Been watching forums for a long time, the Land Rover Disover 3, LR3, has really captured my imagination.

I know about some of the issues that can arise with them, I wonder how many who have purchased one in the last few years have wished they went a different route.

I am in Canada, prices here in Canadian dollars seem to range from $6000 to $15000.

I would be looking for one for.kind of a third vehicle, just a fun hobby type vehicle for maybe the occasional camping trip and for just some pleasurable driving.

My current work, personal vehicle is a 2012 F350 4x4, great truck, never an issue with it. Do most of the servicing myself . I have never even had a.warning light come on in 200,000 km , except for the low air pressure tire warning. Wife has a 2020 Lexus RX350, very nice little SUV.

Considered land cruisers or their Lexus equivalents, but good grief the price unless you want some rusted out thing with 450,000+ km, the land rover lr3 I have seen for sale all seem to have under 200,000 km, and rust doesn't seem to be a big issue, at.least on the outside.

I don't mind working on vehicles some, I am a machinist so have some.mechanical know how. Prefer driving than working on vehicles though.

Apologies.for.rambling on a bit, I just really have been intrigued with the LR3 with the 4.4 V8. I haven't seen a diesel for sale.but there seems to be some for sale.with a gas 6 cylinder , I haven't read much ,or anything , about the gasoline six cylinder engine offered.in some lr3.

Please feel free.to share your experience,.and if you could do it over would you?

Thanks!

Craig

 

I'll put it to you like this, Craig. I bought an LR3 brand new in 2005. I still have it, and a couple years ago I bought another one, a 2006. If I had more room in my garage/driveway I'd probably buy another one.

 

That is great that you have bought a second and still like the vehicles. Do yours have the 8 cylinder?
I think I have worn out my phone reading about them and watching YouTube videos about them.

I tend to keep my vehicles for a long time, and drive them fairly easy. I don't like breaking stuff.

The lR3 looks like a.very capable for slippery roads and snow.

 

The 4.4 liter V8 on the D3 is arguably the best factory fitted engine ever on D3/D4. It’s quite solid, it’s simple, it’s slightly thirsty of course.

I have a MY05 I bought with 192k km on it and have driven soon 100k km more with it. I’ve had a bunch of cars in my life but the D3 is the one I really like. My biggest concern is that some moron t-bones it in traffic and insurance writes it off at a ridiculously low value.

it’s a great car to service yourself. Most things have been discovered (har har) and there are plenty of instructions, videos and parts available for every budget.

good luck.

 

...and yeah the biggest fear is some moron totaling one of them, especially the '05 because I ordered it from the factory and if it's not one of a kind it's certainly rare.

 

Had my 2008 TDV6 for almost 4 1/2 years, had a few issues but nothing major apart from a timing belt tensioner failure which potentially could have totalled the engine but i was lucky, just over 205k klms and its simply the best car i have ever owned which has been LR only for the last 27 years.
The diesels have some issues but once you get past them they are capable of over 30mpg on a good run, my last trip returned 8.3L/100klms (28mpg).

 

I love the LR3s and am on my 3rd one. But expect to be disappointed if you're looking for any kind of reliability compared to Ford or Lexus/Toyota. Any money you save by not buying a Landcruiser will eventually go to repairs, unless you do all the work yourself.
Again, they're great (I love 'em, really!) but certainly not reliable or cheap to own.

 

Buy the best one you can and avoid the V6. That is basically the same engine as in the Ranger/Exploder and it's not exactly a fireball in that platform.
We liked my original 08 HSE so much that we made a road trip from NoMi to TN to buy one for her, which was an absolute lemon and has taught me a lot about LR3 mechanics. However, I have fought her to a draw and when the wifely one bought her Bronco Sport we sold the good one (mine) because I didn't want the karma of saddling someone else with our lemon, and it's been mostly OK. Now I know a lot more about them and nuttin skeers me and she's now my DD.

 

Zero regrets.
In fact, maybe my favorite vehicle purchase yet.

 

I had the same question and someone i know who works on older rovers told me the LR3 is one of the best.....(not so much the LR2 with the volvo engine)......i have an '08 SE 4.4 w/ 210k and some big tires, JR lift......i'm fairly impressed so far after a few months.