One thing to keep in mind with both the L320s and the LR3's, both have the 6HP26/28 transmissions. They basically will not make it to 200k without a rebuild due to a design flaw in the transmission that affects 4-5 shift, its a wear issue with the drums/bearings inside and cannot be corrected without complete disassembly. In addition to that there are well known solenoid and valve body issues, again associated with age and wear. Not to say it is not a reliable trans, it just has a limited lifetime from the factory. The 4.2/4/6 is more reliable than the 5.0 that replaces it, but if not maintained correctly they will also have timing chain issues. Additionally there is the usual air suspension, ecu water intrusion, and electric parking brake issues. Overall the D2's are simpler, easier to fix, and more reliable once the cooling system issues are addressed. However I do like both of those for the power and drivability when running well, especially the SC version.

 

The boss has an L320 SC with the Jag engine. She. Loves. It. However, it is currently being a PITA and we’ve dumped a bit of $$$ into it. BLUF: when it gets cold outside, suddenly the HVAC, TPMS, Camera system, Infotainment, and even turn signals just shut off. We trusted the dealer initially (one downside of living in a rather hill billy area is a distinct lack of sophistication) and they were beyond useless and after getting the CJB replaced, it then pointed to the cluster. We’ve got a GAP tool, but this has been a bit of a nightmare and has scared me a bit from the platform as we have the dreaded “Key not found” error message in addition to the above, which basically has bricked the vehicle now. As I lost faith in the dealer, we bought a new cluster and are waiting for it to arrive, and then I’ll have to tow it to an Indy shop up in Dumbver as I don’t trust anyone around where we are to be able to program it properly. My big concern is the KVM might be bad as well. There has been zero water intrusion anywhere. The boss loves the thing and aside from this, it has been stone reliable and no one will ever convince me that 500hp is a bad idea. So when the damn barn is finished and we recover a bit (and I get a real job again) we’ll be leasing a new one most likely, or she’ll take over one of the Discos we have and I’ll work on restoring the other one and just get her a nice sports car or sedan for regular duty.

My point is, if anyone thinks the D2 is alone in issues, they are mistaken. The advantage of the D2 is it is INFINITELY more simple and cheap to fix (for just the above issues, we’ll have $5k into it). The L320 has 32 separate controllers and it is very well built and stout, but it is concerning to trust as it ages. We’ve not had the timing chains done either (mitigated by using hot rod oil and charging it WAY more often) and as the things are not worth much at this point, the diminishing returns are approaching rapidly.

The L320 drives absolutely wonderfully, and tows like a king (had the horse trailer loaded with animals over Vail with zero issues, towed a 5k lb trailer across WY at 85-90 mph and it was a total dream), and with worthwhile tires is as boring as my Jeep in the snow. It eats tires and brakes, but for the current cost of entry to one, and the performance, a decent compromise. However, again, the above has made me scared.

How this relates to a D2 for me is I know I can fix almost anything in the field with a D2 if properly prepared. The L320? Not so much.

Since I keep going way off base (and am just bored at work) this is why I sold the last D2 (big mistake) for a sedan because my Jeep does all of the above in addition to running the Rubicon multiple times. The Jeep just isn’t as cool as a Land Rover, but when I say reliable and bomb proof, it has been the pinnacle of a hammer. It’s towed over 20k miles to it’s limit, done the Rubicon multiple times, has so much traction it stays in 2wd in snow storms, driven cross country multiple times, and on and on. Only now at over 100k miles am I having to do a clutch in it. I didn’t do brakes on it until over 80k miles.

Ah well, I should stop babbling…

 

I've seen a few come up for sale with 200k+ miles and they are stating transmission issues, so I figure comes with the territory. It seems like the LR3 was a nice blend of the end of the analog age and the modern tech age- refined ride but still plenty of capability and an overall reliable platform. I seriously considered getting one instead of my Land Cruiser and part of me sort of wishes I had.

This perfectly sums up my observation of L320 and L322 ownership- you can get one that has 200k+ miles and has nothing irregular outside of regular maintenance, or you get one thats a dumpster fire, or you get one that is like yours- a blend of both. I know someone who has a jag 4.4 powered L322 and he has like 170k on it and no problems. His wife has an LR4, same deal, no problems. Hit or miss.
I agree with oyu about the Discos which is one reason I like them so much- very analog with less electrics to go wrong, so roadside troubleshooting is more realistic.