Thread: D3 petrol owner possibly switching vehicles, so what next.....

I go around this very dilemma every time the D4 sneezes. I keep coming back to the same conclusion: Stick with the D4.

We recently replaced the duty cycle of the D4 with an electric car, allowing the disco to be retired from the daily school run, shopping trolley duty, etc etc. It spends most of its day parked at an undercover train station carpark, though that too will change shortly, when I start riding a scooter for that.

By dropping the use, there is the obvious flow on effect of lower costs. We still have it there when we go on a trip, want to move lots of people, or tow/lift heavy things, but for all else it enjoys sleeping in the garage.

The downside of this, if you can call it that, is that the justification for a replacement (Defender, Grenadier, whatever) is particularly difficult. Fixed costs like Rego and Insurance won't change (or may even go up), and the lower running costs won't come close to paying off the changeover price of a new equivalent car - anticipated at $140k+.

A used but newer model has been considered. We love the practicality of the disco, but even the newest D4 is now 8 years old, so you're gambling on previous use/servicing. A big risk for what is essentially the same car.
We aren't interested in the D5, the oldest new Defenders aren't my bag (I don't want a 4 cylinder) and the newer used ones haven't depreciated enough to make them enticing. I would love a FFRR, though we would be starting all over with accessories, and that too would be an old vehicle to be in a worthwhile price bracket.

I am conscious too, of looking at the problem through the eyes of a Father of 3 (9, 5, and 1), meaning any car used for our adventures will need to deal with mud, sand, car seats, vomit, Maccas chips, sticky fingers on the windows, etc etc. Not something I want to subject a new car to!

If you like the D3, an option may be to update those elements that are dating? I added carplay to the OEM screen which brings it right up to modern standards for maps, music etc. I retrofitted HSE and heated seats, so it extra comfy. The other stuff like dual batteries and towing electrics maintain its super practical status.

But yes, the pressure of consumerism, and needing to update is ever-present!

Me? Stick with the devil you know.......
Cheers, Rob S

D2 owner here, so this is FWIW. When I was choosing a car to go away in long term I drove all those on your list except the Mitsus. Plus, my son has a GU ( Bitsa, got a TD42 slotted in where the hand grenade used to be, auto, so not a real sample ), DIL has a new Y62. The Trolls are enormous, so are the LC200s. I also looked at converting a 130.

Anyway, boy was it hard to walk away from the D3/4 cars. Nothing on your list drives anything like them, not even close. Her Y62 is a hoot because it goes well and with the modded exhaust sounds like a Supercar, but it ain't cheap to run and it certainly wasn't cheap to buy. Full of niceties like leather, and they got the woodpanel delete ( a must in my view ), but it's still a truck, and drives like one. Good truck though.

People argue with me, but I still think the Prado is awful. Fine in the front, but awful in the back. Son's former Ranger was better in the back.

Isuzus are fine if you want an appliance. They work well and are probably reliable, but they are also forgettable and you'll probably be updating sooner than you'd want.

200/105 are stupid money to have sitting around. IMO, obviously.

I even considered the Everest. I really liked it, but heard of transmission issues that the Ranger allegedly had. I think both have new models now, and I would look again.

BUT, of all of them, all that I drove, it's the Discos I look back on with regret. They just did it so well.

If it was me, I'd keep the D3.

We gifted a cot to one of my wife's colleagues last weekend, and with the rear seats down and a little wiggling to get it through the rear hatch it fit into the D4 without having to disassemble it. I've looked at all of the new vehicles on your list and as far as I'm aware there isn't a single one of them that could do that, you'd need to go to a large people mover or van.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a petrol D4: there was a D4 V8 with very low Kms for sale in WA last week and it was only on Carsales for a day, so others are obviously thinking along my lines.

Late model D4 would be my pick MY16, ideally one with all the mods and options added by the PO.

If you want to stay with LR,i would go to a D4,either petrol or diesel,whatever you want.
Petrol is less popular but seem to have less problems.
As you know any LR will probably have a few issues and need work.

Downsizing,Mitsy Sport are pretty good,one of my brothers has had a couple,and they have been very good.

Anything Toyota will cost big money.

Diesel Patrols are getting on a bit,but there are some good examples around.

After having a D4 for almost 10yrs, we needed something new,and ended up with a LC200,just before Covid so got it at a good price.No new LR suited us for various reasons.
The 200 has been fantastic,like a breath of fresh air compared with any of the 4 new LRs we had over the years.
But still early days,it is only 3 yrs old,but does do over double the Ks each year than the D4 did.

Originally Posted by Tins

D2 owner here, so this is FWIW. When I was choosing a car to go away in long term I drove all those on your list except the Mitsus. Plus, my son has a GU ( Bitsa, got a TD42 slotted in where the hand grenade used to be, auto, so not a real sample ), DIL has a new Y62. The Trolls are enormous, so are the LC200s. I also looked at converting a 130.

Anyway, boy was it hard to walk away from the D3/4 cars. Nothing on your list drives anything like them, not even close. Her Y62 is a hoot because it goes well and with the modded exhaust sounds like a Supercar, but it ain't cheap to run and it certainly wasn't cheap to buy. Full of niceties like leather, and they got the woodpanel delete ( a must in my view ), but it's still a truck, and drives like one. Good truck though.

People argue with me, but I still think the Prado is awful. Fine in the front, but awful in the back. Son's former Ranger was better in the back.

Isuzus are fine if you want an appliance. They work well and are probably reliable, but they are also forgettable and you'll probably be updating sooner than you'd want.

200/105 are stupid money to have sitting around. IMO, obviously.

I even considered the Everest. I really liked it, but heard of transmission issues that the Ranger allegedly had. I think both have new models now, and I would look again.

BUT, of all of them, all that I drove, it's the Discos I look back on with regret. They just did it so well.

If it was me, I'd keep the D3.

And so he bought an...............

Oka

🤪😇😂

Originally Posted by TonyC

And so he bought an...............

Oka

🤪😇😂

I did. Unusual choice to some, but it meant that I could avoid having to tow, it is extraordinarily capable, and they drive far more like a car than you can imagine. Ian could tell you the kind of track I drove out on with a freshly broken vertebrae. I drove it home to Melb from Bris just before Christmas. On Christmas Eve/Day I did 18 hours straight ( don't tell the RMS ) and was able to walk when I got home. So, it's comfortable enough for me, any halfway decent spanner twirler can fix it, and apart from a shower I can live in it for some time. Only the Mulgo converted 130 can do what I wanted as well, and I'll bet 18 hours in a Deefer would be, well, different.

Obviously, all the cars on the OPs list would be more refined. The Discos by a country mile. They just didn't suit.