2012 Land Rover Discovery Review

Detailed Review

The Land Rover Discovery is a large 4×4 manufactured in the United Kingdom by the Land Rover company. In Kenya, it competes with the Toyota Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Pathfinder, and Ford Everest. Amongst these, none elicits as much admiration and desire as the Land Rover Discovery does. This is not in any way to put down the competition, but the Land Rover Discovery is without question ahead of the pack.The Land Rover Discovery is one of the most iconic and functional 4x4s in the world today. It can haul 7 full sized adults through rough terrain in absolute comfort. It blends the luxuriousness of the Range Rover with the toughness of the Defender into one exciting package. In the Discovery, the Land Rover engineers managed to morph the Defender and the Range Rover into an amazing car.In this review, we will not go into our usual 360 degrees probe as we do with Japanese domestic cars. We believe this information for the Discovery is widely available on the internet and may not add value to a Kenyan buyer. Rather, we will restrict ourselves to answering the most pertinent question on every Kenyan buyer’s mind; How reliable is the Land Rover Discovery and what does it costs to keep it on the road?

That is the million dollar question that we will labor to answer shortly – and for that, we will rely on the knowledge from local experts and seasoned owners. We will give you a complete picture of what it takes to successfully own and maintain a Land Rover Discovery 4 in Kenya. For those interested in buying the Disco 4, we have prepared a separate Buyer’s Guide with details on what to look out for when buying a used one and the common pitfalls to avoid. Click here to purchase the Buyer’s Guide. 

First off, we will look at the various trim levels available with the 2012 Land Rover Discovery 4 and what features you get in each of these.

1. Land Rover Discovery 4 GS (Previously known as S)
   This is the entry level model that comes with 7 seats(all clothe), Air Suspension, All Terrain Response system(For selecting off road driving modes),Climate Control, All electric windows, rear parking sensors, Electronic Stability Program(ESP), Bluetooth, CD Player with a non-touch monitor and 18 Inch alloy wheels
2. Land Rover Discovery 4 XS (Previously known as SE)
   Its got all the equipment as the GS plus leather seats, satellite navigation, touchscreen monitor and cruise control 
3. Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE
   Its got all the equipment as the XS plus Windsor leather seats, Harman Kardon sound system, lacquer veneers, reversing camera, mood lighting and advanced climate control.
4. Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE Luxury
   It builds on the HSE with Surround Sound Audio System, Rear Screen Entertainment, 20 inch alloy wheels, Santorini Black paint, Silver roof rails, special stitch leather, privacy glass, heated steering and cooler box.

Land Rover Discovery 4 Reliability
Before we delve into this topic, some bit of background to put things into perspective. Firstly, the Kenyan market is flooded with high mileage second-hand imports from the United Kingdom. Unscrupulous local dealers rewind their clocks and sell them off to unsuspecting buyers at a premium. Secondly, there is a scarcity of genuine spare parts and qualified Land Rover technicians. The Discovery is a very complex piece of machinery and any tinkering is bound to have disastrous consequences. Lastly, due to its complexity, there are many things that can go wrong with the Discovery as compared to other simpler cars such as the Toyota Prado.A combination of the above factors has created a toxic mix that has left many Kenyan owners with a bad taste in the mouth. That is the background. So how does one safely navigate this landmine? Simple, by following a set of guidelines we have put together through extensive research in the local market. If properly implemented, your ownership of the Land Rover Discovery 4 will be pleasant and rewarding. The problems are far fewer than people think and they can largely be avoided.

We also advise that you thoroughly read the Owner’s Manual as it contains vital information on how the car should be maintained. Download the 2011 Land Rover Discovery 4 Owner’s Manual here.

Below are the known problems, their causes and how to avoid them.

1. Air suspension failure
This is by far the most common and expensive failure
Causes
Sensor Failure
Air Compressor Failure
Wear and tear
Mitigation
– Do not drive over bumpy, potholed ground at high speed. Constant hard and jarring vibrations are known to set off catastrophic sensor failures. Rather drive gently over rough terrain at moderate speed.
– Constant deep water wading and high pressure car wash are known to trigger sensor failures. Water leaking into these sensors may be the culprit. Avoid unnecessary deep water wading or high pressure car wash.
– Avoid high mileage, badly maintained cars
– Do not operate the All Terrain Response System while the car is in motion. The advice is to completely stop the car, change the mode, wait for the car to adjust and then proceed.

2. Engine Failure, Gearbox Failure, Turbo Failure
Another common set of problems that have been reported
Causes
Sensor Failure
Poor maintenance
Bad quality engine oil and ATF
Counterfeit Parts
Adulterated fuel
Wear and tear
Mitigation
– Avoid adulterated diesel at all costs.
– Roadside mechanics can cause immeasurable damage. Only use qualified and experienced Land Rover technicians
– Constant deep water wading and high pressure car wash are known to trigger sensor failures. Water leaking into these sensors may be the culprit. Avoid unnecessary deep water wading or high pressure car wash.
– Use the recommended Automatic Transmission Fluid, engine oil and genuine parts
– Avoid high mileage, badly maintained cars

3. Sensor Failure – Parking Brake Sensor, Airbag Sensor, Tailgate Sensor, etc
These are usually less severe but nonetheless important
Causes
Sensor Failure
Wear and tear
Manufacturer defects
Mitigation
– Do not drive over bumpy, potholed ground at high speed. Constant hard and jarring vibrations are known to set off catastrophic sensor failures. Rather drive gently over rough terrain at moderate speed.
– Constant deep water wading and high pressure car wash are known to trigger failure. Water leaking into sensors may be the culprit. Avoid unnecessary deep water wading or high pressure car wash.
– Avoid high mileage, badly maintained cars

There are many Discovery owners out there who have happily owned and driven them for many years without problems. The secret is simple; Maintain the Discovery as you would maintain an aircraft and you will live happily thereafter. But that sounds like a very expensive affair? Not really. It simply means that you put in place proactive maintenance procedures and periodic checks. The reason why airplanes are so reliable is because of their stringent maintenance and operating procedures. The same principle applies to the Land Rover Discovery and other complex cars such as the Range Rover.

But why all these, why not just buy a simpler car and forget about it?
Here is what you get with the Land Rover Discovery 4
1. Your safety and that of your family is most assured in it than in any of its competitors.
2. Its the only 4×4 in its class that can seat 7 adults in absolute comfort
3. It can take corners at speeds where the Prado and others will topple over
4. You get Range Rover class build and quality

For more details refer to the Land Rover Discovery 4 Buyer’s Guide.

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