Land Rover

LAND ROVER

 

Naturally, if you live in a mountainous region, where not all the roads are paved, have steep inclines, plenty of curves and (normally) snow,  that Land Rovers are a popular choice.  As a Brit I was bought up with them as the reliable farm tough-duty vehicle and then watched as I saw them transform into a premium luxury brand.   At first, it was puzzling to see such enthusiastic sales to people who had no real use for the towering off-road abilities that they were equipped with.  We now acknowledge the SUV market, to be a permanent fixture in the automotyive landscape.

In Boone and our tri-county area, they are popular for the right reasons and, if bought at a good price, can provide excellent service for a reasonable cost.  Like all foreign (“fern”?) vehicles, there’s some scare-mongering out there about high maintenance costs including parts that must be flown in from England!

At Sport-4, we are then well familiar with the quirks and common faults that can cause irritation which, if not caught in time, costly repairs.  We’ve just invested in the latest Land Rover-specific diagnostic software, so we’re better set up than anyone in the High Country to take care of your vehicle, whether from a 1999 Discovery II to a 2009 Range Rover HSE.  We have great relationships with the NC  LR dealers for our parts sourcing.  We also purchase from 2 other sources:

1.)  Independent LR specialists – Very knowledgeable folk who have Land Rovers of their own and who we get up-to-date information and tips from.

2.)  Large distributors with multiple giant warehouses around the USA who get same-as-factory parts here for us the very next day and usually for a good discount.

 

Discovery II’s account for about 70% of all our LR customers so things to watch for are:

1. Front Drive shaft – A minimal vibration at first coming from a difficult to trace location, they are attached to transfer case via a universal joint which fails.  New LR factory ones list for about $850 which Sport-4 can supply for around $525 depending on supplier.  There is also a ‘beefed up’ version available from a specialist manufacturer for about the $600.  Labor is 1 hr. These can go from minimal vibrations to maximal in the space of a few miles so beware!
2. Valve cover gaskets: After 100,000m, they often leak, and requires a special wrench bit to remove.  Parts are about $60 and labor is 3.5hrs (x$75p.h.) = $262.50
3. Rear hatch door mechanism – Watauga County has more gravel roads than any other NC county.  The dust kicked up is diamond sharp almost and can cause door mechanisms to jam up.  We can sometimes free up existing components, but worst case scenario involves replacement parts.