kid A

I know asking this here will produce some seriously biased answers, but whatever. Please try to be as impartial as possible.

I'm torn between getting a high mileage LR3 or a high mileage Cherokee. I've done a ton of research on LR3 repairs, common issues, costs, etc. but I have yet to do the same with the Cherokee. What draws me towards the LR3, if I'm being honest, is the "status" of it, ya know? LR's are slick looking vehicles, and from what I've read, they're no slouch on the road. But then what draws me towards the Jeep is "who gives a **** about status and looks, just get something basic." It's the Ego vs. the Thrifty.

I'm essentially looking for a 4x4 that I can throw my lab, a few 2x4's and whatever else in the back. I'm from WI, so it's gotta handle in the snow. I'm decently handy and not afraid of some DIY. I won't be doing a ton, if any, off-roading.

I love Jeep, always have. Family had a Cherokee back in the day and loved it. Grew up with brothers that have Rubicons.

Anyone go from LR (or another brand) to Jeep, or had this same conundrum? Which way did you go? Why? How's it working out for you?

Also, the maintenance complexity and costs of a Jeep have to be less expensive than an LR3, right?

Thanks in advance for giving a newbie some direction!

andrewmp6

Honestly i wouldnt buy anything land rover the electrical system is a nightmare and never works right.In your case i would look for a full size pickup maybe a f150 king ranch or 250 depending how much truck you want or need.

SeriousOffroad

I own a Freelander, got it for $1900.
I hate it with a passion that borders on complete and total insanity.

I'll never own another British made car....EVER.

I'd rather own a Prius, or a Kia.

uber

I can wander into pretty much any junkyard anywhere and find a couple cherokees to pull parts from.. and I can walk out of any local auto parts store with just about any other part I might need that day. not to mention that either trip will set me back very little money.

any guesses how those scenarios play out when you're driving that lr3 and something breaks?

andrewmp6

The lr3 will spend most of its life in a garage getting fixed lol.The last land rover i messed with wouldn't start took me 2 weeks to figure out a shorted out tail light socket stopped it from starting.Its not just land rover its everything brit a rolls royce rear level suspension is tied in to the fuel system.

Battle

My girlfriend's sister has an 04 LR3. I drives nices and makes a sweet sound but it's air suspension is broken. My xj doesn't have electronic air suspension. It has suspension I installed myself.

The LR3 is substantially bigger than a XJ and can tow more so if that's a concern, stick with the Rover.

TwistedWrench

"High mileage" on either of these two vehicles mean two very different things. What most people consider high miles on most vehicles is merely the break-in on an XJ.

I don't have a plethora of experience to draw from on Rovers, but I can second the statement above in regards to the British way of setting up electrical systems. There is no doubt in my mind that every single wire is given great thought, with the end goal being to confuse the crap out of American mechanics.

mschi772

XJ

• 300,000 mile lifespan for both engine and transmission with just basic maintenance (even more when very well cared for)
• 2.8 million made over a 17 year period--parts are everywhere and cheap
• Extremely easy to work on
• Great power:weight ratio
• 5,000 lb tow rating (but brake upgrades are recommended if towing near the limit)
• Great utility
• Hard to find one that hasn't been neglected and turned into a rusty nightmare in WI
• Not the most comfortable ride, but far from the worst, too
• Not the quietest ride, but not the worst and can be remedied
• Headlights and headlight wiring is garbage originally but can be improved a billion percent for very little money and effort (reference material here https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/headlights-203245/)

LR3

• Can last 250k+ miles, but you MUST stay on top of maintenance (the XJ is pretty forgiving of a little procrastination here and there)
• Much more comfy/quiet
• Owners tend not to let them get as rusty as quickly, but they are still prone to rust especially in the door sills
• Lots of bells, whistles, comforts
• Really a great towing vehicle with a 7,700 lb tow rating
• Tires are much more expensive than the XJ
• Decently reliable with a list of exceptions including but not limited to what I'll list below
• Air suspension compressor likes to crap out and/or needs recalibration
• Fuel injectors are finicky and like to clog (to the point of needing to be cleaned thoroughly--not just injector cleaner in gas tank)
• Tie rods like to wear out
• Control arm bushings fail which results in whole control arms being replaced (not easily done by an average DIY'er)
• Little stupid crap like new keys costing like $200
• Hard to find a mechanic that really knows what they're doing on a Land Rover
• Some nice videos about the LR3's main problems and solutions can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/user/MalafaxDand/videos

In regards to handling Wisconsin snow, most vehicles can handle WI snow just fine. The key is proper tire selection, and I STRONGLY recommend using a set of winter tires in the winter. Despite what you might think, having a set of winter tires is NOT more expensive in the long run vastly superior in winter to "all season" or all terrain tires. Please read this for more information -- http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f15/w...tires-2701698/

Fred/N0AZZ

Only specialized shops will work on the LR and there is a reason for this knowledge of the model and cost of parts. Meaning you don't just start throwing parts on one hoping you find the right one. There are few dealers to go to with them and not uncommon for parts for older ones to have to come from "Over the POND"


Long story short bring the XJ to the top of your list unless money is not a problem and you have another car to drive for long periods.

kid A

Wow, thanks for the input everyone! Really helpful. I got a little thinking to do. Thanks again!