Hi Everyone!

Today I put down a deposit on a 2008 RRS HSE Lux TDV8. Its a lovely motor having covered a whopping 125k miles in its 8 years of existence!

It only has Land Rover stamps in the book and seems to have been serviced on the nose each time by its one previous owner.

It runs well, no smoke, no clunks or noises from the engine/exhaust or inside when going over rough roads.

Its on 20 inch 10spoke alloys and the ride is lovely, but still more harsh than in a brand new RRS I test drove earlier in the day from a dealership.

We are coming from a very nice X5 3.5 diesel with 70k on it, but fancy a change and the RRS ticks all the boxes.

So whats the problem you may ask?

Well I've delved into the world of internet forums and scared myself a bit with tales of turbo failure and suspension gremlins! I'm also a little suspicious of why someone would have a service done 500 miles ago and then trade the car in...

Is there anything I should be VERY concerned about here? Any impeding common failures i need to prepare myself for? How common are these horror stories of complete failure, and is there any preventative maintenance which I can do to mitigate this risk?

I'm pretty handy with the spanners and do most stuff myself on my home garage lift. Plus I've also had other cars with 'alleged' massive failure rates (the porsche M96 engine for example), so I know I should put this paranoia into perspective, but I suppose its natural to be cautious....

Any advice to a complete LR noob will be gratefully received!

Welcome to the TDV8 paranoia self-help group.

Would you be Ragpicker of the 911.co.uk parish perchance? 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

Indeed I am, many thanks for the warm welcome!

Do you frequent the dark corners of 911uk??

Hi ragpicker

Welcome to the forum.

A few things for you to consider when coming from an X5 -

1/ The RRS you are looking at weighs close on 3 tons, so think about the various forces in play on various components when you a driving in a "spirited" manner.
2/ Land Rover QC can not be compared to that of BMW.
3/ All Land Rover vehicles are designed for off road usage. Therefore additional mechanics are fitted for this i.e. diffs, low ratio box etc,so more to go wrong.
4/ When a Land Rover is running well it is a joy to behold. When it is not it is a moneypit! Lol.

Jim

Indeed I do but we'll get flamed if we start talking about the wrong cars especially as I'm an air-cooled 'sandal wearer'

Back to your concerns about the TDV8. Catastrophic turbo-related engine failure with no warning definitely occurs but putting numbers on the incidence rate is speculative at best.

Best guess at the cause is oil sludge blocking the oil pipes taking oil away from the turbos causing a pressure build up that blows the turbo oil seals allowing oil to be pumped into the cylinders. The resulting hydraulic lock can be terminal. The turbo fanblades at the same time can disintegrate and be ingested by the engine. So not a nice scenario.

Preventative maintenance comprises oil changes using the best quality and at least every 6 or 7 thousand miles. Only use genuine filters (air and oil) and drain from BOTH sump plugs.

Warm up gently from cold and never ever shut down a hot engine without letting it idle for 2 or 3 minutes. Once it is warmed up thoroughly give it the beans now and again to keep the variable vanes moving freely. Many of us only use Shell V-max nitro for its better cleaning properties. Drive like granny for the last few miles of every journey to aid cooling.

Check the condition of all the turbo hoses. As you're handy with the spanners do an oil change as soon as you get your hands on it and change the air filter. Also make sure the actuating rods on the side of the turbos are moving freely and give them a good squirt of WD 40 or similar.
While you're at it put a dose of Millers diesel cleaner through the tank.

Oh one more thing - careless oil filter changes are another cause of failure. The filter has a silly spigot thing sticking out that has to go in a hole in the filter receiver thingy or no oil pressure!

Sacrificing the first born child to the Gods is probably going a bit far though. 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

Another welcome to the TDV8 club had mine for 2.5 years had to replace the battery and o/s/r brake calipar, tyres and brakes. Other than that it's been a great car. Other than that as Paddi says above regular oil and filter changes, change mine every 5k. It's easy to read the threads and scare yourself silly but just remember these are just a small numbering of people posting with problems there are a lot of TDV8's out there with no issues, so just enjoy.. 2008 G4 RRSport TDV8 current
2009 TDCi 90 current
2018 Discovery 5 HSE lux current
1994 Dakar current

Verify the transmission, axle, and transfer case has been serviced. If not, ask for these services as part of the purchase.

