Hi all -

First post here on the forum (and a long one at that), but not new to Rovers. I wanted to gather some opinions as I'm making some changes to my small fleet soon and not sure which direction to go. I currently have an 08 LR3 HSE 120k miles, have owned for about 4 years now, and it's my daily driver in the winter and for most summer days too (also have a few Jags for the summer). However, due to commute changes and other reasons, I'm at the point where I'm ready to retire it from daily duty (being replaced with a Jag XJ AWD).

My question, as you can see from the title of my post, is do I keep it and set it up as an overlanding/camping/light off-road rig, or sell for a RRC (looking at the 91 Hunter)?

I've spent quite a bit of time and $$ sorting it (new front shocks/control arms, rear latch problem fixed, 2x new cats, new set of snow tires, new expansion tank, new belts, trans sleeve leak fixed, trans case seal fixed, etc etc.) so I'm tempted to keep it.

BUT, I love the looks of the RRCs, and they are appreciating unlike the LR3. Also much simpler to work on I assume, and that's really what worries me about taking the LR3 off road as it ages - being able to fix it in the field seems unlikely.

Has anyone had experiences with both? Thoughts?

 

I have a 98 D1, but it's basically a RRC with the exception of GEMS vs 14CUX. Very basic, easy to trouble shoot, and it comes apart fairly easy. LR3 would require you to definitely require you to have an iCarsoft LR2 at a minimum for viewing codes and clearing them.

My 06 LR3 is great, but it is a much more complicated beast. I myself prefer a RRC/D1/D2's, but my wife loves the LR3 so she drives the 06 while I have a 98 D1, 99 D2, and 02 D2 as my vehicles of choice.

The LR3 is of coarse much more refined with a better HVAC system, more HP, better headlights, and improved in almost every way vs the RRC/D1/D2, but all that comes at a cost of being more complicated, with harder to reach parts, and harder to diagnose issues.

I also like the lines of the RRC/D1/D2 better vs the LR3 however an LR3 with some nice looking aggressive tires, a roof rack, an ARB, and in high profile doesn't look bad either. It just doesn't have the English lines of the old LR's.

You can't go wrong with either one, but older clean RRC & D1/D2's are becoming a thing of the past. I had a super clean 94 RRC SWB and I was silly and sold it to a friend and watched it slowly fall apart.... I now have a super clean 98 D1, 99 D2, and my 02 Kalahari. People say D1/D2's are a dime a dozen and that may hold true for the beat up duct taped, and zip tied ones on CL, but I think the well kept units will eventually go up in value just like how the RRC did. I haven't seen as clean of a RRC as my 94 for any less than 12K around here.

 

Thanks for your input Best4x4. I definitely agree that the LR3 is more refined, but your points about it being a more complicated vehicle are also true.

Considering how I plan to use it going forward, I think less complicated + less refined may be the better route to go. I have other stuff for comfort and refinement.

I am planning a trip to Yellowstone late next summer, and if the LR3 decides to start throwing codes in the middle of Montana I'm SOL.

 

Yep I'm planning a road trip up to Portland, OR for sometime next year and while the LR3 would be an awesome road queen the chance of it dropping to the ground is always in the back of my mind (had a 97 RR that dropped to the ground on a 6hr drive home from the beach) It was HORRIBLE and all over a silly height sensor that got some find sand in it.

I'd jump into my 98 D1 with no fears of that, and a few spare parts as a CYA. All my friends are thinking I'm crazy for wanting to jump into a 20 year old LR and going 4,800 mile round trip, but I know every inch of that D1 and I know that it is very reliable and in the event it acts up I know right where to look.

I love the LR3, but at the same time I'm thinking the worse case scenario and with a family that's not a scenario I want to deal with out in the middle of no where far far far away from any LR dealership.

I'm still new to the LR3 world vs older LR's. When I first got my LR3 it totally went bananas over a 22.00 brake light switch and dirty TCM contacts going into town to pick up a pizza. It faulted, with the typical LR3 stuff, trans fault, tcm fault, ebrake fault, and HDC fault. I pulled into an auto zone, used my phone to do some research, bought a new switch (installed it like a RRC/D1/D2 which is WRONG), and got back out onto the road headed home with the pizza. When I turned on the key after the switch no more faults were displayed. However once I got up on the freeway it wouldn't shift out of 3rd gear. I thought that was odd, so I exited at the next exit. When I slowed down the dash lit up like a christmas tree and smoke was pouring out of each front wheel. I jumped out and could see the cross sections inside the vented front disc/rotor. They were glowing bright red/clear..... I was thinking my LR3 was going to burn to the ground. I went to shut it off and the HDC icon was now displayed on the dash. I had never touched it or enabled/disabled it... I knew something ECU related was going on for sure. I let it sit for 45min and after I cycled the key 3 times the fault was gone (found out it only reoccurred when I hit the brakes hard enough like stopping at a red light or stop sign. If I babied the brake pedal it wouldn't fault out.

