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As some of you may remember I recently found a low mile 2002 RX to replace my Jeep since it can carry and tow exactly the same size stuffs while getting 5 mpg more, better road manners, WAY better livability, and just generally a better experience and higher reliability. Well as it happens on the same day I got done detailing the car my best friend had his car hit and needed a replacement, since he has been around my cars long enough he asked if I would sell the RX and naturally I said yes. This has left me once again without a replacement for the seemingly eternal WJ I just can't seem to get rid of lol! This sucks since I thought I finally had a good replacement for nearly free, now I am back to looking for something else....
So with that in mind what are your suggestions? It will be parked outside on the corner of my driveway so it has to be somewhat presentable for the other houses sake lol, so nothing too out of style. I am finding myself very strongly drawn toward a Land Rover Discovery II for a combination of cosmetics reasons and I just think they are so cool/capable and they 100% check all the functional boxes I need. I am leery since it's, well, a Land Rover and I would like to get something that breaks less than my Jeep does/did/will but every time I get one though the shop I just love driving them and how awesomely designed they are. The Range Rover is off the table though since I don't trust one to sit for a long period of time, otherwise I would consider one as well.
Suggestions? Thoughts? Reprimands?
You want something that breaks down less than your Jeep. Land Rover is dead last in dependability in 2022 looking at three year old vehicles. Dead last in 2020. Next to last in 2018. Next to last in 2015 and next to last in 2013. At least consistent.
eep. Land Rover is dead last in 2022 looking at three year old vehicles. Dead last in 2020. Next to last in 2018.
I have a 2013 and rx350; hitting 200k; its our older car but looks and runs like brand new, I have my bike rack on it all the time and also take it to the mountains and fit a canoe on top.
People are shocked that it has that many miles, no issues.
I owned a highlander for 6 months it was a 2014 and found it just as good. The rx is somewhat more quieter and more "sporty" if I can call it that.
You want something that breaks down less than your Jeep. Land Rover is dead last in dependability in 2022 looking at three year old vehicles. Dead last in 2020. Next to last in 2018. Next to last in 2015 and next to last in 2013. At least consistent.
eep. Land Rover is dead last in 2022 looking at three year old vehicles. Dead last in 2020. Next to last in 2018.
All true I'm sure but I'm looking at a real Land Rover not the new stuff that is just rebadged products from other makes. I would never buy anything like that when I could just get an escape lol!
All true I'm sure but I'm looking at a real Land Rover not the new stuff that is just rebadged products from other makes. I would never buy anything like that when I could just get an escape lol!
The Disco was the least reliable Land Rover model ever made. It was so bad that they retired the name in 2004, with its direct replacement being called the LR3, which was later replaced by the LR4. They didn't bring the Discovery name back until the current generation launched in 2017.
They were hoping the name had been gone long enough that people would have forgotten how bad the Series I and II Discos were. Apparently they were correct.
The Disco was the least reliable Land Rover model ever made. It was so bad that they retired the name in 2004, with its direct replacement being called the LR3, which was later replaced by the LR4. They didn't bring the Discovery name back until the current generation launched in 2017.
They were hoping the name had been gone long enough that people would have forgotten how bad the Series I and II Discos were. Apparently they were correct.
I mean once you do the heads it's fine right? Were they really that bad when new? I've done headgaskets on 3 but they all had crazy high miles and I figured that's just an age issue not a theme for the car
I mean once you do the heads it's fine right? Were they really that bad when new? I've done headgaskets on 3 but they all had crazy high miles and I figured that's just an age issue not a theme for the car
Head gaskets every 90-100k miles on all of them. 2003s have defective oil pumps and cylinder sleeves. Lots of electrical and axle problems. If you're going to get one, my understanding is the 2000-2001 are the ones to go for.
But then again, I guess the ones that have survived 20 years might have had so many parts replaced that they're better than average?
Head gaskets every 90-100k miles on all of them. 2003s have defective oil pumps and cylinder sleeves. Lots of electrical and axle problems. If you're going to get one, my understanding is the 2000-2001 are the ones to go for.
But then again, I guess the ones that have survived 20 years might have had so many parts replaced that they're better than average?
Oh wonderful. I was already avoiding the 03/04 from the issues you mentioned but I was hopeful headgaskets were only a one time high mile thing not a recurring repair, not exactly a hard repair but there HAS to be a way to avoid doing it more than once. There is one close to me that claims headgaskets and front driveshaft U-joints done in the last 20k miles that is responsible for a good bit of my fixation lol! Now it's sounding like the fact they have been done once wont matter and I will have to do them again at some point. I just don't want to have to fix things more than once, I'm up to 4 times on some stuff on the jeep.
Yes before anyone says it. I know a Toy/Lex will just work, but I'm about RXed out for now.
Last edited by Striker223; Aug 16, 2022 at 11:04 AM.
There is one close to me that claims headgaskets and front driveshaft U-joints done.
Are you really gonna trust someone else's head gasket repair job?
For me I saw no way.
I laugh when I see ads like "transmission just rebuilt 10k miles ago" or "new head gasket".
HUGE red flags and I don't walk, I run. haha
Are you really gonna trust someone else's head gasket repair job?
For me I saw no way.
I laugh when I see ads like "transmission just rebuilt 10k miles ago" or "new head gasket".
