What Disco To Buy

[Ian_Olga]

Hi,
New to the forum and looking for some opinions from experianced D3 owners, my wife and I are about to start setting up our retirement and we're looking for a Landrover D3. Question is, what year and model do forum owners think is the best taking into consideration we will be using it as a tow vehicle (around 2500kg and Deisel only) as well as off road, which model (S,SE,HSE)/year has the most kinks ironed out of the Disco 3 range?
We realise were proabably asking for a personal opinion however we feel the forum members experiance will aid us in our decision.

Thanks, :)

Ian and Olga.

[Disco4SE]

Hi,
New to the forum and looking for some opinions from experianced D3 owners, my wife and I are about to start setting up our retirement and we're looking for a Landrover D3. Question is, what year and model do forum owners think is the best taking into consideration we will be using it as a tow vehicle (around 2500kg and Deisel only) as well as off road, which model (S,SE,HSE)/year has the most kinks ironed out of the Disco 3 range?
We realise were proabably asking for a personal opinion however we feel the forum members experiance will aid us in our decision.

Thanks, :)

Ian and Olga.
Hi Ian & Olga,
Welcome to the forum. You will find plenty of usefull information from members & even non-members.
I have owned a 2008 D3 & now a 2009 D4.
My advice is to go for as later model as possible because of improvements and updates along the way.
Obviously, money is a big factor. For me, I had the SE model in both the D3 & 4. I found this model sufficient for my useage.
I had the e-diff & rear air conditioning in both models and would not go without these options when I purchase the D5 down the track.
Here again, this is just my opinion. I'm sure that others will add to this and that you will learn more and more in the future.
BTW: I would only ever buy a diesel.
Cheers, Craig

[oldsalt]

Welcome Ian & Olga,
I have a 2007 SE (diesel) and my advise is to do your research thoroughly - check the history - talk to the service centre or mechanic that worked on it (if possible) ask lots of questions about the kind of use it has had - I got a "good one" and it's been faultless, I love it - and so does my wife - I come out some mornings to find she's driven it to work and left me with her Honda !!!
Get the e-diff if you can - the D3 really is pretty unstoppable off road but from what I've heard the e-diff does make a difference. The people on this forum will be only to happy to help with any queries that you may have - so remember "the only silly question is the one you don't ask"
cheers :)

[what-the??]

Hi,
New to the forum and looking for some opinions from experianced D3 owners, my wife and I are about to start setting up our retirement and we're looking for a Landrover D3. Question is, what year and model do forum owners think is the best taking into consideration we will be using it as a tow vehicle (around 2500kg and Deisel only) as well as off road, which model (S,SE,HSE)/year has the most kinks ironed out of the Disco 3 range?
We realise were proabably asking for a personal opinion however we feel the forum members experiance will aid us in our decision.

Thanks, :)

Ian and Olga.
hi Ian and Olga
I have LR s2 td 5 and we are in the proses of buying a d4 se 3ltr for the same reason the hse is up there in the$$$:eek: by the time you get your mods on to it ...hav fun and good luck with your perch...:D we went for the d4 after taking both for a test drive 3ltr wins hands down and we considered the fuel cost and the power

[aew849]

Ian,

Give Justin Cooper a PM, he is " justinc " on the aulro forum. Has a LR shop in Kingston, SW of Hobart.

Having survived growing up with Just, he is a Landy guru of the first order and is a great source of advice...plus he would be more than pleased to help out.

I have just acquired (today) a 2007 D3 SE 2.7 with low kms. So far so good and I concur with Disco4SE comments about getting as later model you can, as the usual niggles with models were getting addressed.


aew849
2004 Deefer 130 DCPU "Truck"
2007 D3 SE 2.7 ...yet to be christened

formerly
2010 Deefer 90 "Lewis"
2002 Deefer 110 Td5 Xtreme
1998 Deefer 110 Tdi
1981 Seriess III 88"
plus another 11 lesser vehicles..

