For the most part, and apart from oil leaks and the usual known 4.4 TDV8 stuff like oil cooler etc, this engine seems pretty reliable. We've seen on the forum and elsewhere a few sparse tales of terminal damage but it's pretty few and far between.

Roll onto the L405 and the newly named 4.4 SDV8 which is the same engine with updates such as the turbo oil drain revision seems to iron out what we all thought is a very strong engine with incremental updates like Euro6...

So why am I seeing a lot of cars needing new engines?

I mean the V6 we know is a risky engine, but the V8? Thought it was a good um...?

Example I saw today:

Neglect can kill any engine - poor servicing and over extended oil changes plus inappropriate driving habits. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

33000 miles in 11 years may suggest short journeys and infrequent use, neither of which are particularly machine friendly. That mileage averages as 8 miles per day, mine averages 50 miles per day and no engine issues so far. First time FFRR owner

School and Gym run......
Can't see the rest of the advert but is it definatley a non runner due to the engine and not some other fault like gearbox or electrics? 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

The key to the long life of any engine is keeping up with the servicing schedule, not over-filling oil or allowing them to run low, and generally pro-active maintenance.

The description for that car says "Dealer claimed FSH but when I check online, it's not there". That for me would be a warning that it may not exist and may not have been regularly serviced.

Nevertheless, I suspect the fault on this is a failed HP fuel pump, a known failure on the SDV8s which results in non-running. A £9,000 bill at main dealer (or about £1,500 with a good independent).

Personally, I'd always pick the motorway-miler with stacks of history, over any low mileage short-run car. Heat cycling arguably causes greater engine wear. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8