Long time reader, new to posting.

Been eyeballing an LR for years and wanting to take the dive. Been looking for the last month but haven't found any clear "winners" yet. I've listed a few at bottom of this post that are on my radar currently. Ideally looking in the $8-$15k range, but a spotless great rig with great history at $20k isn't out of the question... just not my favorite. This puts me in the 2006-2014 range roughly.

Any general thoughts for a newbie in 2022 looking at this era besides the timing chain of the LR4? Is there a way to "test" for coolant issues from a distance since I need to shop within the greater PNW to have any options? Would anyone here avoid an LR4 like the plague? The market is sparse enough that it is nice to look at both models as far as having options goes, but I'm not trying to have a terrible first Landy experience so if the LR3 can generally help avoid that then I'll narrow my search. I have also read that the 08 is the "best" version of the LR3, but that others are also fine – all of this is assuming that some manner of routine pm has been done.

Comparing the two, general consensus seems to be that LR3 is more "bulletproof" but I do like the LR4 interior a tiny bit more - although it's not that big a deal if the trade off is timing chain issues.

As for real world examples, what would you think about these four?
1 - 2006 LR3 120k miles $14k
2 - 2007 LR3 137k miles $14k
3 - 2012 LR4 157k miles $14k(private owner)
3 - 2013 LR4 HSE LUX 72k miles $20k (At a used dealer that does not specialize in LR)

USE CASE:
I live in Montana so I'm looking for a daily driver that is winter capable and car camp campable rig that can head out into the woods. I do around town daily driving, plus long distance highway driving (Montana is huge after all), but also do what's called "off roading" by city folks, but would probably be called just "driving rough roads" by actual off road folks. Think: fire lookout dirt roads with ruts and lots of things that a good pickup truck could also handle without being modded into an "offroader."

This will be my first LR, I am lightly handy around a rig but also have a solid indy mechanic that only does work for a few people (me being one of them) so I know big jobs and maintenance can be done affordably/taught to me/YouTube mechanic some of the simpler stuff.

Love to hear what you all think on these examples and if there's a clear winner between the models or if it's a bit of a split decision.

 

For me, I'd go LR3 all day long, but I'm biased. I think the LR4 would suit your needs. I'd be worried about the timing chains on that higher mileage LR4 you listed. On the lower mileage one, it may not be too late to prolong the life of those timing chain guides by making frequent oil changes. I would still lean LR3 though just for that reason...it's such an onerous failure mode.

Your links to the LR3s took me to listings for vehicles near Seattle (Lynnwood) and it's not a private owner. Is that the correct linking?....because I have physically seen and been inside both of those LR3s. I wasn't compelled to inquire further....but then again I already have two of them and don't really need a third for another year or so when my daughter gets closer to driving age.

 

Good to hear, seems like those that have had both tend to prefer the LR3 - I wish the interior was slightly less dated but, certainly not the end of the world at all. I've seen a couple examples online where people have added an after market stereo to the phone dialing area on the LR3 dash so that they have updated nav and phone features while still leaving the the top screen in place for all the LR features - not sure it's my favorite look though (or if there are any unintended risks to that

Yeah I'm located in Western Montana but am looking in the triangle of MT>Seattle>Portland - obviously the closer the better especially so I could look in person a little easier, but I'm definitely willing to find a good seller to work with from a distance if I come across one.

That said - yes those are in Lynwood (and definitely not a private owner - just a typo, the links were correct. I fixed that in my post) and I had just started poking at the carfaxes this afternoon - funny you saw them both and were "meh" about them. Can I ask if you had any red flags now that you think about it or if you started them up or anything?

I will say the generic used car dealers with LRs on the lot don't seem to know a ton about them beside "luxury" and "expensive" so out of about five or six they haven't been super helpful, which pushes me towards hoping more for a private seller that's an LR enthusiast.

 

Looking for one owned by an enthusiast is a must, IMO.

There’s another thread a bit further down the page posing a similar question and it’s gotten a lot of feedback, so you should definitely read through that. I prefer the LR3 mechanically and the styling of the LR4. Since I am primarily a DIYer, the mechanicals win-out for me. The 4.4L V8 is more robust than either of the engines in the LR4, and I find 300 hp to be plenty of power. The transmission is fundamentally the same as in my F150 (both ZF 6HP26) and that brings some comfort.

