Preparing to buy a 2007 LR3 HSE with 75K miles for $15K - what issues to check for?

[PaulLR3]

As jwest noted and from my experience as well, you can plan on spending $5000/year on repairs once an LR3 hits 50K miles.

Mine went through pretty much the entire front suspension - ball joints, tie-rods, control arms and bushings. Then the front wheel bearings wore out which require all new front hubs. My air compressor failed. My rear differential motor failed. And I just traded it in because the AC was failing as well. I decided to get a used LR4 with a CPO warranty instead.

As appealing as the $15K cost is, another option could be a used LR4 with a CPO warranty to 100K miles. If you are going to spend $5K/year in repairs, you could put that toward payments on an LR4. It all depends on how many miles you drive a year and how long you plan to keep the vehicle.

 

[Houm_WA]

I think the $5k/yr figure is a little high, and of course there are a ton of variables. Just for another data point I probably spend closer to $2500/yr in maintenance.

 

[toddjb122]

As jwest noted and from my experience as well, you can plan on spending $5000/year on repairs once an LR3 hits 50K miles.

...

As appealing as the $15K cost is, another option could be a used LR4 with a CPO warranty to 100K miles. If you are going to spend $5K/year in repairs, you could put that toward payments on an LR4. It all depends on how many miles you drive a year and how long you plan to keep the vehicle.

I agree that a used LR4 with factory CPO is a good suggestion.

That said, I know I shouldn't respond to this without exact figures...but I believe I spend significantly less than an LR4 car payment in maintenance of my LR3 that is nearing 200K (I think I'm at 193ish).

I take it in for all scheduled service and it still seems like only once a year do I get hit with a $1000+ item.

I don't want to jinx myself, but I couldn't be driving a new car as nice as the LR3 for what I pay to maintain this one. It helps to have a non-dealer mechanic that you trust who can tell you the service/repairs you need vs. what you can wait on. Factoring in additional costs that you are likely still paying for the maintenance of wear items on a new car (brakes, tires, fluids, filters and oil changes if that isn't included by the dealer)

In reality, I'm not doing it for logical reasons...I'm just hoping my LR3 makes it until the LR5 comes out.

 

[Houm_WA]

There is a lot of fine points in what Todd wrote. If you take say, a $3000/yr maintenance figure and divide that by 12; that's $250/mo. What kind of car does that get you? A Camry? No thanks....and then for me the sentimental value is tremendous. I've had my greatest adventures in my LR3.

 

[jwest]

There is a lot of fine points in what Todd wrote. If you take say, a $3000/yr maintenance figure and divide that by 12; that's $250/mo. What kind of car does that get you? A Camry? No thanks....and then for me the sentimental value is tremendous. I've had my greatest adventures in my LR3.

A really sweet low mileage 2004 Discovery 2 HSE...

 

[Houm_WA]

...sure but that puts you in a similar maintenance scenario.

 

[jwest]

...sure but that puts you in a similar maintenance scenario.

for the same distance and time my 2004 has cost about 1/2 to maintain and cost 1/2 to buy. Even at same cost for maintaining, I'd still be ahead by $27,500 over an investment period of 8 years.... do that math!

What has my 04 NOT needed:
-AC compressor/pump
-wheel bearings
-rear differential
-tie rod ends
-air compressor
-air strut
-coolant overflow tank
-door latch/lock mechanism
-sunroof drain fix from wet floor
-rear hatch strut
-radiator
-suspension bushings
-starter (this week on lr3 showing signs of imminent demise)
-other things I can't even remember now...

 

[figaro hse]

Carmax offers excellent warranty on ALL their used cars. There is a famous blog post about Carmax's warranty repair saga on a Range Rover --
http://jalopnik.com/my-horn-stopped-working-another-carmax-warranty-update-1616487343

DO NOT EVER BUY A BRITISH CAR OR SUV OUT OF WARRANTY!

 

[Houm_WA]

Okay but what HAS your D2 needed? Your experience may be a one-off case, too. Mostly I've heard nightmare stories about D2s. Again....so many variables.

 

[jwest]

D2 weren't "nightmare". You just only hear when people ***** and moan. Mine hasn't needed a whole lot but to some people they might think it's been a lot. The truth though is that for what they cost, maintaining them is really not so much $.

Again, I already told you, it's certainly not cost $27,500 to repair things, not even close. That's what I was getting at. People get all nuts about repairs but they don't seem to be able to do the simple math of $7000-$10,000 / year on payments vs WAY less for repairs, even on the "nightmare" examples.