About to purchase my first D3

[Simpdogg]

Hi All,

My wife and i are about to purchase our first 4WD (secondhand) to do some light to moderate off roading and some towing nothing too full on or crazy as our 2 young kids under 5 will be in the car.

Predominantly it will spend 90% of its life on the black top as it is going to be my wife's daily driver.

i've done a fair bit of research and looked at all different brands and makes within my budget Patrols,Pathfinders,Pajeros, Challenges,Prados, Jeeps etc and now have a better understanding that all of the above cars like everything will always have pros and cons - my main issue being the k's on the clock are all around 150,000 + most have been kitted up for off road and i feel uneasy about buying someone else's problem, no warranty etc

I've come across a 2005 D3 Petrol 4ltr V6 S with 105,000 on the clock - it is immaculate and appears to have been really well cared for - interestingly i didn't contemplate a D3 however as soon as we drove it sold come with 3 year warranty road side assist etc.

The car drives smoothly, auto gearbox responds well in sports mode and normal driving, i haven't noticed any funny sounds coming from the suspension front bushes/control arms nor from the parking brake motor the electrics haven't been played with and the engine spotless no evidence of leaks around seals etc.

Ive checked under the car and apart from a little mud and dirt nothing to worry about.

As this only happened yesterday i've only managed limited research on this model pleas note that we do have a 3 day cooling off period so if things don't go to plan we can walk away.

The 3 main areas of concern for this particular model that keep popping up are:

Fuel economy - i'm not worried about this all cars are guzzlers some more so than others - thats life....

Ground Clearance - This seems to be a problem with non airbag models most people are doing a 40-50 mm spring lift which will raise the clearance to tackle what i want to do, apparently i can still keep stock shocks is this correct? popular brands to use are Dobinsons, King Springs what are your thoughts and suggestions?

No All Terrain Selection - is it really that critical? im not driving in snow,ice,grass i might go over some rocks and some mud maybe some sand i'm sure selecting the lo gearing would suffice???

The car i'm looking is riding on 22's they look great but im sure are impractical for off road use, what would be the best compromise diameter wheel for off road and city driving on a D3?

Also I am unable to get a straight answer on the timing and cam belts and when these need to be replaced so if someone could assist here it would be great and also what should you expect to pay here in Australia for this job

If there is anything else i have missed or need to look out for please let me know.


I appreciate your advise


Simpdogg

[Redback]

Although the diesel would have been the better option for towing, the V6 petrol is quite a good car, the spring lift is cheap and easy to get and yes, standard shocks can be used, might be wise to get new shocks when getting the springs.

The car is very capable without the Terrain Response, so don't worry about not having it.

As for the 22s, see if the original 17" rims can be got from the original owner, they are a much better option to the 22s, there are a few aftermarket options for rims though, maybe the car yard can get them for you as part of the deal.

Baz.

[WhiteD3]

I thought the S was only ever a coil sprung, manual diesel and the petrol V6 only came out in the SE with air and TR? Have you got the full history on this vehicle?

FYI I had a 2007 V6 for 4 years and apart from thirst, it was a great town car and 4WD.

[bbyer]

It sounds like a pretty good vehicle to me. The body is more solid than any other SUV except for a Mercedes G Wagon. To my mind a used petrol V6 is certainly cheaper to repair than any used diesel regardless of what goes wrong.

From the sound of the way the guys talk, there is no petrol available in the Outback but the readily available diesel is mostly water - there is no win regardless.

22" wheels mean the car has never been off the road so yes, you will have to find 17" or 18" wheels and the tyres to go with them but that is a good kind of problem.

Re the lift, drive it for awhile before you do anything. It might be pretty good just the way Land Rover made it and your wife would probably prefer a not lift for day to day use. At the worst, you have a comfortable high class Defender with a reliable Ford engine. In fact it is probably what the new Defender will eventually look like, but perhaps with the Ford EcoBoost petrol V6.

[Simpdogg]

I thought the S was only ever a coil sprung, manual diesel and the petrol V6 only came out in the SE with air and TR? Have you got the full history on this vehicle?

FYI I had a 2007 V6 for 4 years and apart from thirst, it was a great town car and 4WD.

