New here...looking at a 2006 LR3

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tamjam

Member
Nov 16, 2017
7
0
Marin County, CA
Hi folks,

I registered here in order to hopefully gather some info about a couple LR models, specifically the D2 and LR3 and have found an LR3 I am interested in buying. Thing is, his asking price ($17k) is WAY over what KBB says they're worth (I am seeing more like $11k) so I wanted to get some idea of whether this is typical of the brand (I come from Toyota, Subaru, Volvo, etc) or if he's totally out of his mind.

It's a 2006 HSE Heavy Duty V8 with 75,000 miles fully loaded with bi-xenon, cold weather, upgraded sound system, etc. Only thing it may not have is the adaptive headlight option. It's largely stock except for some Nitto TG tires and comes in an appealing color combo (grey over tan). The owner claims to have just spent $6k in maintenance done on it recently including the 75k service, new oil pan, new pads/rotors all around, suspension air compressor, front lower control arms, re-routed sunroof drains, and new battery. He says everything else works except the terrain response system which he points out isn't a big deal because the AWD system works regardless. And the paint on the hood is fading.

So is he legitimately asking a premium based on the rarity of his vehicle, the low mileage, and the fact that much of the expensive maintenance has just been done? For what I'd be getting for $17k it seems like a lot of car for the money, but I don't want to be "upside down" on it immediately because I am the only sucker who thinks it's worth the premium to KBB.

Thanks for your time.
 
1920SF

1920SF

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
2,705
1
NoVA
Lots of LR3's out there; this one is worth the pass. Owner may be banking on the HD carrying the day with the fanboys who all think you have to have the locker otherwise suddenly the truck sucks.

I would make a list of the things you are looking for; i.e. the other stuff you listed (HID lights, Cold Wx package, HK system (try to get things like BT and Ipod integration as adding it on after can be either $, a PITA, or underwhelming), etc). Then cast a wide net and be patient.

Maint records are key with these.

The TR system not working could be something very simple, but he is still WAY too far outside of a reasonable price range.
r-
Ray
 
T

tamjam

Member
Nov 16, 2017
7
0
Marin County, CA
Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. Is there a smaller premium that is worth paying (hard to say without seeing the actual car, I realize) like $15k? $13k? He says he's firm at $17k and will just keep it otherwise).

Regarding the TRS, he claims "The issue appears to be in the junction box where many electrical connections come together. To replace the box was going to be ~$1k but it didn't seem worth it to me to simply have the manual override dial working. All features of the system, including the Hill Descent System, work as they should." It's got bluetooth and (I assume) ipod connectivity.

I guess for his asking price it shouldn't need anything. Hard to walk away from this one though...it looks extremely clean otherwise...plus that low mileage. Everything else I have seen is in the 100k+ mile range...if not 150k+.
 
T

tamjam

Member
Nov 16, 2017
7
0
Marin County, CA
ERover82 said:
Don't be an idiot. It's not worth anywhere near 17k. Don't fuss over the HD package unless you'll use it hard off-road and very often. Mileage doesn't matter.. maintenance does.

Try this one..
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/d/2006-land-rover-lr3-v8-hse/6393227515.html



Found your guy.. and told him to piss off. You're welcome.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/immaculate-2006-landrover-lr3/6398962308.html
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Ha, that's great...dying to know what his reply is since he's clearly very in love with his truck.
 
1920SF

1920SF

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
2,705
1
NoVA
tamjam said:
Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. Is there a smaller premium that is worth paying (hard to say without seeing the actual car, I realize) like $15k? $13k? He says he's firm at $17k and will just keep it otherwise).

Regarding the TRS, he claims "The issue appears to be in the junction box where many electrical connections come together. To replace the box was going to be ~$1k but it didn't seem worth it to me to simply have the manual override dial working. All features of the system, including the Hill Descent System, work as they should." It's got bluetooth and (I assume) ipod connectivity.

I guess for his asking price it shouldn't need anything. Hard to walk away from this one though...it looks extremely clean otherwise...plus that low mileage. Everything else I have seen is in the 100k+ mile range...if not 150k+.
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Given what he is telling you; I'd say no-there is not a premium worth paying over for. I say this as someone who paid too much for my LR3 in 2014 w/78k on it b/c it was exactly what I was looking for (and was still markedly less than what your seller wants ironically).

You are right, for that asking price it shouldn't need anything at all.

