Land Rovers are not known for their reliability. But, I think the issue has been somewhat overblown. Yes, they are the "worst" in most comparisons I've seen. An average defect of about two per car sold. However, (1) other luxury brands are not far behind (or ahead, I suppose) and (2) this includes all defects, whether big or small, aesthetic or functional. And a lot of these have been taken care of by the original owner while the SUV was under factory warranty.

That said, many mechanics can't (and thankfully won't) work on Land Rovers and those that can and do will not hesitate to tell you how different they are. And because of that, repairs usually cost more, often far more, than similar repairs on other vehicles.

I would be far more concerned about the availability of good Land Rover mechanic near me than a dealer.

I am generally not an extended warranty buyer, but I bought a full coverage one for my 2020 Disco Landmark. I've only had mine a few months and I love it. But it's not leaps and bounds better than my 2011 Mercedes GL450 dog-mobile. And I have had a couple very minor and and rarely occurring quirks that, so far, have not become a big enough issue to further address.


I live in a high income area where LRs are fairly common. Most of the owners I have talked to are quite happy with theirs. But, when they spend big bucks on something, they may not be too inclined to point out its deficiencies.

 

Some people buy cars for their own use and appreciation, not what they can sell them for when they decide to move on. Unless you really don't care that much about what you drive, as long as you can sell it for a great price after a few years, resale price should not be a prime consideration. To me, it's like parenting based on how few years it will take to get your newborn out of the house. And I doubt anyone considering a Land Rover, or any luxury car for that matter, puts resale value high on the list of positives.

 

I buy for the off road capability. The luxury aspect is a perk. I do most all my maintenance, because I like to. I have a Indy mechanic, and a decent dealer also. And then I have you all on here!


Its built for this, no other car maker is.

 

you're absolutely right. I went from a 250k mile 95 disco purchased new to a brand new 2005 odyssey (for utility not kids) and never looked back. Presently driving a 200k mile odyssey that I'll be selling and sadly moving back to an suv (2018 d5 td6 in fact) due to tow cap limit. Most dude's egos can't handle driving a minivan but they're hands down the most versatile vehicle out there.

 

As long as you want to stay on well-paved roads and aren't looking for premium luxury.

 

That's the thing. Hearing all these "worst vehicle on the road (or at the mechanic) makes it sound like if you get a good one, it was a mistake. The reality is, all the European/Premium vehicles are pretty close in reliability. Mercedes and BMW have continually lowered their standards and increased their compromises to the point that, at least where I live, they have minimal exclusivity and typical features.

I have a Mercedes SUV and a Discovery Landmark. Over at the MB forums you hear the same horror stories.

I really like both of my SUVs, but that LR just has that intangible thing (plus a few tangibles, as it is newer) that just puts it above.

And, uncharacteristically, I bought a full coverage warranty, just in case.