Landrover Disco 4 HSE - any issues?

Submitted: Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 17:08
ThreadID: 106999 Views:2660 Replies:8 FollowUps:11
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My son is thinking of buying one of these, in spite of my protests that it is not a Landcruiser. Apart from my prejudice do these vehicles have any known problems or are they a good reliable long term vehicle? Comments from owners would be appreciated.
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Reply By: toffytrailertrash - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 17:58

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 17:58
I can sum it up on one word.....UNBELIEVABLE.....They are probably the best tow vehicle around with all the whizz bang electronics such as stability control, trailer anti sway etc and self levelling air suspension. Only one drawback, 19" wheels with tyres being a bit on the expensive side. Off road, same one word.


Cheers

Merv
AnswerID: 529507

Reply By: NextDoor - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 19:18

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 19:18
I had a new 3.0L TDV6. SE
In 2010 we drove from Rocky to Karumba - Lawn Hill - Savannah Way to Darwin - Kunanurra - Gibb River Road - Bungle Bungles - Mitchell Falls - Kalumburu - Broome - Cape Levque - Pilbara - Gunbarrel Hwy - Uluru - Alice - Chambers Pillar - Finke - Oodnadatta - Cooper Pedy - Flinders - Up the Darling -home.

All suspension replaced under warranty .
Front suspension replaced again.
Complete steering system replaced including the steering wheel
Right hand muffler tailpipe broke apart
All 19" rims damaged
On board compressor for suspension replaced
Rear tailgate lock replaced
Numerous computer faults
Numerous flats
Air suspension good but because of the low profile tyres height was still not enough in some cases.
Stability Control must be turned off in sand and mud.
I'd still be on the old Finke Railway if it wasn't for my mate in his Patrol winching me out a few times.
I paid $3,300 for the extended warranty. Lucky I did.

Did a similar trip in my 80 Series a few years ago. 1 flat tyre only.

Disco 4, fantastic vehicle on the bitumen. In my opinion only, I'm sure others will disagree but it's too complicated for the bush.

No room under the bonnet for the duel battery. I just feel that I had to compromise a lot of the time. When the going gets tough, I like to control the vehicle and not let a computer do it for me.

What do I drive now. Just purchased a new Toyota 79 Series GXL cab chassis.
Duel battery
Full OME suspension upgrade
Bull bar
Warn winch
Tailgate Camper on order
About to put Coopers on the 16" rims
Just to name a few but lots of other goodies onboard.

I'm back in control, keeping it simple.


AnswerID: 529519

Follow Up By: garrycol - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 19:52

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 19:52
You obviously did not know your vehicle - there is a dedicated spot for an aux battery under the bonnet on the driver side under the cover and another will fit in front of the main battery.

I think a number of the other issues you had also related to your lack of knowledge of your own vehicle.

Garry
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Follow Up By: NextDoor - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:13

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:13
I could never find the latch to open the bonnet.
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Follow Up By: Member - Rosco from way back - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:28

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:28
Just out of curiosity, if it's a new tojo, where are you fitting the aux batt?. No room with ABS model (unless it's relocated).
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Follow Up By: Patrol22 - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:32

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:32
I agree with garrycol.....you didn't take the time to learn about your own vehicles it seems. I had 3 x Disco 3 on a trip I took to Cape York a couple of years back and they performed superbly. Incredible fuel consumption when towing (by that I mean incredibly good) and off road they were second to none. I've never owned one but after seeing how they performed on that trip I'd sure consider one next time around.
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Follow Up By: NextDoor - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:38

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:38
Hi Rosco, it's positioned directly in front of the cranking battery. Tight squeeze. ARB did the installation. Only problem is that it's difficult to get to the tap on the fuel filter to drain any water/contamination. You have to totally remove the filter from the top.
No real problem just a bit inconvenient.
I'm happy to live with it but I'm investigating putting another fuel filter over near the ABS and making that the primary filter. Happy to take a pic if you need it. Cheers.

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Follow Up By: Member - Rosco from way back - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:43

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:43
Thanks ND

If you go with a second filter (as primary), I'd suggest the FM100.
You can get it from Diesel Care complete with necessary mounting bracket. It hangs off the ABS mounting on the driver's side and fits in quite neatly. Just need to run the fuel lines back and across the firewall to the OEM filter.

