D1 v D3

**TerryO** · 19th July 2013, 03:01 PM

Hi Steelo,

I bought the D3 because we have a 18" off road pop top and the D2a wouldn't tow it easily. I never intended to mod the D3 much at all, ended up getting carried away with it and love it with the mods it now has and yes there are more mods to come. ...

I once towed our then off road soft floor camper a couple of hundred clicks on rough dirt roads with the D1 with the mods you can see in the pics and the rear coil springs bent like bomerangs ...

Seriously the D2a is a good vehicle and if you never drove a D3 then you would be more than happy with one. Drive a D3 or 4 and well that kind of ruins it for the D2a. On the flip side it has made me enjoy driving the D1 even more.

Which Disco would I drive around Australia using the back roads and tracks, either towing a off road van or with a tent? ...easy the D3. ...

**rick130** · 19th July 2013, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by TerryO

I once towed our then off road soft floor camper a couple of hundred clicks on rough dirt roads with the D1 with the mods you can see in the pics and the rear coil springs bent like bomerangs ...

Oooh, nasty QC, I reckon you won't buy that brand again

**TerryO** · 19th July 2013, 04:32 PM

I didn't build the D1, the previous owner of 8 years did and looking at what has been done to the old girl he spent a small fortune getting it done.

It was built at Graeme Coopers automotive, the body lift kit and whole suspension including adjustable front shock towers, dislocation cones, different rear shock mounts, F & R springs, Bilstein shocks to suit the different mounts all came as a kit from LRA in Melbourne.

Actually it was a bugger to replace the springs as no one could tell me what they were including Coopers. In the end there was a set at Coopers hidden away that had been sitting on a shelf for a very long time.

In part that is why I'm into building up the D3 as rather than buying someone else's build this one is mine.

**rick130** · 19th July 2013, 05:23 PM

Browns Springs then.

Unusual, mostly they aren't bad.

**muddymech** · 19th July 2013, 06:27 PM

would be good if some D2 pictures appeared for comparison

**TerryO** · 19th July 2013, 06:45 PM

What a good idea Muddymech! ...why didn't I think of that ...when it stops raining I'll take some comparo pics. ...

**steelo** · 19th July 2013, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by TerryO

Hi Steelo,

I bought the D3 because we have a 18" off road pop top and the D2a wouldn't tow it easily. I never intended to mod the D3 much at all, ended up getting carried away with it and love it with the mods it now has and yes there are more mods to come. ...

I once towed our then off road soft floor camper a couple of hundred clicks on rough dirt roads with the D1 with the mods you can see in the pics and the rear coil springs bent like bomerangs ...

Seriously the D2a is a good vehicle and if you never drove a D3 then you would be more than happy with one. Drive a D3 or 4 and well that kind of ruins it for the D2a. On the flip side it has made me enjoy driving the D1 even more.

Which Disco would I drive around Australia using the back roads and tracks, either towing a off road van or with a tent? ...easy the D3. ...

Bugger!! you were supposed to say the D1 LOL, ah well my old D1 will have to do just have to sort out some better fuel economy (v8) when towing & stiffer rear coils. We're turning grey nomads next year when we kick the last one out after he finishes yr12 LOL gotta do it while we can, already had 3 open hearts (2 valve replacements) over the years, so am not going to put it off any longer.
Great rigs but (yours), make me jealous

**steelo** · 19th July 2013, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by TerryO

What a good idea Muddymech! ...why didn't I think of that ...when it stops raining I'll take some comparo pics. ...

Should live up here in the Sunshine State..............NOT, winter is supposed to be dry & sunny here, what's going on?

hasn't stopped raining for months

**ozscott** · 20th July 2013, 04:31 AM

My D2 tows and handles better than my D1 - wider track I suspect, but never measured, stiffer suspension and anti-roll bar etc are the reasons behind that. Offroad with CDL and ETC kicking in it goes further, but there is something about the D1 offroad - pliable, supremely comfortable in the way it walks over obstacles softly tucking wheels so far up the guards its silly (in that soft easy riding way that modern vehicles just cannot emulate)...I cannot get rid of my D1. It is the last of the non-ABS V8 autos. It is the ultimate in low maintenance rovering - the big thing for me was to change out the old lucas dizzy with play in it for a homoligation of Ford and Holden...never a problem with ignition since and that was about 50,000k ago...no more new caps every 10,000k, more power and torque, no intermittent misfire. Cheap and simple fix to the Prince of Darkness. At 300,000 my D1 V8 just keeps going hard and the old ZF changes nicely. They were a beautiful vehicle, especially with offset rims to widen the stance. Long live the D1. I suspect plenty will live on when others have gone to the yard in the sky.

Cheers!

**scarry** · 20th July 2013, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by Redback

I was talking comparable Ks of ownership, as the D2 got older, maintenence costs didn't rise that much over the years we owned it(sold it at 320,000ks)and looking at what is happening with the cost of parts now for the D3/4, I think the difference won't be that much and like we did with our D2, England and the USA were a great soarse of cheaper parts, you only have to look at Bi-Xenon light bulbs for the D4 as one example, from $500 each a bulb to as low as $67 a pair for the genuine replacement now, brake shoes and rotors are almost the same price as the D2, all the filters, oils, a new ECU from Land Rover for the D4 is $600, same price as the D2 was/is.

I think as the D4 gets older prices and aftermaket parts will become more available at cheaper prices keeping the cost of maintenence comparable to a point, I mean I'm not saying they will be the same, but they won't be all that different, although a different story if your getting your work done by a Land Rover dealer, but we aren't, so our costs are considerably less.

Baz.

Umm,yes ,but....

Over time as the vehicle gets older,comparing the two,the D3/4 is going to cost you a lot more,looking at comparable k's and age.

Here are a couple of examples.
Fully independant air suspension repair costs over solid axles,coils and shocks.
Six speed auto and new style T/C compared to four speed and a T/C that has been around for a long time.
Engine repairs,body off,well we won't go there.
Timing belts for the 2.7
More complicated electronics in the D3/4,software upgrades,etc.

Sure TD5 had a few issues,oil in harness,leaking fuel reg etc,these are not really biggies.Actually probably cost less than a timing belt change in a D3.

Also with the D3/4 range,many of these 'common' issues that the TD5 had don't seem to be appearing,yet.

Also going to a good indy for repairs is going to save $,as is doing the work yourself.

Agree service parts for D3/4 range are a lot cheaper than they were and prices will continue to fall.

But in the long run,over the life of the vehicle,aD3/4 is going to cost a lot more,as there is more to go wrong.

Don't get me wrong the D3/4 are fantastic vehicles,but i still love the D2.

On another note,one of my brothers has a D1,V8 bought it one year old.Has around 350K on it.Had a leaky power steering pump,needed a rebuild,and he has just done the heads including new cam,etc as they were leaking coolant.
That is all the repairs that have been done to the vehicle,apart from normal servicing.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Thread: D1 v D3

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