To the best of my knowledge you are correct being the base model the S was only ever coil sprung the SE HSE & TD all came standard with airbags and TR.

The engine is a 4ltr V6, the car does come with a service history, is there anything in particular that i need to look for?

Cheers

[Simpdogg]

It sounds like a pretty good vehicle to me. The body is more solid than any other SUV except for a Mercedes G Wagon. To my mind a used petrol V6 is certainly cheaper to repair than any used diesel regardless of what goes wrong.

From the sound of the way the guys talk, there is no petrol available in the Outback but the readily available diesel is mostly water - there is no win regardless.

22" wheels mean the car has never been off the road so yes, you will have to find 17" or 18" wheels and the tyres to go with them but that is a good kind of problem.

Re the lift, drive it for awhile before you do anything. It might be pretty good just the way Land Rover made it and your wife would probably prefer a not lift for day to day use. At the worst, you have a comfortable high class Defender with a reliable Ford engine. In fact it is probably what the new Defender will eventually look like, but perhaps with the Ford EcoBoost petrol V6.

Great way of looking at it- i agree its a good problem to have considering our other options.

To be honest the chance of us getting to the outback is slim as our son starts school next year any off road adventures we have will be local to Vic.

I can get some 18's easily enough from a series 2 landy from my local wreckers, but will wheels from the series 2 models be acceptable for the series 3? or do i specifically need series 3 18's?

[Simpdogg]

Although the diesel would have been the better option for towing, the V6 petrol is quite a good car, the spring lift is cheap and easy to get and yes, standard shocks can be used, might be wise to get new shocks when getting the springs.

The car is very capable without the Terrain Response, so don't worry about not having it.

As for the 22s, see if the original 17" rims can be got from the original owner, they are a much better option to the 22s, there are a few aftermarket options for rims though, maybe the car yard can get them for you as part of the deal.

Baz.


I'm glad to read you post makes me happier about the purchase.

what are the popular choices of suspension lift for the series 3 S model?

[Redback]

I'm glad to read you post makes me happier about the purchase.

what are the popular choices of suspension lift for the series 3 S model?

Pretty much all the popular brands do a lift for the coil D3, it will come down to price and personal choice, just give Pedders and miss;)

Dobinsons do a 45mm lift with springs and shocks.

Baz.

[WhiteD3]

To the best of my knowledge you are correct being the base model the S was only ever coil sprung the SE HSE & TD all came standard with airbags and TR.

Yes but my point was I didn't think the S ever came out in petrol.


The engine is a 4ltr V6, the car does come with a service history, is there anything in particular that i need to look for?

Cheers

No, not really.
Make sure all the service bulletins have been carried out.
Has the gearbox been serviced? Sealed for life but the the concensus (I think) on this forum is "life" is 100k.
The park brake needs replacing around 100k too and it's not a cheap repair at $1500 from memory.
Front bushes, etc will need doing too.
Go for a drive, find a slow, downward 2nd gear turn and see if the drivetrain thuds as you feed in the power on the other side. There's a patch for this.

[SuperMono]

I can get some 18's easily enough from a series 2 landy from my local wreckers, but will wheels from the series 2 models be acceptable for the series 3? or do i specifically need series 3 18's?

D2 wheels don't fit.
D3 wheels are the best option but search the forum and look at the D3 FAQ for some direction.
I bought a set of original 17inch wheels from one of the 'bling wheels' places.
Probably traded in on a set of 22inch wheels :)

Regarding the spring lift, I have the Dobinsons version and can recommend this setup.
However..... as you wife's daily drive consider that a lifted D3 'S' is something you do have to climb up into. Unlike the wheels it isn't easy to swap the lift back and forth.
This is the only issue we have with our D3, the missus (and my Mum) find it a chore to climb in.

[101RRS]

To my mind a used petrol V6 is certainly cheaper to repair than any used diesel regardless of what goes wrong.

Maybe that is the case in North America but not here - based on costs that people have experienced with problems with this engine does seem on par with the TDV6.

Garry

[sniegy]

Yes but my point was I didn't think the S ever came out in petrol.

"S" available in V6 & TDV6 (Optional EAS & TR)
"SE" available in V6, V8 & TDV6 (Std EAS & TR & to include 7 seats)
"HSE" available in V8 & TDV6.

