Land Rover LR3

teldoc · April 2006

Thanks for the info. The dealer said it would be 3-4 days til they could get to it and the one tire is not safe to drive on. I'm dropping $700 to put 2 new rear tires on and align all four at a local tire specialist instead of waiting. Did you get relief from the dealer or from LRNA? The dealer acted like 20,000 miles was acceptable. But the front tires have 50% tread left and wear is very even.

british_rover · April 2006

We have had one customer have similar issues with back tire wear.

Land Rover offered to pay for half of what two new tires would cost plus a rotate, balance and alingment. I think his tires had about 23,000 miles and the metal bands were starting to show.

I personaly would have taken them up on the offer since I don't expect any tires on a vehicle has heavy as the LR3 to make it 46,000 miles no matter how much you rotate.

This guy said he would only accept an offer from Land Rover that included 100% replacment cost of all four tires plus balance and alignment. He said he was going to get a lawyer and sue and give us zeros on every survey till got four new tires for free.

As far as I know he is still fighting for his free tires.

flowner · April 2006

Land Rover and Good Year split the cost on my SE7( at 11k they originally prorated and I paid 25%), but after I began the lemon process they were 100% free.

My opinion is that you should not have to spend a cent. It's the fault of the vehicle why you need to replace the tires.

but at a minimum If have you 50% life on the other treads they should do it at 50%

Land Rover paid for all 4 on my HSE 100% with 6k

Trust me this is not something the dealer will volunteer to do. I had to state that I know you are doing this.

I had to file the claim with the dealer. They in turn handled the warranty work. They will try to get Good Year to pay but if that fails Land Rover will pay. ( I guess who pays depends on the alignment specs.)

phila · April 2006

Thanks Mark, i spent some time playing with all the stuff on the LR3 and could not lock my keys inside. Even if you push the locking button on the dash before you get out, the car won't lock unless you lock it with the key fob.... very idiot proof, thank you Land Rover!
However, then I discovered the cooler box latch will not latch. It seems the box top doesn't fit very well, so that's something for the dealer to check.
Everything else is good so far, even got the bluetooth phone connection working, and the Brit guy on the voice recognition sounds like I have my own butler in the car with me ready to obey my commands. I love this car!!

teldoc · April 2006

Thanks for the info, I shall pursue it with the dealer. I'm okay wearing out tires but this was a 50% good tire that was work down to the fibers below the rubber only on the inside edge.

Interesting story from the mechanic.....apparently the rear camber isn't even adjustable and varies by suspension height. At normal (what you'd drive around in) the negative camber will eat up the rear tires. It's set to improve handling but is hell on the rubber.

roverdawg · April 2006

flowner,

Many thanks! I'll have them check it out. It'd be nice to finally be able to put the suspension faults behind me. Now, they'll just need to fix the rear diff and I'm good to go.

lr3maybe · April 2006

Thanks for the reply mark156 and britishrover.
The reason I want to use larger tires is because I've found beefier tires with better tread for snow and dirt and they appear more rock puncture proof. Also, the larger diameter will increase the ground clearance a bit and make my LR3 look a little more unique.

Please let me know what your techs say britishrover. From the brochure, the mud and ruts setting permits more wheel spin so maybe this is the answer.

As far as all the talk about worn out tires, I might wait a while to make sure my LR3 doesn't eat up tires before putting on larger ones - that way I can still get my tires replaced under warranty if I have a problem.

My local Discount Tire store once replaced all 4 of my tires because I had a problem with one and it was a 4-wheel drive vehicle (and ML320). They said their warranty always replaces all 4 on a 4-wheel drive because you can't have different size tires mixed. So, if this is true, how can Land Rover and/or Goodyear be replacing only one or two at a time?

