Shortage of Disco Parts

[HowardSmall]

A friend recently had the top radiator hose on his D3 go and was told that Land Rover did not have one in Australia. He was so put off that he sold the Disco and bought a Prado. Has anyone else experienced this or a similar problem?

[grey_ghost]

That’s a bit of an extreme reaction. While I have not needed a D3 radiator hose - it is very easy to buy parts for Land Rovers. I have ordered parts directly from the UK and had them on my doorstep less than 1 week later...

[Russrobe]

He probably should have researched Toyota's parts availability first. If it's not in Aus, and a lot of their parts are not as they don't stock them, you have to wait up to 2 weeks.

I've never waited longer than 3 business days to get parts from the UK delivered to my door. And I've ordered a lot of parts over the past 2-3 years while I was getting my high km D4 ready for touring.

Ordered $1000 worth on Friday morning and have a scheduled delivery for Monday...

[Russrobe]

Who wants to pay double the price to buy from Aus anyway.

[HowardSmall]

I think this was the last straw. He does not fix these things himself and expects to be able to go to a Land Rover dealer and have it done. Being told such a crucial part, which can be expected to fail at some stage, was not available got to him. Thing is, I do not doubt him but wonder if this is really the case or if he got a bum deal from his dealer...

I must say I would be a bit peeved, too. All very fine to say these things can be obtained from the UK, but should you have to sit with your car some distance out of town for days or weeks waiting for a simple part for a fairly recent model car? I suspect that will not be the case with his Prado...

[grey_ghost]

I understand his concern about a radiator hose (a common part), but I still think it was an extreme reaction. I had an similar issue with a VW golf a few years ago (car was losing coolant - the engine cover cut through a hose, sound familiar..?)
Anyway - part not available from a dealer. I then rang an independent parts supplier and had the OEM part THAT DAY.
Dealers aren’t always perfect...
Wish he had of sold me his D3!

[Hugh Jars]

Going off and buying a Prado?

That’s a classic example of impulse buying.

[ATH]

Actually Huge Jars... It was a toss up between the D4 and a Prado for us but during a brain storm I went and got the Disco ...... but must say we're very happy with it. So far.
We had a good run with a 120 series Prado and I really did consider another.
AlanH.

[Zeros]

Should have been carrying a spare radiator hose himself. ...Sounds like he was looking for an excuse to swap the disco for a prado.

[DiscoClax]

What Zeros said.