The batt would certainly be a tight squeeze in that location.
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Follow Up By: NextDoor - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:52

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:52
Thanks Rosco. I was looking for this info. They were recommended to me by TaipanXP who fitted my catch-can. I just couldn't remember the company. Appreciate the info.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Echucan Bob - Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 12:44

Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 12:44
Nextdoor,

from your list of problems it really sounds as if it might have been driver error. So many punctures, damage to rims, damage to suspension, damage to exhaust system. I could take any vehicle out and hammer it and cause similar damage. In fact my mate's 16 yo son almost drove his 'cruiser into the ground because he thought he was in a race and couldn't slow down - dropped the whole exhaust, shocks gone. They gave the vehicle away after that trip.

Bob
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Follow Up By: BMKal - Wednesday, Apr 02, 2014 at 10:15

Wednesday, Apr 02, 2014 at 10:15
Definitely a clear case of driver error. I drive my D4 in many of these same errors on a regular basis and have not had any of the problems mentioned - but then I took the time to learn how it all works first and don't just thrash it through all terrains.

No place for a second battery under the bonnet - you didn't look very hard - I can show you a photo of a D4 with three batteries under the bonnet.

Stability control must be turned off in sand and mud - well yeah, that's one of the basic things you learn before you try driving through those conditions - no rocket science involved.

Enjoy the "comfort and reliability" of the 79 series. I was given one of these for work on a minesite - I very quickly gave it back to them.
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 19:32

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 19:32
Might also be worth reading thread 104085 I understand they may have same performance issues.
Robin Miller

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AnswerID: 529522

Reply By: Eric Experience - Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:47

Monday, Mar 31, 2014 at 21:47
Mikee.
Driver ignorance is the only problem with highteck vehicles, The same thing happens with other brands if the driver uses personal discomfort as to the limit to the speed on a rough surface, The modern suspension is so good that it is easy to drive way to fast for the conditions. The modern traction control is superb if the driver takes the time to read the instructions. The advantage of a Toyota is that you get such a bad ride you are forced to slow down. Eric
AnswerID: 529535

Reply By: mikehzz - Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 00:25

Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 00:25
It is so true that driving high tech vehicles is a challenge if you don't know how the systems work. I had to tell a 4wd instructor how to extricate his new D4 from a sand bog the first time he used it. He was looking for someone to snatch him but drove it straight out after being told how to handle it. The instructions involved putting all the dials in the right place as he already had the right pressure in the tyres etc. And this was a very experienced guy but in his first Land Rover.
AnswerID: 529551

Reply By: DiscoTourer - Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 02:08

Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 02:08
Disco number 3 for me since 1997, after a short time with a 200....I followed others and went back.

No car fits my requirements for its all round performance, for high speed driving, lugging heavy weight, offroading, touring, school runabout.....others come close but just not as good.

Have heard to stories, but never experienced them.....and have heard the same about grenades and oil burners (have experienced the latter).

It's a high tech car, but that's the way I like it....I do live in the year 2014.

Brett.....
AnswerID: 529553

Follow Up By: AlanTH - Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 10:24

Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 10:24
Seeing the good experiences others we know are having with their D4s I've been seriously thinking of getting one. We've had a D1 and are on our 3rd Defender and had only one problem which was the TPO in a Td5.
All I've got to do is convince the Cook which will be hardest part about it. :-(
AlanH.

PS. We also had a Prado which was great but just so easily scratched and dented it took too much time to keep it looking good.
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Reply By: Graeme - Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 16:58

Tuesday, Apr 01, 2014 at 16:58
I currently have a 2012 D4 and is great. I had a 2001 GUII3.0 Patrol before and is like night and day. The D4 has been totally reliable and I have been on the Gibb River road, Chambers Pillar, and Bungles and have had 19" with Cooper Zeon LTZ and have had no punctures.
The secret is knowing how to drive it. Driven intelligently it would take me further than my Patrol, and that is on 19" wheels.
In 2 years I have done 65000km and the only warranty so far has been the replacement of the central touch screen for the radio and phone.
It is a fantastic car to drive and very comfortable for an aging frame like me. For those who chase economy I have an average of 11.08L/100 over the lifetime of the car so far and it is driven without economy in mind.
I have driven the Toyota's, Mitsubishi's, etc before settling on the D4, also not forgetting all are common rail, computer driven vehicles and dirty fuel or computer problems on any modern vehicle, no matter what make, are going to cost a lot.
Thrash any modern vehicle over rough roads will cause serious problems.
AnswerID: 529603

Reply By: garrycol - Wednesday, Apr 02, 2014 at 12:09

Wednesday, Apr 02, 2014 at 12:09
This post has been read by the moderation team and has been moderated due to a breach of The Inappropriate Rule .

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