Why don't we ever see LR Discovery's modded out?

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el_kab0ng

New member
In almost every instance where shows like TGUK/TGT represent a Land Rover (and in most cases a LR Discovery), it's always shown working it's way through the English countryside through mud, water, etc, in it's stock configuration.

I've never seen the English mod the crap out of their LRs like we do our 4Rs here and they are just as capable with basic tires (no K02s, General Grabbers, etc). Are we all being duped by conspicuous consumption here in the States into buying a bunch of crap we just don't need or are LRDs just THAT GOOD compared to a T4R?
 
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Typically the more mods you do to a vehicle the more chances there are for something to go wrong. The older LRs are awesome purpose built machines without need for modification for the terrain they were designed for( i.e. Long term expedition through mud,rocky surface, etc). Reliability needs to be top priority when your days away from the nearest help. But here in the states some of us have a different perspective on what it means to go off-road( read rock crawling and beating the living crap out of our trucks for fun)
 
Not sure I would say LRDs are all that reliable, though (if the disco forums are to be believed). The 4Runner has been available in the UK for awhile now, so why don't we ever hear about them (beyond T4R.org's own forum which doesn't have much content)?
 
This statement is going to make me the most popular guy here but truth hurts:

"Every mod you make ( besides tires and little stuff like sliders and racks) reduces the reliability and compromises the performance of the 4Runner in some conditions."

Your post was spot on. People are duped into thinking they must mod except for all those who are only doing it for looks.
 
We don't see them modded because they're too expensive to run stock. Why dump mod money in a truck that you don't even know,eill last to next month?

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European safety regulations are quite different than in the US. Their nanny state would never allow most of the things that we do here unless it was to be an "offroad only" vehicle.
 
I think its because people who buy land rover things do not have any inclination to go off-road. Whenever I am wheeling and I see the "Range Rover Club" drive by me with their pinky's out, it is no surprise to me that none of them have ever waved or stopped to say "hi." There must be a paragraph in the Range Rover owners manual detailing how "It is imperative that one must avoid eye contact with nearby peasants while perusing the grounds on one's way to a polo match."

I have never seen the owner of a Range Rover do or go to anything fun, ever, in my life...
 
The Discovery and 4Runner are two different animals. This isn't a bad thing, they are just two differently designed machines. I own both and have for 15 years. My 4Runner's reliability regarding engine maintenance is superior to my Discovery. My 4Runner's off-road ability is great. It's handles the snow very well and get's me from point A to B without any worries. The Discovery however, tackles the elements in a different way. When you get behind the wheel of a Discovery, RR, or Defender you immediately notice the difference. They are heavier, steering is tighter, and with the right driver behind the wheel who understands LR's CDL system, they are superior off road. This is by design as all Land Rovers, with the exception of the dismal Freelander, were designed to be driven in sub-saharan Africa if you needed an alternate route home from the grocery store. Watch some old Camel Trophy videos. Those were the pioneers of trail blazing and they proved it. I could write ten pages comparing the two but now that's just boring. I drive my 4Runner every day and have for over a decade. It has never failed me. I keep the Rover though just in case the going get's tough :)

Cheers
 
I guess so. I know the Defender was the first vehicle most Africans had ever seen before, so it's got an overland pedigree that's second to none. The closest example of where Toyota might have more of an edge is the Hilux making it to the North Pole.
 
Probably the same reason you don't see heavily modified LC200's in the states.

Most of the modern Land Rovers made in the last decade or so are very complex and filled with far too much "luxury" crap. I think most of them are uni-body now as well.

When you start with a "luxury" vehicle and have to de-content $30k+ of suspension systems, heated seats, and other crap before you can really mod them; it makes sense why not many people don't bother with it.

That's also probably why the Defender sells so ridiculously high in the US, it's got a known pedigree and is far simpler than most of the other LR line-up.
 
Cooper said:
The Discovery and 4Runner are two different animals. This isn't a bad thing, they are just two differently designed machines. I own both and have for 15 years. My 4Runner's reliability regarding engine maintenance is superior to my Discovery. My 4Runner's off-road ability is great. It's handles the snow very well and get's me from point A to B without any worries. The Discovery however, tackles the elements in a different way. When you get behind the wheel of a Discovery, RR, or Defender you immediately notice the difference. They are heavier, steering is tighter, and with the right driver behind the wheel who understands LR's CDL system, they are superior off road. This is by design as all Land Rovers, with the exception of the dismal Freelander, were designed to be driven in sub-saharan Africa if you needed an alternate route home from the grocery store. Watch some old Camel Trophy videos. Those were the pioneers of trail blazing and they proved it. I could write ten pages comparing the two but now that's just boring. I drive my 4Runner every day and have for over a decade. It has never failed me. I keep the Rover though just in case the going get's tough :)

Cheers
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I infinitely disagree with you about the 4runner being less capable. but that is just my experience with the very same RR club desperately trying to follow me in my 4runner up a trail with large rocks and failing miserably. I think one of them may have even spilled some of their veuve clicquot rose onto their servants!! Balderdash!

Seriously, Range rovers have no articulation and the steering arms on the discovery are about as strong as an aluminum ski pole.
 
I dunno....having witnessed a Defender 90 break a rear FF axle shaft on a shelf that was maybe 18-20" tall in Moab, I'm unimpressed with their "reliability" and their "engineering".

