My 2002 Freelander died after 2 years. Got a "certified" 2003 Discovery SE in 2006 with 41,000 miles...and as of Jan 2011, my total repair bills total over $21,000 in just 4 years (thank god, under extended warranty). And for an off-road vehicle the departure angle totally sucks. Latest JD Power & Associates 2010 initial quality study ranks Land Rover dead last with an average of 170 problems per 100 vehicles, with the auto industry average at 109. For the second time I have paid way too much for a piece of crap. My next car is going to be a new Honda, while I won't be driving through the woods with it, at least I will know I won't have to always worry about waiting for AAA to flatbed it for repairs every few months and having to arrange a rental vehicle. For the price of a Land Rover you would think their reliability would rank above last (or second to last) over the last 10 years...Guess most owners don't mind shelling out just to keep thier LR's on the road.

 

That, or they keep up with maintenance, pay close attention to any unusual noise, spot of fluid on the ground, etc, and diagnose, then repair it themselves.

$21k in four years? I honestly don't think I have spent 1/2 of that on mine in about the same length of time, and that includes purchase price, and upgrades.

 

Land Rovers don't suit everyone. Although the Discovery didn't work out for you, there are plenty of fans here and on other websites like it.

 

Somebodies gotta pay the bills for us mechanics...

 

X2 - well said.

Sorry to hear of your unfortunate experiences with your 2 Rovers. I haven't had the same experience and enjoy driving and maintaining my going on 15 year old P38.

There are many people who continue to operate various models of LR's well past the 10 year mark, not sure where that is coming from?

 

me 99 has 130k on it. i bought it for $3k and have put about $2k into parts and upgrades. with proper maitenance im sure it will last me abother 10 years.

 

I certainly hope so, considering my '96 just turned 15 and is much sounder mechanically than some vehicles I've owned! Do you actually own one, or did you just come on here to insult our vehicles?

Most owners get rid of them because they want a newer model, or so it seems. Like any vehicle, repair costs increase until they plateau. That's not a description of exponential growth. Then repair expenses will be relatively flat for 20 years or so until you have to start fabricating parts due to scarcity. Hopefully you take that into account when you buy a used vehicle, keep a few grand in the bank, and don't have a monthly payment to worry about.

All vehicles break. If you're driving a used Rover, you already benefitted up-front because they don't hold their resale value too well. Realize that you got into a rather commodious vehicle for a low price, and set aside a fraction of a car payment on a regular basis and you'll afford the repairs. If you don't want (or need) an off-road capable vehicle, buy something else.

I bought my '96 Discovery with 117,000 on the clock for $1550. Put $950 plus some sweat equity to get it running to my standards. Guess what? My engine or head gasket will most likely blow in the next two years. So I keep 4 to 5 grand in a money market and drive it like it's new. Plus a weekly once-over which gives me time to meditate. Haven't had a single repair that wasn't planned for.

Expensive? Meh. Yeah I'd be disappointed if I paid full price, that's why I didn't.

I've got to admit, that really sucks. Mind giving us a breakdown, and what the most expensive repairs were?

 

Land Rover owners should without-a-doubt, positively never, ever total up the expenses that LR ownership has cost them. This is a sure road to depression, suicidal feelings, and possible self-immolation plus possible murder by females they live with if such facts ever come to the female's attention.

 

Words to live by. I still think this guy's example is a statistical outlier. $21k in 4 years (assuming that doesn't include purchase price!) is over $400 a month, I budget $100 a month for repairs & maintenance and have never depleted my funds yet (excluding when I first bought it with pre-existing issues). That's the same rule I use for full-sized trucks of any make, I figure $50 a month for a typical passenger car.

 

Yes, $21,000 is beyond comprehension and indicative of a total lemon. I haven't spent anywhere remotely near that and that includes my lots of off-roading add-ons plus lots of serious trails for my 6 years of ownership. It has all been worth it.