LR3?

I've had three Land Rovers in my lifetime. The LR3 and the Discovery were both very reliable. However, I have heard horror stories from friends and colleagues. I guess neither of my cars were made on a Friday

The biggest shocker for me was how terrible the LR3 was in the snow. The Discovery was like a sherman tank. I have done things in a Discovery that I did not think a stock SUV was even capable of. Heck, I once climbed a 30 degree incline covered in snow at one of their events!!!! The LR3, by contrast, was a nightmare in slippery conditions. The enormous weight (over 5500lbs), crappy tires, and the electronic nannys (no honest to goodness locking Diff), made the car absolutely horrid in light snow. Seriously, our Cayenne could run circles around it in the snow!

Don't get me wrong, it had the suspension articulation to climb Everest, but suspension articulation means squat when you are trying to haul down 5500lbs on a steep decline.

Also, the car drove like a pig. It handled clumsily, had slow steering and an engine designed for a road car not a truck (no low end). In short, I hated my LR3 more than any other car I have ever owned (while I loved the Disco so much I miss it every day). I only wish they still sold new Defenders and Discos in the states!

 

As a fellow who services these things fairly regularly let me just say these few words..JUNK, CRAP, GARBAGE, UNRELIABLE, TERRIABLE ON FUEL, GOD HELP YOU ONCE ITS OUT OF WARRENTY, EXPECT MORE TIME ON A LIFT THEN ON THE ROAD...

Do as you will...wonderful driving truck..when its running.

 

Funny - I think it handles much better than most trucks.

I have an MY08 LR3 and love it. There is also much discussion about them in this thread - http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252870

 

I know about the thread---I think I am the second post

I am glad you enjoy your LR3. As for handling, to each his own, but be careful. With the LR3, everything feels fine until its not---then its a scary beast, even at VERY modest speeds. I always felt safe in the Discovery because you knew where the handling limits were---and they were VERY low, so you always took extra caution no matter the road conditions. The car communicated exactly what it was doing. With the LR3, the steering is like a dead fish and the electronically controlled air suspension makes the car feel very competent---but it is grossly misleading. Nothing like a decreasing radius turn to make you crap your pants. G&d forbid you ever have to make an emergency manuever in that car!

Compared to the Range Rover Sport, Cayenne/toureg (which weigh about the same and have dual speed transfer cases) and other contemporaries it has WAY to much body roll.

Don't get me wrong, I have a real soft spot for Land Rovers, but the LR3 is a dynamic disaster IMHO. I would never bag on someone else's vehicle, but given the fact that I had to put up with my LR3 for two years before I dumped it, I feel I have earned the right to complain

 

I traded mine (MY'08 LR3) for a Lexus GX 470 and love it. I'll buy another Discovery here soon as well.

I agree wholeheartedly with Joe, the LR3 is a pig. Reliable, but what he said /\

 

MY06.... 30,XXX miles and not one problem. Love the truck... Mine is still under factory warranty and free service though......

 

Just spent a week away driving the LR3 and thought of your comments. I haven't driven the RR Sport or the Cayenne to compare so don't know how it fares against them - but on its own (and knowing that it is a truck not a Lotus/Ferrari) I really enjoyed it. Lots of varied road conditions, carrying three kids plus wife plus her parents, and it handled everything beautifully. I am continually amazed by this vehicle particularly as I didn't like it when it was first released and never really wanted to buy it (SWMBO wanted it and it is her DD). I just looked at the new version which has some nice features but in Oz it is a significant uplift in price particularly since the base petrol engine is no longer available. NOt to worry though - we expect to keep the LR3 for a few more years

 

I am glad you are enjoying it! When it comes to cars, one size does not fit all. Forget my comments, the only thing that matters is that you like the car.

 

Cheers Joe!

 

The LR3 I owned was built on a Saturday after the whole crew went out on Friday and got drunk, and they had to wear blindfolds on Sat while they built it. Land Rover was kind enough to buy it back and replace it with a fully loaded RR, which after over 3 years is still going strong, though I do have to sets of rims and the winter rims wear Nokian snow tires, which are the most amazing tires I have ever had on a SUV. I will likely run this thing into the groud (it only has 21K on now), my kids love the screens in the headrests, my dogs fit it the back, and it goes through anything.

 

LOL, thanks for the laugh! I've been talking my dad out of buying one for a while now. He loves it, but I keep telling him about all the bad experiences I've been reading about.