Thread: Educate me on 2011-12 L322s

Variable dampers are standard on MY11-12, optional on MY10 but that doesn't have the 4.4.

E-diff customer order on 4.4 and 5.0 na and standard on 5.0 SC, with the 4.4 diff ratio higher (numerically lower) then the 5.0 na/SC. E-diff very rare on 4.4.

The 5.0 has 3.0 D4 front brakes but the 4.4 and SC have 6-pot Brembos.

The 4.4 eventually requires an updated secondary turbo drain for which LR allows 8.5 hours if done under warranty, plus the part. It requires the front suspension, sub-frame and diff to be removed to allow a hole to be drilled then a thread tapped high up into the side of the sump - an expensive job is not already done and one I would not do myself. The updated drain has 2 pipes from the base of the turbo on the left side of the engine.

The original 2 wires to the top of each front shock break causing a fault. A short repair loom is available and the wires can be twisted together for an emergency fix.

An oil leak occurs from a pipe at the back top of the motor (turbo oil supply) that drops oil on the cross-over pipe making quite a mess and lots of smoke if not fixed early. Access is quite good to replace the O-rings but LR only supply a whole replacement pipe. Mine hasn't leaked yet but when it does I will be sourcing Viton seals once the size is determined.

Models available in Oz were Vogue, Vogue Luxury and Autobiography. Autobiography has a few options on top of the Luxury, eg 2-tone leather in various combinations, rear privacy glass might be standard cf Luxury, but apart from various AB name plates I don't think they're much different to the Luxury. Mine has lane approach warning but that may be standard for the whole range.

Luxury has heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats whereas Vogue only has heated front seats.

No Oz spec has adaptive cruise control fitted.

Below is the MY11 sales brochure.
11MY_Vogue_ebrochure.pdf

Thanks Graeme, Exactly the sort of information I was after. Good news that the variable dampers are on all versions, this is something I would like.

I had seen some advertised as Luxury but didn't know what it meant.

How do you find it compared to the D4? (ride comfort, noise levels, available space)

I had heard some very good economy figures from reviews, what sort of economy are you getting day to day (more interested in range than money savings).

I bought it for the expected improved ride along with the opportunity to start again with an almost new vehicle although I was apprehensive about going to 20" rims. Any harshness with the LT275/55 BFGs fitted is no worse than the 265/65/17 P-rated Contis that I last had on the D4, but generally the suspension absorbs almost all bumps and bad surfaces. On unfamiliar country back-roads I still anticipate feeling the roughness of approaching bad patches but the vehicle just glides over them, to the extent that sometimes I don't properly account for the speed that I'm travelling at when approaching a bend. Its a strange feeling for a vehicle to not thump on or bounce after a bump, although Llams +30 is still very useful on more severe bumps to prevent bottoming-out.

I still consider it an option to fit the 5.0 front brakes so that Compomotives can be fitted but hope that conversion isn't warranted. The BFGs don't touch even when on the bump-stops (access height + Llams extra low) providing the steering is kept fairly straight ahead. The extra 1" entry/exit height is not appreciated so access height and access-20mm gets used quite often as these vehicles sit considerably higher off the ground than the D4.

IMO this vehicles is more of a driver's vehicle than the D4, with the way it turns into and steers around corners, even when sitting higher on the larger tyres. Perhaps its the BMW heritage. I liked the way my D4's suspension rolled between the wheels (mine had D3 stabiliser bars) when cornering but this vehicle feels more at ease, perhaps helped by the CVDs.

I had a temporary rear tyre howl because the large spare didn't sit on the bottom of the well which is undampened, fixed with some stick-on material. My rear floor is raised on sponge blocks.

I thought that I had a right front tyre reverberation caused by the design of the body shell with its light-weight hollow sections but now believe its a failed wheel bearing as it is getting worse all the time. The wheel bearing is being changed next Tuesday so I'll then know for sure. As the drive-shafts had to be removed to fit the updated turbo drain and that the bearings disassemble in the process, I suspect that the bearing was damaged at the time, either by lack of cleanliness or the axle nut was over tightened. Anyway, I look forward to a quiet cabin again.

The vehicle does not have the pockets of the D4 - I still have items without a home. The rear seats do not fold flat nor leave a flat surface when they are folded hence I have a board base for my fridge when it needs to vacate the cargo area. I made a cargo/dog barrier that sits vertical for more space and my fridge just fits between the barrier and the folded seats.

Dust at the rear is a problem. The D3/D4 design draws air in from the sides to prevent a low pressure area but there's so much rising dust that it streams down the rear window unless travelling quite quickly. Dust accumulates above the top of the opening eventually overflowing the seal so that it falls inside whenever the top tailgate is opened unless regularly flushed out. I'm hoping to spot a Pathfinder with an acrylic deflector fitted as that one from pictures looks the most likely to be able to be fitted.

I get frustrated at the programmed delayed response to switches, eg fan speed control, instrument cluster displays via the blinker button and the settings menu after the D4's immediate response, but that's just an annoyance.

My general use sees just over 800 Km from a tank. My local terrain is undulating and my travel speed is 100 kph.