Change the oils/fluids more often than the book says. Probably at least every 30k for the diffs and maybe 75k for the automatic.

The diffs like to start making noise.

 

The 2004 DII looks way better than LR3 in my opinion...

 

You can do your own top hat liner conversion for $3-4K. Buy one/install yourself for $6K or have someone do it for $7K. I went with option B and got a 3 year warranty and am pleased. I'm military and never know where I'll end up from one year to the next. Case in point...I'm moving to Turkey in June. Whatever I've got, I need to be able to work on it myself because I may be a ways from a competent mechanic. Nothing against LR3s, but with 1500 wires just controlling the suspension, it's a little out of my league. Most people are not in my situation, so the right car for you may be different (unless it's a Freelander!).

 

The things that WILL fail without question. Compressor and lower control arm bushings. Know it going in and you're good. My Rrs has extended warranty till 109k miles (previous owner xferred to me). LCA already replaced. Waiting for compressor to go (my 06, both went)

 

Replace the dryer on the compressor, if it's still got the hitachi style compressor. That's what causes the failures. The silica beads inside break apart and plug up the filters. Makes the compressor work too hard.

There is also updated software, a newer relay, and a valve and spring kit you can put in the hitachi compressors that will improve their reliability.

As far as the LCA bushings, when mine go bad again, I'll get some poly bushings from Lucky 8.

 

My air compressor went around 90k. LCA bushings around 80k. I replaced with the updated LR4 compressor and put polybush in the LCA.

The updated software is definitely a positive. The old update made the compressor run for long periods of time, causing it to heat up. The new update makes the compressor run more often, but for shorter periods of time, letting it cool down and extending the life.