I loved my LRII - put 300k miles on it. It blew a head gasket in there somewhere, but it was nothing Bars Leak could not fix. Two or three times. A few sets of tires, could actually go off-road in it if I wanted to (nothing major) LOVED that car. But all good things must end - Paint had mostly fallen off, windshield was cracked, tires were gone - she had treated me well, and she was retired. I beat the crap out of that car, but maintained it myself - She treated me well (I'm Mechanically inclined, plus not going anywhere near a mechanic that has "Rover" on his shirt - they own houses nicer than mine.)
I was given a very nice deal ($2500) for an excellent looking LR3 HSE that appeared to be in awesome shape. It was cheap because the air-ride was flaky (as in it didn't work, nobody could fix it, and it was half-way disassembled) and it needed rear brakes. I can do this.
Atlantic British for the Coilover Replacement for the airbag suspension ($1200, and what a ***** to put in - although I cannot recommend the company more highly) and new rotors & pads for rear brakes ($150). It is finally up off the ground, and now I can see how this beauty works. YAY!! Turn the key - click click click - Bad battery ($150). Ok, get her started and HOLY DEAR GOD ALMIGHTY WHAT IS ALL THAT FREAKING NOISE? Not mechanical sounds (I can't hear the engine at all) I'm talking about warning lights, buzzers, dingers, dongers, sirens, flashing lights, warnings, I swear to GOD somewhere in there it was saying "Yo Mama, Yo Mama" If I was epileptic, I would have gone into a seizure.
My beloved LRII once in a while would flash the "Check Engine" light, maybe the three amigos, saying, in a gentle voice "not important, mate, but when you get a chance. Or not."
The new LRIII? Wife wouldn't get in it. This is summer, Mind you,and we also find the front two windows do not open or close. Neither does the rear hatch. Left front window is the switch cluster ($100), right front window is those two cheap plastic tabs at the bottom of the glass broken off. We closed the window & disconnected the switch, since you cannot buy those pieces anywhere on the planet.
I drive the car for a few days, and a grinding noise starts up front, sounds exactly like brake pads worn out & hitting rotor - but it's not, brakes are fine. Gets worse an worse over the days, wife won't drive it, I say screw it, I put it on CL for $1500, just to recoup SOMETHING. 6 people stop by, each wants to bring it to their Land Rover mechanic, and they will buy it if fix is under $250. No fix for this vehicle will ever be under $250. I cancel the for sale ad.
I jack it up, Wheel feels like it is not even being held on. Wheel bearing units are shot. So we get two wheel bearing units, all the brakes, and the CVs & Axles for both sides (because I will never take it apart again) ($800) and I do something I have never done in my 53 years of life - I hire a mechanic. A REAL mechanic, one that, when I limped this beast in there, he said "I never worked on a Land Rover, But a Car is a Car." I love this guy. If it has 4 wheels and an engine, he can fix it.
I had thrown all the new parts in the back seat, told him to go at it. He calls me 5 hours later & it is done. ($600)
I've driven the car a few times and, I must admit, she is VERY comfortable (as long as I have ear plugs in) The display says, check brake pads (with BRAKE warning light that foes on and off very three seconds with a "Ding", Suspension fault lights & dinging, engine fault warning, light, and donging, transmission fault (saw that a few times) has gone into limp mode a time or two, won't accelerate, then it runs just fine, tells me my "follow home lights" are on (*** are those?) and I swear that I heard it again say something about my mother. This is all within 40 minutes of driving. Oh, and at the beginning of that 40 minutes of driving? I run over the UPS package that contains all the @#$%^&* parts for the car, such as rear hatch actuator and some trim pieces. Mechanic wants to put an inspection sticker on it cause he feels bad, but the damn thing needs tires. Plus he believes the damn this is possessed because every time he gets in it, it starts talking about his mother.
My goal, in life, is to drive this thing for 1/2 an hour with no digs, dongs, or warning lights. I'm well aware that it is a fool's errand, I am throwing good money after bad, but that it what I want - just 1/2 hour of noiseless, no warning driving. I'll document my work on this thread.
Then I am going to set the ***** on fire and find another 2001 LRII
