Hey guys! I've had a discovery 2 for a long time... but now noticed the frame has rusted to where it isn't safe to drive. However.. .that means I get a chance to upgrade to an LR4 which I've always loved!
I'm looking at the 2016 LR4s (possibly) but have some questions on what to look for when buying. I know the fuel pump, coolant crossover pipes and also the lower control arms commonly have problems. Is there anything else I should be aware of before buying?
My goal is to get this off road ready with lift kit and bigger tires, etc. Would also love to find one that is already modified.. but I can't find anything there.
Thanks for any thoughts and advice!!

 

Have no idea where you are in the world. Here, rust is your enemy. The brake lines could be severely damaged.
Unfriendly noises from the PTU, differentials, is never good.
So many muck with the suspension, and forget to adjust the alignment. (an annual maintenance item in my book)
Depending on the mileage, ALL the fluids and filters should have been change.
I go through alternators at half the occurrence as I go through batteries.
Batteries: Must be in very good state. If a 2016, you need 2 AGM batteries. Nothing else will do.
Many are push button happy with the suspension. The trouble is that pump wasn’t scoped for that kind of use.
Bushings! This heavy vehicle will tear down bushings, ball joints, brakes.

Truly, if you are new to these vehicles, I propose an inspection at an LR dealer or at least an competent, focused on JLR inde.

 

Crossover pipes and lower control arms should be considered wearable items so if the LR4 you find has not had these replaced go ahead and budget that in.

Don't sweat the V6 supercharged if your coming from the V8 world...plenty of power.

Finding that year with two speed transfer case are hard to find since many US dealers did not spec them. Let alone the rear locking diff.

 

I had a 2009 LR3 that was very low hassle. I bought it at 40k miles put over 70k miles on it and sold it for a bit less than I paid for it. All-in-all a great experience. I can't give the same glowing review for my 2016. Bought it at 40k miles and put 60k miles on it. 3x more expensive than the LR3 over same mileage.

The pros:
- its a darn good looking machine, particularly with the 20" twist wheels on the 2016s. those are a must.
- the power of the SCV6 is impressive. you won't ever want for power. it will give you a kick when getting on the highway.
- its an LR and kicks ***. but you know all those things.
- I didn't like the running boards at first, but now I do.

The cons:
- it has all the same issues of the LR3 plus some new ones
- the standard issues with all LR3/LR4s: lower control arms every 75k miles (indy will charge $800-900), compressor for the air suspension typically go every 50-75k miles (you can rebuild/replace yourself), it eats brakes, wheel bearings can go...and that f'n sunroof leak. if you don't have a garage you will need to blow your drains out every few months or will end up with a swimming pool in your passenger footwell.
- then it has some new quirks of its own: the fancy gear shift ***** regularly crap out leaving you unable to put the car in gear (20 mins to replace but ~$400 part), the coolant systems on these are complete trash and need to be replaced. to save money they were made plastic components with laser welded seems (instead of molding them as one part). wherever those parts are laser welded they fail around 75k miles. my indy told me about this before I bought the car but I didn't full appreciate what a pain in the *** and expense it would be. you will need to replace the thermostat (easy, $150), but the much bigger job is the front and rear cross over pipes. those will let go and dump all your coolant. as soon as notice the first leak you have a few months to get it sorted before a catastrophic failure. you see a decent amount of SCV6s have blown engines or bad head gaskets from overheating that way. It's going to run you $4k to replace those, even at an indy. Cheap part but you have to pull the entire supercharger off and not an easy DIY job. I've only seen one video of a guy doing it. Took him a few days I believe. They are replaced with new pipes that are molded as one part, so much stronger. They will also replace your supercharger bearing while in there. Low pressure fuel pump (in the tank) was an issue with mine. A DIY job with a $150 part but not a fun one. Dealer will charge you $1500+. At idle the engine sounds more clattery and vibrates more than the V8 from the LR3. That was a great engine but a little low on power.

But the heart wants what the heart wants

 

As a side note, Euro AMP makes (or at least sells) metal replacement parts for some of these coolant parts for the SCV6. For example, these:
https://euro-amp.com/products/jaguar...charged-engine
https://euro-amp.com/products/jaguar...upercharged-v6
on Jaguar forums people seem to be really happy with them.

 

Are these two parts an easy DIY project for someone who is mechanical but not a true mechanic? I'm thinking of purchasing a LR4 Landmark Edition and these are no brainers when it comes to updating parts. I just don't want to get in over my head. Thanks!