Out of curiosity, I added up 3 years of D4 maintenance...

[GregMilner]

Idleness can be a dangerous thing.
Out of mere curiosity, I retrieved the service records for my D4 since buying it as a low-km demo three years ago.
So here's the servicing breakdown:
June 1 2017 - 12,274km
August 18 2017 - 23,458km
March 1 2018 - 33,866km
Sept 10 2018- 42,313km
May 8 2019 - 53,301km
July 30 2019. - 63,335km
Feb 4 2020- 73,918km


TOTAL $7,126 - services only

Apart from that, nothing major until recently.
Eg front lower control arms in May (about $1200), this week's rat-damaged wiring repairs and new battery ($882) and today, replacement of collapsed park brake shoes (another $530), plus some other stuff like rotors and pads, forgotten what they cost.

Not including insurance, licensing and fuel, I'm reckoning a bit over $3K a year to maintain a complex, heavy vehicle is pretty good going.

(I'm also pondering ponying up another $2,500 for a five year extended warranty with Endurance, just for peace of mind.)

[Tombie]

Don’t bother with the warranty - it won’t cover what you want it for!


Mine has cost...

5 services circa $150 each (post 100k) - all services prior were free (corporate servicing deal)
1 coolant change $150
4 rotors $560
F&R pads $280
2 lower arm bushes - $160pr
1 alternator - $500
1 water outlet $200 (billet)
2 sets of rubber ~$2000

That’s it over 150k and 9 years.

[GregMilner]

Don’t bother with the warranty - it won’t cover what you want it for!


Mine has cost...

5 services circa $150 each (post 100k) - all services prior were free (corporate servicing deal)
1 coolant change $150
4 rotors $560
F&R pads $280
2 lower arm bushes - $160pr
1 alternator - $500
1 water outlet $200 (billet)
2 sets of rubber ~$2000

That’s it over 150k and 9 years.

Yeah thanks Tombie, I guess if I did the servicing myself it would be a lot cheaper. I guess by considering the warranty I'm concerned mainly about future gearbox/injector issues if they ever arise, but I'm not yet convinced the warranty is worth the expense.

[Tombie]

Just check if it has a Cap per claim / item.
Often the limit is about what you’ll pay for the cover.
You need to cover the rest.

Keep servicing the transmission regularly and it shouldn’t be a worry. If it’s still bothering you, contact Bruce Davis and grab his Cooler kit. It can’t hurt.

[GregMilner]

Just check if it has a Cap per claim / item.
Often the limit is about what you’ll pay for the cover.
You need to cover the rest.

Keep servicing the transmission regularly and it shouldn’t be a worry. If it’s still bothering you, contact Bruce Davis and grab his Cooler kit. It can’t hurt.

Engine, Gearbox, Diff and Turbo are all $7,000 per claim, per item. Everything else is $2,500 per claim. Premium is about $2,600 for 60 months, or $2,300 for 36 months.

[scarry]

As a comparison,i added up all the services for one of the work vans,the other day,including tyres,and batteries,we have just taken off the road,it will be our spare van for a couple of years.

Over 10yrs,300 000K's.

Total was just less than $13K.Every service done at the dealer.Not one repair.

i was going to look at the D4 costs,as its all logged,like all our vehicles,but thought i didn't want a shock[bigsad][biggrin]

Tombie,no auto service or timing belts,no batteries?

[AlexRS4]

8 months:
Tyres $1400
Fluid replacement on purchase $1100 including metal pan
Turbo oil feed replacement $900
Service including belts, replacement tail shaft and fixing of a bunch of off road related under body damage from the previous owner $4800
Left Hand Side doors and right hand tail light replacement from Previous Owners off road damage $2100
Left hand mirror because I bashed it not watching when reverse parking $600

All up $10,900 so just over $1k/month. Of that though it was all standard known maintenance or known issues when I bought it except the $900 turbo oil seal.

[Tombie]

As a comparison,i added up all the services for one of the work vans,the other day,including tyres,and batteries,we have just taken off the road,it will be our spare van for a couple of years.

Over 10yrs,300 000K's.

Total was just less than $13K.Every service done at the dealer.Not one repair.

i was going to look at the D4 costs,as its all logged,like all our vehicles,but thought i didn't want a shock[bigsad][biggrin]

Tombie,no auto service or timing belts,no batteries?