Got home 1.5hr later and I pulled into my driveway with the loudest squeaking/faded brakes in history... Pizza was nasty and I just went to bed and let the wife drive my 98 D1 to work in the morning (had just sold a mint 08 H3 Hummer Alpha for the LR3 just because of needing a 3rd row). My wife wasn't happy & I certainly wasn't. I read up online, removed the battery, and found my TCM wiring to barely be dirty. I cleaned them, got a replacement brake switch, installed it properly, and the faults went away for an entire 2 weeks. Then it happened one time for my wife on her way to work. My LR Master Tech buddy told me to check the darn 12V power lead that they used to get them off the trucks when they were new. It's supposed to be tucked into a dummy connector by the battery. Mine was however cut and dangling around. He said to cover each wire and them bundle it up out of the way. When I dropped my LR3 by for him to hook up the very $$$$ Programmer/Scanner he has the faults listed were 12V power to ground short, brake light switch, and some misc low voltage faults.

After that I had the alternator die a month later which was easy to fix, and just last weekend the battery wouldn't stay above 11V with the LR3 off so I had to replace it. I also replaced all the brake rotors, and brake pads, but they were needing it when I bought it so I'm glad it went nuts with the old stuff vs brand new rotors/pads!!!

So for a year after the brake light switch, cleaning the TCM, covering up the 12V power leads, an alternator, and just the other day a battery. It's been flawless.

I got it for 5K less than the closest condition/mileage SE (mine is an HSE with the HD Package), and it was dealer maintained. I however think it was going bananas for the original owners so they traded it in vs having it repaired, then it was sent to auction by wherever they traded it in (very common), and the dealership I got it from probably had it go nuts as well so they lowered it until it sold fast.

I trust it now and with my iCarsoft LRII I can diagnose any strange faults that happen and go from there, but so far the only stuff I've had was due to the battery going bad.

I'd take it on a long trip, but only if I knew where the LR Dealerships were along the way just as a CYA. I just treat the Can Bus system like owning a Sprint phone... It works when it works, but when it fails it fails lol

 

idk....I have a lot of thoughts on this. Part of it has to do with buying an LR3 pre-owned and having to get things sorted before the vehicle earns your "trust" and another thought has to do with the types of tools you have to keep in the LR3 on long (off-road) trips. An IIDTool (or equivalent) is more important than a screwdriver!

I have had mine as far off the grid as Whitehorse, Yukon and Hells Canyon, OR. I don't worry about getting left stranded....if you are though, and you are frequently going to be in remote places then yes simpler is better and just go with the RRC.

 

I sorted thru several things on mine only to have a $22.00 part make the Can Bus system go completely insane. It was an easy fix, but out in Big Bend National Park for example, it would have been a complete nightmare! I without a shadow of a doubt say a LR type scanner like the iCarsoft LRII or higher is required when owning a RRS/LR3.

I trust the LR3 (if I didn't I wouldn't have my wife & kids in it), but for out in the boonies far far far away from Ebay, LRF, and a LR Dealership I'd rather take my chances with a RRC/D1/D2 or even a P38 without EAS.

 

Have owned both. Agree with what others have said. I could wrench my own RR classic. Not so much on the LR3. RR is a much simpler car. Sold my '89 about 10 years ago and am wishing I had not. The LR3 is more capable and better driving, but I still miss the simplicity of the RR.

 

I have had 2 RRC's and now have 2 LR3's. With a GAP tool and a tool box they are fine. I have one on EAS and the one I just added is on a coil conversion. Love the ride of the EAS but love not wondering what it's up to in the coil conversion.

Had to do a coil on the LR3 today. 20 mins and it was over. No fuss no muss no specialty tools needed.

They are both great in their own ways. Find the one that makes you smile and get to know it inside and out.

A couple of years ago I did the Vermont Overland Trophy in the Lucky8 LR3. We beat that truck mercilessly. It came down so hard on the belly skid it collapsed crushing the gas tank into the drive shaft. It started leaking fuel but it kept on going. The EAS was amazing and so was the trip.

https://outdoorx4.com/stories/vermon...trophy-2015-2/


If you don't trust it though I get it. I had a D2, never failed me always got me where I wanted to go. Never trusted it though, I was always waiting on it to crap out the driveshaft, blow a head gasket or spit out a liner. Even though it never gave me any cause not to trust it.

 

Awesome photos! Completely off subject, but is that photo of the "Class 4 Road" sign at the beginning of the Grafton trail?

 

It was awhile ago and I want to say it was but I'm not 100% sure.

It is a really great event and that LR3 was loaded to the gills on 33's and didn't miss a beat. He even had it on 35's for awhile.

Bryon Dorr took almost all of the pictures and wrote the article. You can find more about him and his pikey wagon ( ) at EXPLORING ELEMENTS - travel through an adventure sports lens

He's a real good camera man, he even made me look good in a few of those pics. Just saw him last week at VOT 2017