[Closed] Anyone had a Discovery 4 (more specifically the commercial)?

For 30k I’d want approved used as that’ll come with 2yr warranty.

Always fancied getting a RR myself but always bottled it due to the horror stories

There’s a commercial Disco 4 at the stables I ride at. The first was bought with 120k on the clock. After a year or so, she started getting faults with it so got rid for a newer one.

Lovely cars are when they work

That looks to me like a big 4x4 with all rear seats removed, a load retainer and boot mat...?

If so, a few 4x4 would fit the bill such as xc90 or q7. I know some seats are not flat or removeable.

A Galaxy with no seats would be utterly huge and under radar, just not 4wd

Does that mean Disco is cheaper on business tax?

Not really an answer to your post, since not specifically about the commercial. I have 2 Discoveries for my tour company a 3 and a 4, and have owned two more privately in the past. They are, by a long chalk, the best vehicle I have ever driven long distance, but reliability and engine going pop is a major issue, especially since JLR continue to dodge the issue. Main piece of advice would be to locate a good independent garage who know their Discos. My experience of main dealers is very poor technical ability, along with atrocious pricing. Where in the country are you? Best place for general advice is disco3.co.uk

Having owned an L322 I wouldn’t touch another LR vehicle with a barge pole.  Probably the best and worst car I’ve ever owned (great when it worked but most of the time it didn’t!)...  Those Facebook groups are full of people deluding themselves that all the pain is somehow worth it for the experience!!!

I do now drive a Jag though and while that has not been without problems it is at least a lot simpler, and frankly superb to drive.  I also have 1955 and 1972 landies and they are far superior to the modern versions in all sorts of ways 😄

if i were you unless you really really want one I’d stick with a jap pick up...

Tor business use check if it really is a 'commercial', regardless of whether theres seats in the back having side windows behind the driver would normally not qualify as a 'commercial vehicle' in the UK in terms of your accounts. The exception is the 'Dual Purpose Vehicles' you've already been driving but this isn't one of those. It doesn't stop you buying and using one for your work but the way you account for it would be different.

@ matt and mac, it's N1 type approval - classed as a van

It’ll have van speed limits then. 50 on NSL single carraigeway roads and 60 on NSL dual carriageway.  Motorway limit is the same.

Yep, same as my pick-up jam - only really going to be an issue when ANPR is being used on average speed cameras, or maybe being followed by a police car

I extensively looked at a D4. Like you I was aware of the horror stories on reliability. I couldn't bring myself to purchase one. Opted for a 4.2 Landcruiser. Been good so far. MPG of around 24 which I think is great for the size.  If you removed all seats from one it would be larger than the D4. Would retain car speeds too.

If you removed all seats from one it would be larger than the D4. Would retain car speeds too.

And wouldn't be able to claim the VAT back, or claim 100% business van use

And wouldn’t be able to claim the VAT back, or claim 100% business van use

I know you said your don't want a van, but you're thinking of buying a second hand, less reliable vehicle to save 20% of 50-100% higher purchase cost than a new, warrantied van.or car 4x4..?

I know you're getting 4x4 and a bunch of image, but that's a lot to pay for those benefits it seems.

I'll bow out now, as I'm a tight arse, married to Yorkshire woman, living in Scotland - so I'm not getting the spending that much...

Best place for general advice is disco3.co.uk

Seconded; plenty of members there, especially in Ireland, who run or have run commercial versions.

Warrranty or a good fund to draw down would be sensible. Ran a D3 for ten years without issues, save for a rat-nibbled fuel return line, which I claimed on insurance.

Having been rear ended recently, I’m very conscious of having stuff secure in the boot. If I was carrying tools, I’d want a proper bulkhead between me and them.

 I’d want a proper bulkhead between me and them.

It's braced

The daughter is now driving, so lack of seats in the Disco isn’t a major issue.

I’m thinking of getting a big caravan

or claim 100% business van use

lol 🙂

My wife used to do after sales and warranty stats analysis and BI for Land Rover. I wouldn't touch a Disco with the world's largest barge pole.

lol

Why the lolz?

Regarding speed limits, you should find that as a 4x4 it falls under the dual purpose category (provided it is under 2040 kg uladen weight) and as such has car speed limits, irrespective of the N1 taxation class.

A good mate has one and is happy enough, having had a D3 for years before it. Tows very well, which is good as that is what he is using it for most of the time. I bought my T5 4motion off a field level PV electrician as he was "upgrading" to a D4 commercial

[url= https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/sale-d4-commercial-hi-spec-172459.html ]This one may still be for sale[/url].

Too many miles drlex and although it could be converted back fairly easily I suppose - rear seats class it as a car again

Like this? Folding seat conversion, still a commercial.

We have some at woke. Really nice to dive, handle well and very nice to be in.

However they’re absolutely shocking when it comes to reliability, it’s like something from British Leyland.

Oh the irony. As if anyone woke would drive a LR. Transport for the sheeple. 😀

For £21k you could get a year old BMW 220d/220i Grand Tourer that has more room.  That's on my list. And it even has 7 seats. £38k car, down to £21k very quickly...  Better made than a LR - I'd never touch a JRL car, despite them looking nice. Reliability would hiss me off having owned 100% reliable Japanese cars.

If it has to be a commercial then LWB Shogun. Tows better than a D4 and a lot more reliable.