Auto and belts done inside the 100k
Auto service cost me nothing, belts - yeah sorry forgot, it’s been a long day $700.00
Batteries I didn’t include any Aux stuff.

It’s still the cheapest vehicle I’ve owned by a very long margin

[DiscoJeffster]

And mine had over $20,000 spent on it before my time (dealer servicing and various out of warranty issues), and has had probably $15,000 spent since in my time. It’s just about to crack 280,000km but still. The 3L is a trouble compared to the 2.7L.

[INter674]

As a comparison,i added up all the services for one of the work vans,the other day,including tyres,and batteries,we have just taken off the road,it will be our spare van for a couple of years.

Over 10yrs,300 000K's.

Total was just less than $13K.Every service done at the dealer.Not one repair.

i was going to look at the D4 costs,as its all logged,like all our vehicles,but thought i didn't want a shock[bigsad][biggrin]

Tombie,no auto service or timing belts,no batteries?

Not really comparing apples tho is it...a work van v a highly complex n capable vehicle...and prolly been in constant production for decades and prolly not a Merc nor a VW van cause my son manages a grocery business with 'Euro' vans that have been nightmares. Eg cvt and engine failures costing thousands to fix plus opportunity costs. One owes them @30k he told me last night.

Yes..the owners prolly should have bought Toyota or Hyundai vans but I guess they had their resons...could be cost....availability...dealership issues or servicing costs....

[shanegtr]

I dont have the exact figures (apart from my cost per km - 0.44c/km - total maint + fuel etc..) because Im away at work, but on average my old D3 with nearly 340,000km on the odo costs me around $1500 a year for the basic servicing and around $7000 per year for repairs. Its the most expensive vehicle I've owned to keep on the road (apart from fuel, but it doesn't help tip the overall cost balance). And I do all my own work so very little in the way of external labour to pay for either

[DiscoDB]

The most expensive part of servicing and repairing any modern car is labour. At a minimum it doubles the cost, sometimes can be 3-4 times higher than just the parts alone. If you can take over doing servicing and most repairs, and enjoy this, then you can save a lot.

Tombie’s costs are a great example of this.

[Tombie]

Saves enough money to enable the shed to have a nice 2 post hoist [emoji41]

I did it back in 2002 when I purchased all the diagnostic and tuning gear. That cost was offset because we were maintaining 3 vehicles at home.

[Grumbles]

I guess by considering the warranty I'm concerned mainly about future gearbox/injector issues if they ever arise, but I'm not yet convinced the warranty is worth the expense.

Be careful. I bought one of these after market warranties from a reputbale source with the same thought in mind. Read it properly when I got home. Anything to do with the fuel system was not covered.[bigsad]

[scarry]

Not really comparing apples tho is it...a work van v a highly complex n capable vehicle...and prolly been in constant production for decades and prolly not a Merc nor a VW van cause my son manages a grocery business with 'Euro' vans that have been nightmares. Eg cvt and engine failures costing thousands to fix plus opportunity costs. One owes them @30k he told me last night.

Yes..the owners prolly should have bought Toyota or Hyundai vans but I guess they had their resons...could be cost....availability...dealership issues or servicing costs....

Yes correct,its an oranges and apples comparison,but a comparison never the less.

The Deefer has had huge issues,and its not that complex, as a comparison,just the result of extremely poor engineering,quality control,factory paintwork,etc,etc.

i have had a fleet of jap vans for 30yrs,as i have said before many,almost all, have done 300 000Km with not a single repair,before being sold.Before that we had Falcon panel vans,they were hit and miss with reliability....
I hear very good reports from other tradies about the I Load,but extremely poor reports about European vans,as you have said.

[INter674]

Yes correct,its an oranges and apples comparison,but a comparison never the less.

The Deefer has had huge issues,and its not that complex, as a comparison,just the result of extremely poor engineering,quality control,factory paintwork,etc,etc.

i have had a fleet of jap vans for 30yrs,as i have said before many,almost all, have done 300 000Km with not a single repair,before being sold.Before that we had Falcon panel vans,they were hit and miss with reliability....
I hear very good reports from other tradies about the I Load,but extremely poor reports about European vans,as you have said.