HUGE red flags and I don't walk, I run. haha
Hey man, if it leakdowns well, has even PSI, and doesn't have combustion gases in the coolant or coolant in the oil it's good right?
I actually talked to my machine shop about this engine and it's supposedly fine if you step down the coolant temp from 210 to 180. It's based on the Buick small block and it's not a engine that likes to be warm and already had weaker head sealing when it was a 3.5L, if it doesn't already need gaskets and the rest of the car isn't trash and I end up needing to do it later I would use MLS gaskets not graphite. I know from direct experience a MLS allows you to have much more leeway with heat, expansion ratios, and cylinder psi/pre-detonation resistance.
Following this I did further digging into the LR FSM and it appears LR upped the temp to 210 for emissions and MPG reasons. This lines up with other people who use the rover V8 as a hot rod overseas and how they usually setup builds.
Or this is just me trying to convince myself it can be made okay and is correctable. I hate liking what I like sometimes.....at least the LSs are abnormally reliable for a flagship lol!
Hey man, if it leakdowns well, has even PSI, and doesn't have combustion gases in the coolant or coolant in the oil it's good right?
You're a master tech so you know a lot more than me and yeah, that will be good and let you know if it's leaking now...until you push the engine hard. lol
I am not the world's best negotiator, I can barely talk a seller into letting me hook up my scanner and look for codes and live data.
Excuse me sir,"would you mind if I pull the intake so I pull the plugs and run a cylinder compression test on the back bank", I'd never get away with it. haha
Originally Posted by Striker223
I hate liking what I like sometimes.....at least the LSs are abnormally reliable for a flagship lol!
I hear that. lol
My taste is more expensive than I wanna spend like many others.
You want something that breaks down less than your Jeep. Land Rover is dead last in dependability in 2022 looking at three year old vehicles. Dead last in 2020. Next to last in 2018. Next to last in 2015 and next to last in 2013. At least consistent.
Land Rover is dead last in 2022 looking at three year old vehicles. Dead last in 2020. Next to last in 2018.
here's the problem with those stupid charts.
145 problems per 100 vehicles (best) is avg 1.45 problems per vehicle, right?
284 problems per 100 vehicles (worst) is avg 2.84 problems per vehicle, right?
so while charts allow owners of vehicles near the top to virtue signal all day long, the truth is the worst has less than 3 problems while the best has less that 1.5 problems, so hardly a big deal either way.
here's the problem with those stupid charts.
145 problems per 100 vehicles (best) is avg 1.45 problems per vehicle, right?
284 problems per 100 vehicles (worst) is avg 2.84 problems per vehicle, right?
so while charts allow owners of vehicles near the top to virtue signal all day long, the truth is the worst has less than 3 problems while the best has less that 1.5 problems, so hardly a big deal either way.
So what you're saying is the Land Rover at the bottom and Lexus at the top there's very little difference in their reliability. I have three friends that have had Land Rovers that would totally disagree with you but now own Lexus. Be the beta tester for this. Buy a 4-year-old Land Rover hold it for 4 years and tell us what you think.
As someone who just went through choosing the right suv for us, you can read articles and watch reviews for days, but you won't know what 'fits' best until you sit in them. I say take a day off, go dealer jumping and figure out what works best for you.
As someone who just went through choosing the right suv for us, you can read articles and watch reviews for days, but you won't know what 'fits' best until you sit in them. I say take a day off, go dealer jumping and figure out what works best for you.
The only must have requirements are real cargo hold downs, ability to hold at least a full size washer/dryer size item, and ability to carry an item of that size that's is 1000-1200lb and towing at least 5000lb with an overall size not exceeding about the size car I already have. Off road ability is a plus but not really required, I just like having at least one car I can take to trails and not care about damage.
So what you're saying is the Land Rover at the bottom and Lexus at the top there's very little difference in their reliability. I have three friends that have had Land Rovers that would totally disagree with you but now own Lexus. Be the beta tester for this. Buy a 4-year-old Land Rover hold it for 4 years and tell us what you think.
I've never been a fan of these charts and reports showing "problems" or charting "reliability" and have been outspoken on the forum about it. But bit is absolutely right - if you look at Lexus it's 159 problems per 100 cars and Land Rover is 284 problems per 100 cars. This is likely a pretty decent sample size, however your 3 friends with Land Rovers is an extremely small sample size.
I'm a sales guy and numbers never lie, but I can make them say whatever you want them to say - especially when using graphs and charts where things can be scaled differently. Imagine if this chart was done showing problems per car (not problems per 100 cars). Every manufacturer would be jumbled together.
Lexus sales rep pitch using this chart: Land Rover vehicles have a 75% higher "problem rate" reported using JD Power data compared to Lexus
*Notice how I switch to percentages here to drive the largest gap possible.
Land Rover sales rep pitch: Did you see the latest JD Power report? We only have 1.2 more problems per car compared to Lexus which is historically one of the most reliable luxury brands.
* Notice how I extrapolated the chart data from per 100 cars down to a single car to minimize the gap as much as possible and make it more relatable to the individual.
PS- Both statements are true.
Research what Purdue Pharmaceutical did manipulating their charts and graphs for Oxycontin. The visuals of how data is presented makes all the difference.