Their full float shafts look like pencils. They look to be about 1" diameter at best. Disco or D90s might have stronger front ends than Toyota IFS.....but I'd bet they're pretty close provided the tire size doesn't go over 33".

Regardless, overlanding isn't really all that taxing on the drivetrain considering the biggest obstacles are usually swollen rivers (and inherent water intrusion) and mud holes that are often more a test of the electrical system and winch than they are overall vehicle reliability and strength.
 
Sean K. said:
I dunno....having witnessed a Defender 90 break a rear FF axle shaft on a shelf that was maybe 18-20" tall in Moab, I'm unimpressed with their "reliability" and their "engineering".

Their full float shafts look like pencils. They look to be about 1" diameter at best. Disco or D90s might have stronger front ends than Toyota IFS.....but I'd bet they're pretty close provided the tire size doesn't go over 33".

Regardless, overlanding isn't really all that taxing on the drivetrain considering the biggest obstacles are usually swollen rivers (and inherent water intrusion) and mud holes that are often more a test of the electrical system and winch than they are overall vehicle reliability and strength.
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I think you just hit the nail on the head. I see more T4R's being "built" to tackle more difficult terrain, ledges, and obstacles whereas the folks buying LR are looking for either a "luxury" 4x4 or something more designed for overlanding.

Could the crappier build and models been created between 2000-2008 when Ford owned the brand??? Just a thought on the recent decreased reliability.
 
Not to defend Land Rover in this thread, but the examples you guys are mentioning (Moab, rock climbing, etc) is not what they were technically built for (in fact, NO stock vehicle is designed by the manufacturer with that sort of activity in mind).

LRDs were built for overland activities which they are suited for, but there's no reason why they should be any better at this than a stock TE or TRD 4R without mods.
 
el_kab0ng said:
Not to defend Land Rover in this thread, but the examples you guys are mentioning (Moab, rock climbing, etc) is not what they were technically built for (in fact, NO stock vehicle is designed by the manufacturer with that sort of activity in mind).

LRDs were built for overland activities which they are suited for, but there's no reason why they should be any better at this than a stock TE or TRD 4R without mods.
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Agree 100%....but as I mentioned before, overlanding isn't really all that taxing if you look at the typical (especially recreational) use.

***EDIT***I'd also add: many manufacturers specifically test their 4x4 vehicles in Moab, the Rubicon, etc. The Jeep Rubicon edition is specifically built with that type of activity in mind.***
 
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To educate you guys a bit:

My last vehicle was a 2004 Land Rover Discovery (North American Spec).

To compare it to the 2013 4Runner SR5 4x4 I'm now driving:

LR = 4600 LB Curb Wt --------------T4R = 4600 LB
LR = Solid Axle Front ----------------T4R = Independent
LR = 270 HP V8 ----------------------T4R = 270 HP V6
Both Body on Frame
LR = Xfer Box same as a Limited = Full time with a lockable center diff
LR = 4speed Auto -------------------T4R = 5speed Auto
LR = 110 inch wheelbase ----------T4R = 113 inch wheelbase
4 wheel disc brakes on both
Similar traction control systems
Similar downhill assist systems
- In fact the first few years Toyota paid LR a licensing fee for it

I drove my Discovery for 10 years on the exact same trails that I presently drive the SR5. They both performed almost exactly the same except that I could drive a bit more agressively in the Discovery because all of the drivetrain was tucked a bit higher above the bottom of the frame rails than the SR5.

I did go to taller tires on the Discovery because it came smaller tires. When after changing them I was running Toyo Open Country MTs
size LT265-75-16 (E) vs the LT265-70-17 (E) that I have on the SR5.

The Discovery was pretty much indestructable until the engine blew headgaskets at 135,000 miles. I rebuilt it and then it slipped a cylinder liner at 165,000 miles. At that time it was going to cost me nearly as much for a new engine as the truck was worth. At that time I opted to trade it off and by the '13 SR5 (December 10 2014).

Why I did not mod the S##T out of either vehicle is because neither of them needed roof racks, massive bumpers, led lights, different wheels, and all the other bling that the mostly mall crawlers on this forum tend to go for.
 
Sean K. said:
***EDIT***I'd also add: many manufacturers specifically test their 4x4 vehicles in Moab, the Rubicon, etc. The Jeep Rubicon edition is specifically built with that type of activity in mind.***
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Given that modding with non-factory parts so that you are ABLE to conquer Moab will most certainly void your factory warranty, it's still not a recommended activity by the manufacturer. Bust an axle taking on Rubicon and see if the dealer will cover it. I dare you. =P

In any event, I'm not quite sure why people think rock climbing and extreme off roading isn't classified as 'recreational' like they do overlanding. The biggest difference being that overlanding is usually designed as a purposeful journey to get somewhere regardless of conditions. This is how most LRDs are represented in shows like the ones I mentioned.

All in all, the main point I was trying to make is that modding is not necessary for 90% of the people who own a T4R and enjoy accessing locales other vehicles are unable to get to. The LRD is a good example of this principle, which is why you don't see people modding the crap out of them.
 
I've seen lots of Discos modified in youtube videos but they all tend to be on the UK. Some of the LR3s and LR4s (discoveries over there) are really sweet.
 
duffdog said:
...There must be a paragraph in the Range Rover owners manual detailing how "It is imperative that one must avoid eye contact with nearby peasants while perusing the grounds on one's way to a polo match."
Click to expand...

You obviously don't carry around a bottle of Grey Poupon, peasant.
 
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