Thread: D3 Quick rundown for the uneducated?

Although you're looking at a, say, $20k to $30k or so purchase, you must understand that you are buying a $100k state of the art (then) vehicle with the premium servicing required for such a car.
As the car ages, the complexity of servicing does not diminish. Nor the costs. Also, things wear out and some things break. These are expensive things that were once state of the art and in all probably have since been significantly improved or rendered obsolete. And in all probability any associated software or firmware is no longer supported.
This doesn't mean a ten year old car can't be good value, just don't be fooled into thinking that you can buy a $100k car for $20k after a decade and only budget for ten year old car servicing.

See the for sale section!

So as it happens I have a customer that is now looking at moving from his Defender to a Discovery 3 or 4 and it would seem the options are:

*buy a older D3, cheap expect to do numerous items. (not being considered by me).
*buy a last model D3 for really not that much less than a D4.
*(round 30K - $35K) buy a D4 with low km's and no extras (bullbar etc) and get these items fitted.
*(round 30K - $35K) buy a D4 with higher km's with all the extras.

The last two are in budget.

2011 Land Rover Discovery 4 2.7 TDV6 Automatic SUV | Cars, Vans & Utes | Gumtree Australia South Perth Area - South Perth | 1227628687

I have a 2008 4.0 petrol V6 D3 SE and over the past 4yrs of ownership i have done the following maintenance:

- front LCA rear bushes: total $265 as I did the labour (can cost around $1k otherwise)
- new fuel pump: $450 and i did the labour
- new rear wheel bearings: $500 a side ($1000 total)
- new front wheel bearings: $465 for both but i did the labour (they're not hard)
- fixed a transfer case leak and had a rack end replaced: $1650
- new front air struts: $900 for non-genuine. I think I will get genuine next time as I'm not a huge fan of these
-new alternator: $620 for a Denso OEM and i will fit it myself.

Total is $5350 or thereabouts, not including regular servicing (which is $350-450 per service)

Damn. I wish I didnt add that up :bawl:

I also have a busted drivers door seal and a damaged passenger one thats not so bad (they are expensive) and the centre console vinyl is badly cracked and I need to repair that. The air compressor probably needs a rebuild (not sure whether to rebuild or replace yet).

That said, the car is soooooo practical, it fits me and all 6 of my real adult friends and my family of 4 can easily fit all our camping gear. Its also great off road and much better on road than similar aged 4wd wagons. I also sleep better knowing that my family is much safer in this than our old 94 camry (which was muuuuuch cheaper to run)

Originally Posted by Disco-tastic

I have a 2008 4.0 petrol V6 D3 SE and over the past 4yrs of ownership i have done the following maintenance:

- front LCA rear bushes: total $265 as I did the labour (can cost around $1k otherwise)
- new fuel pump: $450 and i did the labour
- new rear wheel bearings: $500 a side ($1000 total)
- new front wheel bearings: $465 for both but i did the labour (they're not hard)
- fixed a transfer case leak and had a rack end replaced: $1650
- new front air struts: $900 for non-genuine. I think I will get genuine next time as I'm not a huge fan of these
-new alternator: $620 for a Denso OEM and i will fit it myself.

Total is $5350 or thereabouts, not including regular servicing (which is $350-450 per service)

Damn. I wish I didnt add that up :bawl:

I also have a busted drivers door seal and a damaged passenger one thats not so bad (they are expensive) and the centre console vinyl is badly cracked and I need to repair that. The air compressor probably needs a rebuild (not sure whether to rebuild or replace yet).

That said, the car is soooooo practical, it fits me and all 6 of my real adult friends and my family of 4 can easily fit all our camping gear. Its also great off road and much better on road than similar aged 4wd wagons. I also sleep better knowing that my family is much safer in this than our old 94 camry (which was muuuuuch cheaper to run)

That’s it Pay Now as in the purchase price reflects the correct maintenance and upkeep the owner spent or Pay Later when you are forced to do it. The difference in price should reflect this.

It’s why Body Corporates collect a fund for building maintenance needed down the track (in theory).

So if you have $30k to spend only buy at $30k if everything is done 100% and more. If not spend only $25k or less and consider the $5k as contingency or a essential work to do fund not a new set of mag wheels or spotties fund.

Keeping a boat on the water or a plane in the air takes big injections of cash along the way. Car no different really just softer laws on what’s acceptable.

Dont listen to the dooms dayers, just be aware of the possible issues. For your use i think a petrol V6 would suit you, not quite the economy but better suited to local runs.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Dont listen to the dooms dayers, just be aware of the possible issues. For your use i think a petrol V6 would suit you, not quite the economy but better suited to local runs.

When we researched before we bought the Antichrist it look for all intents and purposes that the V6 & V8 petrol didn't differ significantly in consumption. If I knew then what I know now I'd have bought a V8 petrol.

Have just been through this myself. Previously owned a series 1 disco with 420000 km on clock, Defender with 250000 km on clock when I got rid of them. Many years passed where there wasn’t a need for a 4wd, until the family out grew a sedan.
Disco 3 made perfect sense and the choice was made to rule out the diesel without even test driving one. After countless hours of research I decided even the fuel economy isn’t the best petrol was the safer route for us. Wanted the V8 but unfortunately none for sale in qld at the time and Victoria where the majority of the very limited few that are for for sale was simply too far to travel. Had initially ruled out the v6 petrol but stumbled across a 2009 that had full service history with near all the known issues that prop up in the disco 3 replaced, plus gearbox, transfer and diff oil changes & Upgraded AMK compressor. Imaculate condition as well.
You often hear the v6 petrol is under powered but we find it perfectly fine.
Fuel economy for city driving has been around 400 - 450 km between fill ups. Haven’t done a long highway trip but a little stint up the motorway saw the dash showing 8.2 km/L. So probably get about 500 - 550km on a longer trip.