Problems With the LR3

[ddeeble]

BAZMAN, are you aware that the 2005 Touareg, with 48 problems per 100 vehicles, was second only to the Lincoln Navigator and Nissan Quest (tied at 49 problems per 100 vehicles) in terms of lowest reliability by Consumer Reports?

Don't get me wrong, LR is not a manufacturer known for it's bulletproof reliability. But I would be careful about making a purchasing decision (pro or con) by trolling 'enthusiast' sites for any given vehicle. Statistically speaking, you're going to find a much higher concentration of people complaining about issues or looking for repair advice on sites such as this. On the other hand, you're also far more likely to find people willing to overlook fundamental issues just because they are so 'in love' with their vehicle. Anecdotal evidence and empirical evidence are two vastly different things.

Here's some empirical evidence I gathered that might interest you:

Number of recalls per manufacturer for all models, 1990-2007

Honda - 510
Toyota - 391
Nissan - 354
Land Rover - 120

Mind you, these are US numbers, but I'm sure I could get UK ones as well. Most of the issues we hear about are not 'engineering' issues - they are fit and finish problems. A piece of trim popping off goes into the Consumer Reports database as a 'problem'. Fit and finish problems don't get recalls from the USDOT or NHTSA. From the numbers above, you could extrapolate that when it comes to engineering fundamentals, LR is ahead of the competition. Toyota just recalled a million cars worldwide because of a flaw that could cause a total loss of steering control. Honda has recalled 562,000 cars because of a flaw that is causing the engines to cut out or fail to start altogether.

By the way, the manufacturers with the fewest recalls?

Daihatsu - 2
Mini - 6
Peugeot - 8
Lanborghini - 9

I'm not trying to change your mind - just wanted to give you a different perspective when you're researching your next vehicle.

 

[BAZMAN]

ddeeble, I like your footer! how true. Well, we can discuss this all night and never reach a conclusion There could be a number of reasons why some manufacturers have fewer recalls and even fewer complains; passion for a particular brand will make people tolerate a lot of quality issues others won't. Also, which part of the world will make a huge difference, US consumers are highly educated about the products and have multiple avenues to voice their opinions, including legal recourse. Any way, I quite appreciate your feedback on the matter, I guess I should be more careful with reader opinions, I sold a barely used Mercedes because of horrible user opinions on a particular model..... Food for thought, but I guess I will wait for the LR4 or LR5 before making the plunge, maybe then, the engineers in the UK would be working for another Company that takes quality more serioulsy than the lads at Ford, especially at the premium brand level where is there is very little tolerance for poor quality.... I will be fair and talk to a couple of guys at work who have purchased this car a few months earlier and see.

 

[ddeeble]

Thanks BAZMAN! I wasn't trying to 'stir the ***' - I have a 2002 SAAB 9-3 Viggen at home right now that I love dearly but my dealer sees it more than I do! I just wanted to give a different perspective to some of the other folks that might be debating a purchase as significant as this. I do respect your views and when looking to spend such a substantial amount on a vehicle, it really is an intensely personal decision. I agree with you about Ford's stewardship or LR! Best of luck on whatever you purchase and remember:

On the trail, every rig gets dirty just the same!

 

[nwoods]

I guess I should be more careful with reader opinions, I sold a barely used Mercedes because of horrible user opinions on a particular model.....

There is no way to say this without sounding callous, but perhaps some individuality is necessary in your pursuit of what car works best for you. Act upon what your heart and intellect tell you, don't follow the rest of the lemmings!

In your research, use all of the tools available (such as forums), but be smart about the way you weigh the feedback you receive. The JD Powers survey quoted earlier for Initial Quality does show unfortunate numbers, but it does not distinguish between "How does my nav work" to "my engine burst on fire on the freeway", so you need to view the IQS with a bit of a filter. Then you should look at the Owner Satisfaction, where Land Rover is consistently one of the top rated brands. That should speak volumes about these cars, don't you think? Yes, we love them. No they are not perfect, but they are pretty darn good or else we would not love them, right?

All that aside, my opinion for you is to not buy one. 9 out of 10 doctors prefer Lexus, BMW or Mercedes, so they can't be wrong.... Oh by the way, that 10th doctor? He's out tackling some knarly terrain leading to a secret fishing spot in his Range Rover

LOL!

Here are some nits I picked and praised about the LR3. You can see how trivial they are, and judge for yourself: http://blog.nextstepdesigns.com/?p=21

 

[court]

Thank you for those who commented on my frustrations with my Land Rover Disco. II. I took out the front drive shaft we just had replaced and had it looked at by a driveshaft specialist. He said we got a crap part from LANDROVER! It was brand new, but crap, (defective). So now we have to wait two weeks for the new part to be shipped from England. The metal rattling was a loose bolt off the exhaust pipe? Found that out ourselves. We did some research and decided to work on our truck ourselves. Were sick of paying out for repairs and the quality of workmanship is questionable.

 

[pwl]

2005 vs. 2006?

Is it just because the 2005's have been out longer that more people are reporting problems with them, or is there actually an improvement in the 2006 vehicles?

I went to a LR dealership to test drive a LR2 and LR3 and really really liked the cars, but all this talk of problems make me hesitate. I don't mind having to fix a few things in the beginning (like I did my Ford) but I don't want to get stranded in the Sierras in the snow or have to deal with problems that don't go away..

 

[grommet]

Generically, newer vehicles can have less issues... since improvements, changes, fixes, etc. are made at manufacturing as time goes on. For example, the few mandatory changes or recalls I had for the 2005 have already been done on a 2007.

As I've mentioned numerous times, my "early model" has been great. There has been no significant issues. FYI: I also don't expect Lexus level ****-kissing from the dealer. If you do, look elsewhere.

 

[arbourstone]

Mine does it here in Calgary when the temp goes to 4 degrees C (apparently frosty, unsafe conditions). Also, my Cocker Spaniel often treads on the yellow hill descent button gizmo - usually at high speed causing a bong to warn me that I'm travelling way too fast for this function!

 

[arbourstone]

2006 LR3 SE V8:
Leather seats squeak like mad in the front
Rearmost pasenger seats rattle
Dashboard rattles and snaps in the Winter
Fuel economy never gets higher than 12MPG - disgraceful
Goodyear Tires created such a whir on the back after 15000kms that I thought it was a wheel bearing gone. Dealership says it's badly cupped tires due to under-inflation (tire pressure warning light has never gone off) and oh - it's my responsibility to purchase new tires for over $1000.00.
Get your bloody act together - Japanese next time.

 

[arbourstone]

Oh, so it's not me?
My LR3 V8 SE '06 has to have its GoodYear's replaced on the back due to unusual cupping "brought about by the owner running the tires too soft". Uhm, how about the tire inflation warning light that never came on? I am now expected to pay over $1000 for new tires on a vehicle with 15000kms on it.

Appalling. Never again - dealership - LR of Calgary showed complete indifference and have not returned any of my calls. RUBBISH!