My logic was as follows;

- Td6 gearbox repair is c.£2.5k and typically lasts 80-100k miles . Purchase price of £5-6.5 appears to get a decent one.
- TDV8(3.6) turbo/intercooler repairs £3.5k but higher purchase price and same mpg and the price point of the 3.6tdv8 is such that the mileage aligns to turbo failure within first 12-18month of the mileages at the price point I’m looking at. Decent ones are £9-10k
- MPG on them is supposedly the same.
- uk tax pre 2006 is cheaper so more choices on td6
- TDV8 (4.4) sounds like best of all in terms of mpg and reliability but the purchase price I’m looking at gets me the very bottom end, or I gamble at a BCA auction!

Happy to be corrected as the performance on the TDV8 is much better!

Unless anyone knows an aftermarket warranty that’s actually worth the paper it’s written on??

Last edited by Slow progress on 21st Jun 2021 8:26pm. Edited 1 time in total

Is the bill for a pair of new turbos on the 3.6 TDV8 really £4500? I am currently looking for one but was assuming more like £2k...may have to have a rethink!

http://prestige-german-engines.co.uk/range...o-failure/

Best price I’ve seen, but not local to me. So £3.5k if location works for you

Hmmmm....and what is the consensus on when these generally start to let go? 120k miles? Anything that can be done in terms of preventative maintenance? Blanking the EGR's? Very short oil change intervals (like 3k miles?)?

You said at your price point a 3.6 will need turbos within 12-18 months… I don’t think this is correct, turbos can go at anytime/ mileage so age or odometer reading has little to no bearing. You might find a 3.6 with new turbos or get one which will never need turbos.

Turbo failure is a direct result of lack of frequent oil changes with decent oil and poor driving practices. if you change the oil at a max 6k intervals and use a good synthetic oil, let the engine oil warm fully before full throttle/load is given and then let the engine idle for a few minutes after a run or drive like miss daisy for the last 5 minutes to take the heat out of the turbos they will last the life of the car easily unless you drop something through them. Don’t forget diesels are dirty, the engine oil gets contaminated with soot and diesel fuel which breaks it down much quicker than petrol engines, this broken down oil and it’s failed additives then gum up the turbo feed and journal bearing… this is the ‘normal’ failure mechanism.

EGRs are a service ítem on any diesel do factor them in on any model/year car at about 80k.

I have seen turbos replaced on ff 3.6s for about 2k, these are done in situ, the more expensive garages follow the book and drop the engine…. Also the Sport is different as you have to drop the whole chassis and drive train, this is normally a 3.5 job due to the extra work and no way to replace the turbos with the engine in place unlike the ff’s where some on here have done it on the drive and side of the road in 4-5 hours. I have seen garages just quote the Sport time as they either don’t know different or are raping the owner.

Suggest some more research before making a decision.

Not seen a quote of £2.5k or less to fix, if it is that then I’d be tempted that direction as you’re trading turbos for gearbox replacement costs.

Also will have a look at the mileage table to compare TDV8 vs td6 longevity. Thanks once again!

Not really… both the TD6, 3.6 and 4.4 can have gearbox failures and turbo failures, you are not trading one issue (budget) for another, they all can have the failures and the older, high mileage vehicles will obviously be more prone to issues as there’s more chance of poor servicing, neglected and lack of mechanical sympathy from multiple owners.

Note refurbished 3.6 turbos are about £350 each online, if you have a good independent mechanic he should be able to do the turbos in 5-10 hours defendant on if he has done it before, skill level etc, so Labour should be well below 1000£ so why not just replace them along with a gearbox flush and lower your risk of major failure from the off and avoid having to pay a turbo core charge if they have gone bang!

Turbos are simple (one moving part) and VERY reliable if given the correct, clean oil and allowed to cool after a run. Neglect is the big killer (or tuning/boost leaks that over speed the turbos).

Perhaps. Turbos, egr’s gearbox flush etc is on top of purchase price so we’ll see what budget allows come March, assuming used car prices come back down as chip manufacturing starts getting going again.

Spoke with a friendly mechanic at the gym last night and he’ll get me a quote for egr and turbo replacement.

Doing both the turbos and egr’s shares work and should work out cheaper, I would do the intercooler hoses, drive belt, pulley’s and tensioner plus alternator at the same time unless they have been replaced already.

As these maintenance points are a priority or at least a concern and associated risk, try and find an enthusiasts/forum car that has had these points resolved already, might need to pay a bit more up front but ticks, the box with out the headache.

There is a danger from this!

You end up spending all contingency funds at once…..and then the land rover gods frown on you and something unexpected breaks

I fully understand a potential buyer of a FFRR carrying out a lot of research before buying one, you obviously have more sense than me.
When I bought my TD6, my first ever foray into the Green Oval world -

I was not looking for a Range Rover, and only saw the car when I went to look at a pick up truck, didn't like the truck but looked at the RR being sold at the same place, as I was there, a long way from home.
Went home and carried out a little research, and as life is too short, thought sod it, went back , had a test drive and bought it. Yes, half way home I was wondering what the hell had I just done

However, if I had joined this site for some time and read a lot of the horror story posts prior to my purchase, I honestly think I may have been back in another pick up truck not a Fatty. Now I realise how much I would have missed out on and have not regretted it for one minute.

Good luck with whichever one you decide to buy.

Thanks Merchy, I’ll get there!

First attempt at a spreadsheet turns out as follows;

TD6 as the cheapest entry point and overall running cost as pre 2005 tax and same mpg as 3.6tdv8

4.2s/c second on basis of lower maintenance costs, offset by fuel! But range on a tank is likely to move me away from this.

TDV8 (3.6) third on cost basis being post 2005 on tax but offset by better mpg than the 4.2s/c and highest purchase price not being offset for a few years vs. td6.

So it’ll come down to how they both drive, if the TDV8 is that much better than the td6 in driving to justify the extra expense then that might answer the question. Bearing in mind it’ll be mainly motorway and a-road up to the north of Scotland and down to Devon/Cornwall and occasionally Ireland and France.

What I’m intrigued at is what are the gearboxes like in terms of driving style? Is the td6 always hunting gears?

Good afternoon Slow progress
To answer about the Td6 gearbox etc will post later today as v busy at the mo
Off to find out why 89 Yr old Mum's car won't start, it never ends
Rob

I have had a td6 and now a 3.6 tdv8. The td6 was a nice car (until it was written off!🥴). The 3.6 is a much different and far better car to drive. More get up and go. Better gear box.

When the 3.6 was introduced all the motoring press said it was the engine that the car needed.

The 4.4 Tdv8 with the 8speed box is said to be a further improvement. I fancy the idea but (touch wood) I have a car that satisfy my needs, gives me great pleasure to drive it and is and has been a good un. Don’t see the point in trying to change it for what might be an expensive source of trouble.

Good luck with what you decide.👍 John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Merchy wrote:

Good afternoon Slow progress
To answer about the Td6 gearbox etc will post later today as v busy at the mo
Off to find out why 89 Yr old Mum's car won't start, it never ends
Rob