Discovery 2017

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  • Russell
    Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
    Location: Lydd
    Posts: 1102
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 First Edition Namib Orange

    From my point of view.
    I have had my D5 from new when they launched March 2017. It has had little go wrong with it and the things that have, have mainly been down to software glitches. All have been sorted under warranty, some took longer than others, but all have been sorted. I have also been compensated by LR for the issues we have had so I cannot complain.
    I had one of the first D4's with the 3.0 engine and had loads of smoke issues (never broke down) this turned out to be the oil leak off issue on the turbo which resulted in a recall and mod being done. My car and another member who also resides on here and now has a D5 were the guinea pigs for the mod and work associated with finding the issue. I ended up with a new replacement car at the end of the time so again cannot complain.
    Before I brought the D5 I looked at the X5 and would have brought one, however when researching I found that they also suffer with major engine issues and it would appear that BMW are not so supportive of their customers as LR are. Hence I didn't buy a X5
    Finally yes the D5 does have issues with engines, the 2.0 seems to be worst affected. However the 3,0 does have issues, but all the time it is under warranty that is LR's problem. At the end of three years you can take out warranty that will cover this. I went for LR warranty, expensive but the dealer has confirmed if the engine goes bang and I have always had it serviced by them and took LR warranty, it wouldn't cost me a penny, and I trust my dealer so have kept the car and may well keep it for year 5 as well.

    Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
    Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
  • TeaforTwo
    Member Since: 05 Nov 2020
    Location: UK
    Posts: 38
    United Kingdom 

    Thanks Russell for the reply and information. Once again good to hear the positive outcomes from any issues. As much as we would all prefer 100% reliability of cars we purchase we are not naive enough to know problems occur, the RR having confirmed that many times over! It is clear though it is how those problems are dealt with by the dealers involved.

    The dealer we purchased the RR was very good until things started to go very wrong, moving to an independant LR specialist helped but left a sour taste about the dealer. That is probably the crux of this, if we could trust the dealer to look after us (well me most of the time) the decision would be easier.
  • Equilibrium
    Member Since: 26 Feb 2019
    Location: Bristol
    Posts: 754
    United Kingdom 
    2019 Discovery SDV6 HSE Lux Carpathian Grey

    I went through a long decision making process in 2018/19, before settling on the D5 HSE Lux SDV6. X5 was a serious contender, especially after 10 years in BMWs. Here’s how i summarised the decision on a BMW forum. Excuse the copy and paste and slight lack of context, but saves me some typing and hindsight corrected views!

    It's been a long story and one that both forum members and local dealers will be equally happy to know is over!

    The next car decision has finally been made and a deposit will be paid this afternoon.

    I created this thread partly for my own interest in seeing how my thoughts changed over time/experience with the cars, and they really did change! Back at the beginning, I would never have predicted the decision, or indeed one of the other members of the final 3.

    In approximate order of how I now place the cars...


    6. Tesla Model X - a great package, but I could not live with the interior at the price

    5. Volvo XC90 - my favourite at the outset, much specced on configurator. Dealer made a royal mess of ever encouraging a purchase and it falls by the wayside without ever being driven.

    4. Porsche Cayenne - amazing drive, superb quality. Just insanely expensive and probably not as practical as the others. Price the biggest killer for me.

    2= G05 X5 - Overall sheer competence verging on excellence. No weak points, although the 30d is perhaps underpowered relative to others I drove and the practicality/space isn't as good as the final 2.

    2= Range Rover Sport - the best drive of the lot, incredible sense of quality, luxury and wellbeing. Very good value and on a PCP assuming not paying the GFV it perhaps would have been the cheapest. Hybrid is almost a perfect drivetrain.

    1. To be ordered - Land Rover Discovery. I will just leave that there and prepare for the abuse

    Drives: 2020 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Eiger Grey/Glacier
    Departed: 2019 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Carpathian Grey/Glacier, 440i, 320d, Toyotas, Mondeo, Citroen BX amongst others
  • Equilibrium
    Member Since: 26 Feb 2019
    Location: Bristol
    Posts: 754
    United Kingdom 
    2019 Discovery SDV6 HSE Lux Carpathian Grey

    And here was my ramble after 24 hours in a X5. Bear in mind that I had not driven a disco at this point:
    Finally got my hands on a X5 for an extended drive. Having unavoidably missed the two launch events that I was invited to, I was looking forward to this one.

    Minor fly in the ointment was that when I booked it a couple of weeks back I was specifically told it would be in a 40i arriving the day before my test, but I found out it would be a 30d just at the last minute.

    The car
    Carbon black X5 30d Msport that appeared to be fairly fully loaded. Luxury pack (comfort seats), tech pack (HUD/HK), laser lights, 7 seats, extended merino leather, acoustic glazing (I think), star lounge pano roof, a full suite of driver assistance. Phew! I'm guessing a list in the low 70s.

    interior
    Very impressive, as expected from a X5 with these options. The iDrive screen is huge and i liked the new gen digital dash far more than the previous one.