Also, Discount Tire will sell their reasonably priced road hazard warranty and lifetime rebalance service even if you don't buy the set of tires from them. You can bring in your LR3 and buy the warranty on the factory tires. I don't know how new they have to be.

flowner · April 2006

My mechanic told me there is a shim for the rear tires that will adjust the cambers. But you have to ask for it. Again not something the dealers will volunteer to do.

flowner · April 2006

Also I talked with a local shop(St Petersburg. Florida) which specializes in air suspension. They also said you should request that the dealer lubricate the compressor with synthetic oil.

kkone · April 2006

I searched the board for wiper chatter but could not find specific issues. I have a 1 year old LR3. I started to experience wiper chatter on Oct '05 even when the windshield is wet. Land Rover gladly replaced both front blades. It continues to chatter. Is anyone else experiencing this?

teldoc · April 2006

LRDRIVER,
I just had this same problem. We have 20,000 miles on the truck and tire wear up front is perfectly even but the rear camber is such that the inside edge of my rear tires have worn down to the threads coming out from under the rubber. I was shocked. The tech guy said the rear camber changes with ride height settings and is not adjustable.

Needless to say, I'm very uphappy and have contacted LRNA with this issue. Stay tuned.

grommet · April 2006

Your tech guy is, well, an idiot. The rear camber is adjustable. It, of course, should be adjusted while the vehicle is at Normal height.

flowner · April 2006

Does anyone have the correct alignment settings.

The range is off the print out from the Hunter alignment rack

My current camber settings are

Front Left : -0.7 Range -1.3 to 0.3
Front Right:-0.4 Range -1.3 to 0.3

Rear Left: -1.4 Range : -1.8 to -0.3
Rear Right: -1.0 Range : -1.8 to -0.3

wilcoxbells · April 2006

Hi John,
I'm confused by this forum... I'm sure the link is right in front of me, but I couldn't figure out where to find your email address for off-forum exchange. I'm enabling my email to be set for public viewing from my profile page. If this works, would you mind sending me an email with your contact details? Thanks again, k

lrdriver · April 2006

First - Thank you for all who responded. I have raised this subject with LRNA as well and I do belive it is related to a significant suspension or alignment issue. My LR dealer has replaced my rear tires twice under warranty and my front tires once. My alignment and camber have been adjusted 4 times! It was hard for them to argue my tear wear woes when they could clearly verify my alignment was out multiple times. I suggest you pursue warranty on tires. One thing to note - My LR3 has under 13,000 miles. A lot of tires for such little mileage! I am falling out of love with my LR3.

grommet · April 2006

Front Castor: +3° 45'
Front Camber: -0° 20'
Front Cross Camber: +0° 45'
Front Individual Toe: -0° 05'
Front Total Toe: -0° 10'

Rear Camber: -0° 10'
Rear Cross Camber: +0° 45'
Rear Individual Toe: +0° 03'
Rear Total Toe :+0° 05'
Rear Driving Axis: +0° 00'

Those are the design targets, according some aging documentation. I think it's still accurate. Your dealer can verify.

tidester · April 2006

I'm sure the link is right in front of me, but I couldn't figure out where to find your email address for off-forum exchange.

You are looking for the member profile which you can access by clicking on the member's name in the byline of one of his or her postings. If he or she has set their email address to visible then it will be displayed there.

tidester, host

kimwee · April 2006

I am considering buying a 2006 LR3 SE7. (Hope I said that right) However, after reading some of these postings, I'm very concerned. It looks as if there are LOTS of problems with this vehicle. Including suspension, tires, etc. I have a Ford Expedition and want to downsize somewhat but still need 3 rows of seats. Please help calm my fears about the LR3 or advise another vehicle. Thanks.

koesler · April 2006

Hey "kimwee"..As I have posted numerous times, my LR3 has been perfect for one year and 12000 miles with no issues. I have had Mercedes', Toyota's, BMW's, Fords, Chevy's, and many others and all have had problems. But my last 2 Land Rovers were perfect, so ??? It's a gamble..Good luck to you in your decision.

Bottom line...LR3 is the BEST !!

mark156 · April 2006

kimwee, I guess I'm a little prejudiced because I love this vehicle (can guys say love?)