Bet you wish you'd kept the chook tin vans.. sought after now..which like dunnydores value stuns me given they IMHO were cheap rubbish in the day! Son has a beaten up VL Calais which attracts offers to buy it regularily..daughter has one too..immaculate and has been offered 30k for it. I get to fix them just like the ones I had but did not keep😞

[Barraman]

My 2015 D4 (170,000 km from new) is certainly the most expensive vehicle to maintain that I have owned - but is also the most capable and comfortable cruising vehicle I have owned. I came to the Discovery after a long love affair with SS Commodores! I was doing about 30,000 km/yr before Rona arrived - about half of that towing a 2.5T boat.

I have all the invoices but can't be bothered adding them up. At a rough guess I would say about $4k/yr for servicing and repairs. I took out the extended warrantee (+3 yrs) when I bought it - and think I have gotten my money's worth.

Will I buy another one? Dunno - not anything that is currently available. I would have bought another new D4 in 2018, if I could!

[scarry]

I would have bought another new D4 in 2018, if I could!

We would have as well,as would have many.

There is nothing in the LR line up that suits us,so unfortunately,it will be off to the other side.

[DiscoJeffster]

We would have as well,as would have many.

There is nothing in the LR line up that suits us,so unfortunately,it will be off to the other side.

I’ll go the new Defender second hand some years down the track. No way I’ll ever switch now, but new prices are beyond my means

[INter674]

I don't keep receipts and do my own work and have had the 2014/15 D4 SC less than a year. Previous owner spent 1k every 2 years on service and for repairs etc he bought a new battery @400 bucks...new tyres...dunno cost. ...and had the water pump and rear pinion seal replaced for 1200 bucks. I got the auto and tc serviced for 1300 (ouch) and since replaced the SC coupler 100 bucks and replumbed the water pump..which was incorrectly installed..110 bucks for the LR part plus gaskets. A pad failed so I replaced all rotors and pads..@ 600 from memory. Oh and one service...@120 bucks.

That's it so far. LCAs are said to need doing but frankly I think they are ok. No belts to do either😚

So a bit spent so far but...it cost 38k and is insured for 52...RACT value..now dropped to 48 on the renewal quote...still way more than I paid....so that's a factor to consider.

I've also added spotties...250...not really needed..and mud flaps 110...but that's it...I don't need anything else such as GVM upgrades etc.

Our other cars have always cost a lot eg Pajero and D2a both needed new auto..new engine at 150 and 250k mark and many improvements have been needed to improve suspension..shocks..brakes ..audio..lights..etc etc which the D4 does not need. Had VLs too and learnt to rebuild the autos myself cause the o drive failed so often..then there's the crap Commodore electrics and stupid radiator arrangement.

I'm happy with the D4 and so is the wife-type 😚

[AlexRS4]

Be careful. I bought one of these after market warranties from a reputbale source with the same thought in mind. Read it properly when I got home. Anything to do with the fuel system was not covered.[bigsad]

Same. Anything caused by or associated with an oil leak not covered. Useless.

[ATH]

Oh dear! I shelled out 3K for an extended warranty as recommended by the stealer. :( I do hope it's going to be worth it although I'd rather the D4 didn't break just to test that. :)
AlanH.

[Bulletman]

Bought the D3 jan 2011, do all my own servicing. prolly 2 a yr and $150 per service. Car currently has 165k on it.

Parts that have actually failed
- rear door latch , fixed with no cost only my time - known issue
- Rear drivers wheel bearing $550 .
- Header tank and cap - approx $150.
- Front wheel bearing - $300.
- Front LCA arm bushes - from memory $480- got both front arms on special from LRA.
- Drivers side door latch - less than $100 from ebay
- set of brake pads - bought from a forum member , think about $100
- water outlet - $100
- battery and set of tyres , altho this is standard with any car so prolly shouldnt be included.
- Front drivers side air spring - replaced with used spare i purchased from another forum member - $70

Parts replaced as preventive maintenance..
- Front and rear discs
- timing belt and Oil pump - could prolly put the belt in the above but it didnt fail but was due @ 7yrs
- High pressure fuel pump - was starting to get the random fault , but the car was still drivable
- passenger side rear wheel bearing - drivers side failed , so decided to change the passenger as precaution
- passenger side front wheel bearing - replaced because the other side failed.
- metal pan conversion and new gearbox oil - twice - never put in above as it is supposed to be sealed for life altho thats not the case
- Roof lining as it was just starting to sag in a couple of spots.

purchased because of intended use,
- Traxide dual battery system
- rear wheel carrier
- bull bar
- roof rack

Spent many hours tracing faults , installing traxide , changing gearbox , diff and transfer case oils . Certainly not the most expensive car to maintain i have owned , but spent several thousand on trying to iron out known faults .

