Potential D3 owner - buying guide & advice

Last year when I was at the Snow, my 2005 D3 **** a wheel bearing and I had it taken to Canberra to be fixed and ended up with a current model Pajero as a hire car for week (yay for NRMA premium care). It was a brand new Paj and I did quite a bit of driving in very mixed road and very slightly offroad conditions. It was a revelatory experience, the Paj is a very honest car and very good value for the money, reasonable to drive, engine power is quite ok, fuel economy is only ok, the back door really bad, overall performance and handling are ok, found it a bit noisy inside (rattly diseasel engine and wind noise at speed).

I was so pleased at the end of the week to pick up my Disco on my way through Canberra for the drive home ... chalk and cheese ... my smooth, powerful V8 vs Paj torquey tractor engine; my supple, yet precise air suspension and grippy tyres vs the Paj and it's bouncy coils, slippery tyres and overly stiff understeery suspension; halogen headlights vs my 'daylight' bi-xeons ... some kind of tin can stereo vs logic 7 ... I could go on quite a bit ... but anyway, IMO, the Paj is a good honest vehicle and good value for money, but to drive and as cars, there is no comparison, even at 8 years old my Disco is in a different league.

Does anyone know if D3s came with bash plates standard? Some have them some dealer ones dont, wondering if they were removed to make it look cleaner??

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Originally Posted by catsman

Does anyone know if D3s came with bash plates standard? Some have them some dealer ones dont, wondering if they were removed to make it look cleaner??

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There a steel engine sump protector plate that comes standard, which is pretty good.

Other than that there are rounded covers shielding the steering gear that are just plastic, and the transmission cover is also just plastic. There no protection for the compressor or the rear dif.

You can buy D3 bash plates from a range of suppliers including Green oval experience, Ironman4x4, and Pedders (Asfir) that extend the protected area forward to the radiator and rearward to the transmission and cover other vulnerable ares like the compressor. Some of these plates (eg Asfir) are designed for the European market where bull-bars are not allowed, and hence the protection toward the front of the car is incompatible with bull-bars. If you want a bull bar- then I suggest get it first then fit any protection plates based on what remains exposed and what can fit.

Thanks everyone for your help. Purchased a 09 D3 this arvo. One thing I wasn't sure about, it has 20" range rover storm wheels. Couldn't tell what the spare was. Are these compliant for a D3 as far as load rating goes? Or should I get them chaged over before I pick it up??

Also do the 20" tyres fit in spare wheel well?

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6080...375683&pid=1.7

Congrats, a picture would be good ( of the car)
I'm not sure about the load rating for these rims sorry but any rim size as long as the tyre overall size is approx 790mm or less will fit in the spare wheel bay.
Standard tyre is about 763mm approx O/A.

I'll do some action shots when I get it, but this is how it looks:

What's the go with the silver grill bar? Haven't seen that before.

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Originally Posted by catsman

I'll do some action shots when I get it, but this is how it looks: What's the go with the silver grill bar? Haven't seen that before.

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I think that grill was for the MY09 HSE. Is it a V8?

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Originally Posted by rar110

I think that grill was for the MY09 HSE. Is it a V8?

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Nah definitely an SE (4L petrol)

I bought a D3 a few months ago and to be brutally honest it's cost me a bit to get it up to scratch. On the dirt, they are a sensational vehicle, comfortable, easy to drive, go anywhere.

Things to look out for:
Make sure you get the suspension compressor checked. They are costly to fix. I got one from the UK for a reasonable price, but it was a pain.
Check the front suspension for knocks. Although easy to fix it's just another cost.
The electronics can be troublesome, but it's not a nightmare as some make it out to be. I've had a few switches here and there that needed replacing, but most were cheap to replace.
There are a few other mechanical things to look for, but generally the diesel motor is a gem.
The auto box needs regular servicing despite what LR tell you.
Note, they aren't the cheapest car to run. I get around 14-16litres/100km around town, about 7-8L/100 on the open road. Off road they can drop to 15-18l/100

I love my D3, but I would have preferred a Defender. I just couldn't get one for a decent prices or Kms. I'd gladly sway for a Defender or even a Freelander 2 but hey, this is the choice I made and I'm living with it.

Good luck with your search.
If you need any other pointers, feel free to PM me.

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Originally Posted by discoandrew

I bought a D3 a few months ago and to be brutally honest it's cost me a bit to get it up to scratch. On the dirt, they are a sensational vehicle, comfortable, easy to drive, go anywhere. Things to look out for: Make sure you get the suspension compressor checked. They are costly to fix. I got one from the UK for a reasonable price, but it was a pain. Check the front suspension for knocks. Although easy to fix it's just another cost. The electronics can be troublesome, but it's not a nightmare as some make it out to be. I've had a few switches here and there that needed replacing, but most were cheap to replace. There are a few other mechanical things to look for, but generally the diesel motor is a gem. The auto box needs regular servicing despite what LR tell you. Note, they aren't the cheapest car to run. I get around 14-16litres/100km around town, about 7-8L/100 on the open road. Off road they can drop to 15-18l/100 I love my D3, but I would have preferred a Defender. I just couldn't get one for a decent prices or Kms. I'd gladly sway for a Defender or even a Freelander 2 but hey, this is the choice I made and I'm living with it. Good luck with your search. If you need any other pointers, feel free to PM me.

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Thanks, what year and how many kms?

I am going from a 1989 turbo Isuzu 110. Apart from the noise and no air con, I like it better than the Puma 110. The torque from idle in the Isuzu is impressive and the ride is softer, despite being 25 yrs old. The Puma air con and interior is a leap.