LOL! I've only had mine since December with 3,300 miles. I've been away from my 2006 LR3 HSE for almost 2 months since it's at my other house. Looking forward to getting back and driving it in a couple weeks.

So far, I've had no real problems except a few times the suspension fault light comes on then resets when I turn the ignition off. When it's time to take it for the oil change, I'll have the dealer take a look at it to see if there is an issue.

My brother has a 2003 LR Discovery II with almost 45,000 miles and has had no trouble at all. He uses it as a daily driver.

I think with any auto maker, there is a risk of getting a troublesome vehicle. I think the chances are you will get a nice trouble-free LR3 so go for it!

As a side note, my housekeeper drives a 1996 Hyundai Elantra with nearly 95,000 miles and it has been one of the most realiable cars that I have seen; who would have thought....??? :surprise:

Good luck on what you decide.. -mark156

kimwee · April 2006

Thanks Mark. My brother has a Hyundai that has over 150,000 miles on it and it's still great. Never would have thought! I have driven an Expedition for the past 8 years (3 different ones) Really like the LR3 but everything I read in Consumer Reports and Edmunds are really negative when it comes to rating the vehicle. The issue of the suspension fault light is a recurring theme as is the uneven wearing of rear tires with low miles on them. Guess I need to really think this through. Don't want to be stuck with something I can't resell when I trade up in a few years. Thinking about looking at the Toyota Sequoia or Land Cruiser or the new Mercedes GL SUV. :confuse:

mark156 · April 2006

Thinking about looking at the Toyota Sequoia or Land Cruiser or the new Mercedes GL SUV.

kimwee, those are all good choices. I've had 3 Mercedes and just wanted to try something different. I traded in a 2002 ML500 in for the LR3. I like the boxy front of the LR3. The new ML500 did not offer seating for 7 of which I had in my 2002. I didn't like the R-class so that caused me to look elsewhere. The LR3 was in the running out of three SUV's.. the other two were the Volvo XC90 and the Jeep Commander. The Jeep fell quickly to the back of the line as the third seat is small and the rear floor area is raised several inches taking up valuable space.

The rear storage in the LR3 is amazing. I have three skylights with shades (although I wish the shades were made of a solid material vs. one with perforated holes).

The new G-glass looks rather bland to me as so many of the Mercedes do now. I still like Mercedes, but I wanted something different this time. When I trade in my E-430, I may consider the new Jaguar sedan for 2008. Then, I'll be totally british or.... FORD! :confuse:

Again, good luck on your decision.. -mark156

british_rover · April 2006

One thing to keep in mind when referenceing CR's predited relablity is that they are using the old Discovery for that. They don't reall tell you that but if you read the fine print by there little asterix saying this is a newly redesigned model then you can figure it out. Using last generations reliablity data to predict the current generation is ok if you are comparing one generation of accord or camry to the next. Those vehicles don't change very much from generation to generation but LR3 does not share a single component with the old Discovery.

As to the tire issues. Of the 200 something LR3's our dealership has sold only one has had a major issue with tires. This guys LR3 ate up his tires in just over 20,000 miles so they lasted a little over half the time they should have. Land Rover offered to pay for half of the cost of replacing his back two tires but he is fighting with them to get all four tires replaced at 100%. :confuse:

Something is wrong with his rear suspension in that it does not want to hold its camber setting. They still have not figured out exactly why it is happening. I guess I can kind of understand this guys complaint since Land Rover is not sure why the normal procedure to fix this problem is not working on his car and that is why he wants four new tires at 100% reimbursment.

I would probably counter their offer with something like this. Replace my two rear tires at 100% and if I wear through two more back tires in 20,000 miles you have to replace all four of my tires at 100%.

That would be my counter offer and I would want it on a contract.

As to the suspension fault lights we have not had any that were not resolved fairly quickly. Sometimes a low voltage situation throws the light and if that is the case then just shutting the car off and turning it back on seems to solve it.

