A Land Rover is a steep learning curve for someone who has maintained by open check book up to that point. But it is just as fun to work on as any other vehicle, men love "success" and are naturally proud of their work. The jump from Fords and Chevys to imports takes some adjustment.

We have a lot of new owners on this forum who purchase a used (and often negelected ) vehicle, and being manly men, no instruction book is required for their attempt to resolve all the POOP (previous owner originated problems). Most dealers would decline to take on some of the projects our DIYers do, because it would be cost prohibitive. It is costly to squeeze a few more years out of a dusty Disco.

As for the syn winch, that's synthetic rope, guess it might change some of the gear ratios, we use it at the office for a lot of boat items, nice stuff. Wouldn't want street punks to take a lighter to it....

 

The pump was the problem, their work was at fault and they refuse to think that their work is at fault.
Personally I prefer to spend the money and be done with it and know that it is going to work right the first time.
If I was stuck 2,000 miles from home and the only repair was the "take it apart and rebuild it" method then I would do that.

 

actually most guys go the rebuilt fuel pump route cause they haven't diagnosed it yet so they assume it must always be the fuel pump if it doesn't start. Regardless of a ford or chevy or land rover diagnosis must be done first. DIYers need to buy the same tools we have like multimeters and test lights in order to do the job. Honestly, I think most fail at fixing their vehicles because they choose to listen to the internet instead of diagnosis tools. Its really sad but if you **** at us for misdiagnosis on your personal vehicle then reality is you should be wearing the same dunce cap for throwing parts at the problem.

 

I guess I must be confident enough in my ability to diagnose and ability to rebuild things so that they work right the first time. And keep working.

I've posted before about the importance of methodical diagnosis.

 

Diagnosis by internet is also a lot like playing chess by mail, it takes a while. Many guys go forum first before reading the RAVE, etc. And of course, original posters with their hair on fire sometimes leave off important details that the shop surgeon sees right away when the patient is wheeled in. It is certainly easier to diagnose a vehicle in person with good equipment. One would wonder on the most modern vehicles, with them needing a factory style computer to service, will we one day have a "universal" interface that plugs in the OBDIII port, and allows any small garage to get the benefits of long distance diagnosis by experienced and skilled technicians, including reset of odd codes, for a fee. A new cash stream for the dealer, especially if you are in Montana, or a country with no dealer.

 

actually we allready get some help from techline by sending them session files. but with with ipads and iphones we can call them and use the cameras to actually talk to them in person and let them see what is going on. works wonders.

 

Well, at the modern dealership, you have experienced technical specialists, each with ten years or more of solid work time, who have solved problems for hundreds of well heeled-owners who can afford any price to get their vehicle back in their driveway. These guys have $30,000 of their own tools, get holiday cards from the Snap On man, have a large shop with modern equipment, a porter to keep it clean, other techs nearby to offer opinions and razzing as needed, a grizzled shop manager to keep things running, and a penny-pinching GM, and just foot steps away several hundred thousand dollars of parts to either examine or substitute, supervised by scroungers that can find the last new-in-the-box MFU version 1.098 on this side of Chicago. These shop surgeons earn a good living by their expertise, not by just filling a slot. They are worth more than the stealership splits with them.

Out here in the boonies, we have a box of tools, maybe $80, from Harbor Freight or Home Depot. We are "sophisticated" if we have an entry level scanner. We are "high tech" if we have a digital voltmeter and understand it. We have a ground tarp or some cardboard to throw under the truck, a couple of jackstands (please don't use cinder blocks - you will be crushed), and the required shade tree. Now if the tree is too far from the house (has advantages as SWMBO can't hear what you are calling the propshaft) we have a flash light. Our idea of a bearing press is an large vise.

Both the dealer specialist and the DIYer have the same motivation - do a good job, and have enough money to feed the family. He does it by working smarter and harder, earning more. We do it ourself, saving the dealer's slice of the pie. With all the advantages of the dealership, it is amazing that the DIY guy can do much more than change the oil. We're doing pretty good.

But the DIY will do a lot better job if he uses a page from the dealer's playbook - read the RAVE. Search the forum. Ask questions. Post photos. Even if the answer is from a guy who paid a dealer $4,678 to fix that problem, at least you will know.

And for the dealer specialists that post and answer questions for free, my hat is off to you because you raise the knowledge of all of us.

 

About half the info on LR I learned from the old guys and the other stuff was my own experience. but I can't for the life of me charge someone for the answer because it was someone else that taught me and thus I would be stealing from them. Ironically its that experience that allows us to use less equipment and more our minds and our test equipment then actual Dealer machines to actually diagnose problems. With the few exceptions like smoke tests and battery testers and chargers.

 

^ I like this guy. Only because you dont bs people. I dont always agree with what you say diagnositically. But this time, I completely agree with you.

 

I listen to you, and always read your posts. You and the other pros have saved countless hours for the DIY community. Most of us only have to work on one Land Rover, and too few of us even pop the hood once a week.