Hello, I am thinking of purchasing a used Land Rover LR3. The vehicle is in impeccable condition. I mean it looks like it just rolled off of the showroom floor, inside and outside. The issues that are concerning;
1. The fan for the front AC/heater cuts in and out while using it.
2. When we test drove it, the turn signals didn't work until we drove it for about 5 minutes or so.
3. Was told bu the dealer, that the gas gage doesn't work correctly. He stated that it works fine from full to about half, then it starts dropping quickly to empty but still has quite a bit of gas left in it.
Now the main reason for these concerns are. I am 63 years old on a fixed income. So I don't have a lot of spare dollars for repairs. However, I don't need this to be a daily driver either.
I don't work so just small trips ie; doctor's appointments and grocery store trips and possibly some goodwill store trips This being said what advice can you owners give me on this particular
vehicle? I have been looking at other makes as well, but for some reason my mind keeps taking me to this LR3

 

Information like mileage and price might help folks offer better advice, but the bottom line is that these are not cheap vehicles to service unless you can do a good bit yourself.

When I bought mine, the basic math worked as follows. I was able to buy my LR3 for just over $5k. Vehicles I thought roughly comparable in quality, condition, and utility (with similar mileage) were going for $10-15k, so I felt the LR3 would be a good deal if I ended up putting $5-7k into it and break-even if I put $10k into it. I had it checked out by and independent LR garage, asking for a complete list of things they'd suggest doing and estimate - and as it ended up in that range I purchased it. It's been a great vehicle that I really enjoy, but it's market value is less than what I have in it. That's ok with me as I intend to keep it for as long as it runs - but it will cost me more annually to maintain than a similar vehicle from, say, Toyota.

Bottom line - if you're considering it because it is cheaper up-front than other vehicles you're also considering and counting on pocketing the "savings", beware - those savings are reasonably likely to evaporate in service and maintenance. You might get lucky, but the odds are just as good it will go the other way. On the other hand, if you have a budget of $15k but can buy the LR3 for $5k and have $10k available for service, you might end up with a really solid vehicle.

My top recommendation is to find an independent LR specialist shop to do a pre-purchase inspection for you so you have an idea of what might need to be addressed. That will cost a couple hundred dollars, but could save you from an expensive mistake.

 

Good advice from Drifting. You want to buy the newest one with the lowest mileage you can find. Service records would be a boon. My 2008 that I bought with 164,000km has been pretty reliable however on a recent trip I had to get my right front wheel hub/bearing replaced and had this done at the dealership in San Diego for $1300 US. They wanted to do all my brakes and quoted me $2800. I bought all the parts for $550 US and will do the work myself. You can see there is a lot of saving to be had by doing your own work. An independant LR garage would be cheaper than the dealer so check to see if any are in your area. Good luck in your search.

 

To be honest, a 20 year old Land Rover doesn't sound like the car you want to be in right now. They are jealous if you have any spare time or spare money--they want to take it all. Sounds like the one you're looking at is a beaut, but like a beautiful woman these are high maintenance and that can get expensive. LR3's make a great side chick (i.e. second car)

If you can't be dissuaded, the heater fan motor is generally not a difficult fix. The fan itself is <$100 and the work not too difficult. But I can't imagine a shop will charge you less than 2 hours, so factor that in if you can't do it yourself. Fuel gauge is probably a sending unit--maybe the same amount roughly as the fan. The turn signal may require a little more troubleshooting which can get expensive. Or you could roll the dice and/or not turn for the first 5 minutes (!). The problem as I see it is that the truck may be at the beginning of the neglect cycle--the previous owner chose not to put more money into it at some point. Did the maintenance falter as well? What's next? Small issues are hundreds, bigger issues can be thousands.

Tell us if you're mechanically inclined and a little more about the truck. Cost, year, miles, etc. If you do it, go in eyes wide open.

 

It pains me to say it, but not the vehicle for you. As other said, it will require maintenance that is only affordable if you can do it yourself. They are great vehicles if you have time and money and enjoy working on them. I’ve been daily driving my 08 for 5 years. But I also put $1k-$2k into it every year - that doesn’t include oil changes or brakes, and like most on this forum I do the work myself.

Land rovers are timelessly attractive vehicles with a great drivers experience. Don’t get “sold” by a good detailing job and car wash.

 

As much as i feel dirty just saying the name, a toyota may be better for you - i feel sick now