Hi everyone,

I’m considering buying a 2018 Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury. I really like the look, comfort, and towing capability, but I’ve heard mixed things about reliability.



Can any current or past owners share their experience

 

With no knowledge of the history of the vehicle, I can only say make sure that the owner is up on all maintenance and be prepared to spend $3-$5k on things they deferred. Most people don’t completely sort out their vehicle, then decide to sell.

take it to an independent rover shop and have a Pre Purchase Inspection done.

 

+1 on the PPI and finding a reputable independent Rover shop. Would recommend checking the Monroney Label as well to confirm features on the vehicle align with what you'd like.

 

Definitely get a PPI, but is it a diesel or the supercharged V6? How many miles?

If its the supercharged V6, make sure the coolant crossover pipes and water pump have been replaced - these are a common issue on this engine. I would also check to see how often the previous owner changed the oil. If they followed the JLR-recommended 15k intervals, they are more likely to develop timing chain issues.

HSE Luxury has everything you'd want as standard, including the air suspension. I'd be on the lookout to make sure it works as it should. They aren't known for air suspension issues, but I've seen compressors go bad at relatively low mileage.

Otherwise, the D5 is pretty solid. You might have some issues with software, but mechanically they're pretty good. I had mine for five years and the only thing I had to deal with was the crossover pipes.

 

Don't be afraid of the TD6 either. I have a 2017 and have no issues at all and pushing 135,000 miles. I would only buy the diesel if you plan on using it on the highway or at relatively higher speeds to ensure the system properly regens.

 

Love this car. 2018 HSE gas 6 cylinders. Luxury plus off road and beach performance.

Small issues - one power window issue ($1,000). Leaky windshield. Hood doesn’t always open easily.

It’s a pleasure to drive.

Get a PPI!!

 

I have a 2018 Discovery HSE.It has only done 24500 miles and the 3.0 L engine has blown..Apart from that its a great car.Anyone know where I can get the engine replaced. Would really appreciate any help.

 

Where are you located?

Unless you do the work yourself, you will not get a motor put in that vehicle for less than $12k and that is dirt cheap, used motor, nothing changed, leftover bolts when the job is done.

professional installation, rebuilt motor, update all known items on motor, closer to $22-$25k. Talking new alternator, ac compressor, fuel injectors, high pressure pumps, pulleys, rtc.

 

I have a 2018 HSE lux 3.0 supercharged and the one thing I regret is not getting a discovery with the factory tow hitch. Beyond that the stereo is amazing the seats are great with their massage and cooling functions here in Texas and I also like the air suspension a lot.

As far as reliability nothing is reliable in any vehicle these days. I have had to replace the window regulator which I did by myself and saved over $750 that the dealer wanted for labor and it only took me 1 hour but now that I know what I'm doing the next one will only take 30 minutes tops.

Sometimes there is a clattery sound and it seems to be coming from the supercharger and it's a small plastic part and I can't be bothered so I will just leave it.

Brakes have come down in price and I plan on doing the brakes myself and they happen to be brembo so I'm going to be sure that I get the right parts and they must be OE for me and I'm not going to go with aftermarket.

Fuel economy is great if you pay attention to driving frugally otherwise 15.5 MPG is about what I get and I drive like a complete a hole.

The only other thing is these windshields tend to spring a leak and it requires a whole new replacement and mine is now starting to leak and I think it's from this Texas Sun. That's the only disappointing thing about this car is the windshield leak.

I'm tempted to get a full fat range Rover l405 just so that I can have a tow hitch but the discovery actually has better talk capacity at 8,000 lb.

I've had this discovery for 2.5 years and it is my first Land Rover experience and I would get another one with without hesitation and within a heartbeat. I would definitely keep an eye out for an HSE lux. I do like the massage seeds the cooling seats and the power folding seats all around.

And I came into this from a 2020 Volvo s90 R design. I bought this instead of a 2020 BMW 740i.

Depreciation wise I'm kind of shocked that at 90,000 mi it is only worth 12,000 trade in a CarMax which is where I bought it originally in 2023 for $38,000.

But when I look at the BMW 7 series in the Volvo s90 prices now I would have had to buy my s90 off lease for $42,000 and it is definitely going a lot less than that and the Land Rover actually took less of a blow. So in essence I think that the Land Rover Discovery is the most overlooked and underrated sleeper off-roader / luxury SUV and don't let anyone sway you from your gut on this.

I bought it with 55,000 mi and it now has 90,000 mi and I'm a risk taker so I did my purchase without a warranty. No regrets.

Be on the window regulator which I fix myself for a lot less than the dealers cost and the leaking windshield the only other things I have on my list are tires on my 22-in wheels and brakes that must be done soon even though they have 50% meat left on them I do not care for the way they are feeling warped in this 100° Texas heat.

But those are all the same problems I get in any car with the exception of the windshield leak. So it's just been a normal experience for me and without the warranty it was not worth the $5,500 or $6,000 that they wanted to cover what would have been a $1,200 window regular and that would have been my only warranty claim in 2.5 years and of course now I'm out of warranty anyway so what difference does it make?

That being said I would say Land Rover maintenance is not the best either. You're just going to have to roll the dice on mileage and when you get yours you want to make sure that you do an oil change with the correct oil and you change all the diff fluids as well which I had done for less than $800 at a mechanic.

If the brakes work and all the electrics work then you have nothing to fear. So just avoid flood damage and make sure that that windshield isn't leaking right now but know that it will soon someday.

When I bought it from CarMax they had brand new pirelli p zeros on there that didn't last more than 15,000 mi. So I plucked 2,200 off the money tree and bought Michelin pilot 4S All seasons and they are perfect. After I got the tires I also opted for the lifetime alignment from Firestone and they do a lot of Land rovers here in Dallas and know what they're doing. It's been about 1 year since the tires have been replaced and the alignment has been performed and I do not need to go back.

I haven't really off-roaded this thing but I have gone astray. As far as my experience this being my first Land Rover but not my first off-roader I would say that the discovery is the way to go and I'm not really swayed by the range Rover unless it would be the long wheel base autobiography version because this discovery feels more capable.

I would say the diesel does have a risk if it happens to be related to the emissions or add blue system but if you travel a lot I know that I drove one for a week and achieved 22 MPG in the city with normal driving and I can only imagine what that would be in terms of savings with my time at the pump. 15 mpg in a gas versus 22 MPG and a diesel doesn't sound like much but when you look at the range on one full tank you then start to see that you are spending less money on fuel and going to the gas station less frequently.

What are you waiting for?

 

I am buying a new one and I have mine for sale - Used 2018 Land Rover Discovery HSE LUXURY For Sale $20,600 | Cars.com