Thinking About an LR3

PJorgen

Desert Dweller
We recently moved to northern Nevada and my wife decided she wanted a Jeep Wrangler. After driving a couple she decided they were too noisy, too rough and too primitive. Based on that I think an LR3 might be what we want/need.

It would not be a daily driver, in fact it would be our fourth vehicle. We would use it primarily for back-county day trips and as a back up vehicle during the winter when there is snow on the roads. I'm a fairly good mechanic and do most of my own maintenance, not afraid to get my hands dirty.

So, a few questions:

Is the LR3 as capable off-road as a Wrangler?

Can I get one in reasonable condition for under $10K?

What should I look for and/or look out for when shopping for one?

Any years, models or features to avoid?

Thanks!
 

soflorovers

Well-known member
1) Yes, incredibly capable. The LR3's center locker and terrain response/TC in tandem with the air suspension make the truck quite maneuverable. Bonus if you find one with the HD pack (look for a full size matching spare). I'd say an HD LR3 with a Johnson Rod lift and some AT tires is just as capable as a Wrangler.
2) Yes, but it will take some searching. Plenty out there, but I recommend you find one with sub 100k miles for that price. They can be found.
3) Check that the previous owner addressed all the known issues: Air compressor (they all break regardless of age and miles - ask if replaced with AMK upgrade or Hitachi); lower control arm bushings (again, they all go bad); all diff and transmission fluids flushed (Transmission was supposedly a "sealed for life" unit...we all know how that goes); full service records. That last one is a catch-all, but these motors will easily do 250k+ miles with proper maintenance. Look for a truck that has had basic maintenance done on a schedule. You don't want one that went 15k intervals between changes.
4) Ideally, find a 2008 or 2009. Most issues were resolved by 2008. If you're lucky, look for a truck with the HD pack which comes with the rear locker. Even if you don't plan on using it that heavily off road, it's a great feature to have for residual value purposes. Alternatively, you can find a similar Range Rover Sport with sub 100k miles for under 10k. All the same issues apply but you have a slightly more stylish platform with a smaller footprint (a positive depending on use). Plus, nothing turns heads like a lifted Range Rover on a 33'-35' mud tire. My current LR3 gets more attention than any supercar I've driven (Mercedes SLS, 991.2 Turbo S, my Hellcat DD, Cayman GT4, numerous F-Types) just because they're so different.
 

soflorovers

Well-known member
For reference, here's my previous 2008 LR3. I bought it in 2015 with 16k miles. Despite the low miles, it still needed a compressor and new bushings. Rear diff was starting to make some noise too. Guess the fluid was going bad with age? It was a mild build on a 32.5 inch Goodyear Duratrac with a Proud Rhino Rod lift. It was not an HD truck so it was only working with the center diff and Terrain Response. Even so, this is a sample of what it could do.

 

Blaise

Well-known member
Is the LR3 as capable off-road as a Wrangler? No. But it's more capable than you'll ever need. I've driven all of the hardest passes and many difficult trails in CO and Moab with mine.

Can I get one in reasonable condition for under $10K? Yep.

What should I look for and/or look out for when shopping for one? Like stated above. EAS issues, control arm bushings, transmission and other oil change intervals.

Any years, models or features to avoid? As always - buy the newest and nicest one you can afford. I prefer 18" wheels, 19"s on the HSE will limit off-road tire choices.

Oh, and also: don't get a rod-lift. Please.
 

soflorovers

Well-known member
Thanks for all the thoughtful advice!

Got to ask, what is a rod lift and why don’t I want one?
A rod lift is a simple piece of metal or plastic that goes in place of the stock EAS height sensors. In essence, it fools the truck into thinking it's sitting lower than it actually is. Frankly, @Blaise can probably share his opinion on why you wouldn't run one. I personally have run them in the past and never had issues with them. Some people say that it increases the stress levels on the air suspension and etc...but that will happen regardless of whether you use lift rods or a GAP tool. You must lift the truck to run a 32' tire full time. I'm not sure if my current truck has lift rods (just bought it this Saturday), but it does have a GAP IID tool which allows me to set heights via the BT app. I guess if you don't want to pay the $85 for lift rods, then you can fork over the $600 for a GAP tool. The GAP tool allows you to do way more than just control suspension heights, but it's one of the more attractive features.

 

soflorovers

Well-known member
Is the LR3 as capable off-road as a Wrangler? No. But it's more capable than you'll ever need. I've driven all of the hardest passes and many difficult trails in CO and Moab with mine.

Can I get one in reasonable condition for under $10K? Yep.

What should I look for and/or look out for when shopping for one? Like stated above. EAS issues, control arm bushings, transmission and other oil change intervals.

Any years, models or features to avoid? As always - buy the newest and nicest one you can afford. I prefer 18" wheels, 19"s on the HSE will limit off-road tire choices.