Bulletman

[DieselLSE]

Bought the D3 jan 2011, do all my own servicing. prolly 2 a yr and $150 per service. Car currently has 165k on it.

Parts that have actually failed
- rear door latch , fixed with no cost only my time - known issue
- Rear drivers wheel bearing $550 .
- Header tank and cap - approx $150.
- Front wheel bearing - $300.
- Front LCA arm bushes - from memory $480- got both front arms on special from LRA.
- Drivers side door latch - less than $100 from ebay
- set of brake pads - bought from a forum member , think about $100
- water outlet - $100
- battery and set of tyres , altho this is standard with any car so prolly shouldnt be included.
- Front drivers side air spring - replaced with used spare i purchased from another forum member - $70

Parts replaced as preventive maintenance..
- Front and rear discs
- timing belt and Oil pump - could prolly put the belt in the above but it didnt fail but was due @ 7yrs
- High pressure fuel pump - was starting to get the random fault , but the car was still drivable
- passenger side rear wheel bearing - drivers side failed , so decided to change the passenger as precaution
- passenger side front wheel bearing - replaced because the other side failed.
- metal pan conversion and new gearbox oil - twice - never put in above as it is supposed to be sealed for life altho thats not the case
- Roof lining as it was just starting to sag in a couple of spots.

purchased because of intended use,
- Traxide dual battery system
- rear wheel carrier
- bull bar
- roof rack

Spent many hours tracing faults , installing traxide , changing gearbox , diff and transfer case oils . Certainly not the most expensive car to maintain i have owned , but spent several thousand on trying to iron out known faults .

Bulletman
If you take out the service items (and I've bolded what I consider to be service items) then the only concerning failures would be the wheel bearings and perhaps an air spring. I would have thought the bearings would have lasted longer than that. I like your preventative maintenance. I've only ever had to replace bearings as a preventative maintenance issue, never in anger. But I'll keep a close eye on the D4 now.

[Bulletman]

If you take out the service items (and I've bolded what I consider to be service items) then the only concerning failures would be the wheel bearings and perhaps an air spring. I would have thought the bearings would have lasted longer than that. I like your preventative maintenance. I've only ever had to replace bearings as a preventative maintenance issue, never in anger. But I'll keep a close eye on the D4 now.

The front wheel bearing wasnt so bad , gave plenty of warning and was a reletively easy replacement in the driveway, the rear however has the potential to be a show stopper and didnt give much warning, i was in Tassie at the time and managed to limp it to Kingston to get JC to do the job. The noise that came from it was horrible and i dont think i would have lasted much further . From what i could find the drivers side fails more commonly than the passenger side , but for me it just made sense to replace the other side at the same time even tho they were still ok. I would do the same on any model /make vehicle i own.

I forgot to add that i purchased silicon hoses as well ,but the standard ones were still ok , plus i replaced the alternator recently because i had a new one and the original seems to be failing around the age of my vehicle and kms. In the industry I work in things like alternators, starters , water pumps belts , are just items you have as spare regardless , so i have just done that with all my cars not just the D3. Sure its expense , but for me its just part of my budgeting , so my work ute has the same expenses even tho it hasnt needed them replaced either..

Bulletman

[shanegtr]

The front wheel bearing wasnt so bad , gave plenty of warning and was a reletively easy replacement in the driveway, the rear however has the potential to be a show stopper and didnt give much warning, i was in Tassie at the time and managed to limp it to Kingston to get JC to do the job. The noise that came from it was horrible and i dont think i would have lasted much further . From what i could find the drivers side fails more commonly than the passenger side , but for me it just made sense to replace the other side at the same time even tho they were still ok. I would do the same on any model /make vehicle i own.


