Looking to buy LR3 - a few questions

[kingfishgrapeja]

Tire wear depends on where you live and how you drive. In Northeast PA I rarely get over 20K out of tires on any all wheel drive car. The LR3 is heavy so you are going to burn tires and brake pads.

 

[Bane]

Here is a list of the big work I've had done on the LR3 covered under warranty (GMAC)

Purchased 8/08 at 55,101 miles

First visit to dealer 10/10/08 at 57,267 miles

1. Clogged drains - Labor $172.50
2. Keyless entry inoperable - water intrusion from clogges drains damaged splice. Installed new link of wire and covered in shrink wrap. Remolded harness and sodered jumper wire --- Labor $172.50 Parts - $8.08
3. Steering rack and pinion replace - Labor $230 Parts-- $491.40
4. four wheel alignment per steering rack install $79.95
5. Replace power steering pump - Labor $149.50 Parts -$313.77
6. Replace air cond. compressor - Labor $529 Parts $548.09
7.Replace Air suspension compressor - Labor $161.00 Parts $665.93
8. EAS system calibration $92.00

Total bill including some out of pocket expenses (Oil change and deductible)
$3692.55 (out of pocket expenses were about $400)

Second trip to dealer - 2/15/10

1. Replace control arm bushings - $285.02
2. Install new parking brake wiring harness -$269.00
3. Replace coolant resevoir --Labor $99.48 Parts. 74.53
4. Replace power steering pump (again) Labor $223.83 Parts - $333.76
5. Replace ball joints and tie rod ends - Labor $99.48 Parts. $220
6. Replace leaking washer fluid resevior - Labor $298.44 Parts $97.56

Out of pocket expenses included -
1. 90k mile service $513.85
2.Air filter- $36.78
3. mount and balance customer tires $120.00
4. Replace transfer case fluid $118.26
5. new battery $235.28
and other misc. stuff
Total $3357.41 (out of pocket $1585.22)

Total $7049.96 not including PM and oil changes and the like.

$7000 in maintenance for a vehicle you have not even owned 3 years is kind of frightening. Are you doing a lot of off roading or anything? What year is your LR3?

Can anyone else confirm if this many problems is normal? Right now it is giving me doubts about the used 06 LR3 I have been looking at for 27K. 27K is a lot to spend to then have issues like this.

It also makes me concerned that it may be unrealistic to expect more than 100K out of an LR3.

 

[dantheman1]

Bane, my '05 LR3 has had all of that work done on it too. My list is nearly identical except for the air cond. compressor and air suspension stuff. I also had most of the same stuff changed at the same mileage as well. I had an ext. warranty though so it only cost me the $100 deductible for every visit. If you get the LR3, make sure you get an ext. warranty.

 

[e24kgold]

mine is an 05...The warranty was a lifesaver for sure... I love the LR3 and wont be getting rid of it anytime soon... I have 105500 miles on the clock now

 

[Houm_WA]

Bane, I think you're getting a clear message. Owning an LR3 is awesome and the vehicle kicks ass, but it requires a lot of care 'n feeding. I expect 300,000 miles out of mine, but they will not be trouble-free.

If you aren't going to take it off-road, look elsewhere. I've said that over and over to people interested in this vehicle, and I'll continue to do so. It's a PITA on maintenance but wheelin' it makes it all worth it.

 

[EGRIZZLE]

e24k putting some miles on that girl in the past few years. I don't think there are a lot of 05's out there with 100k+ plus, so I'm always curious to see how the maintenance goes after this mileage is hit.

We've had these disagreements before, but I don't think its a necessity to do ********* wheelin' to own the truck. That aspect is phenomenal, but I love the car just the same driving around town in the plush interior. Would it be safe to assume that many of the maintenance issues are caused by extreme off road use? I know not all of them are, but perhaps some.

The market closes in 15 minutes...almost happy hour.

 

[roverman]

Here's a list of my out of pocket non preventive maintenance expenses on my '05:
1)...




That's with 65000 miles. I have an extended warranty but haven't even had the chance to use it yet. And yes, I'm pretty sure i just jinxed myself.
I've barely had a chance in the last couple years to offroad, but even if I never went, I'd still be driving this truck.

 

[EGRIZZLE]

Here's a list of my out of pocket non preventive maintenance expenses on my '05:
1)...




That's with 65000 miles. I have an extended warranty but haven't even had the chance to use it yet. And yes, I'm pretty sure i just jinxed myself.
I've barely had a chance in the last couple years to offroad, but even if I never went, I'd still be driving this truck.

I'm sure I'll also jinx myself. I didn't get an extended warranty on my Disco II and got murdered by labor rates and repairs. Now I'm planning on getting one for my Disco III and I'll not have any issues.

It seems like the 05's were such hit and miss on repair issues. Horror stories and then there's you.

 

[Houm_WA]

I suppose the subtlety in what I'm saying here folks is that no, you don't have to wheel your LR3 to enjoy it, but if you haven't already bought it and you're on the fence and worried about maintenance...then not wheelin' it is going to make the pain of maintaining it feel worse. If reliability is a higher priority than performance, then there are other rigs that may be better suited to that particular buyer.

 

[roverman]

Without a doubt buying any foreign car costs more to maintain, and of those the Land Rovers are on the high side of those expense-wise.

Egrizzle, I know I'm on the lucky side and do feel for everybody that hasn't been so lucky. I've certainly been on the "empty your pockets" side with my 2 P38s and 2 county's in the past, probably spent enough to have paid for my LR3, lol. There were people (youngsters) I wouldn't sell my old rovers too because I was sure they didn't know what they were getting in to.

Bottom line is it's definitely a crap shoot. I think there are probably more 'good' ones than one would think if they only relied on info from forums. As an aside, I bought a BMW motorcycle pre-internet, pre-forums and have spent $200 (my own fault not changing brake fluid) on it in 14 years. I have always just assumed they are completely bulletproof. Had I read the BMW forums like I do now, I may never have gotten one. They sound like the most finicky, expensive motorcycles made.

But you've got to be ready for the chance that things will get spendy or you will end up miserable. Generally I've bought mine with about 25k miles on them and sell at about 70k. I'm hoping this one will stay in the family a lot longer than that, but if it stops behaving, it's outta here.