Thread: Shortage of Disco Parts

And what other spares when driving a reasonable distance from home? Should it be normal to carry a whole host of spares sufficient to support a trip across the top end every time you drive out of your garage?

Originally Posted by Zeros

Should have been carrying a spare radiator hose himself. ...Sounds like he was looking for an excuse to swap the disco for a prado.

I bought two last week after reading the post about them being cut by the cover. I had to order them and wait until next day.

I had a radiator hose replaced by my indie they said they had it in stock, during replacement they found that the connection to the radiator was rusted. A day later I had a new hose and radiator. Later on I had a standard service and pretrip inspection, found rear propshaft needed replacing. Ordered and installed same day.

Thanks to those who have shared their experience. It is looking more likely that it was a local issue...

I recently posted a thread about my top radiator hose being sliced by the top engine cover. When my indie enquired about a replacement hose they were told there was not one in Australia nor in the UK. I then contacted a dealer about claiming it on warranty, to which they agreed, and they were able to book me in within two days and completed the repair with a new hose!
there was no suggestion from them that the hose was unavailable.

I reckon your friend made his “interesting” decision based on any number of other issues as well and this was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back. (My personal opinion is that he took a giant step backwards...)

Cheers
David

In have been an LR owner since 1995 and have owned 4 Disco's two of which are still in the family (D3 & D4) and have had them all serviced at either the LR Dealer / Independent Service Agent / Land Rover Service agent. I have never experienced a parts shortage. That is not to say the every part needed was on the shelf. But the parts were in the country and available within a couple of days maximum. Not bad given that I don't live in a city i.e. I live rural.

When I read the original post I checked with my LR service agent and they had the in question hose in stock?

If someone has experienced the situation as outlined then I reckon there is a fair bit of licence being used by the person explaining the lack of parts.
Understand this though, when I used the word 'licence' it is not the word that I would have preferred to use!

Well. licence gets through the online Censor, Bull**** doesn't.

Try buying parts for certain makes that are more than 5-7 years old. "Obsolete, no longer available" is a common response. Many manufacturers run a ruthless obsolescence programme no longer supporting "old" models. Their business is making and selling new vehicles.

I once worked for a mining and construction equipment company that was taken over by a major diversified corporation. The new owners put the operation under the magnifying glass and made changes.

Spare parts to be stocked only for the current models on sale and the previous model. Two models old and parts no longer to be ordered when stock ran out. Older models than this not to be supported and declared "obsolete". Only newer used equipment in good condition to be kept in the used yard. Old clunkers to be cut up and sent to scrap dealers. Old machines were not to be wrecked for parts as this only kept another old clunker going. We were reminded that the company's goal was sales of new machines. Spare parts were told to write off and dump all the old parts. They had been supporting machines up to thirty and more years old which were common in the pastoral industry. Customers were not happy but got over it or went after-market for parts.