Why is Land-Rover still such an unreliable marque ?

[diy_fun_uk]

Based on JD Power criteria, 10 brands come in worse than the industry average for faults. 5 of those are so-called premium brands. What this extract doesn't tell us is how many of the faults would be deemed as minor or significant. So taking Land Rover, there are 142 faults per 100 vehicles, however a % of the 142 will be minor, although I appreciate a fault's a fault and all that.

2019 UK Vehicle Dependability Study | J.D. Power

 

[sxturbo]

Based on JD Power criteria, 10 brands come in worse than the industry average for faults. 5 of those are so-called premium brands. What this extract doesn't tell us is how many of the faults would be deemed as minor or significant. So taking Land Rover, there are 142 faults per 100 vehicles, however a % of the 142 will be minor, although I appreciate a fault's a fault and all that.

2019 UK Vehicle Dependability Study | J.D. Power

I think a lot also depends on the type of clientele.

BMW are bottom of the list, however are people that own premium cars more likely to complain about faults however minor because they have spent considerable amount of money,

and those with cheaper run off the mill cars are less likely to complain of faults and think its just a quick of buying budget..

Surprised at the difference between Nissan and Renault they share architecture and electronics, only difference is what plant builds each badge, so I assume it's down to QA at each plant.

The shocker in that list is Peugeot being at the top, but tbh there build quality has gone up drastically since the 307, 207, etc

 

[mattylad]

Hmm, so perhaps I should change my dreams of one day driving a Defender to perhaps a Prius?

I do know that you have to just love them to have one as they are uncomfortable, lacking in many things including reliability and having a workshop is a must - but I just like the look of them. (but not the price).

 

[Mottie]

Land Rover. Been turning drivers into mechanics since 1947.

 

[norseman]

my mates got a vx mokka or something equally hideous. the clocks went berserk recently. £1600 between everything.
and it’s a common fault apparently.

On a lighter note … what do you expect from a car with such a bloody silly name

 

[norseman]

Hmm, so perhaps I should change my dreams of one day driving a Defender to perhaps a Prius?
I do know that you have to just love them to have one as they are uncomfortable, lacking in many things including reliability and having a workshop is a must - but I just like the look of them. (but not the price).

I was a passenger in a Prius between Esssex & Dover a few years ago. Nice when on the battery in slow moving traffic, but every exit from a roundabout (on the engine) resulted in the thing reving it's nuts off courtesy of the CV transmission.

 

[mattylad]

I wouldn't touch a prius with a bargepole lol, I was being sarcastic.
Now having any facilities at all to work on a car (living on a main road) I admit defeat and resign myself to never having a land rover of any sort.

 

[norseman]

I've found this thread very interesting as I've been a fan of LR (not JLR) for decades, there's something about the 'real' ones that gets into your blood. After owning other marques LR always seems to draw you back, but I have to point out that I've only ever owned old metal … hence my use of the term 'real'. A succession of Series models from the 'sixties through to the late 'eighties followed by five Range Rover classics, the last of which I still own.
I'm an avid reader of LR forums & the financial sacrifices that owners of late (ie post early 'nineties) models are prepared to suffer never ceases to amaze me, but thinking about it why should JLR bother to improve the reliability of their products when every one that comes off the line will sell? The market for such products has changed out of all proportion over the decades, with typical buyers having greater disposable income to justify the finance paymen with the poseur factor being so important to many.
I realise this post is a bit left-field, but hopefully some will see it as in some way relevant to the thread.

 

[frutbunn]

I used to compete in trials in a Suzuki LJ80, used to drive there, compete, usually win, drive home with no problems. Invariably by the end of the day there was always a few broken LR, blown diffs, half shafts, etc, hardly surprising when the RR V8 of that era had half shafts only marginally larger than my 800cc Suzuki, even my Lada Niva's had better panel fit than a Vogue SE.
Still have an LJ, 34 years of continually ownership.

 

[mointainwalker]

why should JLR bother to improve the reliability of their products when every one that comes off the line will sell? T

Certainly not the case since diesel earned itself the mark of Cain.

 

[norseman]

I used to compete in trials in a Suzuki LJ80, used to drive there, compete, usually win, drive home with no problems. Invariably by the end of the day there was always a few broken LR, blown diffs, half shafts, etc, hardly surprising when the RR V8 of that era had half shafts only marginally larger than my 800cc Suzuki, even my Lada Niva's had better panel fit than a Vogue SE.
Still have an LJ, 34 years of continually ownership.

Two points here, firstly the RRC does not need hefty half-shafts, or diffs for that matter, as the permanent four wheel drive system equalizes the loading over both axles. Secondly I've never snapped a HS or blown a diff on any of the four RRC's owned, though I admit none of them have endured heavy off-road conditions. Over previous decades my succession of series LR's, both in SWB & LWB forms certainly did endure such treatment, but again never broke any transmission component.
Your comments re panel fit are fully justified. Old time LR owners will quote the old adage 'two things on earth can be observed from space ... the great wall of China & LR panel gaps'
Out of interest, how does your Niva's shafts compare to those of the Suzuki, as the former also has perm. 4x4

 

[tony1851]

All Landrover Series/Defenders come with self-draining oils seals as standard.

 

[HERTS P&D]

This bloke is very good at fixing them:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRssffMP_F8_SCJcqFLq4Ow

Andy

 

[Lower]

We’ve had a freelancer 2 and an evoque. The freelander was a decent car, but was starting to make bubbling sounds when we sold it (k series). The evoque is a lovely car, but our one is like trigger’s broom. So far it’s had all new door handles, centre console plastics replaced, all electric window switches replaced, new haldex , new rear diff, new rear driveshafts, new rear hubs, new rear wheel bearings, new rear suspension, new prop shaft, new haldex pump, and that’s what can remember. Oh yes, and a new turbo when the actuator failed and you can’t buy the actuator separately.

To be fair, most of that was down to an incompetent dealer who damaged the haldex somehow when they replaced the rear diff nose bearing. It’s only let us down once though when the turbo actuator failed, but it got us home in limp mode.

however, my wife loves it and we’re about to buy another.

 

[Mottie]

We’ve had a freelancer 2 and an evoque. The freelander was a decent car, but was starting to make bubbling sounds when we sold it (k series).

Couldn’t possibly have been a Freelander 2 with a K series engine!
Apart from an electrical glitch just after buying it which was done under warranty, the only thing that’s gone wrong on our Evoque in the 5 and a but years of ownership is one door handle. If I was buying another, I certainly wouldn’t get one with an ingenium Diesel engine. Petrol only.