Pretty reliable vehicle tho', don't see too many issues with them.
Can be a little thirsty in city traffic, but long drives figures come down.

Cheers

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[grumpa]

I have a D3 S 4L petrol, same year, similar Kms.
Great car - best I have ever driven and often admired by mates.
I'm not heavily into 4WD on sand etc but the car always goes where I want to go, ever when others say it won't!
Mine has coils and I got Pedders to lift the suspension 45mm - works fine!
No need to worry about timing belt - only needed on diesel.
You don't buy a D3 for fuel economy but on longer trips average 12.2L / 100km
Enjoy it!

[Simpdogg]

Thank-you everyone for your advise and feedback it is very much appreciated.

In regards to the Lift I have found a company online selling the Dobinsons springs and I'm leaning towards using these with the standard shocks until the budget allows for the an upgrade of the shocks at a later date.

From everything i've read it should be fine - i will also make sure to get a 4 wheel alignment done - does anyone know of any places in VIC which are reputable for this job?

Grumpa the highway K's you are achieving is roughly what i was expecting however around town im being seeing anything from 16-25 ltrs/100 k what are you getting?

[Disco4SE]

From everything i've read it should be fine - i will also make sure to get a 4 wheel alignment done - does anyone know of any places in VIC which are reputable for this job?
Speak to Michael or Sam at Tyrepower Camberwell. Michael is a member on this forum.
They do an awsome job.

Cheers, Craig

[SuperMono]

In regards to the Lift I have found a company online selling the Dobinsons springs and I'm leaning towards using these with the standard shocks until the budget allows for the an upgrade of the shocks at a later date.

Something to note.
The Dobinsons springs are not just longer than the standard D3 springs, they are of a heavier rate. The ride quality compared to the standard coil suspension is harsher and the heavier prings have need of a greater level of rebound damping.
If you don't also upgrade or replace the struts (shocks) when you fit the springs you might end up with a bit of a pogo like ride.

A standard coil sprung D3 rides surprising well, a lifted/stiffer D3 suffers a bit in that regard. Still good for a 4WD but lacking compared to the air sprung versions.

If I was buying a D3 today for a daily drive, I would hang out to find one on air suspension. Mine is not a daily drive and so I'm not bothered by either the increased step up into the car of the harsher ride.

Eyes open.

[Nomad9]

Hi Simpdogg,
I had a D3 S, mine was a diesel though, I bought my 2 inch lift from "Suspension Stuff" delivered to the door in WA was very reasonable. I did get some one else to change the springs over, one near let go when I had it compressed, that was enough, off to a guy with some H/D spring compressors, chea at half the price, I chipped mine, it was easy to do, saying that a lot of people on the forums have steered me away from this now, saying that as mentioned mine ws a diesel.
I did a bit of towing with mine it was great both with a camper trailer and a caravan. Go with the 17's it'll be a better ride and if you do venture out 17's are easier to find than 22's.
Hope you enjoy the ride, you won't regret the choice. It is fun being in the leading pack rather than owning one of the following brands.

[Simpdogg]

Thought i'd give you all an update......

We were due to pick up the car on Wednesday morning.

Unfortunately on Tuesday night my wife was involved in a 4 car pile up caused by a typical P plate commodore driver treating public roads like a personal race track....

So the car we were trading in for the D3 is now sitting in the mechanics with 13k worth of damage..... best out come is a write off then i can up my budget to and SE or TDV6.

Kids and missus are OK so that's the main thing.

Thanks again to everyone that offered advise

much appreciated

Cheers

Simpdogg

[sniegy]

Good to see everyone is ok.

Cheers

[WhiteD3]

Good to see everyone is ok.

X2.

[Redback]

Wow, thank goodness everyone is OK.

Baz.

[Nomad9]

Hi Simpdogg,
Thankfully your family are OK, most important. The other important thing here is "everything happens for a reason", something it is a bit hard to figure this out, sometimes the reasons are obvious.
Happy new what ever you get, if you can get the Diesel SE, way to go Idaho.

[oldsalt]

Hi Simpdogg,
glad they're all O.K...... a happy healthy family is the best Christmas present of all - everything else pales into insignificance...
good luck :)