My wife and I are considering purchasing a LR3 or 4. We test drove an LR4 at the Overland Expo last year and my wife kinda fell in love with it. We have been Jeep people for a long time, I was rised with them and we still have 6 of them on my side of the family alone. We have been kicking around the idea of another 4 wheel drive vehicle since we sold our 4 door in October. So we are looking for some suggestions for people how own or have owned these. From reading on here it seems that the HD package is very high on our list of wants. It seems that people say the air bags on the LR4 are better. I have been able to find some '05 and '06 LR3's for under 15,000 with the HD package. Are there any particular years that are better (more reliable than others)? With most of the LR3's that I have been able to find in my initial looking the mileage seems to average about 70,000 to 90,00 miles. Is this something that I should be concerned about? Is the LR4 worth the money since it has the 5L, updated airbags, ect, or is a LR3 just as reliable? We completely understand the gas milage is not going to be great and since this is not going to be a daily drive (at least not everyday) we are okay with that. This vehicle will be used for at time for camping and will probably be built accordingly. Thanks in advance for the information.
LR3/4 Questions/Comments
- Thread starter Akecj7
- Start date
The '05 and '06 had quality problems but I don't think the diff issues were solved until '07. Personally, I think the quality continued to improve over the years so the later model you buy the better (generally speaking). I had an '06 with minor issues. Bags leaked, ghost error codes but I enjoyed the truck nonetheless.
I now have a '13 LR4 and its noticeable nicer in terms of interior design, engine performance and offroad performance (the electronics have been updated). The question of whether it is worth can only be answered by you. For me it was. I don't particularly trust old Rover with electronics and prefer newer with warranty. The aftermarket warranty is not all its cracked up to be.
I now have a '13 LR4 and its noticeable nicer in terms of interior design, engine performance and offroad performance (the electronics have been updated). The question of whether it is worth can only be answered by you. For me it was. I don't particularly trust old Rover with electronics and prefer newer with warranty. The aftermarket warranty is not all its cracked up to be.
Akecj7:
I have owned both a 2 door Jeep (98 model) and a JK Unlimited AEV model. They are nice trucks, but there is something about a Land Rover that will get under your skin (yes, I know that happens with Jeep people too ... I was born at night, ... but not last night), BUT these things really do get into your soul (so to speak).
I have heard that the 05'/06' models that were HD, had some noise to the rear diffs that may mean replacement at that type of mileage.
This I will say (and no negatives towards the Jeep crowd - as I have been there) — the Land Rover is just a different ride. The jeep is utilitarian (which I like ... don't get me wrong), but the Land Rover somehow mixes the Utilitarian aspect with luxury (dare I use that word) and style. The seat comfort, suspension comfort, illumination of the head lights, etc ... is just a different ride.
With a Land Rover ... a good friend advised me early on to "buy as much truck as you can going in" and "buy a warranty or Certified truck".
Best advise I have ever followed!
Thanks
Dendy
I have owned both a 2 door Jeep (98 model) and a JK Unlimited AEV model. They are nice trucks, but there is something about a Land Rover that will get under your skin (yes, I know that happens with Jeep people too ... I was born at night, ... but not last night), BUT these things really do get into your soul (so to speak).
I have heard that the 05'/06' models that were HD, had some noise to the rear diffs that may mean replacement at that type of mileage.
This I will say (and no negatives towards the Jeep crowd - as I have been there) — the Land Rover is just a different ride. The jeep is utilitarian (which I like ... don't get me wrong), but the Land Rover somehow mixes the Utilitarian aspect with luxury (dare I use that word) and style. The seat comfort, suspension comfort, illumination of the head lights, etc ... is just a different ride.
With a Land Rover ... a good friend advised me early on to "buy as much truck as you can going in" and "buy a warranty or Certified truck".
Best advise I have ever followed!
Thanks
Dendy
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I owned both a 2005 Ruby LJ built up on 35's, and 2005 LR3 with lots of off road mod's as well. I am very familiar with both platforms, and have a bit of a wiki on LR3's located here (admittedly, its outdated now): http://lr3tips.wordpress.com/
I would recommend getting the 2007 or newer if you can afford it. Otherwise, the 2005/6 model years are about the same, and you'd want to run the VIN at a dealer to make sure all the TSB (technical service bulletin) issues are up to date and resolved. If the 2005/6 MY truck is "current" in its software and general updates, it will be a fine vehicle for you.
