pluses are better fuel economy, genuine flat floor with seats folded and carries 7 adults - not that I've ever used that feature... Also slightly smaller turning circle and air suspension that can be manually selected. The disco also looks smaller than a block of flats.

Any regrets? Only one - the cost of service by the stealers. I've been trying out the local LR specialist independents and have saved many hundreds of dollars in the process.
The Disco 4 MY13 SDV6 HSE that I bought second-hand has been (and continues to be) magnificent. It tows beautifully on all manner of roads/tracks, is reasonably fuel economic, quiet, comfortable, and my better-half loves the driving seat push-button memory. Also the air-conditioning is super cool; great on 40 degree days.

We've done one big lap (24,000 km) and plan on another this year. The vehicle has done 191,000 km and still feels and looks new. Sorry I can't speak about the other 4x4 brands - no experience there.

Do your research thoroughly, test drive as many vehicles as you can and make the decision with your head.

[Blackrex]

To be fair to your dealer, I have seen one of those hoses get sliced within 500k's of being replaced as the cause wasn't rectified when the original hoses was replaced. The original hose had survived 160,000k+ before it failed just after a service. This one was caused by the engine cover being put back on slightly out of line so that the hose contacted the cover.


I believe that it’s the one that is known to rub on the engine cover. You can be sure that I will be having a conversation with my local dealer - who serviced it 4 weeks ago.

[scarry]

To be fair to your dealer, I have seen one of those hoses get sliced within 500k's of being replaced as the cause wasn't rectified when the original hoses was replaced. The original hose had survived 160,000k+ before it failed just after a service. This one was caused by the engine cover being put back on slightly out of line so that the hose contacted the cover.

Which is something any good mechanic that works on these vehicles should be aware of.

[shamirj]

To answer your question of whether the D4 is the best tourer i need to reflect on my own personal experiences with the full range of Discos from D1 right thru to D4 that i have owned over the years.

Started with the defenders and had one break down near Central Coast something to do with the front diff if i recall correctly and then moved onto the Discos as my preferred 4wd. Defenders very capable, great ground clearance etc but not comfy in comparison to the Disco range.

Had a few D1 all from memory were diesels and never had a break down ever. Great tourer and simple to repair.

Owned few D2's, most Td5s and one V8. Great vehicles but one experience with the V8 left me questioning the LR brand. Upon driving home on a short distance to home, the V8 poked a hole on side of the block and caught on fire. All repaired under warranty but experience wont be forgotten. The D2 looked very different to the D1 but the luggage space was fantastic. Td5 though a good engine was very loud in my opinion.

Moved onto the D3s, big improvement in ride and comfort, reliable vehicles excellent tourer no issues to report there.

Then came the D4s which is on another level with regard to ride, comfort, luxury etc. Its a real joy to drive when all going well. Lost some faith in the D4 when i just had a break down (first ever in a D4) tow home to find the fuel was contaminated so could of happened to anyone driving anything really. Once i get the car back, i still think the D4 is the best tourer compared to any other LR or other makes really.

I have driven a D5 offroad and wow its on another level again. But the price is the big killer for me and others. Repairs are becoming more expensive and they do cost more in repairs but they are the best out there on the market. Not driven other makes have no interest.

So to answer your question i think the D4 and D5 are the best tourers on the market, just comes down to price and affordability. But they are not cheap to run and maintain so budget for some expenses here and there. good luck.