Following this with interest as I’ll be replacing my L200 next year..

Plenty of the usual STW ignore the whole point of the topic and recommend what you have then! 😉

Its a very good vehicle at giving you a lot and avoiding co car tax, I can’t think of anything else factory that gives you that capability from an accountancy point of view. Had one at work for a couple of years before I left, never put a foot wrong but it didn’t see the kind of life I think you’d put it through. Excellent vehicle. Over 2t unladen so van speed limits.

Very different vehicle to a 2+2 pickup though. Have you looked at nene overland for other ideas, not sure if you’d ever see one of theirs second hand though. Their Volvo Commercial XC90 looks really good for 40k, a decent 15 plate disco commercial is going to be 25-30k so not actually a lot more for a new vehicle.

you know that you can now get a land cruiser commercial in swb or lwb in the UK

id be getting one of them myself   and financing the extra if you need too

and ive got 3 land rovers

I’m thinking of getting one. I’ve heard the horror stories

I've got some magic beans! Wanna buy them!?!
Such appalling vehicles. I'm not sure I could entertain the company of anyone willingly wanting to buy one.

Nene overland are not trading afaik. I saw all their assets on an auction site.

edit. Looks like they still are, website still up to date.

Why the lolz?

I believe it was the 100% business caravan towing use that got him

Yes, I have one - recently built a bed platform with storage underneath for overnighters

I don't have a bad word to say about them

I don’t have a bad word to say about them

I've learned never to pick a fight with a man that sleeps in an 5ft long bed 🙂

Over the years had 5 Disco 3/4's.  Have liked them all and done some pretty serious miles at times.  Also use them off road, with the right tyres they are seriously brilliant and pretty good on standard tyres.  If its an itch, scratch it.

I believe it was the 100% business caravan towing use that got him

Ltd company, so 100% goes through the business. I pay personal tax on BIK for the vehicle and fuel, which again, would be considerably more for a car. Also, the caravan will be primarily for work, although will be used by the family. I'll be speaking to the accountant to see how much of that can go through the business.

Been tempted by a D4 commercial for the OH, especially when I spotted one with the folding rear seats if it still qualifies for the cheaper commercial VED as the £500 a year for a normal D4 doesnt really appeal. She is set on getting a pick up as her daily driver (he FL is full of sheep stuff most of the time). I think the early ones still had the 2.7TDV6 from the D3 but it looks like you will be buying something well clear of the transition period and the one above has the 8 speed box judging on the pop up selector knob.

Had one for the last 7 years as the family car. driven daily, school runs etc. live down a dirt road,

we've used it for family holidays down into europe summer and winter and we've been lucky-ish.  at least nothing really serious miles from home.

it definately has some things going for it and at the time it was the best vehicle we could find with a usable third row when parents come to stay etc.

But, things go wrong and it gets to be inconvenient, not to mention nerve wracking when you're in the alps etc and it wants to start acting up.  If you cant fix it yourself then its gonna end up on a flatbed and taken to god knows where miles away.  last close call was a supermarket run in the back off beyond, come out, load it up with supplies and nothing lights up on the dash, get progressively more shit until you can even lock it. as a last ditch attempt before i re-enact the movie 'falling down' wiggle every fuse and it works.  if that hadn't worked i would have been properly hosed. the car had been driving for the last 2 hours...

stopped using main dealer ages ago after they didn't really fix stuff properly.

its now approaching 100k and i've had to fix: manifold, suspension, turbo (the one that costs 5k all-in), full sensors (big job) now i need to do the timing belt (body off again).

'limp mode' is seriously inconvenient when it starts kicking off, most people with more experience than me carry a code reader at all times to find out if its complaining or about to just die.

latest thing was just about every alert and warning going off (transmission alerts aren't relaxing) to find out (thanks to the internet) its just the brake return switch. its just their software engineering is so poor that if it doesn't see a brake return it thinks its the apocalypse.  Many stories of this issue not being very well known and people blowing 1000s on work that didn't fix it.  its a 20quid switch btw.

goes through more than one set of tyres a year, we now use the ATR scorpions and theyre marginally better. the way the suspension works it really takes the edge off the outside corner so that tyre looks bald after 6months at best.

was going to flog it til i realised its worth next to nothing now so i'm going to flog the defender to fund a caravelle and run the thing into the ground, start off roading it if i want to and using it on the land.  I'm sure theyre amazing off road but you'd want to do a lot to it (protection) before you take it to your local pay and play or drive it down a thorny brambly rutted greenlane.

in summary, lovely when it works if the fear of it not working doesn't give you anxiety issues.  I know a few people who use them professionally and really rate them but i dont think they find themselves that far from home and dont have to deal with an irate wife calling up to say they're in town and the car wont lock again...

if you like them and can put up with all this stuff they're a pretty unique.

Well, I've done it - deposit paid, pick it up next Saturday. Commercial SE with luxury pack. Approved used so 2 year unlimited mileage warranty. Slightly prefer grey, but white is good for my job. Wish me luck

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1956/45545294692_294582074c_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1956/45545294692_294582074c_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2coFxkA ]2888802-23411802[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Sweet!

Looks nice and at least you’ve done it the right way with manufacturers warranty - JLR are very good at warranty in my experience, so you can sit back and enjoy!👍