Hi all,

I'm looking at getting my first sport. Been lurking on the forum for a few months trying to absorb as much info as possible.

I had originally looked at getting one about 4 years ago but went down the 911 route instead, that is now for sale so hopefully will be in a position to buy soon.

I'm based in Jersey, Channel Islands so am fairly limited on the number of cars available to me. At the moment there's two which may be of interest......

https://www.jtinsight.com/JTIRA/JTIRA.aspx.../_WORKING/

http://www.maufantcarcentre.co.uk/vehicle/...rtainment/

I've only had a quick look round each so not had a chance to delve into service history / maintenance yet.

I'm struggling to decide between the V6 and V8.

Am I correct in thinking the V8 suffers from turbo failures which can't be predicted and can result in total engine failure?

The V6 isn't prone to this but is often viewed as being slightly underpowered? Possibly not an issue living somewhere with a 40mph speed limit, although would be doing some annual motorway driving down to the Alps.

Is there anything particular i should be looking out for given that some of the cars over here have probably never been over 50mph!!!

I've downloaded the buyers guide on here which looks like a brilliant resource to have at hand when inspecting the cars thoroughly.

It's very frustrating looking in the classified on this site and seeing some fantastic cars owned by people who have clearly looked after them but not having access to them due to being in Jersey.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Hi and welcome to the site.

How expensive is it to import a vehicle to Jersey?
Your first link doesn't show a sport, the second link looks a nice example but a little bit expensive, but I guess that is because it is already on your Island. The finance figures look scary though.
Pleased you have found the info on here very useful, we have some good guys on here, and then we have SRE.......
Good luck with your search.

You have to pay a 5% import tax, plus an emissions duty which I think is about �300 and the cost of the ferry, which is about �300 but also have to factor in the cost of getting over to the mainland to test drive cars which potentially you don't buy.
I did import the 911 from the UK from a very well respected Porsche dealer / journalist.

Are there any specific dealers or independent specialist who have good reputations for stocking clean, well cared for examples or is it a bit of a lottery?

Not sure why the first link doesn't work, it's a 2008 3.6V8 39,000 for �19,995.

Prices over here tend to be slightly higher than UK, it's a supply and demand thing.

Ha, yup those finance figures are absurd, not a route I'm going down fortunately.

The TDV6 is not exactly underpowered (and it all depends on what you're used to, of course) but, as standard, it's never going to be as quick as the TDV8. A remap would help greatly, and if you want to go further, you can add an uprated intercooler and de-cat pipe (as I have ).

As you note, the TDV8 does suffer from more turbo failures, though the TDV6 is far from immune to them. I would have thought complete engine failure as a result is still not the norm, but I don't have figures to go on.

Perhaps you might find some willing forum members to take a look over cars for you? I, for one, would be happy to help if I can.

 Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver

I ran a 2.7 with a BAS (Pete Bell) remap for a few years, Pete's remap is what the Sport should have had to start with, it makes a big improvement to the drivability of the car.

Running at a tangent, can I change my username, and is there some sort of complaint book on here. Ady In Spain - 2018 F Pace - Frightened away from the Sports due to crank failures
Gone - A couple of RRS, A couple of Disco's. However thinking of another Sport.

Thanks for the replies guys and thanks Lost for Words for the offer, much appreciated.

Think my best bet would be a test drive to get a feel for them. That should give me a chance to have a look through service record and check that they've been looked after.

What would be the one single best piece of advise you could give a potential buyer?

Make sure it has fsh

Quote:

What would be the one single best piece of advise you could give a potential buyer?

Make sure it has a bullet proof warranty.

Jerseybloke wrote:

What would be the one single best piece of advise you could give a potential buyer?

If your driving is only Jersey 40 mph and some Continental Motorway driving, then I think the TDV6 will be fine for you. I used to drive semi urban (40mph) then longer freeway runs and I was happy with the 2.7 TDV6, it's a smooth and quiet engine for a motorway cruise.

I'll try to go through some common/major issues. Bear in mind, a lot/most of these are mileage dependant. In no particular order:

Suspension components - they're heaavy cars and get through bushes very fast. It's only wear and tear but this can end up costing quite a lot. Correct alignment is also critical to prevent faults an irregular tyre wear.

Gearbox - the gearbox is very good and strong, BUT, unless it has been serviced, torque converter failure is almost inevitable. If left too long, the whole box can develop issues. In short, it's a great transmission, but fresh oil is key.

Battery and alternator - they aren't battery or alternator friendly. OE (Denso) alternators are a must. They're easy to replace on the TDV6 (a bit harder if fitted with ACE). The TDV8 is not as accessible.

ACE - if fitted, leaks can be expensive, and are not uncommon.

EGRs - a common failure on both the TDV6 and TDV8. I believe they can all be blanked, but I'm not sure of the specifics with the TDV8 (but I know it does require a software patch). On the TDV6, a software patch is required on 07MY vehicles onwards (EU4), but not on earlier ones (EU3). The patch is often applied at the same time as a remap.

Front to rear brake pipes - these corrode, and often need to be replaced. Flaring the pipes and fitting copper ones to the back section is the easiest/cheapest/best option.