    The seats were supremely comfortable, but i suspect it would take weeks to fine tune the perfect position with so many adjustments available.

    Quality everywhere was excellent with so much leather. Two touchpoints seemed inferior to my F36 though - the iDrive controller (harder plastic surround) and the auto gear stick. The cynic in me thinks this is to make it more tempting to go for the glass upgrade option.

    the drive
    Standard air suspension gave a superb ride quality over most urban surfaces. This made it a very soothing drive. I spent almost all my time in comfort mode which is fairly soft.

    The refinement was very good. The 30d is a far quieter companion here than in the X3 I drove a few months back. Whilst I would prefer a petrol or hybrid, the diesel is definitely 'fine'. Bit of buzz through the accelerator and an overall tone reminds you it's the black pump. Seemed to be fake sound pumped in which made it sound a lot better.

    Handling. Hmm. This is where I think the 30d maybe let it down a little. It just doesn't have the power or immediate response to make you feel that the car is doing much more than just strolling around a roundabout. Easy to place, but more power would make it better. Yardstick here was a 400bhp hybrid RRS which hunkered down and pulled through bends in a far more throttle-adjustable way. Feels like the X5 needs a 40i or hybrid to give it better balance.

    Driving assistance - parking cameras brilliant, steering intervention an experience!

    Drives: 2020 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Eiger Grey/Glacier
    Departed: 2019 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Carpathian Grey/Glacier, 440i, 320d, Toyotas, Mondeo, Citroen BX amongst others
  • Equilibrium
    Member Since: 26 Feb 2019
    Location: Bristol
    Posts: 754
    United Kingdom 
    2019 Discovery SDV6 HSE Lux Carpathian Grey

    My last long post in this thread, I promise! teafortwo, have you considered the X7? Much more spacious than the X5, better standard spec, but a little long.

    When I rejected my first D5, I revisited BMW, but this time for the X7 rather than X5. The X7 had not been launched when I made the earlier decision. Many comments for the X7 would apply to the X5 as there are a lot of similarities.

    Here is how I saw it back in February after a 24 hour test drive. Again excuse lack of context!

    Ended up taking a X7 30d for a 24 hour test drive, including 80 miles of commute. Had a thorough go in it and it was a tough decision vs. another D5. Especially as the X7 was cheaper. There was a point where I had decided that if my LR dealer didn't take the price down another £20 a month, I was going X7.

    Paul, I know what you mean about the better cameras etc. in the X7 (I have surround in the D5) but pure old-school parking I find much easier with the big mirrors, huge glass and high driving position of the LR. Also the X7 just overhangs spaces more, nothing really we can do about that.

    Much prefer the X7 tailgate to the D5 space-robbing plank.

    I was struggling so much to decide, especially as the strengths were often opposing, that I even wrote down and scored what turned out to be 16 attributes. The score was 140 (D5) vs 139 X7 absolutely nothing in it.

    At a high level it was better comfort, parking, luxury and stereo in the Discovery vs. better handling, driving aids, technology in the X7. The D5 also won on character/emotional appeal and SUV-ness for me, two intangibles. It was those things that nailed my decision in the end, not the objective measures which were a draw in effect.

    Great cars both and I've no doubt I'd have been just as happy with a X7.

    Drives: 2020 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Eiger Grey/Glacier
    Departed: 2019 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Carpathian Grey/Glacier, 440i, 320d, Toyotas, Mondeo, Citroen BX amongst others
  • harrythespider
    Member Since: 19 Jul 2018
    Location: cumbria
    Posts: 415
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery TDV6 HSE Aintree Green

    I have no hesitation in recommending my local dealer, its Hadwins of Torver, they are on the A5084 between Greenodd and Coniston. Its a bit of a faff getting there, but they have always provided a courtesy car, whether it be a brand new evoque or a trade in defender,( I'm not bothered which because I have 2 working cockers ) I pay a very small premium so no excess or insurance issues but I still treat the loaner with respect. Are you in Cumbria?

    3.0 HSE. climate HUD active diff. elec towbar. FBH and timed climate.Capability plus pack.split TV. surround sound. Intelligent seating. adaptive lights, wade sensing. 360 cameras.pro pack.cooler.advanced tow, auto park,activity key+ more!!!!
  • TeaforTwo
    Member Since: 05 Nov 2020
    Location: UK
    Posts: 38
    United Kingdom 

    Thanks Harry, I was hoping you would say Lakeland LR as I have always known them as. They are the nearest dealer to us. I wish we had purchased the RR from them, but we chose a dealer closer to where work was at the time. We didn't test drive with them, as wanted to drive the 3 cars back to back so easier to go to where we could.
  • TeaforTwo
    Member Since: 05 Nov 2020
    Location: UK
    Posts: 38
    United Kingdom 

    Thank you Equilibrium for your posts, very very helpful. I will try and answer as many of the points I can, firstly the X7 - we found the boot space was actually not that much bigger than the X5, however the whole car outside it was just too big and almost felt a bit too OTT if that makes sense. Also husband really didn't like it at all! It was from that we actually looked at the X5. All of your comments about the X5 are very similar to my thoughts we test drove exactly the same model and if I remember a similar spec. Inside it is very nice, the touchscreen I found far more easier to use and far quicker than the LR or Volvo. I liked the way it drove and the driving position was far better than the Volvo but could not touch the higher driving position of the D5 or the RR we have. I totally agree about the lane assistance, within seconds of driving it I had turned it off. Did like the HUD on the X5, the D5 didn't have it.

