Discovery 3 for towing advice

[Journeytower]

Good Afternoon, I'm seeking guidance. I'm in the process of buying my fifth Landrover & I believe the Discovery 3 is what I need. I want this vehicle primarily for towing a caravan, I need a bit more power than my very nice Terracan 2.9CRDI, & the Disco 3 appears to have the power & torque figures that I need.
My thoughts are to buy rather cheaply & be prepared to spend a bit on it over the next 18 months to get it right up to speed for trips up the Birdsville & Streszelecki Tracks & other similar. I'm thinking to go the S model for less complications, I'm wondering how many kilometres is too high . What are the thoughts out there ? I realise this question is a bit open ended as a lot depends on individual service regimes etc. Any & all advice will be appreciated. Also anyone knowing of a good one coming up.

[jonesfam]

Why the S?
I know they are cheaper but having the air springs is a massive plus when towing?! That's not to mention all the other advantages.
Jonesfam

[LRD414]

Welcome and have a read of these threads as a good start:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/224625-tips-tricks-purchasing-d3.html
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/220851-good-value-2007-tdv6-se-opinions-please.html

And have a read here for a few things to look out for with older ones:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/190822-oil-pump-casing.html

Cheers,
Scott

[AnD3rew]

Wouldnt do S, the Air suspension is so good on those kinds of roads.

Depends also how heavy. You are going from a 2.9 to a 2.7, assuming you are going diesel, the Disco goes very well with what it has. It technically has a 3tonne towing capacity, but I tow a camper trailer which is probably about 1.3 tonnes loaded and on the flat it is fine but I personally wouldn't be delighted with having to tow a lot more in hilly country with my D3.

A V8 is probably better but I think you would be eating a lot of fuel and significantly reducing your range.

Also you have to be prepared that the D3 ps are getting on. There is no reason they can't be reliable but you will need to keep up with the preventive maintenance and it is not outrageous, but it also not cheap. See the great links that LRD414 gave above.

There are quite a few here that have great vehicles north of 200k on the clock, but if you want to do a lot of long range touring I would be aiming for as close to 100k as you can afford.

[Narangga]

And also these

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/220533-price-vs-age-d3-d4.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/194513-potential-d3-owner-buying-guide-advice.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/190052-buying-d3-v8-td.html

[ozscott]

The S will only be Ok offroad with a lift...then you have potential accelerated CV wear like any other IS vehicle. And it doesnt simulate live axles like the air suspension does...another offroad negative....think Pajero. From memory the coiler does not have terrain response so it would need lockers to do the same tricks offroad....

Cheers

[LandyAndy]

I saw 2 lifted D3 coilers over easter,they looked so wrong.Yes the CV wear would be an issue.
Whilst in Albany over easter I was asked by a toyota landbruiser owner who parked next to me did I have my suspension lowered to make it look cool.
I pointed out that I have a back issue,I simply press a button to lower it to make getting in and out easy.Told him when we go off-road I press another button for an instant 2" lift,and we dont have diffs to drag thru the sand either.He looked confused and asked how.I told him it has air suspension.He thought I was talking about pump up shockies or the airbags you put inside coils.
As he wasnt a smart arse,older gent with an 80 series I gave him a demo with the heights.Blew him away,he said he had heard these Discoveries were good off road and said know he understands why.I told him to have a drive of one,IF I had time I would have taken him for a spin.
Look for an air suspension version the terrain response works really well.Its very hard to find a coiler with terrain response;););););););)
Andrew

[Disco-tastic]

I vote for air suspension too. The terrain response is fantastic and as andy said the air suspension is very useful.

Another good thing about the air suspension is it can tell when you've bottomed out, and will lift higher for extra clearance. You can override and go higher again for a total lift of over 100mm (for short periods). The only downside is you can't drive at off road height (+50mm) over 50kph, but this can be overcome with Llams or syspension rods.

