Buying A Used LR3 (V6 or V8?, Which Options?, Cautions?)

I get asked a lot of questions from prospective LR3 owners about the sanity of buying a used LR3.  I will answer it this way, I plan on buying another LR3 myself as soon as I am able to, and it will probably be a used 2007 V8 SE or HSE with a rear locker.

A typical question that I am asked, looks something like this (in fact, this is a question I was just recently asked!):
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“Hi Nathan, I am looking at LR3s and I will likely buy one very soon. I know a lot about RRCs and Disco II because I have owned both. However, I do not know much about the LR3. I have found a V6 2005 with only 17K miles on it for $21K. It is very clean. Would you recommend the V8 over the V6? The V6 compared to my Disco II and RRC seem to have enough power.  This V6 is a certified pre-owned at a LR dealer and has warranty that has been extended for 2 years on top of the factory warranty. It does not have any extras on it…heated seats, NAV, or upgraded lights.

I see a lot of V8 on the market. I can find one for about the same price as the V6 but with 30K miles. Some have NAV and cold weather package.

Thanks for your feedback.

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Here is my response:

Yes, I have the V6, it has way more power than all the older Rover V8’s that have come before it.  I can run rings around them.  I have never lacked for power in any on-road or off-road situation.  However, I can’t use the cruise control in hilly areas.  In my opinion (and others have verified this), the V6 is mated to the transmission even better than the V8.  It’s really seamless.  However, having said all that, I cannot think of any reason to get the V6 over the V8. When I buy another LR3, it will be a V8.  The extra hp makes the 6,000  lbs truck seem more nimble on the road, and the torque is bottomless on the trail.  In the V6, I use the Command Shift like a manual transmission to keep things lively.  In the V8, you never really need to take it out of drive unless you are descending a steep hill and need 1st gear.

You do not need the bi-xeon light upgrade, but it is very nice.  However, you can upgrade for about $350 on your own afterwards.

The Nav system is not very good, but the 4×4 screen can be very helpful because it shows your front wheel orientation (useful in the rocks).  The little message center above the steering wheel will also do this, so if you don’t have the Nav, its still okay.  I would not sweat it at all if you don’t get one with Nav.  Besides, the dash cubby is very convenient, and Garmins are cheap.

The heated seats and windshields are awesome!  Try very hard to get one with the cold weather package.  They are very convenient and I use them a surprising amount.  My kids love them too, and call them “waffle seats”  I swear you can cook toast on the high setting…

Certified pre-owned is the ONLY way to get one.  The factory extended warranty has recently skyrocketed in price, so getting one via certified is the only way to go.  I currently do not have an extended warranty, and I am past the 50,000 mile factory warranty, so I am not exactly practicing what I preach, but that’s due to my financial situation, not my desire to eschew the coverage.

The difference in sound quality between the HSE’s 550w stereo and the SE’s 220w stereo is almost worth the couple of extra grand the HSE costs…better seats too :-)

I’m pretty agnostic between 2005/2006 model years. They both had similar problems that have ALL been fixed by the dealer network by now. They are solid, dependable vehicles.  The 2007’s have seats that worked without the ignition key, and one-touch  passenger window, which is nice.  The seat thing is pretty darn handy if you have kids and need to flip the middle seats up and down frequently.

The 5 seater has better middle row seats. There is lots of hidden storage beneath and behind them.  If you are ambivalent about 5 or 7 seater, and want to maximize storage space, it’s something to think about.  But its not a deal breaker one way or another unless you definately need to haul more people than gear.

Things to look out for in a used LR3:
– test drive on dirt or loose/broken pavement.  If there is “knocking” felt through the steering console, the bushings are shot. They are the one true weak spot in an otherwise extremely durable rig.
– worn bushings in the front suspension control arms
– worn bushings in the front and rear sway bars.  Grab them and wiggle it.  If it moves, point it out and try to get them replaced.
– tire alignment all 4 corners.  I get mine done every 4 months, and it needs it!
– test all the CD holders in the radio.  Sometimes they stick, and the only fix that I’m aware of is to replace the head unit.
– Sunroof rails.  The tracks on either side of the sunroof grow brittle and crack.  Expensive to fix, have this done by the dealer before you take it home.
Of course, if you are reading this blog, you probably already know about the HD package.  If you find one, great! If your timing and finances push you towards one without, no big deal.  The Traction Control is more than good enough to compensate.  It takes more skill and finesse maybe (just barely), but there will never be an obstacle you can’t do that a locked one can.  But, for a dedicated off road truck, the rear locker is high on the wish list to look for.  There are no aftermarket options for lockers.
The center console refrig is pretty weak.  Works okay, but not an important option, you can add one later if you wish.

Front PDC (distance sensor) is a pain in the ……, the rear is fantastic.  Many people have the front disabled soon after ownership.

The Bluetooth handsfree thing works pretty well and I recommend it.
It’s easy to add a true iPod connector that plugs into the bottom of your iPod and gets you power and high level input audio.  I added mine for about $100, installed, at a stereo shop.  Damm that HSE sound system rocks compared to mine….

Good luck and happy hunting.