    The list of cars you considered is very similar, we initially had 5 to drive, they included the VW Tourareg and the Mercedes GLE, boot space and shape of the boot excluded them.

    I totally agree about the X5 not feeling quite as SUV as the D5.


    Last edited by TeaforTwo on 7th Nov 2020 10:07 pm. Edited 2 times in total
  • Russell
    Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
    Location: Lydd
    Posts: 1102
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 First Edition Namib Orange

    TeaforTwo wrote:
    Thanks Russell for the reply and information. Once again good to hear the positive outcomes from any issues. As much as we would all prefer 100% reliability of cars we purchase we are not naive enough to know problems occur, the RR having confirmed that many times over! It is clear though it is how those problems are dealt with by the dealers involved.

    The dealer we purchased the RR was very good until things started to go very wrong, moving to an independant LR specialist helped but left a sour taste about the dealer. That is probably the crux of this, if we could trust the dealer to look after us (well me most of the time) the decision would be easier.


    where in the UK are you

    Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
    Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
  • TeaforTwo
    Member Since: 05 Nov 2020
    Location: UK
    Posts: 38
    United Kingdom 

    We are in the north west.
  • TeaforTwo
    Member Since: 05 Nov 2020
    Location: UK
    Posts: 38
    United Kingdom 

    I wonder if I could ask for some further opinions, especially with the news of MHEV engines for the 2021 Discovery 5. It would make sense for me to test drive the new model before making a decision as to if to purchase in addition to a longer test drive of the 2020 model when possible.

    Lakeland LR have said the earliest a test drive will be available in the 2021 model will be February. The wait isn't a problem but my slight worry is will the new engines have problems, just as the early models of the Discovery 5 had? I know no one can answer the question but I would appreciate the wisdom of those who post here never the less!

    If you were purchasing would you go new and wait for the new model, or purchase the current model, what would now be a pre reg or used.

    Having just about decided the Discovery 5 fitted our requirements slightly more than the X5 the 2021 model has now given me more to ponder.

    Thanks as always for replies.
  • John C
    Member Since: 06 Oct 2018
    Location: East Yorkshire
    Posts: 91
    United Kingdom 

    Can only speak for myself and I'm impatient! I'd buy an SDV6 and wait for a PHEV.

    2024 Defender 130 Outbound Dynamic HSE, Carpathian Grey
    2020 SDV6 D5 HSE, Carpathian Grey, 2005 TDV6 D3, Cairns Blue 290K miler.
  • Milky400
    Member Since: 25 Aug 2020
    Location: Cambridge
    Posts: 32
    United Kingdom 

    I agree with John, after looking at the new range i am more than happy with the SDV6 HSE Lux, the only gripe is the infotainment, however i really didnt like PIVI in the Defender. New Camera's are amazing though
  • DieselRanger
    Member Since: 12 Oct 2017
    Location: God's Country, Colorado
    Posts: 765
    United States 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Silicon Silver

    TeaforTwo wrote:
    I wonder if I could ask for some further opinions, especially with the news of MHEV engines for the 2021 Discovery 5. It would make sense for me to test drive the new model before making a decision as to if to purchase in addition to a longer test drive of the 2020 model when possible.

    Lakeland LR have said the earliest a test drive will be available in the 2021 model will be February. The wait isn't a problem but my slight worry is will the new engines have problems, just as the early models of the Discovery 5 had? I know no one can answer the question but I would appreciate the wisdom of those who post here never the less!

    If you were purchasing would you go new and wait for the new model, or purchase the current model, what would now be a pre reg or used.

    Having just about decided the Discovery 5 fitted our requirements slightly more than the X5 the 2021 model has now given me more to ponder.

    Thanks as always for replies.


    If you want to give the engine a try and don't want to wait, go test drive a RRS P360. It's the same engine. Then go look for RRS owner forums and look for RRS HST or P360 reviews (not P400e as thats a 4-banger).

    The RRS will handle differently as it's more street tuned, but since both have Adaptive Dynamics now the differences may be less.
  • mordred1973
    Member Since: 08 Jan 2019
    Location: Northamptonshire
    Posts: 758
    United Kingdom 
    2017 Discovery Td6 HSE Fuji White

    Currently running a Defender courtesy car, I am shocked at how much more nimble it is than my D5. None of the wallowing in corners and way quicker around roundabouts etc.

    If I am correct, the Defender 110 has adaptive dynamics, so wonder if the D5 becomes that controlled and nimble, if so, its well worth the wait.

    2023 D300 Metropolitan, Hakuba Silver, Low Range, Solar screen, Deployable towbar, FBH, sidesteps.
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