My Rover has never had the head gaskets replaced, 214k.
The wifes turbo Volvo has over 200k, all original.
My original work van, a E-250 with the 5.4 Triton has over 350k, original head gaskets.
My second work van, again a E-250, closing in on 300k, original head gaskets.
My Sprinter with the Mercedes TD5 blew up at 165k.
My Duramax currently has 225k on it, but head gaskets were replaced around the 150k mark.

In my humble opinion, not just head gaskets life but total engine life depends on how it is driven, frequent short trips and not coming to full operating temps shortens the life of everything.
The expanding and contracting of the heating/cooling of the engine parts puts strain on the gaskets and other parts.
Engines are designed to run at a certain temp, running them to cold or to hot will shorten the life of the engine and its components.

My work vans are driven HARD but they run ALL day long, and I mean all day, like from 8:30am until 5-6pm and if it does get shut off it is only for a few min.
My Rover is the same way, I do not make short trips with it, 95% of my driving is expressway, start it in the morning, drive 17 miles, shut it off.
Time to go home, same thing, it sits on the weekends unless we are going on a trip out of town, I never drive it to the store unless it is on my way home from work.
If you drive a Rover in the city you are a idiot.

 

Get away from Dexcool, go to something like Peak, replace your t/stat every 60,000 miles and use a bottle of Water Wetter, Purple Ice or BG's Super Cool in your coolant and change the coolant every 2 years.

 

I have a via, 216,000; no engine issues, aluminum, 180F
I had a Montero 294,000 no by issuers
I have Mercedes 93 291,000 by leaks a little oil external
I have a disco 1 180k, changed to 180f stat

 

Headgaskets should NOT go anywhere near this early... this is a flawed design in the Rover V8.

 

My Disco II was fanatically maintained by its first owner and I have been pretty vigiliant with it for the 60,000 miles I have put on it. I've been very prompt to address any coolant leaks and replace parts (thermostat, water pump, radiator hoses, timing belt gasket) and the truck has never over heated.

I've been driving Euro cars for 20 years - my only head gasket replacements so far were on a '91 Jetta (loved that car but it blew head gaskets like it burned gas). We have driven Volvos, MBs and BMWs to the 200,000 mile mark without replacing head gaskets.

Keeping your DII from overheating and doing good maintenance can certainly help, but gasket failure is basically a wear issue. No matter how good you've treated your ride, designed obsolesence is nearly impossible to overcome.

 

I think there are certain things you can try to do to prevent it, but if they go they go. It's LR's fault. No reasonable person should expect hg replacement every 100,000 miles. Not mention nearly everything is susceptible to leaking on a Land Rover. That should tell you there is a problem with quality of gaskets they make. That said I have every intention of making my current hg's last. Spike555is probably on to something. However I think DI's are a consistently more reliable truck than the DII.

Changing your coolant and t-stat every so often might be the best thing you can do. Also need to consistently watch your coolant reservoir and bleed the system of air. If you get air pockets in there, then those can cause damage as well.

 

with Land rover its head gaskets, with imports it's timing belts.

 

How about one of these... and maybe a couple chickens.....