[John]

I received a letter yesterday from LR concerning a safety recall on all series 2 TD5's 2001 -2004. The fuel pipe is subject to chafing against the ABS/water sensor harness and fuel sensor harness and could result in fuel leakage.
You'd think that after all these years they would have been able to at least get the final models of the line right long before this.

 

[Disco Mike]

What are you complaining about, hell for the Brit's this is good and now you can go get it fixed.
Mike J.

 

[URdiscovery]

He's complaining because for $40,000+ a pop, Land Rover should not have these problems in their vehicles. I love my Land Rover to death, but that doesn't mean I'm going to to lower my standards for them, and not complain when Land Rover messes up.
Matt

 

[mbruneaux]

Are you saving ther's never been a recall on a 7series BMW? There are many reasons for these recalls and most of the time nothing is found to be wrong. 10 Years working in a dealership will teach you that.

 

[John]

Thanks URdiscovery, you are spot on.
I actually paid €60,000 which is about $78,000. This is the most expensive car I have ever bought in the 30 odd years I have been driving and has proved the most troublesome. I previously owned a Hyundai Santa Fe that cost less than half the price of the Disco and never gave even a slight problem.
I will probably put up with it for about a year and then trade it in, but one things for certain it will not be another LR.
I should have listened to Clarkeson (Top Gear) and bought the Volvo XC90 which ironically is yet another Ford aquisition.
I think it must be a rule of thumb that the more problems with a particular vechicle the more forums there are about them and there sure are loads of em for the Disco.

 

[scoobymick]

Thanks URdiscovery, you are spot on.
I actually paid €60,000 which is about $78,000. This is the most expensive car I have ever bought in the 30 odd years I have been driving and has proved the most troublesome. I previously owned a Hyundai Santa Fe that cost less than half the price of the Disco and never gave even a slight problem.
I will probably put up with it for about a year and then trade it in, but one things for certain it will not be another LR.
I should have listened to Clarkeson (Top Gear) and bought the Volvo XC90 which ironically is yet another Ford aquisition.
I think it must be a rule of thumb that the more problems with a particular vechicle the more forums there are about them and there sure are loads of em for the Disco.

I think as a rule of thumb the more passionate people are about their vehicles,the more forums there are!

 

[Mondo]

Disco Blues

Ironically, the Disco was listed as one of the problematic vehciles in the U.S. with umpteen recalls for all sorts of issues, minor and major.
It's always been a QC issue and with Ford waving the big stick at land Rover and threatening to close historical plant down and move production elsewhere, I believe Land Rover will up their game.
Hey, if your not leaning over the bonnet with a spanner in your hand, it just isn't a Land Rover

I drive a Renault Laguna-II turbodiesel as a company vehicle and it's never had a single recall from the dealer. However in under 2 years it has had the turbo replaced twice, the intercooler replaced, the gearbox replaced and has suffered some serious engine management/electrical problems too
This includes it coming to an abrupt halt in the outer lane of a major motorway before I could even try and steer it over to the emergency lane.
My Laguna-II is not an isolated case, my employer has a fleet of them and all 23 have suffered the same or similar failures.

 

[Wes DownUnder]

Quality Control?

Hi All,
I just had to answer this little debate about LR infamous quality control and I can speak with first hand experience. I worked on the Discovery production line for 7 years doing a number of jobs and I saw the Discovery 2 come in. I'll tell you this, the workforce always wanted to do a 'proper job' and most of us took great pride in building some thing that most owners loved ( I bought one, and I love it) However, management decisions prevailed when quality was down, I saw some real dodgy cars roll down the line at Solihull and I was ashamed, the management decided to run the lines at full speed when some of these cars needed more time to be put right. We had something called a 'build card' which came with every car and on that build card was a sapce to write any faults that you as a worker could write. I worked as a end of line driver for 4 years and I didn't see many cars with blank spaces.

This is only half the story, the Discovery ( 89-99) was a RR chassis with a different body and as the car moved into different markets the engineers and designers added more goodies and gadgets to something that wasn't designed for them.

It is however the best 4WD in the world. And I don't mind to much because I helped build mine and if some bits of it fall off or fail then in my view the path to true love is never easy. Besides, I like fixing things, good job too.

Peace
Wes down under

 

[Wes DownUnder]

How Recalls happen.

Me Again,
I forgot to add this story that happened in 2000 as I recall, on the Series II Disco ( the one with ACE and SLS) as many of you know the Active Cornering Enhancement uses Hydraulics to stop the body from rolling during cornering. This systems uses a pump to pressurise hydraulic jacks mounted on the suspension. Anyway on the original design, a hose between two joints on the ACE hyraulic lines was of a rubber construction, some bright spark with too much time on his hands and not enough brain cells working, thought that it would be a good money saving idea if this hose was replaced with a cheaper steel item. All was well and good for a awile until one day an ACE equipped car vibrated this steel connector to breaking point and then all of the hydraulic fluid leaked over a hot engine bay and onto an even hotter exhaust manifold, which it the self-ignited causing an engine fire. Obviously the management had a real cow about this and recalled all cars fitted with this steel hose.

