Might be swapping the D2 for D3

[jay2578]

What do you guys reckon? Capabilities any different? comfort etc?

[frosty]

  never owned one but i have recovered lots! mainly with electrical problems...

[jay2578]

Oh, that sounds good!

[thermidorthelobster]

What do you guys reckon? Capabilities any different? comfort etc?

Have you ever been in a D3?  They're massively different;  much more refined inside, drive better, more powerful, handle well (independent suspension), etc.  If you're considering one without having been inside one, that's a must, you'll love it.

Off-road D3s are superb;  time and time again I've seen D3s on standard tyres getting through when just about all others (including my own D2, and Defenders, and swamp-tyred Rangies etc) have been getting stuck.  They're phenomenal.

I reckon about the only thing better would be a D4, if you can afford one.  Reliability wise I haven't had enough experience to comment, but I will say we took one around Iceland for a month and it never skipped a beat, whereas we did have problems with 300tdi and TD5 vehicles.

[jay2578]

Now thats what i wanted to hear!

[frosty]

  and if im being totally honest..id have one in a heartbeat! there was a perod a few years back where i remember recovering 6 d3 of a 4 day period..now a days its much better...

[jay2578]

I ave seen a few vids of a D3 going where all others failed, one of the reasons i`m looking at the swap. I`m just wanting pros and cons from a few other people, hence the post

[JPJ]

Get yourself to www.disco3.co.uk and spend some time reading!
If you're going to buy through a dealer make sure you get a cast iron warranty/guarantee and make sure you go on a decent test drive and test all of the toys including the high>low box and suspension settings.

[jay2578]

Thanks for the link JPJ, much to learn!

[steve lewis]

ive had both a td5 & a D3, no contest, the D3 will take the [throw it] out of the D2 td5 off road.... Reliabilty wise the td5 is better, Unless u know a lot about elecs & ECUs & stuff they are strictly hands off!!! Ive had 2 lots of EGR valves go, Air susp module go, leaking windscreen, uneven tyre wear,  brakes need changing every 20k,not what you want when youve parted with

[john656]

I would love to be able to afford the D3. I've driven everything from a 200tdi to a d4. 
The disco 3 is by far my favorate as it is a lot for not alot, stick it in D and just waft along the ride is amazing for such a huge vehicle and If they have a locking rear and centre diff they'll be almost unstopable. Not a fan of the manual box so would have to have an auto plus makes wafting alot easier.
Not sure about their reliability but who owns a land rover and can put their hands up and say yea not problems to date :-. love the vehicles regardless.
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U-yFmnu0sY

Watch that and skip to 2 minutes. If you still need convinsing after  [-X [-X

[steve lewis]

just make sure you get one with a cast iron warranty ! ;) your gonna need it!!! lol

[john656]

just make sure you get one with a cast iron warranty ! ;) your gonna need it!!! lol

Are they that bad or just typical LR?

[steve lewis]

on a good day they are truely brilliant. i used to tow a 23 ft twin axle compass rallyee with mine, & i can honestly say it was like theres nowt on the back, i had my ECU remapped up to 250bhp, downside to that is a lot of smoke out the back, & i do mean a lot. also with giving it plenty of right foot it blown the EGR valves out, so went into 'limp' mode, a trip down to the main stealers later that week same thing happened. Also land Rover will only repair 1 item under warranty only the once, i had a bit of an argy bargy with the service manager at trinity in hinckley, after the electric parking brake packed up for the third time & wouldnt do owt about it. the upside is it is brilliant off road, i took mine on a open day, got round the course on only just legal road tyres..they will leave other cars behind in standard form. you pays your money you takes your chance. :-k

[chris.hunt22]

My 2 pence worth.......

My boss was after a capable off roader the other year after he got stranded at home on a few occasions in the snow (he has an Audi A5 cabrio and his wife a corsa VXR!!), I talked him into a D3 and he duly parted with

[bigfatsi]

Another ex D3 owner and disco3.co.uk member here.

Brilliant car, ultimate family motor really. Excellent off road, completely different to a D2 in almost every way. But very unreliable. Tesco warranty got hammered and then had to switch to Warranty Direct. Started to get pricey. Can't see them getting better with age, only worse.

Summation, buy as new as you can with a cast iron warranty and put a few quid away for repairs in the longer term. If you're looking at an older model and you're not rich (I'm not, hence an ex D3 owner) then beware.

HTH

Simon

[Terminus]

I'm also a member of the disco3 forum and generally there is often a lot of negative press about the D3  but taken in context as far as I'm concerned it's a very good car. I have a 2005 D3 and have had no major issues with it at all.  I've changed the discs and pads which you would have to do on any car as for every 20k? Not in my experience.  You'll find more happy owners that sad ones and remember 100 negative comments on the internet doesn't represent the thousands of happy owners   

As a car it really is a beast both on and off road, it perfoms where many others fail to achieve.  Yes you can get issues but with so many toys it is inevitable something will need fixed from time to time, show me a car that doesn't.  Even better show me a LandRover that doesn't!

I looked at the D4 and you know what .... they can keep it, they made it too bling and took out the functional and tried to go all Range Rover a bit too much with colour coded wheelarches and bumpers etc etc.  The cup holders were moved back and now try using them, not unless you're double jointed 

I'd say if anyone is thinking of a D3 go for it because it truly does put a huge grin on your face!

[jay2578]

Thanks for all your views guys, but after much deliberation and many expensive repairs on the D2 I have decided I`m going back to old defenders that I can fix with spit, chewing gum, electrical tape and wood when it breaks.
 Seriously, it has had a good bit of money spent on it, I think the most expensive thing I bought for the 110 when I had it was 4x new fuel pipes, which cost around

[Terminus]

True the Defender is easier to fix  a fine 4x4, all the best with your next motor.

You could wait and get the skoda yeti .. no wait sorry DC100  if it ever comes out in it's current somewhat ugly and overworked concept.

[jay2578]

No thanks! That thing is nasty! I was trying to describe it to the wife when a Yeti came around the corner "like that" I said.
 Her reply is not suitable for Mud club forum members, your ears are too delicate! lol

[Terminus]

  yep I fully agree, I'm all for progress but someone ought to tell the designers at LR to say no to drugs!