Very,very bad news!
Winching
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 9
Judging from everything I've read on here and further research, if your an average bloke who is not mechanicallly inclined stay away from older land rovers. Unless you buy a brand new one or one with at least 50 thousand miles or less. It seems like a lot of you either work on them yourselves or just buy them as secondary vehicles to use here and there rather than daily drivers. What I don't understand is for a vehicle when new that is considered higher end luxery with a big price tag why the hell can't they be more reliable. All I here about is blown head gaskets and other nightmares.
Yep, most people come to a forum after something has gone south. They are looking for help, so the forum gets loaded with horror stories. No other forums are much better. I have seen them for Subaru and Dodge that would easily put our LR headgasket horror stories to shame. As my dad told me when I was young, poor maintenance can make the best car unreliable. Buying any used car is a gamble. These trucks are 10x worse because people who love them and take care of them often keep them forever, those that don't sell them after the damage is well under way. If you are going to buy a nice one used, you really need to get behind why they are selling it. I find ones that were traded in on a new LR tend to be in pretty good shape. The owner still loves the brand and were just getting into a new model. That is not 100%, but seems to be a pretty fair guess.
Three Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From:
Although I've never heard of "conformation bias" all you need to do is Google "Toyota Land Cruiser forum" or "Honda Accord forum" and take a peek at what's there to confirm it's true.
I bought my 2001 SE7 about 5 years ago, paid $18k for it with 52,000 miles. It's been a daily driver and the only problem I had was a wiper switch up until a couple of months ago when it started dripping coolant. I determined it was a head gasket and it was then that I started visiting the forums. I found out what I needed to know and did the job myself. While the heads were off I had them surfaced and valves done, replaced all hoses, thermostat, new plugs, Kingsborne wires and serpentine belt. Just under $1k total, a couple of weekends labor and some skinned knuckles.
Point is that up until that time I wasn't here on this forum posting that I had had another week, another month, another year of trouble free operation. That's something you're just not going to see here.
I bought my 2001 SE7 about 5 years ago, paid $18k for it with 52,000 miles. It's been a daily driver and the only problem I had was a wiper switch up until a couple of months ago when it started dripping coolant. I determined it was a head gasket and it was then that I started visiting the forums. I found out what I needed to know and did the job myself. While the heads were off I had them surfaced and valves done, replaced all hoses, thermostat, new plugs, Kingsborne wires and serpentine belt. Just under $1k total, a couple of weekends labor and some skinned knuckles.
Point is that up until that time I wasn't here on this forum posting that I had had another week, another month, another year of trouble free operation. That's something you're just not going to see here.
Judging from everything I've read on here and further research, if your an average bloke who is not mechanicallly inclined stay away from older land rovers. Unless you buy a brand new one or one with at least 50 thousand miles or less. It seems like a lot of you either work on them yourselves or just buy them as secondary vehicles to use here and there rather than daily drivers. What I don't understand is for a vehicle when new that is considered higher end luxery with a big price tag why the hell can't they be more reliable. All I here about is blown head gaskets and other nightmares. I live in the u.s. and bought a land rover because I like all the bells and whistles, (heated power seats excetera), plus they are a little different and almost like a head turner where I live. Not to mention its off roading legacy and I play music and needed the cargo space of an suv. It's just a shame that for a vehicle this costly when new a truck like say a toyota that costs almost half of a land rover will out preform it in the long run. Never again will I buy a land rover, unless I hit the lottery and can afford a brand new range rover. I'm sure there all not like this though? Maybe some of you have gotten lucky and put 30 to 40 thousand miles on them past 60k? I'm just super bummed because this is the second car I've gotten burned on in less than a month. 
I figured buying one with 75 thousand miles on it I could get a couple of years out of it with no major service issues.
I figured buying one with 75 thousand miles on it I could get a couple of years out of it with no major service issues.I have put over 40k on my truck.
Unfortunately for you you didnt do your homework before buying, headgaskets go bad on every DII in the 70-90k range, think of them as a timing belt that needs to be replaced every 60k.
I'm sorry about your luck, but its just a machine, its going to break.
And as far as the engine goes, buy a used one or get ahold of a Rover engine shop, for $5000 you can have a brand new engine.
And as far as a "high end vehicle"...yes they were when new and yes they are when old, but they still need to be treated as such no matter their age.
You call a super model fat and she's going to slap you, you drive a Rover with a coolant leak and its going to break.
Thread Starter
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Overlanding
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Northampton
Got a second opinion regarding my air bubbles in the coolant system, (first guy said I needed a new engine". The second opinion guy said it needs a new timing cover gasket. Replacing that would be the bare minimum for $1,000. He suggested though while he has it all apart that I should replace the water pump and a few miscellanious items pertaining to the coolant system. Grand total to fix $2,000. However, he also said there is no gaurantee that when he gets it apart that will fix it. He said I could still need a new motor but its worth taking the chance as it has lower miles for an 11 year old rover.
Three Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 97
Likes: 2
Got a second opinion regarding my air bubbles in the coolant system, (first guy said I needed a new engine". The second opinion guy said it needs a new timing cover gasket. Replacing that would be the bare minimum for $1,000. He suggested though while he has it all apart that I should replace the water pump and a few miscellanious items pertaining to the coolant system. Grand total to fix $2,000. However, he also said there is no gaurantee that when he gets it apart that will fix it. He said I could still need a new motor but its worth taking the chance as it has lower miles for an 11 year old rover.
FYI, I also got $100 off from the dealership on the work...don't let an independent shop rip you off.
Dave
Super Moderator
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,847
Likes: 106
From: Arkansas
No. $80 per hour, if he's charging book time is pretty decent these days, depending on where you are. I guess timing cover books out for more than I thought. Is he replacing the cover too, or just the gasket?