The big thing for you to realize is that the trucks are simple mechanically. Brake job? no problem? Fluids, simple. Removing bits and pieces, easy. Tearing apart the interior, no problem (if you are used to pulling spring clip panels). They are NOT simple electronically. There are sensors integrated into everything, even the hood latch release. Generally speaking, all this stuff is extremely durable and reliable, but there's always something. I highly recommend budgeting for a device that can allow you to access the ECU clear faults, set parameters, etc.... Check out Scott Brady's thread for the OJ LR4 build for a lot more information on that.
The LR4 is a lot more "polished" in terms of design style, aesthetic, and so forth. The engine adds 100 hp, and the tranny is smoother (with the V8). The exterior is more prone to scratches and wear however. If you can afford the LR4, its a sweet rig, but I personally would not hesitate to go for a 2007/8 LR3 and pocket the $30k difference
Other than that, I recommend reading this: http://lr3tips.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/buying-a-used-lr3-v6-or-v8-which-options-cautions/
I would recommend getting the 2007 or newer if you can afford it. Otherwise, the 2005/6 model years are about the same, and you'd want to run the VIN at a dealer to make sure all the TSB (technical service bulletin) issues are up to date and resolved. If the 2005/6 MY truck is "current" in its software and general updates, it will be a fine vehicle for you.
The big thing for you to realize is that the trucks are simple mechanically. Brake job? no problem? Fluids, simple. Removing bits and pieces, easy. Tearing apart the interior, no problem (if you are used to pulling spring clip panels). They are NOT simple electronically. There are sensors integrated into everything, even the hood latch release. Generally speaking, all this stuff is extremely durable and reliable, but there's always something. I highly recommend budgeting for a device that can allow you to access the ECU clear faults, set parameters, etc.... Check out Scott Brady's thread for the OJ LR4 build for a lot more information on that.
The LR4 is a lot more "polished" in terms of design style, aesthetic, and so forth. The engine adds 100 hp, and the tranny is smoother (with the V8). The exterior is more prone to scratches and wear however. If you can afford the LR4, its a sweet rig, but I personally would not hesitate to go for a 2007/8 LR3 and pocket the $30k difference
Other than that, I recommend reading this: http://lr3tips.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/buying-a-used-lr3-v6-or-v8-which-options-cautions/
proper4wd
Expedition Leader
Diff issues perpetuate through all year LR3s and 06-09 Sports... they just do not hold enough oil. Best practice is to just change the fluid much more frequently than the factory recommended interval! The transfer case benefits from more frequent fluid changes as well.
I was trying to decide if I should buy an LR3 or LR4 as well. Having driven both, the LR4 has a noticeably higher quality interior and is definitely "nicer" overall for reasons listed above. This is going to come down to how much money you want to spend. I went with an 08 LR3 still certified for 2 more years and it's the best vehicle I've ever owned. I've had numerous Jeeps, older Rovers, and spent a good amount of time in the newer Rovers as well. Personally, I just didn't want to spend another 15k or more for the LR4 and the 3 is more than enough for me. My friend at the dealership has said many times that they have noticed a lot less issues with 08 and newer LR3's and RR Sports as compared to the 05-07. 07 seemed to be the "transition" year. I don't think you can go wrong either way, both are great. Deciding on your budget might be the best idea. And, having a good mechanic look it over before you buy it and get as much history as you can. Good luck.
There is no difference in the diffs on the LR4, and eventually they will probably have issues with bearings as well. The upside is that full rebuild kits, units, and bearing kits are available at lucky8llc.com.
The smartest preventative measure is to change the oil say every 25-30k, even if you have to pay for it because it is still under warranty. I concur with more frequent transfer case oil changes, as well as changing the fluid on the transmission at 75k or so.
The smartest preventative measure is to change the oil say every 25-30k, even if you have to pay for it because it is still under warranty. I concur with more frequent transfer case oil changes, as well as changing the fluid on the transmission at 75k or so.
Thanks for all of the thoughts and suggestions. We are probably at least 6 months out from being super serious about the purchase but I figured the more info I can get ahead of time the time the better. nwoods, the code reading device was on my list of for sures at purchase. Any suggestions on brand/models? Thanks.