Wheel and towbar thefts - the spare wheel and the removable towbars (if left in) can be easily and quickly stolen. Protection plates are available for the spare wheel. I'm imagining these are less likely to be an issue over there though, anyway.

MPG - just don't expect it to make anywhere near the official figures.

Turbo actuators - aside from general turbo failure, actuators can seize, casuing boost faults. This is a more common issue on lightly used vehicles in particular - so a potential consideration in your case.

HVAC - two common places for leaks are the condeser and the rear HVAC pipes (if fitted). AFAIK, the rear pipes can't be replaced without the body off. Blanking off the rear is an option should this occur.

Rear propshaft - it's quite common for the centre bearing to fail. Little sucess has been had replacing the bearing alone, so a new shaft is needed. Easy to replace, however.

Bluetooth - the bluetooth system is poor. A software update can help improve pairing issues or a D4/later RRS module can be fitted which improves sound quality too.

Navigation - there are no genuine updates available beyond the 2011/12 disc. Fakes are available, but links are not allowed on the site. The system is not great, but it is at leat built in and does work. I'm quite happy with it.

Front wheel bearings - a common failure at some point. Much less common since LR reduced the ridiculous 350Nm torque figure on the hub nuts. Again, pretty easy to change though.

Turbo hoses - they often split causing a lack of power and black smoke. Silicone replacements are recomended. In the case of the TDV6, the main hose is very easy to swap.

Brake switch and bulbs - the fomer should be considered a serviceable item. They fail causing transmision/HDC faults and limp mode etc. but are cheap and take 5 minutes to change. Failed or poor brake bulbs are also a common cause of HDC faults.

Suspension - the air suspension system can develop leaks. They don't happen all the time but can cause issues. The original Hitachi compressors also fail. When they do, a much improved AMK version can be fitted. Hight sensors are another culprit - you can by sets of them on Ebay from a LR dealer for �30 though.

Wheel nuts - locking nuts break (best binned) standard nuts swell. Replacements �3 from Advanced Factors.

Brakes - sliding pins can seize, and calipers too.

Cruise control switch loom - the loom behind the drivers airbag often brakes, causing loss of CC. Alternbatively it can be the switches or clockspring.

Glowplugs - these fail after a while and sometimes can have a habit of snapping when an attempt is made to remove them. This means the cylinder heads have to come of to replace them. Fitting a controller and using teh fuel burning heater (FBH) to pre-warm the engine can be a good alternative.

SRS - it's quite common for the wiring and connectors under the seats to cause the airbag light to come on. This is deosn't prevent it from working but can be difficult at MOT time.

OE Jack - do not use it; it's made of cheese and is unsafe. The wheel brace is useless too.

Parkbrake - you've probably heard horror stories about this. If it is kept well adjusted, it's absolutely fine. Should you get the dreaded "scream", stop using it immediately. Disco_Mikey has also written a guide on repairing the module should it need it.

Low pressure fuel pump - it's not unusual for this to fail, requiring the tank to be dropped and a new one fitted. A lot cheaper than the high pressure pump though, failure of which is rare.

TDV6 Oil pump - a weak version of the casing was fitted from 07MY to part way through 08MY (potentially on late 06MY too). The cam belt tensioner is attatched to it which breaks off, causing catastrophic engine failure. Mostly, it occurs after the cam belt is renewed (105k/7 years). It is therefore essantial that the pump is replaced at the same time. I understand such failure has occured on other versions too, but less so - a new oil pump is a good thing to have anyway.

Lost for Words
After reading that lot, I think I will join Ady BC, Bradders, Muddywheels and jump ship.

To be fair, when you read the info on these type of forums you will always learn about the problems, no one ever tends to post about all the plus points, and there are plenty of them, that's why I keep buying Land Rovers (& Jags)

The range Rover Sport is a quality vehicle, buy one, and I can guarantee you will love it. In Spain - 2018 F Pace - Frightened away from the Sports due to crank failures
Gone - A couple of RRS, A couple of Disco's. However thinking of another Sport.

Lost for Words wrote:

SRS - it's quite common for the wiring and connectors under the seats to cause the airbag light to come on. This is deosn't prevent it from working but can be difficult at MOT time.

Best thing is to have a poke about under the seats, checking for any dodgy connections or stretched wires. In particular, check the wire down the side of the seat(s) to the seatbelt pre-tensioner.

A recent thread on the the subject: http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic133811.html

Syd, now you have a later vehicle, you have a little less to worry about, at least.  Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver

Wow, thanks for all the info.

Makes pretty scary reading but doesn't put me off and would rather go into it with my eyes open. Had similar with the 911, long list of potential expensive faults but as mentioned that tends to be the nature of forums, it's somewhere to moan about faults and try to find resolutions for them.

Interesting about the oil pump on the V6, think I was getting turbo failure and oil pump failure mixed up when I refered to total engine failure in my original post, as the cars I seem to be looking at are around 7 years old this is something I will be paying particular attention to when viewing and looking through service history etc.

I may have to develop some patience in waiting for the right car to come up for sale, a lot of them over here seem to be solely used for the school/supermarket run and the drivers are more interested in image rather than maintenance if that makes sense!