As you can see this is how recalls happen. Or as many people say S*#@ happens.

More Peace,
Wes Down under ( ABS light still on)

 

[John]

Jeez, Wes DownUnder,
To much information; its liking eating a burger, if we saw how they were made we would never eat one.

 

[Disco Mike]

Who cares how much you paid for it, Rover never said this is the perfect vehicle, deleiverd to you guaranteed to be flawless and never needs repairs.
They probably have more problems then most, and they are a terrific vehicle most of the time so stop complaining or sell it.
Mike J.
P.S. By the way I have had 6 recalls on my D2 and I am always glad when I hear they have found something else to fix.

 

[URdiscovery]

Hey Mike-
I'm trying to enjoy Wesdownunder's inside scoop on landrovers. Obviously we all LOVE our landrovers, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about aspects we would like to see improved. Wesdownunder is not complaining, he's telling a darn good story and I'm enjoying it, while continuing to LOVE my disco. So please, constructive criticism isn't complaining. Good day mate!
Matt

 

[URdiscovery]

Also Mike,
On behalf of wesdownunder, he mentioned the price only in response to my posting of the msrp of Disco's in the USA. I enjoyed seeing how much he paid where he lives. Thank you wesdownunder! Read closer before you comment next time mike. Take care folks.
Matt

 

[John]

Well Mike thanks for your reasoned and considered response you sound such a nice person. Generally those who don't complain about quality tend to have to deal with more crap.
Lighten up

 

[URdiscovery]

I've noticed on nearly all the threads that disco mike seems a little edgy and impatient- take a deep breath buddy and just chill out- mayebe take a peaceful drive in your disco- it'll do you well. Take care bud-
Matt

 

[LRWheelman]

Ford waves the stick?

Hello, Everybody! I am appalled @ ford for even thinking about complaining and threatening Land Rover for issues of quality! They have not even figured out how to build a quality vehicle and they're shakin' a stick @ Land Rover? fords idea of a good 4wd is a piece of S#*T with a catchy name, big price, and a service manager who spends most of his time on the phone telling people "it's ok for the check engine light to come on every now & then, as long as it goes out". & "Yes, you can bring it by and we will look @ it, but there's probably nothing wrong". & "ford has a bulletin regarding this, if you would like to read it". I think that if ford is going to bitch about anyones quality, they should start w/themselves. And for those who are "into" this "ford owns Rover" thing, look @ Jaguar, who is now beginning to suffer under the leadership of ford. Yeah, it was better for a short time, but in the long run? . . . . . :complain: Thank You, LRW.

 

[URdiscovery]

So, I'm a little confused... you do or don't like ford?

 

[John]

Hey, Wes DownUnder is it true that quite often you may get a recall for something quite insignificant when in actual fact a much more serious defect is what your car is in for? Do you have any horror stories along these lines you can share with us.

 

[Wes DownUnder]

Bmw

Indeedy,

BMW's recall is called 'Product Enhancement' those not in the know will buy their BMW and maybe (still under warranty) get a call from the service manager saying "the Factory has spotted something on your 3 series that it felt could be made better so if you could bring it in we will gladly improve it free of charge" This is utter bulls%[email protected]

There is also stories of components lifed to just after the warranty period, and while I'm talking about BMW they bought LR years ago and promptly threatened the workforce with plant closures and all other sorts of nasty things unless we as workers jumped to attention and accepted there sh#@$$ pay offers. I'm not bitter (much).

Another of my favourite stories is the time the factory upped production from 1200 Discoveries a week to 2000 a week. The management said to the tyre and wheel supplier ' we ain't paying the same price, we want a better deal' the suppliers replied 'Up yours, you pay the price or go without' This little bun fight went on for months and 3000 Discoveries sat in the carparks with 'old Defender and Classis RR' wheels for months because the suppliers kept to the original contract and supplied 1200 sets of wheels per week. As a result 3000 buyers were kept waiting until the LR management gave in and paid the price. How many buyers went and bought something else I don't know but I do know the Japs would never have done something so stupid. LR knew they had a winner and saw a quick buck and not the future.

LR isn't on its own, Ford's infamous rolling Exploder killed far too many people and of course there is the PINTO of many moons ago. I not singling FORD out it just feels like they go out of there way to kill people ( Alledgedly)

When Ford bought LR, I saw the writing on the wall and left not long after. There will always be recalls because nothing is perfect and anything mass produced will have faults, lots of faults.

So why does Discovery ( and all of LR) feel like its getting more. Simple, its the best bar none and the best will always be in the spotlight. People don't say I've got a 4WD they say I've got a Land Rover. Some people will want to buy into it and live the lifestyle, and when it breaks down which it will, they will bitch, moan and complain. My thought is I bought mine because I wanted the best off-roader, that just happened to be English, and I hepled build mine. When it does break down ( ABS light still on) it gives me chance to fix it.

Peace.
Wes Down under.

 

[scoobymick]

Hi Wes DownUnder,
I worked for LR dealers for twelve years and i found,as you say,that customers do bitch and moan,then a few months later buy another new one because despite the problems,they love them!
Mick