Thread: My First Disco 4 Experience

As much as I hate to mention it, if you're looking for out of warranty vehicles beware that although unlikely, if you do spin a bearing on any of the D3/D4 diesel engines, you're going to need to replace it, which won't be cheap...
With all the talk of (unlikely but possible) engine failure I ruled out the 3.0l as I knew if an engine went I couldn't afford to replace it. Although with the TDV6 2.7 I have plenty of affordable options...

Worth considering with any second hand vehicle in my opinion is worst case scenarios and this is it for the D4... 2 people on this forum spun a bearing in a 3.0l in September alone I believe...

Good luck with your choice!

Originally Posted by Russrobe

As much as I hate to mention it, if you're looking for out of warranty vehicles beware that although unlikely, if you do spin a bearing on any of the D3/D4 diesel engines, you're going to need to replace it, which won't be cheap...
With all the talk of (unlikely but possible) engine failure I ruled out the 3.0l as I knew if an engine went I couldn't afford to replace it. Although with the TDV6 2.7 I have plenty of affordable options...

Worth considering with any second hand vehicle in my opinion is worst case scenarios and this is it for the D4... 2 people on this forum spun a bearing in a 3.0l in September alone I believe...

Good luck with your choice!

Russ,
I deliberately precluded the 2.7 litre as I wanted as much pulling power as possible seeing as I tow a car trailer regularly! What are the different options for the 2.7 litre?? Is this bearing failure a common ailment for the 3.0 litre? I thought the 3.0 litre was a very refined engine with very little 'prevalent' maladies! Please correct me if I'm wrong....

Cheers,
Tricky

Originally Posted by Archangel007

Russ,
I deliberately precluded the 2.7 litre as I wanted as much pulling power as possible seeing as I tow a car trailer regularly! What are the different options for the 2.7 litre?? Is this bearing failure a common ailment for the 3.0 litre? I thought the 3.0 litre was a very refined engine with very little 'prevalent' maladies! Please correct me if I'm wrong....

Cheers,
Tricky

Tricky

Don’t worry too much... forums are renown as a melting pot of “all things bad” when it comes to vehicles...

You’ll see people on here having all sorts of worries and troubles.. and they’re the most common posts.. because when in trouble people seek advice..

What you won’t see in proportion, is the people whose vehicles are just “getting on with the job” without issue or failure...

Those people only occasionally post modification or trip threads!

Buying ANY vehicle is like taking part in a lottery... you can never guarantee the unforeseen, just look for a good solid example with good history (used) or buy new and have the warranty...

My D4 has been a champion.. 2 non critical warranty issues (squeak and seat foam in one bolster). Other than that it gets used, is modified and is serviced regularly.

It does partially come down to how you treat the vehicle, your definition of “nice”, “gentle”, “respectful”, “mechanically sympathetic” in relation to its use. I don’t baby mine, it works hard, but is treated with respect and pampered accordingly - no dodgy fixes, cheap parts or hack mechanic work!

Sage advice there Tombie, thanks mate!!

Found a couple that fit the bill!

Cheers,
Tricky

Originally Posted by Archangel007

Sage advice there Tombie, thanks mate!!

Found a couple that fit the bill!

Cheers,
Tricky

Tricky, engine problems completely aside, mine had more work done to it than a complete engine replacement would cost within the first 3 months.
Luckily because I bought from a decent dealer and not privately it was all done under the statutory 3 month warranty.
They're not cheap to own if things go wrong (NO 4x4 is!!!), and I'm not going to do some rubbish sugar coating that will send people into more debt than they can afford. ALL of this was done before my D4 even left the tarmac, it was never used off-road, it was used as a Mums taxi for 180,000kms prior to me owning it by a Perth city mayors wife.

If you buy ANY 4x4 privately and max out your budget, with no warranty you could end up with a 2.8t paperweight sitting in your garage. Let's rattle off some parts, although I seem to have been thrown into the category of "Those people only occasionally post modification or trip threads!", even though I've posted more about replacing all 4 air struts, diagnosing faults, spare parts lists and have travelled over 5000kms off bitumen within the last 12 months, do my own 6 month interval service (unlike some others who get a dealer to do everything).