Starting with a one owner, fully serviced car is a great start.

125k miles... You're not a high mileage driver, then?

Just thought... Not heard of "HSE Lux" designation on pre 2010 models perhaps some could confirm that is legit, or whatever. L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

Thanks guys!

I've already bought all the oils/filters/sump plugs etc and am planning on changing all the fluids and diff/transfer box oils too this weekend after pick-up.

The model is HSE but has extras such as the 20 inch alloys, premium leather (ivory), metallic paint, brembos, adaptive headlights etc. When I downloaded the brochure for this online (north american brochure) all these options are on the 'HSE lux', so I thought it must be that model.

Anyway its fully loaded so obviously I'm looking forward to wafting around in it!

What about suspension? Is there anything I can service on this to potentially prolong its life?

Cheers!

For a TDv8 everything that you mention as an "extra" was standard. HSE Lux was a USA model all UK cars were HSE badged or sold as an HST (body kit and exhausts with factory HST's also getting an eDiff)up to 2010, if you PM me an Email address I can send you a scanned copy of the U.K. 2007MY, 2008MY or 2009MY literature (actually there was only one significant change over those 3 model years, phone cradle replaced by hands free Bluetooth system and electrically adjustable steering column and some colors) 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Thanks Tim, PM sent!

So I've just phoned the LR main dealer who have solely serviced the car to see whats what. Its been a cracker apparently. No major failures during its life. At the last service (500 miles ago) it was recommended that in the next year the front ARB bushes are replaced. It also has a slightly worn prop carrier.

So hopefully should be a good little motor!

ragpicker wrote:

Thanks guys!

I've already bought all the oils/filters/sump plugs etc and am planning on changing all the fluids and diff/transfer box oils too this weekend after pick-up.

What about suspension? Is there anything I can service on this to potentially prolong its life?

Nice to see someone doing the sensible thing first rather than immediately looking to bolt on tasteless bits of bling.

Look for someone to do a gearbox flush - using a machine that draws out the fluid and replaces with fresh; it is the only way to change all of it in one go. Draining and refilling only refreshes part of it as a lot remains in the torque converter.

The active active anti-roll bars (ARBs) are very expensive to replace but prompt changing of the ARB bushes can prolong their life since lateral movement is thought to hasten failures.

Whilst you have the car up on the lift have a good look at the diff oil seals especially the front diff. 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

Odd that the LR dealer should suggest the ARB bushes should be done in a year's time. If they're showing signs of wear, and if they're original then they certainly will be, they should change them before they get to the point of knocking. They're not expensive - unless you use a LR dealer of course.

Likewise the prop shaft carrier. Rear prop shafts aren't hugely expensive and changing them doesn't appear to be tricky if you have a ramp. Waiting for things to go in to full failure just increases the chance that they will fail or cause wear to something else such as, in this case, the rear diff.

As said, the ARBs are silly money - budget a grand plus to have one changed - so keeping the bushes in good order makes sense. As soon as mine start to knock (about every 2 years) they are changed. £150 all in at an indie.

I'm not sure I'd take the dealer's word on how good the vehicle is - unless you spoke to the actual "technician" that has done the work on it. If you spoke to the service desk you'll likely hear fairy tales, sadly. The good thing is that you're going in eyes open and willing/able to do work on it. With care on your part you should have a great vehicle.  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Interesting replies chaps, thanks!

To clarify I'm not buying the car from Team Valley, i'm getting it from somewhere else. Team Valley have done all the servicing on the car since it was new. It was one of the technicians I spoke to.

Regardless. I need to get it on a ramp and have a good nosy around.

Are the Disco 3/4 and the RRS TDV8's essentially the same? I'm asking because I'm trying to find a DIY for the ARB bushes but cant find a reliable one. Some say they are dead easy to do and others say you need special tools....

Rear are a doddle, takes around 10/20 mins a side. No special tools needed, two bolts per side (not including the wheel nuts)

The front ones are a Unless you've got a ramp etc. I wouldn't attempt them. You need to lift the diff up so you can get a spanner onto the retaining bracket bolts. But again, no special tools are needed.