No drain plug ? that would be fun next time
These ones we get here are lovely with all stainless steel fittings and plugs . 2008 MY Supercharged
Rimini Red / Jet
four zone climate
remote park heater
and no ugly kid windows.
magnus satis quod turpis satis

Thanks, Craig, that's cleared it up for me. My local ZF shop want 650EUR (ca. 465UKP) to do the change whereas my local LR dealer wants 670EUR (ca. 479UKP), though the latter includes the gearbox software update which the ZF shop can't do, so price-wise there's not much in it.

Should I get ZF to do it and get the software done after or have the LR deal do it all in one go? What do you suggest, people?

Do LR dealers use the ZF oil, btw? 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Santorini Black
2008 Vogue 3.6 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Java Black

I personally would have your local ZF shop do it then get LR to do any software updates... I say that because a LR agent in the UK would change gearbox oil very infrequently! So, in Germany i guess they would maybe do them less (as there are far less RR's there)

Just my opinion sir

Well I finally got around to getting my gearbox oil changed. Booked it in to my local ZF service centre on Tuesday. The service was their so-called "level 2" service in which the "mechatronik" part is dismantled, cleaned, 6 "pistons" replaced and reassembled in addition to the oil and pan replacement. They said the oil colour and metal residue was that to be expected for a car of my mileage (159000km) and that there was otherwise nothing of any concern detected.

Immediately on driving I noticed the gear changes are smoother and the sometimes jerky shift from first to second when accelerating gently is no longer there. I am surprised at what a difference the service has made.

Is it still worth getting the software update from the LR dealer? What improvements does it add? Is the update more box preservation or performance oriented? 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Santorini Black
2008 Vogue 3.6 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Java Black

The software update is more to address the 1-2 shift problem. If this has disappeared with the service then I personally would now leave alone.

Sounds like a pretty comprehensive job ZF did, stripping the mechatronic and swapping the oils should make a big difference to the smoothness especially if they swapped out the solenoids too! There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Hello Frank,
Could you tell us the address of the ZF centre and invoice detail
I wonder if I would not make the 3 hours drive to an appointment?
How long have you left the FF and can you see what they do?
Thanks
jean-claude

I took mine to ZF Darmstadt, in the state of Hessen, Germany. Darmstadt is 20mins south of Frankfurt and the ZF centre is in the town of Pfungstadt, about 7km outside of Darmstadt.

http://www.zf.com/corporate/de_de/products...mstadt.jsp

I don't know if they let you watch the service take place, I didn't. I got an appointment about two weeks after calling them. The service is done pretty quickly and you can pick the car up the same day. They like to receive your car by 8am on the day.

I know it's early days but I can definitely notice an improvement in shifting, especially up-shifting.

I don't know if they did anything with solenoids but I can try to translate everything done as part of their "level 2" service:

Oil Service
Removed mechatronik, dismantled, cleaned, wear and sealing parts replaced, reinstalled
Cable tunnel re-sealed
New oil installed

Parts:

Oil pan
Adapter (?)
Guide sleeve
Shim x2
Piston x6
ZF Lifeguard 6 x8

Maybe their "level 1" service is purely the oil change but as I'd already done 160k km theyrecommended the level 2 service (plus they earned more money). 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Santorini Black
2008 Vogue 3.6 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Java Black

Frank,
Many thanks to you for this information.
please, just note : My question on the detail of the bill was also relative to the price. (evaluation)
jc

The level 2 service cost me 675EUR but they should be able to quote you by telephone. I think it's more for the Disco and RR Sport due to the more complicated access to the gearbox.

ZF also have centres in Cologne, Duisburg and Dortmund which are closer to Belgium. 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Santorini Black
2008 Vogue 3.6 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Java Black

Hi Frank,

I'm sorry I misunderstood !
I thought the first quotation was EUR 650 for the "level 1" and, in this case, the "level 2" with the replacement of "pistons" and the extra work would cost more.
I find that for a "look" more thorough than a simple oil and filter change, it's not expensive and you were right to do so.

For the trip, indeed, if the importance of the centers (I mean "the quality of work is identical") Köln is 1:30 from my home and it is a beautiful city !

Again, thank you for your information and feed-back.
Jean-Claude

I think in my earlier post where I quoted 650EUR I had misheard the ZF employee when he quoted me the price. 675EUR is the level 2 service price. I guess that means a simple oil change would cost a good bit less but I never inquired about the price of that so you would have to ask them. 2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Santorini Black
2008 Vogue 3.6 TDV8 automatic (LHD), Java Black

Sure but, like you, I think request a level 2 (125000 km)
This is cheap for a "good check".