| How reliable has your D3 been while over landing |
| Had to be towed home |
3%
|
3% |
[2] |
| Major problem but could limp home |
9%
|
9% |
[5] |
| Minor problem that did not affect the trip |
11%
|
11% |
[6] |
| Problem was fixable in the bush |
7%
|
7% |
[4] |
| No problems at all |
67%
|
67% |
[35] |
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| Total Votes: 52 |
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coala
Member Since: 06 Jul 2007
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 36
  
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Ye was thinking the same. Nailing your flag to the mast here big time mate. You know how these Cruiser guys are. We will all be holding thumbs for you. How about attaching one of those “official cruiser recovery vehicle†stickers to your bumper – while you at it 
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 17th Jul 2007 11:37 am |
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Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
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I haven't been let down by the D3 yet, and I have done some serious overlanding with it in Botswana, Namibia and Angola. I voted "fixable in the bush", but the problems I have had have been accessory-related, eg. roofracks etc. and the only LR problem I had was a suspension system overheating failure which recovered after a beer or three.
I would take the D3 anywhere, especially with the long-range fuel tank 
Every new vehicle has electronics, don't fool yourself.
Familiarise yourself with the vehicle's systems as far as you can, travel in a group, take a satphone (with the number of someone who can help!), make sure the vehicle is properly equipped for the trip with the right tyres, not too heavily packed, and take the basic spares, ie. filters & oil.
Forget the Landcruiser vs LandRover bull - if anyone is that hung-up on the type of vehicle they (or I) drive maybe I don't want them in my circle of friends anyway.
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| 17th Jul 2007 2:42 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Baben
Dude where have you been ?
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| 17th Jul 2007 2:48 pm |
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Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
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BUSY!
Mrs. been away, kids on holiday, but now all back to normal,
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| 17th Jul 2007 3:18 pm |
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Atacama
Member Since: 12 Jul 2007
Location: Paulshoff
Posts: 174
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I have not voted in the poll as still to do an overland trip with my baby.
Having read Babens post i cannot agree more. From past trips in my defender all of the breakdowns i have encountered have been from poorly prepped and maintained vehicles . MAybe i have been lucky but i have not had a componet fail on me .
Take some time out and spend it on your baby(d3 NOT Wife) find out where things are and what they do. After a service check what the wonderkids at landrover have done, and check what they where supposed to do.
Know how to do the basics .
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| 18th Jul 2007 6:21 am |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Sorry Atacama there was an option in for no trips - but I removed it because it was skewing the poll
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| 18th Jul 2007 6:55 am |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Culled from another website - guess this is another positive 
Just returned from 2nd Dorslandtrektrip. Will hopefully write full trip report with photos. A few observations:
* 3 vehicles, petrol Prado (Anton & Mieneke Vreulink), Disco1 V8 (Jooste, Linda & Belindi Henning), TD6 Disco - 4000km with Bundu Basher trailer(Douw, Nelleke Kruger & 3 kids).
* At moderate speeds on road the Prado is quite economical, the Disco 1 gave more than 6kpl on road and in sand on average and the Disco3 is very economical taking into account the trailer with RTT, 120 liters of extra fuel and 80 liters of water in addition to all the other baggage.
* First night at Karasburg, second at Goba Goba lodge at Gobabis. Lost the Disco3's rear window to a deflected stone on route (R10 000) and rear left tyre (OE Wrangler M&S)
* From Gobabis went to Epikuro, then east with Epikuro Omuramba to Botswana border. Had to bush camp twice in the Omuramba due to distance and low speed. Narrow track with hard bush on both sides is very unfriendly towards fancy cars. I'd say only Defenders can come out of this with its pretty face intact. The others show their scars for life.
* Drove up Botswana border to Gam and then to Tsumkwe where we spent two nights at Tsumkwe Lodge and visited the pans, Bushman settlements and the historic Baobabs.
* Sikeretti in Koudom was quite empty. Only water when the pump 5km's away at Soncana was working but camp manager had no transport and was relying on tourist for assistance. Good time with good hyena and ratel sightings. Road from Sikeretti straight up to Katere very sandy and a challenge with a trailer.
