The best analogy I’ve ever heard for the owner of a Land Rover Discovery. Ownership is a lot like being a drug addict. When you’re on a high, everything in the world is great but it takes more drugs/money each time to get that same high. I think this applies to all Jaguar Land Rover products.

Son #2 owns a Discovery 4, high mileage (160,000) but very nice with lots of toys including a sunroof that doesn’t leak. Black, 3 litre diesel, it goes nicely and rides well particularly since the suspension bushes were sorted.

Land Rover Discovery 4

So I got my first chance to drive it today. I WANT ONE! I can fully understand the current fad for SUV’s, I love being up high and wafting along. The cabin is a very nice place to be. Got home and fired up Autotrader, Pistonheads etc.

Well of course the engine warning light came on and the car went into ‘limp mode’ with reduced performance. Initial diagnosis pointed to a problem with the exhaust/catalyst/EGR and so the car was taken to Pannal Garage where the good lads determined a cracked crossover pipe, part of the exhaust system. This is at the back of the engine and is almost impossible to change without removing the body.

LR Disco Crossover Pipe

We can’t do it, you need a specialist…

Discovery Body Off

So I rang several ‘specialists’ and upon being told what the possible fault was I got various responses all amounting to the “…Oh dear! I’m afraid that will be expensive” and “…Can’t fit you in till the end of next month.” Among these naysayers was Jake Wright of Otley where a very nice chap answered with the “Oh dear” response. “It’s a body off job” he said “and we can’t do it but I might know someone who can help, I’ll just look in our shitty jobs file”.

I drove the car (slowly) to one of these contacts where he confirmed the bad news but could start work next week. I am awaiting a price from him and will report back if the ‘shitty jobs‘ file is any good…