Thread: D3 or stay low tech

Yeh - got to laugh at the steering wheel. Why was that exactly? Did the airbag deploy without needing to? I bet there is more to that story

My wife wants a Prado - the power of marketing I guess and that being very rational she knows that all the other Director of Home Affairs - decision makers out there also have a very strong brand affection for Toyota.

But second hand 1 year old D3 v's the same Prado - I just can't see why you would buy a Prado. To get even close on spec you need to go to the Grande model which is just crazy money and then even this doesn't have the technology where it matters such as the suspension.

I am sure this discussion will roll along in our house for some time to come.
Perhaps I just keep my old bus and get a Golf instead. Decisions Decisions.

Terry

Steering wheel is just the treatment on the leather getting rough. I know someone who had a Toyota and it did that, asked for a new one under warranty; " that is wear and tear sir not covered under warranty."
LR are changing them for new ones without a fuss.

Agree that Toyota have it all over LR with marketing. Get a loaner for a couple of days from a LR dealer and get your wife to drive one. Then take her back to the Prado and see if she still wants one.

Originally Posted by spdterence

My wife wants a Prado - the power of marketing I guess and that being very rational she knows that all the other Director of Home Affairs - decision makers out there also have a very strong brand affection for Toyota.

But second hand 1 year old D3 v's the same Prado - I just can't see why you would buy a Prado. To get even close on spec you need to go to the Grande model which is just crazy money and then even this doesn't have the technology where it matters such as the suspension.

Terry

I wanted to buy a Prado Grande, but at my wife's insistence I went to look at a petrol Disco 3 SE which at the time was the same price (new). Ended up buying a D3 TDV6 HSE.

The D3 is more comfortable, handles better, is more responsive, has real 3rd row seats, and much much more. It really is chalk and cheese. Get your wife to drive one!

The Prado Diesel has similar service costs (they get servces every 5000k's), but gets better use of brakes (replaced D3 front rotors at 36,000 and rears at 48,000) and has arguably better resale. The only trouble we had in 50,000k's was a software glitch that prevented the pertrol filler from opening. Fortunately we had enough fuel to get to a delaer and it was fixed in 40 minutes.

Originally Posted by spdterence

I have a dilemma. Now this possibly could be the best place to ask this question or the worst - lets see what happens.

I have on old 1984 Rangie. Great old bus - excellent condition, on gas, goes a treat. Low stress financially, low concern when scratched or dinged etc etc

However I have to get a new car in January and wondered about the D3.
I know they are good - but I hear all sorts of things around reliability - some forums comments here and there around the odd 'dud' cars being closely related to citrus fruit - all that.

What I can't quite quantify is how often this happens - 1 in 10 - 1 in 20 or 1 in 5. Has someone out there got a feel for this? or am I asking too much on a Disco 3 forum.

Thanks Terry

I have a bad one ..... for which I am taking Land Rover to VCAT in Victoria. That said I dont think that there are many that are really bad, in fact the RACV Inspection Place who have done the report commented that they had not seen one with the problems my one has and that they had seen a few.

The later ones also have the benefit of many parts upgrades especially in the front end however I have lost any faith in either Land Rover as an organisation and the particular vehicle. When the case is concluded it is my intention to make the documents available but until that happens I cant really comment further.

What spec. of D3 is your vehicle Boris ?

Originally Posted by Boris

I have a bad one ..... for which I am taking Land Rover to VCAT in Victoria. That said I dont think that there are many that are really bad, in fact the RACV Inspection Place who have done the report commented that they had not seen one with the problems my one has and that they had seen a few.

The later ones also have the benefit of many parts upgrades especially in the front end however I have lost any faith in either Land Rover as an organisation and the particular vehicle. When the case is concluded it is my intention to make the documents available but until that happens I cant really comment further.

I had a bad VW Golf, replaced once I said i had a solicitor on the case.

Its MY06 TDV6 SE.

Don' really want to say too much more atm but proceedings have been issued against both Land Rover and the Dealer.

Hi Terry.

I have owned 4 Rangies with no problems, But since going to the Disco3, I have had more faults then normally, the Dealer at the Valley at Brissy hasnt been great. Tire probs are my big problem. If I was you, go to a late disco D2, only probs with them are the hoodllining falling.

Rob