Land Rover Disco... to buy or not?!

[Vince Rothermund]

Welcome to the Land Rover club! I really enjoy my LR3. I intentionally bought a project and have spent money where I needed to first and then wanted to.

LR owners are a great bunch of enthusiasts. Many of the LR3 have the same weak points and there is a lot of knowledge out there that is shared.

LR3s are very capable off-road and comfortable on road. I actually like the air suspension and the independent rear suspension. Would like more power and better fuel economy however.

Lots of LR forums and clubs....

Thanks! We are loving it and the kids have already named it "Lando". Yes...we are Star Wars nerds. So far, so good with everything... minus the air suspension. We have a pretty bad leak that is said to be coming from multiple locations. We are awaiting the AB coil overs with the +2 HD lift. The only other issue we are experiencing is the stuck buttons on the CD player and trying to decide to fix that or replace the entire system. I heard that is another common dilemma.

Which clubs/forums would you suggest? I would love any suggestions.

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[LR4XFAR]

I use:
Landroverforums.com
Landroversonly.com
There is a San Diego LR club and a So Cal LR club too.
We’re going to Hungry Valley OHV on Saturday 5/5/18 with the SCLR.org club. Would be great to meet you and the family.
There are a couple of vendors for parts and steel bits like bumpers and sliders that are highly regarded. Shoot me a message if interested or have any technical questions....I’ll try to help.

I highly recommend getting an IIDTOOL from Gap Diagnostics. I much prefer the Bluetooth version that works with phones/tablets. Much easier than using the radio buttons on the steering wheel. You might find a used one for around$330-$350. They are VIN locked, but for $35, the company will switch the VIN.
This tool can read all of the codes, change air suspension height, do most of the maintenance procedures and even program keys/remotes. I always carry it with my iPad and can read and reset codes as needed.

 

[Vince Rothermund]

I use:
Landroverforums.com
Landroversonly.com
There is a San Diego LR club and a So Cal LR club too.
We’re going to Hungry Valley OHV on Saturday 5/5/18 with the SCLR.org club. Would be great to meet you and the family.
There are a couple of vendors for parts and steel bits like bumpers and sliders that are highly regarded. Shoot me a message if interested or have any technical questions....I’ll try to help.

I highly recommend getting an IIDTOOL from Gap Diagnostics. I much prefer the Bluetooth version that works with phones/tablets. Much easier than using the radio buttons on the steering wheel. You might find a used one for around$330-$350. They are VIN locked, but for $35, the company will switch the VIN.
This tool can read all of the codes, change air suspension height, do most of the maintenance procedures and even program keys/remotes. I always carry it with my iPad and can read and reset codes as needed.

Thank you so much for the info! I don't think our LR3 will be ready by this weekend (still waiting on AB to ship our parts and our LR3 currently looks like a low rider[emoji53]). I am hoping we are up and running/off-road ready by mid-May. I will definitely be reaching out to you at that point and looking to join a club! I am going to check them out today for membership info. I would love to get to know my Rover while spending some time with other enthusiasts!

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[Archtop67]

the issues on the land rovers are not that complex and a few "adjustments" and just keeping up maintenance makes them very reliable... i have an 03 now with 137k and runs like a top! i did a few mods to tame it down like simplified the cooling system and cooler thermostat... the LR3 and newer there are some different challenges but maintenance is key... change fluids as required, get an OBDII gauge to monitor a few engine systems... mostly the coolant temp which unfortunately took out a few rides since the idiot temp gauge has only 3 settings... cold... warm.. already overheated... ironically the ECU does register the actual temp that is shown on the OBDII live view gauges so you know how you stand.. also a real oil pressure gauge... ive had my landy for 6 years and outside of the throttle positioning sensor that can fail on most newer cars someday, and a battery gave up the ghost... easy repairs and at 127k ive already done all ball joints and suspension which most all trucks need by that time anyway... so for me.. the pre 05 discoveries are just as reliable ... and COOL! at the moment Im trying to decide what Ham radio to install in my rig and where lol

 

[Vince Rothermund]

Finally took the LandO out for it's first off-the-grid capping trip. This thing is amazing! Thanks to everyone that offered suggestions, advice, and opinions. We are totally impressed with the LR3 and can't wait to make more modifications to it in the near future! See you guys on the trail! [emoji106]

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[Archtop67]

changing washer wiper motor lol

 

[Archtop67]

the funny part of this is that its really easy but looks terrible lol it was about 1 hr job

 

[Vince Rothermund]

the funny part of this is that its really easy but looks terrible lol it was about 1 hr job

That looks like a lot of work for a wiper motor!

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[Archtop67]

hahaha its a few plugs and a few bolts and it comes right off! lol its really a good modular vehicle! the only thing thats not so fun is upgrading the spark plug wires which is a must.. magnacore 8mm or the like... I think mine are Kingsborne... same quality half the price... land rover really did a fine job keeping the mechanical part of the discos really easy to service.. there are a few irritating electrical things but nothing that has stuck me on side of road...

 

[Archtop67]

BTW that awning is great! Im going to order one!

