Thread: Disco 4 best for touring Aust?

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by INter674

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.

Originally Posted by rar110

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.

Originally Posted by Dagilmo

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.......

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.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

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 !

Originally Posted by Graeme

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