Oh, and also: don't get a rod-lift. Please.
Also, not to nitpick, but I'd argue that a stock LR3 is more capable than all stock Wranglers except for a Rubicon. You're not going to find a Rubicon for LR3 money. Good to hear that you've put yours through its paces!
 

krick3tt

Adventurer
I try to not compare my LR3 to other vehicles as that will either put you ahead or behind depending on the vehicle you choose. It is not as capable as my Pinzgauer or even close to my Mog but they are for much different uses.
I just know that the LR is more capable than I will ever be. My '07 LR3 HSE with lockers and a GAP tool will get me anywhere I want to go.
Now to get tires that are rated LT so I can air down to add to the ease of driving on CO trails with the air suspension. I will change out these DuraTraks next year to the LT type for a more enjoyable ride.
I do like the comfort of the LR for the on pavement ride to the dirt and in winter the heated seats make for a great day. So glad I got it.
Good luck in your search.
 

amcjen

Member
We recently moved to northern Nevada and my wife decided she wanted a Jeep Wrangler. After driving a couple she decided they were too noisy, too rough and too primitive. Based on that I think an LR3 might be what we want/need.

We live in Northern Nevada and have a 2005 LR3 with the HD package, everything else stock except for BFG KO/2s. Let me know if you want to go for a trail ride to see how it does first-person—we have some good trails just a few minutes out of town.

I think you’ll be quite surprised at how capable a platform it is.

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gatorgrizz27

Well-known member
IMO, an LR3 with decent tires is capable of going anywhere you’d want to drive any vehicle that you’re not willing to risk rolling or severely damaging. I don’t care about scratches, dents, scuffs, etc, but I’m not doing to risk going upside down or hood deep water. That’s the limiting factor to me, as well as driver skill. If you’re new to off roading, you’ll get stuck in anything.

What these excel at that nothing else can match, is running very difficult trails and then blasting back on the highway at 85 mph as comfortably as a Mercedes sedan.
 

TOUGE

Active member
You must lift the truck to run a 32' tire full time. [/URL]

I ran 32" ko2(275/65R18) daily on a stock height 2005 LR3 and the only scrubbing was on the bumps in the rear wells for the aircon lines, mine was a 5 seater so I just heated them and pushed them in. Several times the car dumped itself and still could drive fine. Maybe I was just lucky with how they fit.

Different story totally with my new LR4 with 32" ko2!
 

soflorovers

Well-known member
I ran 32" ko2(275/65R18) daily on a stock height 2005 LR3 and the only scrubbing was on the bumps in the rear wells for the aircon lines, mine was a 5 seater so I just heated them and pushed them in. Several times the car dumped itself and still could drive fine. Maybe I was just lucky with how they fit.

Different story totally with my new LR4 with 32" ko2!

That may be because your 2005 didn't have the frame horns that later trucks have. My previous 2008 LR3 had the frame horns and I would frequently rub against them with the fronts at 3/4-full lock. It's annoying, but not fatal.

EDIT: Also, I had a Goodyear Duratrac in 275/65/18 on my LR3. Not sure if there's a difference between the BFG and GY, but I imagine the GY is slightly larger due to the more aggressive sidewall, despite the fact that they're labelled as the same size. Maybe someone can chime in and add some insight here.
 

gbarba

New member
Having recently gone through the purchasing process myself, I will echo much of what's been said here – these are really special vehicles and nothing else quite comes close. One potential seller I chatted with described his relationship with the truck and ultimately decided not to keep it. I'm starting to understand what he was talking about. Even riding in my buddy's brand new Tacoma there's no comparison to the comfort, ride quality, and refinement of an LR3. I chose a later model year as they are better sorted – 2008 SE with low miles – but higher mileage examples shouldn't scare you off with good maintenance records and can be easily had for less than $10k. As a preventative measure, I changed all the fluids as soon as I got it and have been pecking away at other small things since.

For what it's worth, in chatting with the guys at three separate Land Rover shops, all have come out and said they think the LR3s are superior to LR4s from a mechanical perspective.
 
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Ray_G

Explorer
The comments here get to the essence of your question quite well. Only thing I'd offer is not to be bogged down on the year. My 06 has been flawless. Even the lore of the teething problems with the 05's is likely more smoke than fire, and by this point of the truck's life it should have been sorted (or not) and thus maint records and history are key.

I'm also someone who will say the locker is nice, but not critical for most applications/employment.

r-
Ray
 

m_lars

New member
I’ve got an ‘06 SE, non HD. It’s my daily drive and currently has 211k on it. It had some EAS issues when o bought it that I tracked down to pinholes in a front airbag. When I replaced the strut it was dated 2006 and had 180k on it! I run 265/70/18 Cooper S/T Maxx tires. I’ve got a Gap tool that I used to add about 1”-1 1/4” lift. The wrangler can be made into an absolute beast, with bolt on parts. I also find them to be overrated and overdone. There are literally 3 in every parking lot in my area. The 3 is capable of more than I’ve put it through so far and is as comfortable as anything I’ve traveled in.
 

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