D2 to D3 - who's done it and how has it worked out ?

[tileys]

OK - so I don't even have a D2 yet - I'm considering a D2 but part of me is also considering a D3 which I might be able to stretch to. For those that have experience using both (I'm assuming of course that you probably went from D2 to D3 rather than the other way round ) - how have you found the move - specifically in the following areas :

Did you go from a lifted D2 to a stock D3 ?
Did you go to a D3 S or SE or S with air lift ?
Have you compared the two (D2,D3) in terms of clearance and how the cars handle rough tracks ? - rutted tracks that you tend to bottom out on stock vehicles for example.

On the road I fully expect the experience to show the D3 is a nicer drive but if I do stretch to a D3 I'll have to put on hold plans for locker (may not need it though), lift (again - is a 2" for a coil sprung vehicle less lift than you get with an SE anyway ?), and plans for dual battery, barwork etc. purely from a financial perspective.

Couldn't find these questions asked on a prior thread so apologies if this has been asked before.

Have a good weekend.

[Neil P]

What 4x4 do you have now ? Why do you want a D2 over a LC100 4.2 ?

[Disco4SE]

I agree with Neil P re: a LC100 over a D2, however I would rather the D3 over the LC100.
Had both vehicles myself
Cheers, Craig

[Ean Austral]

I went from a 2001 D2 to a 2008 D3 TDSE and as far as the 2 go the D3 is just streams ahead in day to day driving.

I cant say as far as the rough stuff goes, but my D2 took us everywhere we wanted with ease..Kimberly's, gunbarrel, Canning Stock route, and many other trips and never failed once.

I would love to think I will do the same with the D3 but SWMBO has claimed the D3 so my chances are slim..

Although im sure the D3 would be more than capable, I will likely buy a D2 for my next serious offroad trip.

Cheers Ean

[tileys]

At the moment we've got a Prado 120 d4d but although that is setup with a UHF and dual batteries for pulling the camper trailer around it's the wife's daily drive and there's a limit we are prepared to mod it. I have driven a non turbo 4.2 cruiser around the merinee loop and in and out of palm valley and it was pretty gutless and thirsty when asked to work (we weren't even towing anything). The turbo versions are just astronomical - I drove one the other day that had done 170k had no service history and they wanted 47 for it !

We previously had a 3.5 petrol pajero which was a lovely drive on the road and surprisingly capable off it but not very moddable.

[chuck]

I went from a fairly well sorted 2001 Td5 D2 to 2009 TDV6 D3.

The difference is incredible.

The main difference is day to day running & gravel roads.

Prior to modding my D3 its only fault was it was to low & the driver (me).

I now have LLams & 265 x 70 x 17 MT's - no clearance problems now.

The D3 takes a fundamental shift in thinking in off road driving - it is no longer stick in low & drive.

You have to remember DSC, height control, terrain reponse & comand shift.

If you remember all of the above they are more cabable than a D2 however I have found that its cababilities are greater than my nerve $70K v $20K.

The D3 ability on gravel roads is on another level - I have found that a D2 does not keep up if you are driving at comfortable speeds i.e. not bone jarring, rattle apart speeds.

The other factor is the reliability - the last year of my D2 was $5K in mechanical repairs & I am not including servicing in that cost.

Last year the D3 cost me $1700.00 in service - one major, one minor & brakes all round.

I will purchase the extended warranty at Christmas which will give me 2 years of additional peace of mind.

If you can - go for a 2008/9 D3 as they seemed to have ironed all of the bugs out by then.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Chuck

[ozscott]

I went from a fairly well sorted 2001 Td5 D2 to 2009 TDV6 D3.

...

The other factor is the reliability - the last year of my D2 was $5K in mechanical repairs & I am not including servicing in that cost.

Last year the D3 cost me $1700.00 in service - one major, one minor & brakes all round.

...

Hope this helps.

Regards

Chuck

Its too early to tell Chuck mate. You are comparing an 8 year old vehicle with $5k in the last of those 8 years...wait till the D3 in the year 2017 and tell us about reliabilty and running costs...by then you will likely have done rack, ball joints all round etc and on my reading of this thread you are talking serious dosh for those things. That does not take into account other issues. I am not having a go at D3's just the comparrison given how young your D3 is.

Cheers

[Michael2]

A friend went from a 2005 HSE D3 to a 2004 S D2. While the D3 was awesome, being able to run 16" tyres off road has saved him heaps, let alone all the other service costs.

While the D2 doesn't have as powerful a motor, he commented that the drastic reduction in vehicle weight meant that it didn't really suffer a drop in performance in comparison.

Passangers did prefer the D3.

[Neil P]

....wait till the D3 is in the year 2017 and tell us about reliabilty and running costs ....

I don't think many readers on this forum would touch an 8 year old D3 with a bargepole .......

[ozscott]

No funny that . Cheers