Thread: Petrol vs Diesel

To be honest I would be looking at a petrol in that vintage and probably the 4.4l V8 if you are doing mainly country driving and not too much of it.

The diesels can have a few problems and there have been a few crankshaft failures, also timing belts, injector pumps and injectors can get expensive.

The air suspension can be expensive when it wears out and a vehicle of the age you are considering would most likely need new strut assemblies sooner rather than later as the airbags crack and perish, also the air compressors fail from time to time with use (my original is @ 170K now and still going strong). There are a few valves and sensors that can give problems but now the vehicles have been around a while and the knowledge base has grown troubleshooting is a lot easier.

The ZF 6 speed auto must be serviced fairly regularly or it will fail and require rebuilding at approximately $6.5K.

The electric handbrake I have found to be quite reliable but it needs to be cleaned and adjusted regularly if it sees much dirt or mud.

Front lower control arm bushes seem to be a regular consumable (40-80K) but I'm hoping the the new ones from Les Richmond Automotive last longer.
Front wheel bearings and door actuators need replacement occasionally.

Yes they are a complex vehicle and they require regular knowledgeable maintenance to keep them trouble free but they are also very comfortable and capable and a bit of a bargain for under $20K for a good one.

He said timing belts are a particularly big job on these?

The V6 started life as an Essex V6 waaaay back in the 60s or 70s. AFAIR it is the largest volume engine in the World.

They added overhead cams and the timing chains are at both the back and at the front of the motor so it is a body off job.

To do it properly you need a very complicated timing jig.

There is a Utube video in Spanish? on this probably relating to a Ford Explorer which has the same engine.

The advantage is that the last time I looked a few years ago you could get a complete long engine for about USD 2500 from a US Ford dealer.

BTW if you change oil regularly ie more often than the schedule, the timing chains should last a very long time.
Regards Philip A
I just googled Utube Ford Explorer timing Chain Replacement and about 20 or so instances came up. Have a look.

Take a Prado and late D3 for a drive and you will see the difference. If doing low km I would go with a petrol and probably a V6 only because it will be younger than a 4.4 petrol v8. The 4.4 was also released in the Range Rover vogue in 2005-06 with the same ZF 6 speed transmission. The RRV will have a few more goodies but didn't get terrain response until 2007.

Thanks guys. What would the normal interval on a timing chain on the V6 be? Sounds like an important thing to check whether it has been done or not. Body off job sounds scary...

Just to clarify, v6 diesel has timing belt which needs to be changed at 168k km or 7years. V6 petrol has timing chain which i have no idea when its due (is it even on the service schedule?).

The V8 is great but is 05 & 06 only. From then on it was just v6 petrol or diesel. The MY07 and 08 have a slightly different electrical system (the 05-06 has a single high speed canbus system for everything, which means if a brake light fails it can cascade through the system and force the car into limp mode - later models have a low speed canbus system for non critical items so thia doesnt happen) which includes little extras like passenger window auto up/down.

09 models have colour coded wheel arches and bumperettes and i think had a few extra electrical upgrades. Same motor and transmission.

I have an 08 v6 petrol and love everything except the fuel economy. But then it is much cheaper to service than a diesel so will hopefully end up at least the same if not better per year.

If i was you I'd be looking for the lowest km, newest v6 petrol you can afford. If sub 100k km you won't need to worry about the transmission being serviced unless its had a hard life towing, and ongoing maintenance costs should be lower, as everythings less worn.

There's no real reason the d3 petrol should be any more expensive to own than a prado other than the air suspension, yet they are much nicer to drive. Mine costs about $400 every 13k km for a service, with a transmission service every 50-100k km at about $400 too.

Ive also done a wheel bearing, door lock, coolant overflow bottle, air suspension dessicant bottle (air dryer) and the front suspension bushes for about $1900, though for an 8yr old car with 150k km i was ok with that.

Have fun shopping!

Welcome. The V6 petrol is the same motor as in Ford Explorers. The ZF auto is the same as in most Falcon taxis. If your mechanic can't service them or change oils in diffs, well enough said!

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Thanks all for your help, I am now in the market for a petrol Disco 3. I've never driven one, none for sale around where I live, but all the reviews lead me to believe it will be a more enjoyable and engaging drive than a Prado, and what's a car for if not for driving? As far as cost of ownership goes, so far I have a good impression - the free help and support that you guys share on this forum is priceless!

I have seen them advertised in Coffs from time to time. Happy hunting.