All the other cases have required the replacement of the compressor with the new upgraded unit and there have not been that many of those. I don't remember the exact number but 12-14 sounds about right.

As to the GL or Land Cruiser form a interior space to exterior size ratio the LR3 is more efficient. It is smaller overall then both vehicles but with more leg and headroom all around. I know which one I would buy.

cmnott · April 2006

Basically I am in the same boat as kimwee. First post here but a regular lurker for the last 6 months. I have read this from the very beginning and have followed this thread very closely. By all accounts, this LR3 sounds like the best effort yet by the company to produce a vehicle that is reliable. Of course, I am not new to these forums and they are usually swamped by those who complain ratherthan those who praise, so of course one must take this thread with a grain of salt. I am sure Land Rover have sold more than 100 LR3s and seems like half on this thread have been perfect!

I went to the Fairmont Chateau Montebello, a beautiful resort just an hour out of Ottawa, Canada and we did the "Land Rover Experience", which is whichever Land Rover/Range Rover you want put through a grueling off raod course andof course the LR3 was simply astonishing. The weekend we went the conditions were treacherous with a mixture of snow, ice, slush and mud it was very impressive to see how the vehicle handled every situation. What impressed me was through all the crevices and bumps and potholes the truck was as solid and quiet inside as if we were on the highway.

It feels really heavy, though and to this driver even with the V8, didn't seem particularly quick. The interior was very nicely appointed but my wife felt it a little austere. the wood package would have to be a definite must here. All in all, even though for our needs, the LR3 would be overkill, it is more than up to the task of being a family car. Still not decided between the LR3 and XC90, but it will definitely be one of these two.

mark156 · April 2006

cmnott, if you have read these posts from the start, you probably saw the picture of the wood inlays that I had installed on the dash in my LR3. I am very happy with the quality and look of the wood.

Also, one thing about the Volvo XC90 that I didn't like was the lack of adjustable sunvisors. They are very short and once you move them to the side, it will not cover your face. The instruments in the center of the dash are hard to read in the sunlight. It just so happened on the day I was looking at the XC90 that the sun was coming in the side window and I could not read any of the readouts. I don't seem to have that problem with the LR3.

The LR3 also does not have adjustable sun visors but they are very large and work for me. I drive across the country a couple of times a year from Tennessee to California in the winter months. At that time of year, the sun is low in the sky and it is imperative that the the sun visors adjust enough to keep the sun out of the side window. The Volvo with all of their safety, forgot about the sun visors. :confuse:

-mark156

bamaboy2 · April 2006

Kimwee,

I say go for it. I have a 2005 LR3SE V6 and love it. It is more than capable on and off road. I get close to 18 mpg and drive 60 miles per day. It is comfortable, quiet, and commanding all at the same time. I have had no problems after 12k miles except for a little rattle that was solved with lubricant. The LR3 is the real deal and no other SUV,SAV, etc can match its ability.

Bamaboy

justinainde · April 2006

Grommet, just had to tell you that I took it in for service yesterday and after reprogramming the stereo, I must say it sounds exceptional. I couldn't stop smiling. I think I laughed a bit, too. On another note, my LR3 a joy to drive, and is there anybody out there that doesn't think the LR3 looks 100X better than the Mercedes ML, and for that matter, any other SUV out there? Well maybe the RR Sport Supercharged!

grommet · April 2006

Excellent. I thought that might be it!

justinainde · April 2006

Thanks again for the info!

mark156 · April 2006

Hey Guys,

I have just filled out my 4th survey about my new LR3. They are long, extensive and actually ask rather personal questions. :mad: Of course, I fill it out because I like to give my opinion.

I just hope that I'm finished with them for a while!

