Land Rover Disco 3 - Any good?

Clip-Clop

Lads (and not wanting to leave anyone out on a 4x4 forum) & Lassies,

After one or two ships coming in I've a few quid burnig a hole in my pocket and am looking for a new bus (budget of about 20k - but in the present market would be expecting an awful lot of metal for that money - would prefer to spend closer to 15 but howandever).

Test drove a Patrol.....shudders.........

Have been looking for a decent Amazon but havent found one in that price range that hasn't been thrashed and/or had funny commerical conversions done to it so casting the net a little wider.

Looking for a good Landy 110 but they seem to be non-existent in this country - either mad money or else engines made of 1991-era spaghetti so again so, so far, no joy there.

Process of elimination has led me back to the Disco 3 - lovely to drive, enough toys to stock Smyths and capable of pulling and bouncing around quite happily. However my budget will only let me buy 05 models with reasonably high mileage (100k or thereabouts). As opposed to 'my mate thinks Landys are rubbish, does anyone have experience of owning one with that kind of mileage? They are fabulous yokes - the only grain of sand is there fairly awful rep for reliability and trying to get to the bottom of it.

Any experiences or advice would be appreciated.

101sean

Can't help from the ownership point of view, only test driven new ones and not sure there's many D3 owners on here.

For some reading on the subject try here http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/

V8power

I have a 2006 Land Rover Discovery 3 that I bought in May which has now over 100,000km. I am delighted with it but you have to be cautious when looking out for one to buy!

I bought a base model one which doesn't have air suspension or an auto box. Two areas that can give trouble on them. I believe but I am not sure but I think there were changes in them as regards the fueling and the gear box after 2005 so you are better going for at least a 2006 which is what I did. Its just like any make of car or jeep that's just released there is always a few problems with the first released so you are better buying them after the manufacturer has sorted them all out.

One thing that has to be done on all of them is the egr valves - dealers are flat out doing just them on LR3s and RRSs. Its not rocket science to change them yourself if you detect it before a warning light appears on the dash, easy to notice - slight vary in the revs when stopped in gear at traffic lights for example. I in fact just blanked them off on mine. Its not a fault with them, its just that our fuel isn't as clean as in other countries such as Germany, the fuel is causing the same problem to the egr valves on my neighbours' John Deere tractors.

One thing that I neglected when I was buying mine was the hitch, you will notice that the vast majority for sale have only what I would call a swan neck type detachable hitch. This is way to low for pulling a trailer and not much use AT ALL, I would recommend going for one with the old fashioned adjustable multi-height hitch. Alternatively it will cost you several hundred for an after market one or a ridiculous price for a genuine one.

Bitten & Hisses

Can you give an indication of any money you had to spend on it, outside of routine servicing? How would you rate its towing abilities?

V8power

EGR blanking kit something like €60
http://bellautoservices.co.uk/products/landrover-egr-blanking-kits/tdv6-egr-blanking-kit/

Headlamp bulbs - about €12 both have blown since I bought the jeep, since then have noticed others on the road with only one headlamp but is nothing major.

Adhesive to stick back on side strip on drivers door - got pulled off in the snow when there was snow on the side steps because the strip seems to practically rub them! Another little thing.

Fuse for windscreen washer pump because it blew in the snow!

Eh... diesel, diesel & more diesel.

Bitten & Hisses

I'd be interested to see how the suspension performs from a wear point of view and the expense in sorting it. I do lots of somewhat rapid driving on extremely bad roads and would be interested in seeing how durable the Disco 3's components are.

101sean

Must admit, I'd get a D3 if I needed to replace the 110, getting to the stage I need a bit more comfort! I'd also consider an early L332 Range Rover, both of which can be cheaper than a good Defender station wagon (apart from the road tax :rolleyes:).

Been a few posts on LR forums about the swan neck hitches and people either losing the keys or having the hitch nicked.

OldGuysRule

I'd be interested to see how the suspension performs from a wear point of view and the expense in sorting it. I do lots of somewhat rapid driving on extremely bad roads and would be interested in seeing how durable the Disco 3's components are.

Always intrigues me seeing people wonder how 4x4s will go blasting along rough roads. If you want to go fast, do not buy some thing big which is not really designed for it. It will do it, but you still have to try and stop two and a half tons (sometimes in a hurry), best brakes, good tyres and all, but you are still pushing it, especially on a rough road.

If you want to go fast, get something that can handle it and go somewhere suitable. I really hope the roads you refer to are not public roads.

Gophur

I know of a 2007 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Commercial, 160k km, tested and taxed, for sale?

Never abused, being sold due to limitation on space.

Bitten & Hisses

OldGuysRule wrote: »

Always intrigues me seeing people wonder how 4x4s will go blasting along rough roads. If you want to go fast, do not buy some thing big which is not really designed for it. It will do it, but you still have to try and stop two and a half tons (sometimes in a hurry), best brakes, good tyres and all, but you are still pushing it, especially on a rough road.

If you want to go fast, get something that can handle it and go somewhere suitable. I really hope the roads you refer to are not public roads.

I know what you're trying to imply here and don't appreciate the patronising tut-tutting tone , but this is my story: I drive 20 to 25K miles per year, most of it is a regular route on roads with very poor surfaces. I changed from a car to a 4x4 seven years ago due to the expense and inconvenience involved in replacing suspension components on the car. Since I have changed to driving Japanese-built 4x4's, this expense has reduced significantly. I was hoping someone with longer-term experience of a Discovery 3 could maybe enlighten me as to this aspect of running costs, as I am considering purchasing one at some time in the future.

OldGuysRule

I am not implying anything nor am I being patronising. You said in your post above that you do 'somewhat rapid driving on extremely bad roads'. What are readers to take from that? What did you mean the smiley wink to infer?

If someone are damaging suspension, regardless of the vehicle, then it is not unreasonable to assume they are travelling too fast for the surface in question.

I hope that you find out that / whether a Disco3 or another vehicle will be better and safer for you. Last thing you want is to be driving around with compromised suspension.

Bitten & Hisses

OldGuysRule wrote: »

If someone are damaging suspension, regardless of the vehicle, then it is not unreasonable to assume they are travelling too fast for the surface in question.

Or that the vehicle's design renders it inherently unsuitable for the use mentioned.

coolbeans

In fairness the extra cost of running a 4X4 wouldn't be long in negating any supposed savings you'd make on suspension wear over a passenger car.

Kilmac1

We bought a disco 3 se about a year or 2 ago and tbh nothing major has went wrong our dealer has stood over it fully. mostly the problems are 5p chips and things like that we've put 80,000 miles on it. it walks away with a horsebox with 4 bullocks in it. it isnt too bad off road just needs better tyres. regarding the suspension this has happened us and it drives fine but you just need to drive more carefully when it does happen, it just drops and stays down, when it drops it doesn't swerve so it is pretty safe and the traction and stability control are very very good. each hitch also has a different key. my dad has always driving saloons but when he got into a disco 3 he never got out and he says he never will. he could afford a range rover but too flash and would be scared to take it off road.