Advice needed for Purchase of D3 or D4

[Torero22]

Hi Guys,
I have been bitten by the Disc Bug ! and hope to join your fellowship soon.

I am based in Sydney Castle Hill area, and will be looking for local group of your club to join.

Before I get there, I need assistance with all of the Disc Bashing that occurs out there. I am trying to identify a good reliable Disc 3 or 4 to replace my current vehicle. I have been led to believe that a D4 is more reliable and a better unit than the D3 hence worth the extra expenditure. I have been led to believe that parts are very expensive and so is servicing.

I would prefer to buy a D3 in the 2010 or 11 model SE as it is more economical as an initial outlay, but I don't want to have issues. So based on your advice I would consider buying a 2009 D4 if I would get a better package.

I intend to use it to go where ever it will take me without doing the crazy heavy mods and rock hoping things I did as a younger lad. Looking to tow a gold-stream RV off-road camper trailer - I am over the camping thing.

So can you advice :
1) if it would be better to spend the extra money for a D4 as they are so much more reliable or are the D3 as reliable and hence I can save ?
2) is servicing that much expensive and could you advice on a good service agent in the castle hill area ?
3) I understand that the way around expensive local parts is to use the wonderful WWW and hence buy parts at much lower prices and have them replaced locally. What is your experience here ?

any comments positive or negative are welcomed - got broad shoulders - lol

Any advice would be most greatly appreciated and hope to share a beer with you guys some day !

Cheers
Torero22

[Plane Fixer]

Torero,
The MOST important thing when buying is there MUST be a service history and the car looks good; not knocked around.
Then get an independent inspection. This will pick up any problems which will crop up in the future. Also get the lowest mileage D3/4 that you can afford which ticks all the above boxes.
You have done the right thing by coming here and asking. There will be many more positive responses to assist.
Hope to welcome you to the Disco owners fraternity soon.
Graeme

[AnD3rew]

I intend to use it to go where ever it will take me without doing the crazy heavy mods and rock hoping things I did as a younger lad. Looking to tow a gold-stream RV off-road camper trailer - I am over the camping thing.

It will take you places you wouldn't believe even without the mods, and they are awesome tow vehicles.

So can you advice :
1) if it would be better to spend the extra money for a D4 as they are so much more reliable or are the D3 as reliable and hence I can save ?

I don't believe the D4 is inherently more reliable than a D3, however it will be younger and so that will factor into reliability. As. Plane Fixer says, look for the lowest km's and best service history you can find within your budget in either D3 or 4

2) is servicing that much expensive and could you advice on a good service agent in the castle hill area ?


In my view servicing is no more expensive than most modern vehicles, you can be unlucky with any vehicle and strike some expensive items that fail. Your closest dealer service will probably be Trivett in Parramatta they are ok. An independant will probably be cheaper. Many here use Davis Performance Landy's at Annangrove. I use Cremorne Prestige at Artarmon.

3) I understand that the way around expensive local parts is to use the wonderful WWW and hence buy parts at much lower prices and have them replaced locally. What is your experience here ?

Can be, like everything else on the web you need to be careful but there is bucketloads of friendly advice and experience here. You will need to find a friendly independant who will go along with you on this unless you do the work yourself but they are out there. Can be more tricky with warranty and after sales support on the parts though if something goes wrong.

[Graeme]

I would prefer to buy a D3 in the 2010 or 11 model SE as it is more economical as an initial outlay, but I don't want to have issues. So based on your advice I would consider buying a 2009 D4 if I would get a better package.To be clear, the D4 replaced the D3 late 2009. The D4 is just the next model D3 with a different badge and some minor and some significant improvements.

[Torero22]

Thanks for those who assisted. Have finally done the deed and have taken the advice.

Just Bought a 2011 Disc 4 TDV6, 42,000 kms on the clock.

Amazing Vehicle, I do not have an ounce of regret and to think I used to drive a Nissan and was considering a Landcruiser.
They are just no comparison.

As you can tell I am very impressed, by the Disc 4.

Now to my next problem - Anyone know a good group/Club to join in the Castle Hill area ?

I don't mind going to nearby suburbs for meetings !

[~Rich~]

Welcome to the Permagrin Club!
I still love mine after 5 yrs.
Try either Range Rover Club of NSW they meet at a different venue every month. Land Rover club of Sydney they meet at Five Dock or I'm a member at The All Wheel Drive Club of Sydney and we meet at Forestville.

[Torero22]

Welcome to the Permagrin Club!


Lol - We should get that on a bumper sticker => "Member of the Permagrin Club"

[Redback]

Lol - We should get that on a bumper sticker => "Member of the Permagrin Club"

Hey now there's a thought:D

Land Rover Club of Sydney are a good bunch, they run the Land Rover Expo at Castle Hill Showground every year.

The All Wheel Drive Club seem like a good bunch too, well the ones I've met anyway.

Welcome to the fold:)

Baz.

[~Rich~]

Lol - We should get that on a bumper sticker => "Member of the Permagrin Club"

That's a Great Idea!
I like it.
Who can organise such an item for the AULRO members?

[~Rich~]

Hey now there's a thought:D


The All Wheel Drive Club seem like a good bunch too, well the ones I've met anyway.

Welcome to the fold:)

Baz.

Thanks Baz, I've only been a club member for 26 years!

Yee Haa, this post make me a member of the 1000 post club too.

[jon3950]

Thanks Baz, I've only been a club member for 26 years!

Geez, that's almost back to the beginning. I can (vaguely) remember when it split from the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai 4wd club - went on a few of their early trips.

Cheers,
Jon

[~Rich~]

We had our 30th Anniversary dinner before Easter. A lot of the founding members came which was good.

[Torero22]

Guys,

The vehicle I bought still has 4 months factory warranty, and so it is eligible for extended warranty from the factory for an additional $3.3k. I need help deciding if the money is better spent on vehicle addons or warranty extension.

Again is comes to - how reliable is the Disc 4 (at 2011 manufacture date).

Please advice !

[BobD]

When I bought my second hand 2010 D4 in 2012 I decided to keep the money and spend it on repairs myself. The car is now at 155,000 km and I don't regret that decision. Most items that require maintenance are pretty expensive but I doubt that they would be covered by an extended warranty, except perhaps the EPB and compressor. So far I have needed to replace the EPB at my expense but not the compressor. It still goes fine so I don't know whether it had been replaced before I got the car?? There was nothing mentioned in the warranty repair list I got from the dealer, although there were plenty of other repairs done under warranty before I bought the car and even in the year of warranty I had after buying the car.

Bob