-mark156

twisterchaser · April 2006

Does anyone know what size wheel and "tyres" the G4 LR3's will be wearing? The web site has Goodyear as a sponsor so I would assume that they will use the Goodyear MTS. I couldn't find any other info other than that. Has anyone put any good all terrain(aftermarket)tires on their LR3? I am thinking about trading in my 2001 Land Cruiser in on a new LR3 V8 HSE and wanted to put on some proper all terrain tyres on the stock 19" wheels.

johnmajor · April 2006

I owned a GX470 and switched to the LR3HSE. My GX470 was bought back because they couldn't solve the vibration at around 65mph through the steering. Search the forum on "vibration" issues.

serranot · April 2006

"One thing to keep in mind when referenceing CR's predited relablity is that they are using the old Discovery for that. They don't reall tell you that but if you read the fine print by there little asterix saying this is a newly redesigned model then you can figure it out. Using last generations reliablity data to predict the current generation is ok if you are comparing one generation of accord or camry to the next. Those vehicles don't change very much from generation to generation but LR3 does not share a single component with the old Discovery."

This is untrue. CR's data for '05 consist of surveys from owners. Perhaps this was true in '05 when they predicted, but their latest prediction is based on the performance of the '05 model.

Regards,
Tom

grommet · April 2006

Use search; I'm sure it's been covered.

Goodyear Wrangler MT/R 255/55R19. So, the G4 tires are the same size at the stock 19" wheels. However, that size is not available in North America (and, as such, is not DOT certified for on-road use.)

They can be imported; I know a few people that went this route. Good off-road tires.

yhy · April 2006

Hi,

I've been shopping for a LR3 for a couple of weeks, and just made a purchase today, SE V8. Like many of you, I read this web site up and down before making the purchase. I saw the current incentives listed on this web site the other day for SE V8, with a $750 cash back or some really good APR finacing. I checked with the dealer before I made the purchase, and they said they have never heard of them before. Does anyone on this forum know anything about these incentives? Thanks.

stever · April 2006

We show a $750 Cash to Customer rebate on the SE from 04/05/2006 to 07/05/2006 in the zip codes I checked (ID and CA), but the Land Rover USA Payment Calculator just talks about 5.9% APR financing. So your dealer may be right.

Congrats on the new ride btw!

Steve, Host

strover4 · April 2006

Grommet and British Rover,

could you please advise in what to expect -or to request- from my first service at the dealer? please keep in mind that when i bought the car it already had 7,500 miles (a bit too much for a demo, but i got a very good deal, i think)and the dealer told me that the car had been already in service; of course, couple of months ago, i found out that the data in the system was never reset (according to the dealer; they forgot).
Grommet, i read in one of your responses that LR does not recommend tire rotation;even at 15,000 miles? also, i feel that the car is pulling a bit to the right; would alignment be covered by the warranty? one issue that has surfaced within the last two weeks is that the audio system would not work for a short period of time, about 5-10 min; it only happened twice, but ...; any suggestions?

Thank you,

Strover.

stever · April 2006

Hi again yhy,

I heard from the database crew that the incentive ($750 customer cash or APR) was accidentally bound to the wrong vehicle in the database. So your dealer was right.

Thanks for bringing this up so we could fix it and sorry for any inconvenience the error may have caused.

Steve, Host

yhy · April 2006

Steve,

Thanks for checking into this. I was all excited after I saw the cash back, but the dealer said no such thing. That's OK. They gave me a 4.9% APR, which is more than what I was hoping for anyway.

I will pick up the LR3 on Wednesday (day after tomorrow). Can't wait!

mark156 · April 2006

YHY, congrats on the new LR3. But, please give us details! What color, options, model, etc. Feel free to tell us the deal that you got.

Thanks, Mark

yhy · April 2006

Mark

LR3 SE V8, Java Black / Alpaca, everything in it (7 seat, nav, heavy duty, bluetooth, sat radio, cooler box, lighting, cold climate).

