Possibly New Owner - 06 LR3 SE V8

[JK_LR3]

Greetings -


MY Current car is a 2005 Cadillac SRX with 86k Miles - I wanted somthing more fun.

I went car shopping and Im looking at a 2006 Land Rover LR3 with 66k Miles, for $21k *Retail Value Used on these is 29k or less* So i thought this one is a good deal, but wanted your opinions first before i make the deal, its the SE V8 Version w/out the navigation, but it has leather, xenons headlights.

My Concern is the Gas Mileage, i noticed the gas mpg sucks on this suv, and the other concern is the maintenance, since this is a luxury suv, what price am i looking at?

how about the warranty? - i know it doesnt have warranty by now, but should i be looking at an extended warranty, if so, how much?

Any had any problems with them. I test drove it, it drove flawlessly and smooth, looks perfect, I love the air bag suspension it has, but i heard these are expensive to replace?


Im suppose to be getting it tomorrow but im holding off until i hear something about this vehicle from you guys.

pics -

 

[dantheman1]

Since it has 66k miles, it will probably need it's front control arm bushings replaced soon along with a front and/or rear diff depending on how badly its been abused. Those items alone at the dealer are 2k-3k to replace. The air bags and air compressor are rock solid on LR3's, you won't have to worry about those till maybe 130k or so. I heard somewhere on disco3.co.uk that the compressor is actually made by CAT for land rover.

That being said, 21k is a good deal for it but I would def. try to get an extended warranty. At your mileage, it shouldn't be that much. I've seen the easy care extended warranty go for 1.5-3.5k. Also, if you're concerned about gas mileage, look elsewhere before you get too attached. My avg. mpg with city/hwy mixed driving is 13.5, but that's with a brush bar and full expedition roof rack. The most I've heard them do is 18mpg on the hwy... on a clear day... with a tailwind.

 

[kingfishgrapeja]

Anything all wheel drive is going to get poor gas mileage. Brakes and tires seem to wear faster than most people are used to. 30K is probably your maintenance interval, give or take, on both these items depending on where and how you are driving it.

I've had my 06 for a year I bought it with 33k and now have 46k on it. I really thoroughly enjoy the vehicle. Like Dan mentioned though your bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends need to be inspected before you buy. Let the dealer replace them if they need it.

If you are a diy sort, I think you can go a long way before spending any real dough on repairs. There is a growing wealth of info here and on other sites to help with quibbles along the way.

 

[CMGRover]

Mileage is good, I get 15-16 in the city...but I've owned just SUV's for ages, so I'm used to it. Highway 20 is about the norm.

It's a great ride. You might be able to get a ESP warranty for 3k or so that takes coverage up to 100k.

 

[Houm_WA]

Don't get it.

You sound awfully concerned about all the wrong (right?) things. The LR3 is a joyous pain in the ass. If you don't take it off-road you may not develop the tolerance for all its maintenance needs. Seriously, if you need more of a cross-over, there are better options.

It is indeed expensive to own.

Side discussion @dantheman: I'm not sure I agree on the compressor comment. They have improved but still have had to be replaced fairly widely from what I've gathered from posts on this board. On the contrary, I've only read of a few diffs going bad. I wouldn't call the diff issues common. Anyone disagree? Bushings and brakes definitely go too quick.

 

[Hap]

I've got 80k miles on my 06 LR3, and I've never had a problem with it. For maintenance, it's been one of the least expensive to own vehicles I've had. Then again, I'm only 30k out of warranty, and I speak from the relative comfort of having mechanical breakdown coverage through my insurance carrier.

I personally love this truck, in part for its creature comforts, and in part for the peace of mind I have knowing the truck will competantly handle any terrain I might care to put underneath it. IMHO, taking the LR3 offroad and learning about its nothing short of amazing capabilities has been the best experience I've ever had with any vehicle. I'm not an "offroad enthusiast" by any stretch, but that is where the best trails and the best views are. And if getting off the beaten path is what you're into, this vehicle will reward you like no other.

 

[jptruck]

Plan for an extended warranty. If you plan to buy and own this thing for any length of time, you will probably have some sort of problem that will cover the cost of the warranty. They are very expensive to fix at a shop. The old adage that it's $500 to crack the hood is not too far off.

Control arm and bushings should be fairly new. I'd have someone inspect the brakes. Ask if the car was stored in a garage before you (the sunroof drains get clogged easily), etc., etc.

 

[Houm_WA]

Hap, I agree with your statement about the off-roading part. ....really, NO problems at 80k? No bushings gone bad or compressor or sunroof leak or thermostat or MAF sensor or brake pedal sensor or height sensor or ANYTHING? No brakes replaced at 30k or tires shot at 25k or steering wheel peeling or Parking Brake Actuator failures or tailgate latch malfunction or ANYTHING?

You, my friend, are one lucky owner.

 

[Hap]

I may be being liberal with what I consider to be a problem...

I have had the driver side a pillar trim pop off its clips, but that cost me all of $10 and 10 minutes to fix. I had an incident where the car lowered itself to the bumpstops and had to limp home in access mode, but that was due to negligence on my part - the negative battery cable had some corrosion on it that had leaked down to some electrical connectors underneath. A can of coke and a toothbrush fixed that. And yes, I've replaced the brake pads at 30 and 60k, (and I'm looking forward to replacing the rotors in about 10k) and the oem tires were unevenly worn when I replaced them. I didn't replace them because of the wear though, I wanted some AT's for better traction. And the new ones are in great shape 40k later.

While that is a list of stuff, I haven't had to replace any leaky gaskets, haven't had any mysterious or inexplicable electrical problems, never been left stranded. It could be that I got the one good car , but there may also be something to the addage that problems get amplified by the internets, and non-issues are under-reported.

 

[Houm_WA]

Again, I agree with some of what you're saying and deal with these things in much the same way. I'm really surprised that your bushings haven't worn out though. I wouldn't call that a "problem" per se either...any more than chewing through brake pads on a heavy car is. ...by the way, I got over 60k out of my front pads. Command Shift is your friend!

Also on the electrical, I'm surprised you haven't had the electrical issues because they are so common that I almost just ignore them. Also, if your sunroof drains haven't been "circumsized" already then I'm surprised you haven't had leaky drains to deal with. Maybe you live in Texas and keep your rig in the garage all the time....?

Overall, I just think that anyone looking to buy the LR3 ought to be prepared for it to behave like most Rovers. They need love and attention. ...and as I told the OP and have consistently told any poster asking this question, unless you are going to wheel it you may not be as tolerant of these little issues.

New Mexico; same logic applies.