I agree the LR4 interior is much nicer, and to that I suggest finding a 2008-2009 LR3 with the “Lux” package. It has premium leather seats which are very similar in appearance to the LR4 seats. The leather also feels much nicer in the hand and wear better than the standard coverings. My interior (“Ebony black” Lux trim) looks nearly new and I attribute that to the nicer materials.

If you do go LR4, know that 2014+ with the SC V6, only the HD package models have two-speed transfer cases. That’s a deal breaker for some.

Aside from the drivetrain and finishes, the vehicles are largely the same and come with many of the same problems. I wouldn’t say the LR4 is an improvement to the LR4, it’s just different.

 

The one with the winch had some pretty bad paint damage on the roof. Other than that they just didn't seem very well kept.... especially for $14k. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to drive them. I didn't have that much time and an accident occured on the hwy right in front of that place just after I arrived. The Owner seems to know his way around the LR3 though.

 

Thanks for your thoughtful reply - really love getting practical tips and tricks from other folks.

There's a 2014 LR4 with 57k miles that popped up near me for $20k that I might go take a test drive in the next few days. I am guessing it has not had the timing chain done but I'm still working out maintenance details. 1st owner lived in Chicago and serviced it there, 2nd owner is the one selling it because they got this for a winter car but don't need it anymore.

If I'm understanding correctly, an LR4 with regular preventative oil changes tend to have a far less likelihood of timing chain tensioner issues - but still hemming and hawing if that's empirical enough to think about buying a '12 without it being fixed already.

 

You missed my temporary insanity a few months ago when I was selling my 2008 in Portland, Oregon.

I like both the LR3 and LR4. At the time and for what I wanted to do with the rig the LR3 was a much better fit, and I liked the better sentiment towards the 4.4 V8. I found one in green with tan interior and I was sold. Let me know if you find any in the Portland area and I'm happy to take a look for you.

 

Hell yeah, I appreciate that.

I am torn on the LR3 vs LR4 currently as well. The interior of the LR4 is so much nicer, but I am also tempted by the more utilitarian simplicity and cost of a good LR3 - they seem to be about half the price of similar era LR4.

I've also found an LR3 without nav but with all the other SE-to-HSE add ons (including the cooler cubby) so now I'm trying to see if there's anything indispensable about that screen and the 4x4 system. Obviously nav is fine using a phone but I'm curious how "imperative" it is to have the on screen 4x4 info vs not?

I actually found a someone with a stable of LR3s and LR4s which have all been immaculately cared for, with all the PM imaginable done, and he's looking to offload a few of them before he makes a big life move across the country. They put the money and time into loving the hell out of the collection so it's a bit of a unicorn situation as far as buying a used LR, particularly as a first time owner.

Now I gotta get a few ducks in a row and seriously consider the big draws of going with a well loved LR3 vs a well loved timing chain/coolant crossover fixed LR4...

 

I'm not sure there is much 4x4 info on the screen that would be imperative to have. Even with the HD package. I think it'll show you when various components are locked, but since you're not directly controlling that anyway it's more of an FYI vs. something you're actively doing. My LR3 doesn't have the HD package, or the nav screen. While I haven't rock crawled with it like I did previous Wranglers, I've taken it in plenty of mud and snow and the thing handles it with ease on the KO2 tires.

Cooler cubby is something I might add down the road, but otherwise, there wasn't much in the HSE that I cared much about. The screen setup would just look dated at this point, so I was happy to have the extra top storage. My wallet and phone fit nicely up there, and I can lean my phone so that I can see the nav screen easily.

Any links to their collection?

 

Nice, glad to hear that.

From just a little bit of poking that maybe sounds like the gist from others too - that sure it's nice for seeing the 4x4 system but isn't actually helpful for much. I won't be rock crawling either, my off road will be more just going into backcrountry on dirtroads in the mountains, and longer road trips around the country in the summer.

No links to the collection, but we've chatted on the phone and given me a run down of all the rigs they're casually looking to rehome. Since all of them have been well taken care, it actually sorta makes it harder for me to pin down which direction I might want to go since there isn't necessarily a glaring issue lol.