Thread: Pre purchase D3 questions.

Originally Posted by chilli

To help you out a bit more mate the following is what you need to look for in a second hand D3 based on my 2008SE.. I’ve been bouncing around whether to sell it or not lately so I’ve had all this bouncing around in my head:

• New or reco box done with transmission pan (absolute must ($6-10k)
• air suspension replaced (must)
• park brake system replaced ($2k)
• fuel line system replaced ($3-4k)
• ask when alignments were being done did they have it put in “alignment” mode prior.. this creates a ton of issues with front and rear if they haven’t and will shock you how many don’t get specialist alignments.

These are the main ones mate.. my engine blows people away cos it’s got 250k on the clock but I’ve akways done long distances, never towed and used it like god intended too off-road with oil & filter religiously replaced every 10k. There’s a thousand $500 fixes that come with the D3 but I can tell you apart from the omg majors that come with it, it’s one helluva rig and I’ve never not been able to complete my mission off road ☝️
On road I have never driven a better 4wd, even had a brand new paj in 2016 for 12 months and was just counting the weeks until I had the cash to reco my box... driven a ton of different top range dual cabs and wagons and they don’t get near it! So much so with my new job I’ve been offered any 4wd I want and I’m like... can’t I just do some touch ups on my own rig
anyways I digress...main point is do not buy a 2nd hand disco which does not have a reco or new box in it mate!! It’s not worth the pain mate!!

Hmmm
The box is heavily dependent on what it’s been used for. Towing really wears them out and most that have been towing big caravans get tired.
Brake lines? More of a euro issue I believe as the salt corrodes the lines. Yes, expect air suspension. Park brake? Just keep it serviced and they last just fine. Alignment is a simple thing to have done after purchase.

Suspension aside, 245,000km and I had none of the other issues, and my boxes service was first done at 220,000km.

Everything you say are reasonable considerations, but don’t always apply.

So, I've narrowed it down to a few cars, getting one withing a 200km radius would be a plus for me.

1. A 2010 D4 with 220,000km. City car, no extras, but boy are they nice! Silver, black leather (askinging $25000)
2. A 2005 HSE D3 180,000km. Roof racks, towbar, Difflock and rear a/c (asking $21000)
3. 2x other SE's with rear a/c, and around 200,000km, all seem to have good service history. One has had a few things replaced like air compressor, fuel pump, timing belt etc.

Wife likes the D4 and so do I, but an older one with lower k's is cheaper and optioned better and I can feel better about bush bashing in it.

Decisions decisions

Personally being a long term keeper of mechanical objects I like the simple choice as less to go wrong. Less turbos, no electric seats, no mirrors that fold in and out. Less gremlins for same enjoyment

Option 1. I assume it’s a 2.7. IMHO 220,000 km over 7 years (ie 30,000km /yr) is better than slightly less over more years. To me 30,000km a year indicates a good proportion has been HW driving, which is lower stress on brakes, suspension, motor, trans etc.

Originally Posted by rar110

Option 1. I assume it’s a 2.7. IMHO 220,000 km over 7 years (ie 30,000km /yr) is better than slightly less over more years. To me 30,000km a year indicates a good proportion has been HW driving, which is lower stress on brakes, suspension, motor, trans etc.

Spot on. Mine was 200,000km in 2016 and had done long miles cruising out of town to the country each day. Essentially it sat in 6th at 1800rpm most of its life. Even better he rarely towed and not heavy stuff so the box is still unstressed. I couldn’t be happier.

How can I find out from the VIN if one I am looking at has a diff lock fitted from factory? Is there a Landrover number I can call?

Make yourself a free account on Topix and enter the VIN. It will tell you everything that is available to it on the car. I have the details of all four Land Rovers that are in my family. Less info available for D3's than D4's though.

It is easy to see by looking at the diff if you have access to the car. It has a bit like an electric motor attached to the top if it is an ediff.

Ediff makes no difference to the capability of the car so you don't need to get hung up on it. It will save some of the single wheel braking in extreme conditions but the traction control works fine without it. In fact, my 2014 L405 Range Rover performs better in crossed up axle conditions without a diff lock than my D4 does with a diff lock. They both get through but the L405 does it much easier. My son's V8 D3 with no diff lock does it a bit harder again but still gets through with no problems. Just a bit more slipping of wheels until the traction control sorts it out.

Originally Posted by BobD

Ediff makes no difference to the capability of the car so you don't need to get hung up on it.

I need to be belted around the head with a paddle with this written on it. I need to stop thinking that a e-diff would be better than without, I guess it's not a diff-lock in the traditional sense. But this info has helped me broaden the number of cars I can now consider