I got it from Marin Luxury Car in Corte Madera. Got it for $1K over Edmunds invoice price. The dealer base invoice, at least that's what the sales guy showed me, was 41300, Edmunds shows 40936. Oh well, I already bought it, deal or not, doesn't matter anymore. They throw in the carpet floor mat too. I picked black. The Alpaca interior usually comes with a darker shade of beige color mat. I thought black looks better.

I have to say that the salesperon, Jim, was very nice (trust me, no relatioship). He was very knowledgable and helpful. I conducted most of of my Q&A with him over email, and very prompt responses.

stever · April 2006

If you don't mind, please paste that info over in the Land Rover LR3: Prices Paid & Buying Experiences discussion too.

But please, no names of individuals (that helps deter shill posts). Thanks, and congrats!

Steve, Host

mark156 · April 2006

Thanks YHY, looks like you got a real decent deal on your LR3.

I posted pictures of my 2006 LR3 HSE in post #3304 and #3305 if you care to go back and take a peek. I had the walnut dash installed which I'm very please with. I see we both picked the same color combination (Java/Alpaca).

I didn't get the cooler box or satellite radio (didn't want). For me, the storage in the console was more important than the fridge.

I think you will really enjoy the LR3, the third seat and storage capability is amazing.

M156

lr3maybe · April 2006

Congratulations on your new LR3.
I agree that the black floor mats look better with the alpaca interior than the brown mats do.

The Edmunds base invoice price of 40936 appears to not include the $364 charge for java paint. If you add that, then the 41300 the dealer showed you was correct.

You didn't really pay only $42300 (1K over base invoice) with all those options did you? According to Edmunds the invoice price with all those options and destination charge is $50411.

lrdriver · April 2006

I wrote in about 4 weeks ago about stating my woes and troubles regarding my LR3. I said it then and I will say it now, I like the car despite my numerous problems. BUT, since I have owned my LR3 I have replaced all 4 tires twice, realigned the suspension 3 times, replaced the instrument cluster once, replaced the ignition switch once and replaced the rear tailgate glass once because the defoggers did not work. To date, my LR3 has been in the shop going on 4 weeks to try and locate creaking noises that are apprently coming from the sub-structure of the vehicle. 4 weeks! My LR Dealer has been exceptional in their persistance, but when is enough enough? Do I have a case to have Land Rover buy back the vehicle? How do I pursue it? It is a V6 SE with under 13,000 miles on it. :sick:

yhy · April 2006

Steve,
Sorry about the names. I didn't mean to advertise for anyone.

yhy · April 2006

lr3maybe

Of course not. I wish. I meant 1K over total invoice, including the options.

Now you mention it, it make sense the base invoice was different, because we I looked at their paper, the black paint was not itemized in the cost.

yhy · April 2006

Mark

The walnut dash looks nice. I actually didn't want all those options, but to get the ones I do want, I either have to wait a long time or get one from their lot with other options included.

rea9390 · April 2006

I have a loaded 05 LR3 SE. I have experienced the uneven inside tire wear as have others on this forum. My dealer directed me to LRNA which contacted the dealer and got back to me to tell me it's a wear and tear item and I need to talk to Good Year...What great service! Dealer washes his hands by directing me to LRNA, they talk to the dealer. Whats the dealer going to tell them? "we built a truck that eats tires!" I have 15K on them, I think by 25K they'll be totally shot. You think Good Year is going to be any help? Just curious if anyone knows how widespread this problem is. I think it has to do with the camber setting on the suspension, but some have posted they have even wear after 20K or more. Totally confused. Still love the truck...can't understand why my dealer won't work to make things right. :confuse:

pbrover · April 2006

Just got back from Disney Land. I just cannot believe how great this vehicle rides on the highway...Wow! I plugged in some headphones into the 2nd row headphone jacks on the door but I could get them activated. I have two questions:

1) How do I get the headphone jacks turned on?
2) Only instructions I found was to turn on the headphone jacks via "voice command" but the voice commands (ones I found to speak in manual) I used were not recognized by voice command central?

Help :confuse:

Land Rover LR3

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles