Thread: Disco 3 or 4. Your opinion welcome.

Originally Posted by INter674

Not sure about this but I was told there maybe only a handful of D4 SC V8s in Aus. I've only seen 1 for sale in a year of looking.

Very rare rocket ship 🤤

Not sure whether I was listening properly but I am sure Justin pointed to one on a hoist in his workshop last week in Hobart.

Originally Posted by Tote

I'd go the D4 but consider the last of the D3s as well. After 2008 they fixed the big end issue with the 2.7. Things only got better with the D4.

Regards,
Tote

The D4 2.7l is generally the most reliable of all of them.They will also be cheaper than the 3L secondhand.

As for the SC models,there are not many of them around,so on a % basis,there will be fewer issues noted in forums,etc.

Originally Posted by scarry

The D4 2.7l is generally the most reliable of all of them.They will also be cheaper than the 3L secondhand.

As for the SC models,there are not many of them around,so on a % basis,there will be fewer issues noted in forums,etc.

True but the same SC engine and drive train is v common in Jags n some US cars and rangies...so checking on issues is easy..just search for the relevant engine etc. I did and there's not a lot of issues reported...mainly minor stuff like early water pump and crossover pipe leaks and SC coupler rattles at higher ks.

ZF 8 speed is good with usual maintenance...sealed for life..NO!. Engine is very easy to work on too albeit it's a tight fit....plenty of advice on US forums on eg replacing w pump and coupler...which in a lot of cases should have been done under warranty.

Parts can be a bit of an issue with blank looks at the dealership eg for gaskets...but on line there's plenty of stuff at good prices too. Eaton SCs are well built but do require maintenance every 5 years or so which means it has to come off to do an oil change as the filler/drain is virtually inaccessible. Thanks LR. But again not hard at all once you take a brave pill...and like the g box the sealed for life statement is BS.

Other than that the usual D4 issues crop up eg LCAs etc.

So in 108000 ks my car has had a new designed water pump plus o rings on associated feed pipes fitted (@150 bucks), g box and TC serviced (mmm v expensive but necessary), new rear pinion seal (previous owner), new rotors (ruined by previous owner) and pads (@500 bucks) and new solid SC coupler, oil and bearings fitted (@150 bucks).

Since then..over last 8 months..nothing and...petrol is cheap atm😁

You could always find a GOOD D2a and save yourself about $15K

Originally Posted by trout1105

You could always find a GOOD D2a and save yourself about $15K

I've got a 2001 Disco TD5 that I've had for 10+ years and I've been really happy with it over the years.
Done a few worthwhile mods and I do ANY work on the vehicle myself ... I don't trust anyone else.

I've been seriously thinking over the last year or two .. of upgrading to a Disco 3 or 4 primarily because I need the extra loading/towing capabilities of these two.

I'm traveling Oz .. full time .. and hauling a 3000+kg van as well as a car full of tools & equipment and 2x fridges.

The Disco has been pushed well above it's stated limits and has never really missed a beat. The repairs over the last 10+ years have been very minimal, other than a fairly pricey transmission rebuild, possibly because I service the vehicle (with good quality oils' etc) .... regularly.

A bit reluctant making the change due to possibly much increased maintenance/repair costs on a D3/4 even though I would still be trying to do as much as possible myself.
It's a bit of ... 'the devil you know'

If it wasn't for the lower load/towing capacity of the TD5 ... I'd be happy to stick with it because, as I say, it's been a reliable and rugged machine.

Decisions ... decisions!!

Originally Posted by rapserv

I've got a 2001 Disco TD5 that I've had for 10+ years and I've been really happy with it over the years.
Done a few worthwhile mods and I do ANY work on the vehicle myself ... I don't trust anyone else.

I've been seriously thinking over the last year or two .. of upgrading to a Disco 3 or 4 primarily because I need the extra loading/towing capabilities of these two.

I'm traveling Oz .. full time .. and hauling a 3000+kg van as well as a car full of tools & equipment and 2x fridges.

The Disco has been pushed well above it's stated limits and has never really missed a beat. The repairs over the last 10+ years have been very minimal, other than a fairly pricey transmission rebuild, possibly because I service the vehicle (with good quality oils' etc) .... regularly.

A bit reluctant making the change due to possibly much increased maintenance/repair costs on a D3/4 even though I would still be trying to do as much as possible myself.
It's a bit of ... 'the devil you know'

If it wasn't for the lower load/towing capacity of the TD5 ... I'd be happy to stick with it because, as I say, it's been a reliable and rugged machine.

Decisions ... decisions!!

I had exactly the same dilemma. Ended up lmid last year with a 2010 2.7L (to hopefully get around the crankshaft issue) D4 6 speed and added a light remap to just over 500Nm torque to tow our 3.5T block of flats. The later cars are more fuel efficient with their 8 speed etc and can pull harder, but we are happy to sit on 80 - 90 and help faster ones go past. We did 21K km from here to Qld/NT and back, mainly bitumen, but about 2K km gravel. Had to replace the alternator (at 240K km) and rebuild the front diff, plus a fuel pipe leak, but otherwise pretty good.
Comfortwise, absolutely no comparison, and about the same overall room. Just do it, although I don't like the idea of taking the more limousine D4 some places I was happy to take the D2, even though I know the D4 is capable.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

I had exactly the same dilemma. Ended up lmid last year with a 2010 2.7L (to hopefully get around the crankshaft issue) D4 6 speed and added a light remap to just over 500Nm torque to tow our 3.5T block of flats. The later cars are more fuel efficient with their 8 speed etc and can pull harder, but we are happy to sit on 80 - 90 and help faster ones go past. We did 21K km from here to Qld/NT and back, mainly bitumen, but about 2K km gravel. Had to replace the alternator (at 240K km) and rebuild the front diff, plus a fuel pipe leak, but otherwise pretty good.
Comfortwise, absolutely no comparison, and about the same overall room. Just do it, although I don't like the idea of taking the more limousine D4 some places I was happy to take the D2, even though I know the D4 is capable.

thanks for the reply Gavin ... and good to know I'm not the only one having this dilemma.

Just for interest ... did you find much of a difference in towing ability going to the D4 from the D2 (I assume you had it remapped as well)
I've remapped the D2 and it goes much better .. but towing the van that's over 3 tonne you certainly know it.
I've had in mind going to the 3L engine as I figured, if I'm going to make a change, I didn't want to go through all this to find I'm still under-powered.
Is the D4 still struggling .. but maybe not as much?
I generally sit on 80-85 which is fine by me .. as long as the cars not labouring. I also like to look at the scenery going past

To give a little bit of background behind my advice, I work for one of the larger mechanical breakdown insurance companies here in NZ.
Aside from BMW, Land Rover have the highest risk of a claim and majority of the time its the diesel version. If I was in the market for one I would definitely go down the path of v8 petrol over their diesel offerings.
We still regularly get claims for the 3lt and it would appear they never addressed the issues the motor has with its crankshaft. Land Rover claimed they had fixed it on the D4 however it
still continues in Sports, the last one i did was a 2017.
The Land Rover agents quote engine replacements around $42,000nzd. Just keep that in mind.

Disco 4 is a beautiful vehicle, just go petrol.