Future LR Models in US

[jwest]

I'm sure that was said about the Disco I, Disco II, LR3, LR4 and so on before their respective launches.

I welcome more gadgets. As technology progresses, parts will get cheaper. Issues are usually not very hard to diagnose now with the plethora of sensors on modern day vehicles.

Maybe one day soon, we'll be able to 3D print replacement parts without leaving the comfort of our home.

Sounds like you know very little about Land Rovers. Nobody will be 3D printing a brake light switch, air struts or any of the other 1000 sensors and modules. Diagnosis is not the problem, fixing them all the time is the problem.

 

[gypsy]

Sounds like you know very little about Land Rovers. Nobody will be 3D printing a brake light switch, air struts or any of the other 1000 sensors and modules. Diagnosis is not the problem, fixing them all the time is the problem.

You can already 3D print circuit boards...couple that with this following piece being printed without any assembly afterwards:

I'd be willing to bet good money you'll be able to 3D print a brake light switch one day soon.

I'm not saying everything is covered by this theory...just saying being afraid of technological advancement is a little silly.


THAT SAID, I would love a utilitarian LR5 with just the basics from the 90's...but "basic" means something else today. In 10 years from now we'll be looking back at the LR3/4 and thinking about how simple it was.

 

[jwest]

You can already 3D print circuit boards...couple that with this following piece being printed without any assembly afterwards:

I'd be willing to bet good money you'll be able to 3D print a brake light switch one day soon.

I'm not saying everything is covered by this theory...just saying being afraid of technological advancement is a little silly.


THAT SAID, I would love a utilitarian LR5 with just the basics from the 90's...but "basic" means something else today. In 10 years from now we'll be looking back at the LR3/4 and thinking about how simple it was.

In 10 yrs there won't be many lr3 still on the roads.... unlike the older models. The problem is all the crappy little bits.

also, I don't think "you" or I will have the equipment to 3D print things with wiring or complex components like an air strut or things made of steel and aluminum. That little spherical thingy is cool but it's just solids in some composite goop.

The problem is the more fancy the rovers become, the more there are tiny little parts all waiting to rust, corrode, short out, or simply quit. Then there's bad design. The lr3/4 rear strut has a gasket that is often against the spinning drive axle! Thus wearing into the boot, causing it to eventually shred itself. Normal underwear lasts longer!

 

[jwest]

My lr3 is WAY more nice to drive in most conditions and it's far safer, etc but my 1996 Discovery 1 had far fewer failures. There were things that actually had time and miles to wear out. In the LR3 things just seam to give up for no apparent reason, expensive stupid things that cause other vehicles systems to become "unhappy" thus causing other results that may force you to pull off the roadway. The 1996 though just kept on going. It has 2x the mileage. Too bad the entire thing wasn't galvanized and wax dipped like a Mercedes G because it would still be worth rewiring at this point aside from the rust.

 

[gypsy]

How's your Disco II in comparison to the LR3 and Disco I?

Before I bought my LR3...I really wanted a Disco II but from everything I read it seemed as if I was better off with the LR3.

I haven't had it very long, but have been enjoying it quite a bit so far. With what they cost used, it leaves a lot of room for repair bills rather than buying something that would be newer with probably less features.

I still want a Disco II...but I'm thinking wait a few more years until it's legal to import a diesel model.

 

[jwest]

The 96 is still in the family and monitored by me. The 2004 D2 is still in my own use or by a friend and has been 100% reliable with few "failures" and nothing very expensive. The thing is you can bring in an lr3 or an 08 bmw and leave behind $3000 in a heartbeat.

With the older land rovers I think it's more of a good or bad one. I got a couple good ones maybe but also am a preventative maintenance type of person having the same shop, english car specialist, look at it every 6 months or 3-5k miles. My 04 is low mileage though, only in the mid 80's now with my 07 at just over 100k. The 96 has 230,000 or so miles.

I'm keeping my 04 until the engine goes and will then see about a TD5 replacement.

 

[gypsy]

Sounds like you know very little about Land Rovers. Nobody will be 3D printing a brake light switch, air struts or any of the other 1000 sensors and modules. Diagnosis is not the problem, fixing them all the time is the problem.

Just wanted to update this thread to let you know we're closer than I had anticipated to printing sensors / switches etc:

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mit-invent...10-different-materials-simultaneously-1517149

 

[jwest]

The story was actually pretty interesting.

However, will this make the parts less likely to fail or cheaper to replace or effectively much different for the consumer to keep a vehicle going?

It doesn't really matter if a car owner still has to buy a part and have it installed. I don't really care where or how a head gasket is created if it still has to be installed into the engine.

None of this new technology is really going to translate into me getting a better vehicle for less money. This will more likely help manufacturing become more profitable.