Member Since: 16 Sep 2020
Location: GLOS
Posts: 155
Rustboxes all of 'em
Evening all!
So I've been looking for a D3 for about a month now, I've looked at maybe 6 cars in that time. I've seen different ages and both high and low milage but on all but one of them them the chassis and sills (when you can see them) have been a complete state.
Yesterday I looked at an 08 HSE with 80k on the clock, full history a lovely looking car; until you looked underneath and the chassis was rotting front to back under what looked like a couple of layers of black paint. The MOT man had been thorough with his hammer but he hadn't made any holes. I would guess its maybe 2 MOTs away from needing attention. The same dealer had a 06 SE and it was nearly as bad.
When I was doing my research on the D3 rust wasn't really mentioned, especially not the chassis. I understand sills/arches etc are an issue on all used cars, but the chassis rust is surprising me.
Have I just been looking at pups? And no I don't live on the coast
21st Sep 2020 9:52 pm
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
I have seen rust on the chassis when they were new.
But the chassis are thick and can stand a bit of rust, a good wire brush, rust converter and something like Dintrol and they look a lot better.
The sills are another bad area but fan be welded, try to find one thats never had side steps they usually have less rust
21st Sep 2020 10:21 pm
pjm-84
Member Since: 04 Oct 2016
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 2436
Mine is good. Even changed my rusty side steps and was delighted to find very little surface rust behind the covers. At 15years old its better than my D2 at 3years old (LR put a new chassis on it)
21st Sep 2020 11:08 pm
pagoda
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1923
aja4x4 wrote:
I have seen rust on the chassis when they were new.
But the chassis are thick and can stand a bit of rust, a good wire brush, rust converter and something like Dintrol and they look a lot better.
The sills are another bad area but fan be welded, try to find one thats never had side steps they usually have less rust
+1. I don't think chassis rust should be your biggest worry. There's a host of other way more important things to stress about PAGODA
21st Sep 2020 11:13 pm
munst
Member Since: 16 Sep 2020
Location: GLOS
Posts: 155
Mmmm, I might go and view the 08 car again and give it a closer look. I'll try and get some decent pictures and report back, see what you guys think.
Cheers
22nd Sep 2020 4:09 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4400
Mine's a 2007 car, no rust like you speak of. I'm sure they are not all like it.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
22nd Sep 2020 5:12 pm
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
Very clean
22nd Sep 2020 6:47 pm
paul123
Member Since: 22 Mar 2020
Location: norwich
Posts: 230
at least they dont rust like the disco 1 did
22nd Sep 2020 7:13 pm
Olddiver
Member Since: 21 Aug 2012
Location: Beckton, London
Posts: 31
My 2007 quarter million miles XS, working on many off road environmental projects, not a scrap of rust. Perhaps don't confuse surface deterioration with structural failure. I'd guess the LR3/4 chassis will last me out! And in my youth I used to repair vehicle chassis.
27th Sep 2020 1:59 pm
df_tom
Member Since: 10 Mar 2017
Location: Stuttgart
Posts: 127
If you have the slls holes available / open:
best don't take a cheap usb boroscope and best do not look into said sills.
They guys in the factory clearly didnt move the nozzle when they had the two minutes of wax shooting out.
Result: some very well protected parts, and most of the sill rotten as rotten can be.
Very unfortunate. Another reason to have "automotive trust issues"
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