Thread: the reliability curve.

People keep on saying the diesels are more expensive to service than the petrols. With one caveat I would dispute that. In normal day to day use and servicing I doubt there is much difference - similar lubricants etc.

The caveat is due to the diesels having rubber bands which need replacement every 160,000km or 7 years - can be relatively cheap or expensive depending on who does it. Given the large interval between changes this may or may not be an issue for an owner.

When you take the substantially better fuel consumption of the diesels over the petrols the savings probably more than pays for belt changes.

So I would say it is a draw and the through life expenses for both type of engines probably balances out.

So buy the engine that suits you best.

Ill throw my 2c in.

i recently purchased a 2008 D3 TDV6 with 180,000 on the clock, drives brilliantly (only an s model so coil springs) engine pulls well, cant feel the trailer on the back, has a good service history behind it, only thing missing is the timing belts have not been done, though reading about oil pump failures when timing belts are done, im glad it hasnt been so i can do it properly myself knowing its been doen right.

ive had some fault code issues that seem to have now dissapeard that the car is getting regularly used and battery voltage maintained, I attribute the issues i was having to the battery voltage staying too low due to sitting in the car yard for so long un driven.

I average about 10.5-11l/100km driving around town on stock size tires with winch and bullbar. I do occasionally give it a good boot in the guts to get it moving also, so they may be able to return better economy than my town driving with a lead foot

Leroy.

Mmm Beer Holders ... haha ... they've never met a beverage they couldn't contain ! My kids call them champagne holders ... I just put latte in them mostly.

Your raped ape comment cracks me up every time Rich ! I would say they are surprisingly quick for a 3T vehicle and when coupled with good Disco handling they can give normal cars a surprise on twisty roads. Also, there is nothing quite like the sound of a sweet V8 when it get's working hard out in the bush ...

The plastic cooling system parts are woeful on all models it seems. Mine has sprung another seepage from the stupid t-peice bleeder on top of the motor (brand new part fails to seal after 12mths) so I've got a new one to put in and am going to get someone to make me up one that actually works properly at some point.

So I would say it is a draw and the through life expenses for both type of engines probably balances out.

I think I agree with Garys comment above - the reality is that the vast bulk of Discos are diesel and therefore we hear most about their issues which are often related to some of the things that Rich has mentioned. I have no idea how long the V8 will last, there are some UK/US ones on the high side of 300km, but as they are rarer here I don't know how they go with really big mileage.

As a general comment, you'd find most V8's are a higher spec (SE or HSE) and that they've generally been used as commuter / road vehicles and often have significantly less km's for the money. I personally don't think that road / commuting use does them any less harm than using them in harsher conditions as LR intended. To be honest, my fuel economy is really quite good for such a big heavy vehicle - my long term average is aprox 13.5L/100km, can be as low as 10 on the open road and as bad as 18/20 if driven harshly and used for a lot of short trips (which I avoid - thats what my other cars are for). Gets way better economy than my 6.0L Holden, that's for sure.

I regard my vehicle as very reliable, albeit very high maintenance. That said, mine is almost 10 years old, has only been on a tow truck once (wheel bearing) in it's life and most years the annual running costs (maintenance/servicing) would be in the order of $2K. There were one or two years where it was $5K+ (suspension quest, compressor, exhaust system) but I think that is to be expected with such a complex and heavy vehicle with such a wide span of capabilities. And as I said in my post above, (in my opinion and my wife agrees) mine compares very well with brand new modern vehicles of many different types - it is tight as a drum, doesn't rattle, is quiet, smooth, very comfortable, reasonably powerful, easy to drive, easy to park and easy to live with. Also mine sounds better than any new car I drove, bar none, and the AJ-V8 is a much nicer motor than your average Holden/Ford V8 (technology vs displacement) - all imo of course. I reckon you'd be able to say all of this, more or less, about any good D3 irrespective of the power plant.

Originally Posted by Epic pooh

I have no idea how long the V8 will last, there are some UK/US ones on the high side of 300km, but as they are rarer here I don't know how they go with really big mileage.

I also frequent the US Range Rover Sport sites - in the US there are no diesels and certainly with the RRS only have the V8.

They certainly have issues - not a lot but they are not totally fault free - probably on par with the diesels here.

The reality is that no motor is fault free and no manufacturer is perfect !

As I said in a post above, they're all good motors depending on your personal preference and how you use them. I am personally a whore for V8 motors and I think mostly in terms of range not economy because I do pretty low KM's per annum in my own vehicles (and I have a little town car with a tiny little motor for, er, eco-creds ... haha). Also compared to my earlier Rover motor LR's (3.5 and 4.0) and some of the Chevs I've had over the years, the AJ-V8 is like a Prius !

Originally Posted by garrycol

I also frequent the US Range Rover Sport sites - in the US there are no diesels and certainly with the RRS only have the V8.

They certainly have issues - not a lot but they are not totally fault free - probably on par with the diesels here.

I would guess that the majority would be thebig HP version of the 300HP Aussie version. It is often the case when you stick a great big supercharger onto a motor, add high/er compression and take into consideration the effects these have on general engine wear - you are bound to see related problems surface. That may well never be the issue without these excessive forces.


We all recognise the USA of A do things bigger and better than (us) mere mortals - and they are more likely to stick the boot in more often than we dare in the nanny state


However, with these issues removed - I wonder how the V8 really fairs - I will search to see if there are in fact any 'known' issues that would benefit from a few dollars worth of preventative maintenance at the next service.?


Steve

this is such a quality community. you blokes offer time and wisdom that is pure gold for the likes of me with no idea. thank you all so much.

as for useage, i walk to work. the main drag is one click down the road. kids to school, footy training etc is a 2 min drive.
weekends- to footy about 100km each way. but,

then we go on hols a few times a year. 700 km each way. loaded to the hilt, canoe and crap on the roof. no tow. to the big smoke once a month 500km.

want to explore the snowys with confidence. want the confidence to get anywhere i want. (obviously taking into account driving skill and conditions etc)

im not a mechanic. if i venture in there i always drop a screw down in the engine bay and it takes me 20 mins to find the thing. never have the right tool. hopeless.

the v6 is relatively cheap. if its not a complete dog, and it appears not to be, it mounts a strong case. but the sound and grunt of a v8...

the missus is pushing for a pajero. reckons we cant afford to keep d3 on the road. at 2k/yr servicing and maintenance im thinking shes not far off the mark. the japs do the r factor. reliable. the poms do the x factor. what the x stands for id leave up to you.

Remember that a lot of the depreciation has fallen from the D3 so you are buying at the right time ..
Pajeros are all of a sudden worth less than a set of tyres.
A mate just bought a Pajero only a few years old for very little .. but I would add that he will get very much more of little when he sells it.
Also have a look on the Pajero forum and you will see many more pitfalls than we have here.
They are a nice package too but they do have known issues like all second hand 4WD's.
Its my belief that Discos are well engineered - over and above anything else on the market.
2 bobs worth
Steve.