Hello,

I am taking the plunge in to becoming an LR3 owner (finally!) and would love feedback from owners of either a 2005 or 2006 SE and HSE editions. Other than trim, I don't see too much difference from 2005 - 2006, unless I missed something.

I am looking at either a 2005 SE or a 2006 HSE. Both are the V8 engines. Mileage has a difference of about 30,000 miles between the two. Both have been well maintained and dealer serviced.

HSE owners - any headaches with the fully loaded options, or items that no longer work?

SE owners - wish you had an HSE instead?

Just looking for some insight

 

Only real differences would be the seats, stereo, and 19inch rims on the HSE vs the SE. You can get an SE loaded with the HID headlights, Nav, HD Package. Just depends on if the SE is a base model or not.

I love my HSE, but I would prefer 18inch rims for more tire options. That's something I'll probably change to in the future, but right now it's got a brand new set of Michelin Tires.

 

You're guaranteed a lot of options on the HSE - but you'd have to check on the SE as the previous poster mentioned, you can get most of those on the SE as well.

I don't believe the center console cooler was available on the SE however. I don't really use it, but it's cool to have.

You really can't argue with the purchase of an HSE though, especially with these things being over a decade old now. The HSE has a few things that kinda keep it more up-to-date.

Cold Climate Package - HEATED WINDSHIELD for sure - this is awesome, I think it includes heated mirrors? That may be standard though. This also includes..
Front and rear heated seats
Heated washer nozzles

Other options, though I'm unsure of what "packages" included these..
Harman / Kardon 14 speaker Logic 7 surround sound system with (I think) a 10" sub in the rear tailgate. Maybe 8". This system is incredible, and in my RRS which had the 6 DVD changer and rear seat entertainment, Land Rover / HK actually tied the Logic 7 amp to the DVD changer with a TosLink fiberoptic line. This meant that ALL the surroundsound data from movies was directed to the specific speaker in perfect true 5.1 surroundsound. This is a hidden feature that hardly ANYONE knows about. You must disable Logic 7 so it doesn't try to mess with the positioning by itself (Logic 7 is HK's method of taking 2 channel audio from FM, XM, Aux etc and determining where it should go on a 5 channel system.) The RRS was spectacular though, especially movies. All dialogue was on the center channel, planes could fly over and fade from front to rear, explosions sounded life-like, just epic! Arguably kinda pointless and gimmicky but whatever.

Voice control AND bluetooth become standard on the HSE. I believe this was an add-on option even if you got the upgraded stereo on the SE (ie you'd still have to add these). I think Sirius XM radio may have been an option as well - again standard on HSE.

Touch-screen control! This was my biggest struggle when searching for a loaded SE, as it was kinda an instant deal-breaker for me. IMHO the terrain response functionality of the LR3 is dramatically enhanced by the situational awareness the screen provides (full status of all 4 corners, highlights red when they're at full compression or unloaded, shows visual representation of ride height setting, terrain response setting, front wheel direction (sometimes useful in parking lots before you move) and locking center/rear diff status, oh and HDC setting and transfer case settings. In off-road mode also shows bread crumb trails, lat/long coordinates, and even your altitude! Plus of course regular GPS info as well.

Adaptive Xenon w/ bi-xenon. Also kinda a gimmick but in original form these headlights are some of the best on the road, especially high beam. I've found that most bulbs work fine (no discolor, etc) but are about 20-30% less bright than original - definitely swap those out as part of post-purchase maintenance. The standard bi-xenon's (optional on SE) are also great, but I wouldn't suggest the halogens.

At some point you also get headlight washers, though these may be included if you upgrade from halogen to bi-xenon on the SE. Obviously standard on HSE.

3rd row seating. I believe this wasn't an option in 2005? Or maybe only on HSE? Either way I believe this becomes standard with the HSE model and is nice when required. In some ways it actually increases floor storage depending on configuration.

Rear climate control. This might not even be standard with HSE, but my RRS and LR3 HSE's both had/have it. In the summer it does increase cooling significantly, as it actually adds a second evaporator in the rear, plus (I think?) seven additional vents, maybe more! It's full heat/AC, head/floor. It works in conjunction with the auto mode in the front as well, so it decides (independently) how to control the rear in addition to the front if you leave the rear switch in auto.

If you 100% plan on keeping it stock, the 19" HSE wheels look great, but are VERY difficult to find tires for. I got new 20" stormer replicas with falken wildpeak tires for LESS than what the 19" cooper xeons would have cost once I sold my stock 19's on craigslist!

I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I'm sure it'll come to me later. Let me know if you have any questions!

edit: I knew I forgot something! The HSE's have front AND rear park distance monitoring! This IS an HSE-specific option I think, as you could get the rear PDC on the SE's but I think I've only seen the front on HSE's!

 

Thank you both for the information! I think I know what my decision will be. Regardless, I look forward to becoming an LR3 owner very soon

 

You never mentioned price or which one has 30,000 more miles.