Unless of course you don't plan to go offroad in which case it doesn't really matter. :o

EDIT: Here's a couple of vids of mine offroad.

https://youtu.be/elOQXHFHs5I skip to 4mins to see the traction control in action vs a hilux - the d3 is way more controlled. A coiler without terrain response would drive similar to the hilux.

https://youtu.be/yWmXEhKElaM the car lifts itself after bottoming out. Compare how high it is at the end compared to the start!

I hear the air suspended models ride better than the coilers too.

Cheers

Dan

[Nomad9]

Hi Journeytower,
Another vote for the air option, having had both you will always regret getting a coiler over air if you decided to go that way, especially if your basic motivation is for towing, my opinion.

There will be posts about timing belt & fuel pump belt replacement, oil pump housings, water outlet housings and a few other things. If you have fancy having a go at a 4.0 petrol they aren't that bad, V8 petrol, thirstier but more fun.

Take a few for test drives see what you can get for your money, you might be surprised. Service history is important, saying that buying from an avid LR owner isn't that bad either, some spend a lot of time and money looking after their vehicles.

Cheers Marty

[Journeytower]

Thanks for your reply on this, it may have spurred on the others & I really appreciate all the replies. One thing is settled anyway, I'll be going for an air equipped model. Still getting the hang of this forum & don't want to congest it too much so won't reply to every post.

[Journeytower]

Thanks for your input. Yes I'm going the diesel, the Terracan is a good vehicle but just a little under powered. On paper the Disco 3 has quite significant more power & torque which should equate to easier & more economical towing. After writing off a caravan & very nice TD5 Discovery the first day of a 4 month trip at 75 kph & only travel at around 90 maximum, even without the van on. Enjoying the scenery.

[TerryO]

The S will only be Ok offroad with a lift...then you have potential accelerated CV wear like any other IS vehicle. And it doesnt simulate live axles like the air suspension does...another offroad negative....think Pajero. From memory the coiler does not have terrain response so it would need lockers to do the same tricks offroad....

Cheers


I too would vote for the air suspension and terrain responce models over a coiler, but a modified coiler is far more capable off road than most who have never owned one would think.

This repeated chat about extended use wearing out CV's is exaggerated, I know one bloke who has driven his 65 mm jacked coiler all over Australia's icon rough tracks several times each over a number of years and from memory the one thing he has not replaced is CV's.

Having said that if new CV's are required you can now buy aftermarket heavy duty replacements.

[ozscott]

Cheers Terry.

[ozscott]

A coiler V6 petrol with just rear diff lock and lift might be a nice compromise. Cheers

[ozscott]

I did think of coiler a while ago instead of doing the 4.6 conversion and bibs and bobs on my D2...same cost! In the end i kept the D2 and the 4.6 is a great motor for towing but perhaps the coiler D3 is written off too easily. From memory there are a few owners of them on here...but lift is mandatory for most offroad stuff. Cheers

[TerryO]

When the chance comes up for a decent D3 at a good price Scott grab one, you will not stop smiling and giggling like a young girl. ... that is apart from when service time comes around and you then get a chance to fix all the little and occasionally big things that went wrong since the last ten thousand kilometre service. ... ;)

[ozscott]

Cheers mate. Although i have my fair shair of mirth when the hi comp 4.6 is on song through the high flow exhaust!

Cheers

[ytt105]

OzScott

Just to put towing with the disco into perspective for you.

My previous car was a 2000 P38 4.6V8. I loved it. Fantastic car. BUT.

It only has 4 speeds in the gearbox, so towing my 1.8t van was great on the flat, but crap up hills. Always in a gear too low or too high.

Changed over to a 2005 Disco TDV6. 2.7 diesel, 6 speed box. Absolutely the best tow vehicle by a country mile.

Tows my new 2.2t van up hills with no problems at all. It goes up Clyde Mtn with the van on as well as the P38 did without the lighter van.

Do it. You wont be dissapointed!

PS. The disco sounds pretty good under full throttle, though I agree, not as good as the V8.

[jonesfam]

Thanks for your input. Yes I'm going the diesel, the Terracan is a good vehicle but just a little under powered. On paper the Disco 3 has quite significant more power & torque which should equate to easier & more economical towing. After writing off a caravan & very nice TD5 Discovery the first day of a 4 month trip at 75 kph & only travel at around 90 maximum, even without the van on. Enjoying the scenery.