I had similar with my D3 - around 155,000km when I brought it and the front bearings where stuffed. Rear drivers side failed around 180,000km from memory and the right rear around 210,000km. Both the rears failed quickly and occurred right as I was due to Perth and head home to Tom Price at the time - which is why I only got the failed bearing repaired due to time restraints

[PerthDisco]

228688km and all bearings original still and now in Carnarvon 900km into trip. But I haven’t towed RC’d or run it at max load very much.

Thinking I should change them all soon.

[Bulletman]

228688km and all bearings original still and now in Carnarvon 900km into trip. But I haven’t towed RC’d or run it at max load very much.

Thinking I should change them all soon.

I put mine down to several big wet seasons in a row up here in the top end. The car hasnt done a lot of towing but it is a daily driver and seen many a deep puddle over its 9 yrs in Darwin.

Bulletman

[RANDLOVER]

Bought the D3 jan 2011, do all my own servicing. prolly 2 a yr and $150 per service. Car currently has 165k on it.

Parts that have actually failed
- rear door latch , fixed with no cost only my time - known issue
- Rear drivers wheel bearing $550 .
- Header tank and cap - approx $150.
- Front wheel bearing - $300.
- Front LCA arm bushes - from memory $480- got both front arms on special from LRA.
- Drivers side door latch - less than $100 from ebay……………………………………….

That door latch is a bargain as the genuine LR one cost $370 IIRC, and here's a tip, try the door/s after you lock them as I only found out mine was intermittently unlocked after trying it by mistake, the alarm should sound if it does open.

[DiscoJeffster]

That door latch is a bargain as the genuine LR one cost $370 IIRC, and here's a tip, try the door/s after you lock them as I only found out mine was intermittently unlocked after trying it by mistake, the alarm should sound if it does open.

I used an OEM door latch and the feel is awful and after two years it’s failing again. I’ll go genuine for the next one.

[RANDLOVER]

I used an OEM door latch and the feel is awful and after two years it’s failing again. I’ll go genuine for the next one.

Correcting my previous post, the genuine lock actuator cost $390 from my mechanic.

[DiscoJeffster]

Correcting my previous post, the genuine lock actuator cost $390 from my mechanic.

Yes got quoted from the dealer in Perth at $390.

I instead therefore ordered a genuine one from AdvancedFactors for half the price. I’m good to support local when it’s reasonable, but not double the price.

[LGM]

As I have used and continue to use my D4 for both work and private stuff. I run a log book for the entire year and have done so every year since I bought the D4 new in 2011. Just for those who are wondering, I have always serviced my vehicle as per the LR heavy duty schedule at 13,000km intervals. I also pretty much do as my service provider advises and I have added the extras like steel trans pan, exchangeable filter for the trans plus other bits and bobs. So the dollars can and do add up pretty quickly at times.
The vehicle is still a great drive and in pretty good nick to boot!
The D4 was fully depreciated a few years back and after much discussion with my accountant (some time ago) I decided to run the vehicle until it falls apart. Basically at my time in life I do not want the capital expense of funding another new vehicle, hence my disco is now pushing up towards the 300,000km mark.
This financial year I have traveled 24,849km and all costs including fuel, oil, servicing, parts, labor, tyres, rego and insurance along with RAC membership etc. works out to $14,365.40 or $0.58 cents (rounded) per km of travel.
Hope that focuses your thoughts somewhat........

[BradC]

This financial year I have traveled 24,849km and all costs including fuel, oil, servicing, parts, labor, tyres, rego and insurance along with RAC membership etc. works out to $14,365.40 or $0.58 cents (rounded) per km of travel.

Out of interest, have you done a calculation from day 0, including purchase, stamp duty and any rego?

I started doing that a few years ago on all my cars and found it quite interesting. I've never bought new however.

[LGM]

Out of interest, have you done a calculation from day 0, including purchase, stamp duty and any rego?

I started doing that a few years ago on all my cars and found it quite interesting. I've never bought new however.

BradC, I do have all the information to hand, at least I think so, sitting in my tax files. Not sure I want to go through the exercise of putting it all together but you get the drift from an overall cost perspective. Thus far it would have to be around the $125k mark I guess. About $20k more than the vehicle cost to buy new over the 9 years of ownership since 2011. From memory, last years figures ran to around $0.56 cents per km.