I went in not really caring which trim level I got and ended up with a fully loaded HSE. I definitely appreciate the extra features and I feel like I would be slightly jealous of other HSE owners if I had gotten a base SE.

 

The HSE has the lower mileage and price difference would be $1,000 between the two.

 

Get the HSE, that's a no-brainer. It's newer AND lower mileage. Of course, do your due diligence in determining the state-of-repair on each.

There were some things above that aren't quite right OR that depend on the year as well as the HSE-SE aspect, but I won't delve into it. (My HSE has no 3rd row but it was an option. It has no 2nd row climate control (both of these were options I chose not to get) and it has no front parking distance sensors). The one thing that I can think of besides the stereo, seats, rims and such mentioned above that you cannot option up to in the SE is the Bi-adaptive Xenons. You can get Xenons but I don't think you can get the adaptive ones on an SE.

 

My 06 HSE has every single option you could get in 06 except for the darn center console cooler. From what I've heard all LR3's are wired for it, but some just didn't come with it. It's not something I have to have, but it would have pardon the term "cool" lol.

Yeah the Heated front windshield is nice (available on SE model), and The onscreen 4x4 info is certainly nice (also available on the SE model).

Most of the SE's I've seen are pretty much fully loaded and maybe don't have the phone setup, but they have the HID's, NAV, heated seats F/R, Rear AC, and my brothers 05 even has the HD Package with the rear E-Locker.

Most of the base base base SE's are V6's and they don't have much besides the standard list of equipment. I see some from time to time, but most are nicely equipped SE's or HSE's.

When I was looking I really wanted an HSE so I'd get the cooler & the HD Package, but I was having a hard time. Then I found 2 really clean SE's for around 13-15K with under 100K on them. I was really into one of them until I started noticing torn seat backs, torn headliner, and some other interior stuff messed up, but it was mechanically sound and strictly LR serviced. Then I found my 06 HSE at a hole in the wall dealership with the same mileage as the other two SE's, but for 10.9K.... I had to go look at it!

I pulled up at the dealer and immediately wanted to leave as it was truly a hole in the wall place and there was no LR3 to be seen (he only had like 10 cars on his lot). Then the owner said oh I'm letting my son drive it. So I figured well it can't be that bad if it's being driven around.

His son pulled up in it, and besides being dirty on the outside it was nearly new on the inside with just a few misc small scratches on the exterior. I checked under it, and even had a code scanner with me. No clunking from the lower control arms, new tires, and no CEL's or faults. I found out after talking to the son that this car lot was just a hobby for his dad and that it keeps his dad from driving his mom crazy and that he just buys clean cars from the auctions and sells them. That made me feel better so I did a bit more research and pulled up the owners address on the GPS (amazing how people never delete that stuff...) The previous owners house was in a very $$$$$$$$$$$ part of Houston, TX. I figured for sure it had been dealer maintained as it was in to good of shape. Under the hood it wasn't the typical armorall goo and polish everywhere. It was clean, but dirty at the same time vs being way to clean if ya know what I mean.

I didn't ask on trying to get it for 10K I just got a loan in 20min and drove it home without a down payment or anything (something the car dealer was shocked over).

I agree the LR3 is one of those vehicles that feels solid like the day it was new even 10 years later. I was very good friends with the folks at LR Austin back in the day and when the 05 LR3 Party was held at the Dealership everyone got to sit in them, drive them, and buy them. I remember how it drove, and rode in 05. When I test drove my 06 it felt the exact same.

I had to install new brake pads/rotors all around on my LR3 as they were worn down to just about a 1/4 of the pad left. I also got ceramic pads as the Ferdo's that were on there were just HORRIBLE with their brake dust. I did have a crazy situation with it going kinda nuts on me, but I checked the TCM, cleaned the contacts (one plug was barely corroded), and I replaced the brake switch. After that it seemed to have solved my faults.

When I went to change the oil I was extremely happy to find a LR Oil Filter staring me in the face so that proved that my gut was right and that it had been well taken care of. You can just tell when a LR has been babied vs one that hasn't.

I've very happy with my LR3 and I am also glad I hung in there until my 06 HSE popped up vs grabbing one of those other two SE's. The stereo is amazing, and I love the extra little gadgets. I agree the headlights are truly fantastic!

On the HID Headlights on SE vs HSE. I'm not 100% sure as my brother has an 05 SE with the HID's and he swears they're the adaptive units.

I say go for the HSE vs the SE unless the HSE is in need of some $$$$$ TLC or something.

 

I'm 95% sure on the HID question, but it's academic at this point. If you want to test it in your brother's, it's fun and easy. Well, I was gonna say to just go drive it on a windy road at night, but you don't even have to do that. Fire it up at night in spot where you can see the beam pattern in front of you and see if the headlights "dance" upon start up. Or stand in front of it and look at the headlights while your bro fires it up. The adaptive headlamps do a calibration, which you should be well aware of with your fully-loaded HSE.

 

Yep I agree, I haven't seen my brothers in person, but I will see it Oct 7th lol.