Here's how the first 3 months went down on mine.:

Replace leaking transfer case. $1400+

Replace front lower control arms $1200+

Full transmission rebuild $6400

Replace torque converter.

Replace air compressor $1000

$10, 000 total

All done for free under statutory 3 month warranty.

All that aside, it's the best vehicle i've ever owned, and having a 4x4 has taken us places no car would.

Since the above list, replace lower steering column due to seized uni-joint (this week - $200), replace faulty SRS airbag sensor ($160), replace 4 x complete air struts - due to worn shocks causing excessive heel and toe tyre wear @ 190,000km--$2600 (Self install). All typical of a 4x4 with the kms mine has.

Buy from a reputable dealer with full service history from Land Rover or a Land Rover specialist and pick it to bits within the first 3 months.

People will take the **** out of large used car dealers now, which saved me $10k, they are obliged by law stick to the 3 month statutory warranty privately you get nothing.

btw i had the exact same budget as you, If i'd brought privately and had these issues, I'd literally have a paperweight in my garage as There wasn't $10k leftover to repair it! Just speaking from my experience of nearly an identical car, identical budget, within the last 12 months

Good luck.

Russ

Good write up Russ...

That’s a good representation and a good reason to ensure the vehicle has had regular transmission servicing.

I fitted the Steel Pan @ 40k and changed the fluid each 40k since (twice so far).

I’m just shy of 130k now and much of it offroad.

Work/Repairs carried out:
Front lower arm bushes (in my workshop) $400

Front and Rear Discs and Akebono pads (upgrade not repair as the originals had done 25k when pulled and were mint) still on this lot. $750 - done in my workshop.

Timing belts and idlers $1100 done and dusted by the dealer at 100k

Other than that everything else has been standard servicing or modifications..

I pay the dealer to do the servicing as they are cost competitive to me doing it myself.

I have so much on my plate it’s not worth me servicing the vehicle yet - I’ve done that for all vehicles up until the current 2 we have (there’s a D90 in Mrs Tombies driveway and it’s under warranty).

Once I clear my current projects from my workshop the vehicles will likely start my home servicing routine...

Choose wisely, Russ has some good advice - if you can find a dealer supported unit you have some protection...

Best of luck to you.

Yes, I insisted on full service history by Land Rover, and although that didn't pay off for the above parts even after a major service just 3000 kms before I purchased it by Barbagallo Land Rover, there's always a risk that someone has been given a big bill and decided to trade it in instead of replacing the parts. I'd say that's what happened here. In saying that, it was an intermittent problem, the vibration from the trans/torque converter, so easily missed.

I still wouldn't buy one without full reputable dealer servicing, as the 2.7l runs perfectly, all fluids are immaculate, free from any grit, and is a testament to their work at now 220,000 kms.

I've been going back to either Land Rover or Rover Tech for the majors and just doing the oil and filters every 6 months/7500kms so far, racked up 40,000 already!

I know what you mean about not having enough time! Mine's been sitting on jack stand for the past 4 weeks, it took me 2 weeks to do the <2 hour job of cleaning and adjusting the park brake and another week to do this damn uni joint! By the way, the car's not (safely) driveable with this uni joint seized, you'll be spinning the wheel for a turn then feel like you've lost all power steering then 1/4 turn later have it spinning out of your hand from extra pressure, chose to park it up, strip it, and wait for parts before it went into a curb or worse...

Was just having a dig Tombie, forum would be boring without the occasional bickering! Worst way of communicating this text only though, it's caused my wife and I many a arguments while FIFO.

I've had the previously mentioned engine failure issue on my mind too much as we are looking to sell our 3rd car and turn the D4 into a daily + tourer instead of tourer only... Your point of view has helped put my mind at ease greatly.