BTW if it is the one ERover82 posted, and you want to wheel it, add in more $$$ to get some 18's since those wheels/tires won't serve you well.

I wouldn't stress on finding a truck at 120k miles right now; by then all the major issues should have been resolved and you still have some good life left in the ride.
 
Tugela

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,763
564
Seattle
Welcome to Discoweb. There is some useful info here and it's worth sticking around - just don't take anything personally.

The preceding suggestions are good. Owning one of these trucks is a commitment so it's worth it to wait for the right one. The wider you can cast your net and the longer your timeframe the better the chances that you'll find what you want. It's great to have service records from a previous owner but it's also wise to get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic who knows the vehicles and what to look for. $100 spent on that up front could save you from some major headaches later. Up here in the PNW prices for LR3s are in the $10K range.

Also consider budgeting a few hundred dollars for a specialized diagnostic computer that will talk to all the systems on the LR3. Your garden variety code reader won't have all the features you'll want so look around for something with all the capabilities appropriate for the vehicle. Having this tool will be helpful for troubleshooting and working on a more complex vehicle.

Also check with Elias Christeas at World Proven. Not sure if he's around these days, he was in Australia for a while, but he has a supernatural ability to get his hands on Rovers in surprisingly good condition. http://www.worldprovenlr.com/
 
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tamjam

Member
Nov 16, 2017
7
0
Marin County, CA
Thank you sir. Wouldn't dream of taking anything on a forum personally, don't worry. I appreciate people being straight-talkers more than anything. If I am being an idiot for considering a $17k car with bad paint and electrical issues, I hope someone will say that.

So you're from the PNW...I was looking at the PDX craigslist and saw a few V8 both SE and HSE that are reasonably priced, relatively low miles, and are claimed to be well maintained. May inquire about a couple of those.

Away from craigslist though, I am having trouble finding many forums where enthusiast-owned cars are listed, like in the Porsche world there is Rennlist and Pelican and Toyota has 4runner.org and Tacomaworld. Even the Volvo brand has decent cars by owners who actually care about what they drive listed on Swedespeed. What is the go-to Land Rover forum where people who have taken care of their rigs and maybe even built them up a little list them for sale? Nothing against Discoweb, of the several Rover forums I found this seemed to be the best and is the only place I have registered so far....it just has a very thin Classifieds section...
 
Tugela

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,763
564
Seattle
tamjam said:
What is the go-to Land Rover forum where people who have taken care of their rigs and maybe even built them up a little list them for sale? Nothing against Discoweb, of the several Rover forums I found this seemed to be the best and is the only place I have registered so far....it just has a very thin Classifieds section...
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The classified section here seems to go through ebbs and flows. Some nice trucks have come up for sale, however many sellers steer clear because Discoweb has a low tolerance for high asking prices. This is pure conjecture on my part, but I think not many newer trucks get listed here because the site has a reputation for attracting the solid axle crowd that won't pay more than $3K for a vehicle. Also, the market for the newer trucks may not attract the same level of enthusiasm - more owners take them to the dealership instead of working on them in the driveway and there isn't a community emerging organically around the newer trucks the way there is for older models. At least not that I have seen. I also haven't gone looking for one.

Craigslist has been the best resource for the used vehicle market that I have found. Why not buy a PNW truck and drive it home down the coast? That would be an excellent road trip. You can sleep in the back - the fold-flat floor of the LR3 is perfect for that.
 
Maximumwarp

Maximumwarp

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
836
26
Fairburn GA
Try the Facebook marketplace, too. A lot of stuff gets posted on there simply because it's easier than writing a Craigslist ad. For that same reason, you may luck into a good price on a truck that someone doesn't realize is a gem. On the other hand, you can get guys who think a $10k truck is worth $17k just because it says "Land Rover" on it.

Edit: 98k mile 2006 listed at $10,795 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1988210594742197
 
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tamjam

Member
Nov 16, 2017
7
0
Marin County, CA
Maximumwarp said:
This one is closer to you. Paint looks like it could use a little help in the front but it's not peeling, and they say it has the HD package. $11k.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/191050731434578
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Yep have seen that one posted on my local Craigslist too. It's been up for a while...I shied away from it due to the high mileage (141k) but perhaps I shouldnt. Plus while I appreciated sellers includiing maximum amounts of info about their cars in their ads, anytime someone goes on and on like he does I start to wonder what they're trying to hide.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/land-rover-lr3-hse-with-hd/6339205355.html
 