* From Kaudom to Rundu (Kaisosi), Otjiwarongo (Hohenfels), Mariental (River Chalets), Ais-Ais and home. Stone hit Disco3 windscreen near Windhoek (R10 000)
Douw Kruger
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| 19th Jul 2007 9:30 am |
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TiaanS
Member Since: 25 May 2007
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 200
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I am very happy to see that the votes are swinging in the No Problem direction…
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| 19th Jul 2007 11:05 am |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Maybe we should close the poll while we're ahead
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| 19th Jul 2007 12:00 pm |
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Mufassa
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 7
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2005 D3, MAYA GOLD. Used for Launching Jetski's, on the beach, bundu bashing, and pushing the limits regarding 4x4 ing in Mud holes pits and steep inclines. No problems so far but after every outing she gets parked on four ramps and I crawl in underneath with a pressure cleaner. Only problems I have had so far is self inflicted. Right trim scratched and damaged, bonnet scratched, wheel rims scratched and a couple of minor nicks here and there. Apart from that she goes like a bat out of hell. Maybe I got a Wednesday Build.
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| 19th Jul 2007 1:25 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Thanks for coming out of lurk mode Mufassa
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| 19th Jul 2007 2:18 pm |
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catweasel
Member Since: 05 May 2006
Location: Bundaleer
Posts: 4805
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you'll have to start calling him Santa I think.
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| 19th Jul 2007 2:23 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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| 19th Jul 2007 2:36 pm |
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Deondef
Member Since: 08 May 2007
Location: Randburg
Posts: 790
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Heine - the problem with a poll like this is what about all those D3 owners who do not know about this forum ? What % do you think forum members make up of total D3 owners in SA ?
I sat with (another) disgruntled owner at Sandton LR the other day - his vehicle is even newer than mine and had complete engine failure on his way to South Coast. Had to low bed the vehicle from Ladysmith to Sandton.
It will probably be very difficult to obtain this, but somehow ons should be able to get to all D3 failures reported to LR - as all of these vehicles will probably still be under warranty you will get an almost 100% "sample"
The other option is then to market this forum to D3 owners - do you think Martin will pay us commission ???
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| 20th Jul 2007 6:40 am |
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Mufassa
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 7
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I stronly believe in a breaking in period, I stay in Cape Town and purchase all my vehicles in Gauteng, D3 from Midrand etc. I fly up and drive the vehicle back to Cape Town,taking it easy for the first couple of hundered km's and then slowly but steadily working my way up to 140km's for short bursts and then dropping down to 100km's etc, this gives the engine time to bed and then also gives it time to cool down. It's also a long road with no starting and stopping. When taking delivery of my vehicles I check the fluid levels myself, Idling her at the dealership till she's warm and then leaving her for 5min before I check oil etc, and believe me on more than one occasion we had to add oil. I do this after services a well and have come accros low oil levels. During services I make the dealer understand that all bulletins need to be checked against my VIN number and maintenanace should be done accordingly, I have just contacted the dealer and they informed me that they replaced the compressor which was recalled on my vehicle at the first service. If my vehicle lets me down and it turns out that the part was recalled and not replaced during a routine maintenance or service schedule all hell will break loose. Apart from fetching the vehicle where it is they will also be liable for my time lost which translates directly into money. If my vehicle breaks down on route to a destination and I have to sleep over in a hotel due to a faulty part that was recalled and not replaced, Land Rover forfitts the bill for the accomodation. Its like booking a flight on SAA and the pilot knows one of the bolts on his plane has been recalled but still takes the lives of people and puts them at risk. Putting my family in a Discovery which has faulty recalled parts in it does not fly with me. I spend a lot of time out of the country and on more than one occasion LD has met me at the airport where thay take delivery of my vehicle and do checks on it. I also have an oil change done every 5000Km's that I pay for. We know we are running on crappy diesel in South Africa and so does LD, the least that they can do is make us pay for the oil change minus labour. In the long run they will benifit from it due to the reduction of expensive repairs carried by warranties. So not having problems with my D3 boils down to preventative maintenance, making sure the problem is rectified before it actually occurs.
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| 20th Jul 2007 7:32 am |
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