Journeytower
We went from a 2.9 CRDI Terracan to the D3 2.7.
Honestly the motor in the D3 does not feel that much more powerful under normal driving with no real load probably because the D3 is a lot heavier, but 3 things are a real plus over the Terracan.
1. The gearbox (6 auto) is just magic especially when towing. It just gets the gears where the they should be.
2. The ride & stability is about 1000% better (air suspension)than a Terracan towing or not, &
3. Off road they are not even in the same game, the Terracan is OK, the D3 is awesome.
We loved our Terri but it wasn't a D3.


Jonesfam

[ozscott]

OzScott

Just to put towing with the disco into perspective for you.

My previous car was a 2000 P38 4.6V8. I loved it. Fantastic car. BUT.

It only has 4 speeds in the gearbox, so towing my 1.8t van was great on the flat, but crap up hills. Always in a gear too low or too high.

Changed over to a 2005 Disco TDV6. 2.7 diesel, 6 speed box. Absolutely the best tow vehicle by a country mile.

Tows my new 2.2t van up hills with no problems at all. It goes up Clyde Mtn with the van on as well as the P38 did without the lighter van.

Do it. You wont be dissapointed!

PS. The disco sounds pretty good under full throttle, though I agree, not as good as the V8.

Thanks mate. Mine is the 5 speed manual which is a nice set up. But yes the 2.7 6 speed would make a great tow vehicle if for nothing more than the extra 10 inch wheel base and extra weight for stability.

Cheers

[Meken]

Stretch your budget to a 3l / 8 speed ... You will forget the van is even attached

[Disco-tastic]

Stretch your budget to a 3l / 8 speed ... You will forget the van is even attached

That's a lot of stretch...

Cheers

Dan

[Truck69]

I saw 2 lifted D3 coilers over easter,they looked so wrong.Yes the CV wear would be an issue.
Whilst in Albany over easter I was asked by a toyota landbruiser owner who parked next to me did I have my suspension lowered to make it look cool.
I pointed out that I have a back issue,I simply press a button to lower it to make getting in and out easy.Told him when we go off-road I press another button for an instant 2" lift,and we dont have diffs to drag thru the sand either.He looked confused and asked how.I told him it has air suspension.He thought I was talking about pump up shockies or the airbags you put inside coils.
As he wasnt a smart arse,older gent with an 80 series I gave him a demo with the heights.Blew him away,he said he had heard these Discoveries were good off road and said know he understands why.I told him to have a drive of one,IF I had time I would have taken him for a spin.
Look for an air suspension version the terrain response works really well.Its very hard to find a coiler with terrain response;););););););)
Andrew
Hi there I have a Disco 3 with Air to coil conversion with all the off road bells an whistles wouldn't go back to air if you paid me.I travel remote every week in the NT and never have an issue .Prior to that the ride on the dirt corrugation's was smooth but always had faults and lowering to bump stops ,but now just flies over them and no problems. Had the coils now for over 4 years ...Terrafirma HD from Rimmers in UK. Towed 3 ton caravan right round Aussie without a hitch and never dragged its arse Lol

[loanrangie]

Hi there I have a Disco 3 with Air to coil conversion with all the off road bells an whistles wouldn't go back to air if you paid me.I travel remote every week in the NT and never have an issue .Prior to that the ride on the dirt corrugation's was smooth but always had faults and lowering to bump stops ,but now just flies over them and no problems. Had the coils now for over 4 years ...Terrafirma HD from Rimmers in UK. Towed 3 ton caravan right round Aussie without a hitch and never dragged its arse LolMajority here do the same on air without any issues, system requires maintenance like anything else.
I wouldn't touch coils if it was a last resort.

[Truck69]

Majority here do the same on air without any issues, system requires maintenance like anything else.
I wouldn't touch coils if it was a last resort.
Each to their own i guess but my thoughts are opposite to yours