ERover82

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,920
458
Darien Gap
Tugela said:
Also, the market for the newer trucks may not attract the same level of enthusiasm - more owners take them to the dealership instead of working on them in the driveway and there isn't a community emerging organically around the newer trucks the way there is for older models. At least not that I have seen. I also haven't gone looking for one.
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http://disco3.co.uk/forum/

1,870,433 posts
43,439 registered users
 
Rob371

Rob371

Well-known member
Nov 29, 2016
150
1
Charlevoix, Michigan
I read maybe the first half of the first sentence in your original post. I did skim over and see you are a toyota owner also. My advice being a newbie rover owner myself, run away as fast as you can. If you want a driver, go look elsewhere. If you are a capable technician and want to spend precious weekends and hard earned dollars on a hobby then buy the rover. If you are married with children and wish to maintain that status,... run away from rover and never look back. Registration costs more, insurance costs more, parts cost more. Dealers are few between unless you are in a metro area (sorry about your luck if you are in such an area), and the dealers don't give a rip unless you bought something from them (dealers in general, not necessarily rover dealers,... but in reality, dealers in general!)>>>>>
 
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tamjam

Member
Nov 16, 2017
7
0
Marin County, CA
Rob371 said:
I read maybe the first half of the first sentence in your original post. I did skim over and see you are a toyota owner also. My advice being a newbie rover owner myself, run away as fast as you can. If you want a driver, go look elsewhere. If you are a capable technician and want to spend precious weekends and hard earned dollars on a hobby then buy the rover. If you are married with children and wish to maintain that status,... run away from rover and never look back. Registration costs more, insurance costs more, parts cost more. Dealers are few between unless you are in a metro area (sorry about your luck if you are in such an area), and the dealers don't give a rip unless you bought something from them (dealers in general, not necessarily rover dealers,... but in reality, dealers in general!)>>>>>
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So you're the devil on my shoulder, eh? Are you the same one that talked me out of every late 80's/early 90's 911 I almost bought? You're everywhere I go. I am trying to listen to the guy on my other shoulder who is telling me to live a little for once and buy the brand that I really want. I've got a buddy who is a huge Rover guy who's pointed me to a mechanic in my area that he swears by (J&G Auto in San Rafael, CA) so I feel covered on that end of things but he also has more money than God so doesn't mind the repair bills. That's why I want to find the "right" one and wouldn't mind paying a little extra for the right one.

But to be honest I am also considering another rig that I see you have too...a Gen 4 4Runner. But it's not a Rover dammit and I've always wanted one. In 1998 I passed up a slightly used Discovery to by a Gen 3 4Runner that we still have parked in the driveway today. I am guessing if I had bought the Discovery instead it would have died long ago. Maybe that should be telling me something.

This also won't be a daily driver. I've got something else waaay more economical to commute in every day. My plan for it is to be the family truckster that takes us to Tahoe until my son goes off to college in a few years and then who knows. I don't expect to put a lot of miles on whatever I buy I just need it to get me there and back without hassle. A little wheeling once in a while would be nice too.
 
Rob371

Rob371

Well-known member
Nov 29, 2016
150
1
Charlevoix, Michigan
If you ask my daughter she has a different opinion, but she just drives it and doesn't do 90 percent of the funding or any of the wrenching. She made a few payments while she was working last summer and mowed the lawn for some extra gas money. Now she's back in school and enjoying the fact that there's nothing else like it in the high school parking lot. We're in Northern Michigan and I enjoy knowing it is a capable and solid vehicle for her when the snow comes.

I don't know anything about the LR3. There's a green one here in town that seems to spend a lot of time at one of the repair shops. From what I've learned about the D2, their problems are predictable, the knowledge base here is extremely helpful, and most parts are available through local vendors. One of the local parts guys tells me the D2 parts are the most readily available from his experience with rovers.
 
1920SF

1920SF

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
2,705
1
NoVA
Rob371 said:
I don't know anything about the LR3. There's a green one here in town that seems to spend a lot of time at one of the repair shops. From what I've learned about the D2, their problems are predictable, the knowledge base here is extremely helpful, and most parts are available through local vendors. One of the local parts guys tells me the D2 parts are the most readily available from his experience with rovers.
Click to expand...

The key thing to know here is, on the balance, the difference between a Dii and an LR3 is night and day.

The 3 is a far more reliable platform.

I'm biased of course, I generally feel that the D1>Dii<D3 much the same way the RRC>P38<L322.
 
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