We sold our 2005 LR3. Tonga Green with tan leather interior. Great truck, ran like a top, other than going through a couple of water pumps and maintenance items, the truck really ran well. I am now looking for a LR4. We have a 2010 Range Rover Sport with the 5.0 direct injection engine. Luckily we have not had the timing guide issues. That said, I am reluctant to get a LR4 with the 5.0. I see that in the last few years of production, the LR4 was equipped with a 6 cylinder engine. Any issues with the 6 cylinder? Are there any years to look for more than others?

2005 LR3 Tonga Green sold
2006 Range Rover Sport HSE Giverny Green
2010 Range Rover Sport HSE Santorini Black

 

My wife & I just did the same.. traded in a 08 LR3 for a 16 LR4.
Initial impressions are that the SCV6 somehow vibrates a lot while idling.. feels like a rough idle.
Had a CEL on a week ago.. the stealership stated car needed a 'fuel pump software update' (?).. which we did.
No more CEL, but the car still kinda vibrates & shakes, while idling only.
I preferred the NA V8 to this SCV6.

 

Thanks, the few 2016 models that I have seen all seem to idle rough, they almost sound like diesels engines. I am leaning to the SC 6 engines just because I am a bit lery of the 5.0 engine timing chain guide issues. We have the 2010 RRS with the 5.0, our motor seems fine, but I just don't have the confidence in it like I did in the 4.4. That said, the 5.0 has tons more get up and go, creature comforts are better, dash in particular! Is there a way to tell if the 2016 has the locking rear without climbing under the truck? Will the vin tell the story? thanks Phil

 

Just going through the process you're both part/most of the way through. I have looked at quite a few 3.0s and have recently bought a 2016 with 37k. I still have my V8 - alongside each other running the 2016 sounds like a bag of spanners. There's no comparison. The V8 makes my VW 2.0 GTI sound like a bag of spanners, too. I've come to the conclusion that the V8 is just one of those rarities that make it near-perfect (my view). It purrs like nothing else. I does lack oomph compared to the 3.0 SCV6 but I think it's superior in every other way. So, I don't think the SCV6 idles rough, I think that the V8 is just exceptionally smooth.

 

The SCV6 is terrible, so rough and sounds like ****. We've had ours six years and still hate getting to stop lights. The 4.4 in our LR3 is just buttery in comparison.

For those going to the 6 to avoid chain tensioner issues, I have bad news. Ours went around 50k, thank God heard it right before the warranty expired.

 

What year was your LR 4? Didn’t LR make mods to the tensioners in around 2013-14 to address the high failure rate?

What were the signs (noises?) that yours was failing?

 

I think a lot of the timing chain tensioner failures had to do with extended OCIs and accelerated wear because of the oil degradation. I just bought a 2010 LR4 with 260k km on it - not a sound from the chains. But the service history showed professionally done oil changes and maintenance every 8-10k km since almost new, not the ridiculous 24000 km as prescribed.

Love the 5.0L V8. Smooth, great torque, quiet. I get about 12-13L/100km on the highway, and about 16-17L/100km short trips in town. I decided to run a moly additive (ceratec) from here on out to hopefully mitigate the wear a little bit. We'll see how it goes i guess.

Also, for what it's worth, doing my due diligence before purchase, i called my local (busy and well respected) land rover independent mechanic and asked him how often he sees the 5.0s for timing chain noise. He said, and i quote: "can't remember the last one, it has been a long while". When i asked him about reliability in general he said that with proper maintenance he has not experienced any major issues in over 400k of ownership of his family lr4, and neither have the vast majority of his customers in the 300-400k range.

YMMV; it is my belief that the timing chain issue, although definitely an issue, is not as prevalent as it seems from online research.

 

any thoughts on the 5.0 V8 offered from 2010 to 2013 vs. the V6 SC offered thereafter. I know that the 5.0, at least the early models, had potential timing chain guide issues, along temperamental water pump/plastic coolant lines. Any such issues on the V6SC? thanks Phil

 

I’m a fan of the v8 and bought a 2013 with locking rear diff. Very happy with it. Wouldn’t trade for newer (or older)!

 

The V8 ('10-'13) is largely considered the superior engine although many prefer the 8 speed tranny in the SCV6. Of those, the '13 had upgraded timing tensioners. This doesn't mean the problem disappeared for this year, but it's better. Also, a transfer case is standard on the V8/somewhat rare "HD" option on the SCV6 (if that's important to you). Also, forced induction (FI) isn't without it's benefits, but you can't get around 3 immutable truths: 1) you have another system in your car to consider whenever you're diagnosing an engine problem. 2) FI is a system that requires it's own maintenance...preventative and reactive. 3) Squeezing more power from a smaller engine WILL reduce the life span of the engine. I have a '16 Audi S4...great reliable SC engine, so doesn't mean they can't be designed/built well, but a non-SC version of the same would cost less to maintain, be easier to diagnose and would last longer. BL: if you have the time/patience/$, go for the '13. My $0.02 & worth every penny!