[Ian_Olga]

Thanks everyone for responding, I'll give Justin a go, I went and had a look and test dreive of a D3 here in Hobart a 2006 SE however the sales rep was very shy about giving me any history or background info on the car. It drove well as far as I could tell but he turned me off with his lack of enthusiasm to answer the simplest of questions, i.e. What does the 3 year warranty cover?, so I walked. It was a very odd encounter.
Anyway, agian thanks to all,

Ian and Olga

[DiscoWeb]

My advice is to go for as later model as possible because of improvements and updates along the way.
Obviously, money is a big factor. For me, I had the SE model in both the D3 & 4. I found this model sufficient for my useage.
I had the e-diff & rear air conditioning in both models and would not go without these options when I purchase the D5 down the track.

BTW: I would only ever buy a diesel.
Cheers, Craig

I agree with Craig about buying the youngest car you can as with all expensive new cars they stay expensive to repair even as they get older;

I have an 2009 SE and it has everything I want in terms of comfort and luxury, HSE would be nice but not worth the extra $ IMHO;

E-diff is excellent and makes the D3 almost unstoppable if you plan to use it seriously off road.

Rear-air is probably only really necessary if you plan on using the 3rd row (again IMHO), as you are planning for retirement I doubt you are intending to be constantly ferrying a car full of kids around and the standard A/C is very good and probably more than adequate. Note I do have the rear air because mine came with the alpine roof.

Diesel would be the way to go if you plan on doing lots of touring as it gives you a reasonable fuel range.

Good luck with your decision making.

George

[Tote]

SE would be my pick in the model range unless you have the $$ for a HSE. SE gives you as standard the following
Auto wipers
Auto Lights
HID headlights
Air Suspension
7 Seats
Terrain Response
And a few other niceties that elude me now

An S can be optioned up with Terrain response, 7 seats and Air suspension but you miss out on the HID headlights and auto wipers.
Ediff is a worthwhile option if you plan any serious offroad work but definately not essential if you find a second hand vehicle that suits your needs otherwise.

The S was the only vehicle available with a manual transmission but there aren't many around.

Regards,
Tote

[Neil P]

What does the 3 year warranty cover?, so I walked. It was a very odd encounter.

Most 2nd hand product warranties are worth nothing .

[Rockylizard]

Gday...

I have a 2006 D3 TDV6 Auto SE ... bought it in June 2010 with 74,000km on the clock to tow our 23ft 2600kg caravan. It now has 89,000km on the clock, about 10,000km of which was towing the van around outback NSW and QLD and back to Gippsland.

It tows the van effortlessly and is a joy to drive ... towing, not towing, on dirt roads, corrugations and off-road - anywhere :D.

Without van on open highway we get 8.8ltr/100km, with van we get between 12.8ltr/100km and 15.9ltr/100km depending on terrain, wind etc. We cruise @ 1,900rpm in cruise control (which is in 5th gear on flat) which equates to 88-90kph ... it uses 4th up hillls @ 2,400rpm. A magic gearbox.

We had auto flushed, steel pan fitted and ATF change at 80,000k as precaution - box had shown no adverse signs ... I was just being cautious.

Only problems have been alternator (at 88,000km) and now compressor for air suspension this week. Apart from this it has caused no trouble.

Previous advice on checking history etc goes without saying.

Cheers
John

[Normthe1]

G'day Ian and Olga,

The only thing I can add to those below is to look at buying the extended warranty, there are a few around but as Neil P said, most aren't worth much. I bought a diesel 05 SE about 6 months ago and just got it back from the auto transmission repairer with a bill for $6700 due to shuddering. Luckily, I had the Allianz warranty and it cost me nothing. For under $3k, the warranty is essential I reckon.


Norm

[Ian_Olga]

Thanks all, some great advice, I'm looking at a 2007 D3 thats advertised like this, "2007 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 3 Series 3 08MY HSE", I feel like a goose asking this but what does it mean by "Series 3 08MY", I'm guessing the 08MY is 2008 Manufacture Year? but dont know what the Series 3 means?

Thanks,

Ian

[CSBrisie]

Not many people on this forum distinguish between the various minor changes within the D3 lifespan, neither do Land Rover themselves, just the various MY's (which I think commence around September each year). So a MY08 would have been built (build date is located under the bonnet, dead centre in front of radiator) somewhere between Sept 2007 and August 2008.

[Graeme]

what does it mean by "Series 3 08MY", I'm guessing the 08MY is 2008 Manufacture Year? but dont know what the Series 3 means?
MY refers to model year. Series 3 is referring to Discovery 3 and is the advertiser's jargon.