Hello, I was hoping to leverage the expertise of this group as a potential future LR4 owner. I am in the process of purchasing a vehicle and just had it inspected. Of course, there were a handful of findings - trying to determine how significant they are. If you have a sense for cost, would welcome greatly! Will likely need to have done at a local independent shop.




rack and pinion seal seeping

Oil seep transmission bell housing

Oil seep transmission bell housing

rack and pinion shaft seal seeping

LF axle boot starting to crack
seeping

• Recommendation to do a transmission service, engine, drive belt, and coolant hoses, due to age. The vehicle has approximately 130,000 miles and I think the last coolant service with the crossover pipes was done at 80,000 miles so perhaps this is a less urgent issue (?)

Thank you in advance for your thoughts/opinions!

 

steering rack leak is going to be expensive to do right [need new/reman rack] and full alignmnent. at that time upper and lower a arms need to be inspected and lowers probably replaced.

oil seep at bellhousing could be rear main seal or further up engine; hard to diagnose but expensive labor to correct in any case or live with it if minor

cracking axle boot..needs new CV axle--not too bad and should be done in conjuction with first items

finally, unless you have good documentation of replacement of crossovers [front and rear] as well as thermostat housing and water pump, expect to replace those items at 130k miles for sure as they are engine killers

 

I really appreciate the response! The crossover pipes as well as the thermostat and I believe the water pump were done at approximately 80,000 miles. The truck has 130,000 miles in it now so I’m hoping that perhaps I will be OK with that repair lasting a few thousand more miles.

What’s your best guess for the other items - in the hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair in your best estimate at an independent shop?

 

Te rear main seal will be some large hours, either the engine comes out or the transmission.
Between the rear main seal, or the front pump seal in the transmission, the rack, the axle and the rest of it is going to be thousands. It's hard to put and actual number on it because shop rates vary from place to place but none of this is cheap or easy. How many thousands can only be answered at an actual shop.

 

Compare the estimates from the independent shop with a known history with modern land rovers and the dealer.
Its not always so cut and dry as you may think. I for one only use oem parts…. but the chinesium parts are cheaper and don't last as long.

 

I was quoted $3200 for a rack replacement on my 2013 LR4 from an independent shop in Minnesota, just adding fluid as I save up the cash.