Thread: Rover reliability

I rate my fender with 400k and Disco with 200 very high.No major drama's just servicing and worn out part replacement from high k's. Pat

I find it hard to compare the reliability between my current Disco II which was bought brand new, and my previous Navara that was bought 2nd hand, as I do not know how well the previous owner treated it. But I would have to rate my Disco more reliable than the Navara up to this point. The Navara did have a few more K's than my Disco does at the moment.

I find mine reliable after 210000k/m, the only problems I have had with my car are either off-road self induced or my mechanic has stuffed up.

although just recently i am having troubles with electrics; windows, speakers and some doors locks not working, but i see this as just wear and tear as oppose reliability. All to be fixed next service.

In comparison to my friend's hilux which has had 3 gearboxes go, 3 rear diffs replaced, its on its 2nd engine and lots of other problems - although its probably done about 700 - 1 million k/ms.

Bit hard since in forty-five years of four wheel drive ownership I have only had Landrovers. My current 110 in fifteen years has never actually stranded me anywhere (it has my son - he didn't know how to bleed it after running a tank dry) in 400,000km. In sixteen years the 2a has stranded me once with a failed generator, and once with a broken diff (not actually stranded - it was only fifty metres from the house and I drove home using front wheel drive). These do not include the odd occasion when I have had to walk home and get the tractor to pull it out of a boghole.

Only actual breakdowns I have had with previous four wheel drives were a fuel pump failure and a broken gear lever on the Series 1 in 1963, and a broken steering relay arm on the Series 2 in 1964, and a broken clutch plate on the 2a in 1966.

John

I think the overall reliability of my landies has been good. Breakdowns have included a broken gearshift lever on a '73 series 3. After thirty years of abuse I didn't consider this to be a reliability issue. Never been stranded by the series 3 although have had to "play" with the ignition to maintain forward momentum on occaision (pre Lumenition contactless ignition).
Have been stopped in the Xtreme due to a fuel pump problem, turned out to be a broken fitting letting in air. Probably caused by the mechanic when the long range tank was fitted?. Other issues with the Xtreme have been introduced during dealer services such as incorrectly adjusted abs sensors and loose bolts. I plan to spend atleast one day under the vehicle if its been anywhere near a stealer! All other probs have been due to off road incidents, like a drowned ecm. Would be good if Land Rover (Lucas) could make the buggers waterproof.

Got my first Rangie (81 2dr) in 94 with 150k on the clock and replaced clutch and head gaskets at about 180k, 2nd rangie in 2002 (85 4dr) converted to lpg myself and only problem was chewed thru 2 harmonic balancers till i found the problem, current disco only had 18 months and only 1 set of pads so far. So overall i think very reliable and never been stranded due to break down.

Discovery Series 1 300tdi: Very reliable
S3 Perkins Powered: Engine EXTREMELY reliable, gearbox failed annually (big torquie motor + heavy loads and trailers = weak gearbox failure), rest of car also very reliable
Discovery Series 2 Td5: POS (it should be illegal for poms to make any electronics)
Range Rover Classic 2.4VM: POS (dam Italians and their crap motors)

Overall we tend to have more breakdowns that the jap mobs, but I think all European cars have this problem.

Just my $0.02

Ive never had a rover fail so badly that It couldnt get me to safety.

cant say the same about some other makes and not just 4x4's Fortunately Ive never owned one that hasnt done whats needed when needed.