 

[Vince Rothermund]

BTW that awning is great! Im going to order one!

We love it! Comes in handy when it gets hot[emoji4][emoji109]

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[Vince Rothermund]

hahaha its a few plugs and a few bolts and it comes right off! lol its really a good modular vehicle! the only thing thats not so fun is upgrading the spark plug wires which is a must.. magnacore 8mm or the like... I think mine are Kingsborne... same quality half the price... land rover really did a fine job keeping the mechanical part of the discos really easy to service.. there are a few irritating electrical things but nothing that has stuck me on side of road...

Good to know and thanks for the advice! [emoji109]

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[Archtop67]

mine is an 03 Discovery 2. Yours being the LR3 I understand the front diff is a weak point but something that is a good place to upgrade in the future if something wears out, also make sure you ALWASY service your transmission at its needed intervals... to get to it i believe on the LR3 you need to take the entire body off! they are good transmissions so thats not an alarm just letting you know where some known info... maybe I read few other minor things but those are nice trucks ! "Land Rover- making mechanics out of owners for 75 years"

 

[Brutus]

I like your LR3 @Vince Rothermund. Welcome to the Land Rover family. I have a 2007 LR3 which will be breaking the 200k mile barrier next week. My recommendation to you is service the front and rear diffs every 15 to 20 thousand miles. Is your rear diff a locking diff? I hope you have many adventures in yours. If you have any concerns or questions about it feel free to contact me. I am a semi-retired Land Rover Master Tech.

 

[Mike W]

I will keep you posted on the reliability. I have heard the good and bad. I think we are tackling the biggest worry right out of the gate with removal of the air suspension. I would love to keep it, but I am not sure I could afford to. The quotes on fixing the current issues (even with me doing most of the work) were pretty steep. I can at least rest assured that my coilovers won't leave me stranded somewhere in the Sierra's.

I am really hoping this will be a fun build!

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The air suspension in these are actually not that complex. Its an air tank/compressor which is easy to work on... and some lines and a valve block front and rear. Also the suspension sensors which are easy to replace also. The air suspension is one of the big features of the L319 platform. It's too bad you jumped ship on it so soon before seeing it in action.

The short version of its advantages are . 1. super comfy for your 90% of the time travel . 2. several inches of lift on demand, cross linked air to act a bit like live axel, but only when needed.

 

[Brutus]

Also, when it is time to replace the front lower control arm bushings, go with polyurethane. Makes a big difference and you will never have to replace them again.

 

[Mike W]

Also, when it is time to replace the front lower control arm bushings, go with polyurethane. Makes a big difference and you will never have to replace them again.

Some would cation against poly. I think I have seen some reports of those causing other issues with suspension components. They don't ride as nice, that is for sure. Mine seem ok at 60k, but I think I plan to go with stock bushes when it comes time. Seems like a shame to take all the comfy bits out of these trucks... air suspension, soft bushes, it's what makes these so incredibly nice for long trips. If you want it to ride like a toyota, just buy one, but don't ruin the Land Rover :P

 

[Vince Rothermund]

I like your LR3 @Vince Rothermund. Welcome to the Land Rover family. I have a 2007 LR3 which will be breaking the 200k mile barrier next week. My recommendation to you is service the front and rear diffs every 15 to 20 thousand miles. Is your rear diff a locking diff? I hope you have many adventures in yours. If you have any concerns or questions about it feel free to contact me. I am a semi-retired Land Rover Master Tech.

Thanks Brutus! I will definitely be reaching out. We are using Sterling Automotive out here in Temecula. So far, they have been great. Very honest and not too bad on price for it being a Rover. Congrats on the 200K![emoji109]

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[Vince Rothermund]

Some would cation against poly. I think I have seen some reports of those causing other issues with suspension components. They don't ride as nice, that is for sure. Mine seem ok at 60k, but I think I plan to go with stock bushes when it comes time. Seems like a shame to take all the comfy bits out of these trucks... air suspension, soft bushes, it's what makes these so incredibly nice for long trips. If you want it to ride like a toyota, just buy one, but don't ruin the Land Rover :P

We have already ditched the air suspension for the coils (air suspension was shot upon purchase[emoji20]). I have to say that it rides waaaay nicer than our Tacoma with the AB kit on it. It also handles a full load of camping gear and kiddos without the typical coilover sag. The heavy duty springs are a must! If this is a bad riding vehicle, I will take it! Haha

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[Brutus]

Some would cation against poly. I think I have seen some reports of those causing other issues with suspension components. They don't ride as nice, that is for sure. Mine seem ok at 60k, but I think I plan to go with stock bushes when it comes time. Seems like a shame to take all the comfy bits out of these trucks... air suspension, soft bushes, it's what makes these so incredibly nice for long trips. If you want it to ride like a toyota, just buy one, but don't ruin the Land Rover :P

The only bushings that I would replace with the poly are the front lower control arm bushings. The rest of the suspension is on the stock bushings. It has no affect on the comfortable ride but I do find the steering less spongy on off pavement situations. The only bushings that I have ever seen needing replacing are the front lower. All other bushings are usually fine.