Before you make a purchase, spend a bit of money to get any car looked at by an independent LR shop. A pre-purchase inspection will save you countless headaches down the road.
1. '04 models didn't have as many problems with the oil pump so you should be ok. That said if you notice any oil pressure issues (oil light flickering, lifter noise, etc.) it's always good practice to get the pump checked out to make sure it's putting out enough pressure. Extend engine life by using quality oil (Rotella or Mobil 1) and a quality filter (Bosch, Mobil 1). Walmart has good prices.
2. Replace the front driveshaft with a greasable unit. LR intended them to be "maintenance free" but due to their proximity to the heat of the exhaust, the factory-installed grease dries out, causing premature failure of the shaft.
3. Ensure the cooling system is in peak operating shape. This means flushing out the DexCool and replacing it with green coolant followed by installing a low-temp thermostat. Get yourself an UltraGauge so you can monitor engine temp and performance.
4. Whatever you buy will likely have the "Three Amigos" (HDC, TC, ABS lights on). This can be caused by any number of things but the most likely cause is internal leakage of the ABS Modulator. It is fortunately a quick, easy, and affordable fix, but you will need an ABS scanner to clear the codes. Check the stickies.
5. Electrical failures are fairly common. This includes door locks, window regulators and sunroof motors. Most components are easily found used and the replacement procedure is fairly straightforward. Download the RAVE as it's an excellent resource.
6. Get ready for some heartache. LRs aren't renowned for "Honda" levels of reliability so be prepared to run into some issues here and there. Parts can be expensive, but they're easy to come by, and most of the labor is easy to do, owing to the classic V8 layout. The web is a great resource, so before throwing money at the car, ask us, as it's more than likely that someone has had the same problem before.
1. '04 models didn't have as many problems with the oil pump so you should be ok. That said if you notice any oil pressure issues (oil light flickering, lifter noise, etc.) it's always good practice to get the pump checked out to make sure it's putting out enough pressure. Extend engine life by using quality oil (Rotella or Mobil 1) and a quality filter (Bosch, Mobil 1). Walmart has good prices.
2. Replace the front driveshaft with a greasable unit. LR intended them to be "maintenance free" but due to their proximity to the heat of the exhaust, the factory-installed grease dries out, causing premature failure of the shaft.
3. Ensure the cooling system is in peak operating shape. This means flushing out the DexCool and replacing it with green coolant followed by installing a low-temp thermostat. Get yourself an UltraGauge so you can monitor engine temp and performance.
4. Whatever you buy will likely have the "Three Amigos" (HDC, TC, ABS lights on). This can be caused by any number of things but the most likely cause is internal leakage of the ABS Modulator. It is fortunately a quick, easy, and affordable fix, but you will need an ABS scanner to clear the codes. Check the stickies.
5. Electrical failures are fairly common. This includes door locks, window regulators and sunroof motors. Most components are easily found used and the replacement procedure is fairly straightforward. Download the RAVE as it's an excellent resource.
6. Get ready for some heartache. LRs aren't renowned for "Honda" levels of reliability so be prepared to run into some issues here and there. Parts can be expensive, but they're easy to come by, and most of the labor is easy to do, owing to the classic V8 layout. The web is a great resource, so before throwing money at the car, ask us, as it's more than likely that someone has had the same problem before.
