Member Since: 22 Feb 2006
Location: darlington
Posts: 19
Apart....and yet not apart
Only had the disco 1 week and had to go on a 10 day trip to the US on business....bummer! didn't even have the chance to put 300 miles on the clock. However, turned up at the car rental desk at newark airport and ....guess what the rental car was??? yup....a v8 se spec disco 3!!! Quite a few differences of the us spec'd car v's uk spec. No proper navigation system...just one of the crappy bolt on versions, no auto dimming rear mirror...and somehow the build doesn't seem as good to me. The suspension doesn't seem as supple either...maybe they use different settings for US cars?
I know the us cars are built in the uk...but is it possible they scrimp on the build? other than that...still lots of fun. Had a 7 hour drive from New Jersey to pittsburgh and the V8 is a cracking engine...although 15.5 mpg is best I've managed on average.
Still can't wait to get home and get back in mine ....i still think the diesel engine is better!
14th Mar 2006 2:55 am
Tiger
Member Since: 13 Mar 2006
Location: Wales
Posts: 488
I would have thought that QA on US cars would be better if anything. The reason for calling it LR3 rather than Discovery is that the Disco had such a bad rep for reliability.
Send cars over to the US in a worse state would be silly
14th Mar 2006 10:39 am
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
maybe it gets a tough life being a hire car?
agree that if anything, the US builds would be double checked so that LR don't fall foul of the lemon laws although in reality there probably isn't any difference in QA at the factory
14th Mar 2006 10:43 am
Winger Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
There is the other angle: Ford builds hire car models, as do a lot of the major manufacturers. It is possible that Land Rover have built some US vehicles for the hire market that are different in minor ways - to make them cheaper............
14th Mar 2006 10:54 am
grommet
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 331
No, there is no special "hire" Discos here -- there is not enough rental demand to even imagine doing that. Build & QA will be the same, regretably. 8)
For SE V8 trim in North America, the auto dimming rearview mirror is optional (part of the Lighting Package). Navigation is also optional. A simple thing such as tire pressure/wear will impact the suspension feel. Placebo effect also helps. 8)
14th Mar 2006 11:03 am
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
Is the 'g' in your 15.5mpg a small US 'g' or a big UK 'g' ?Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
14th Mar 2006 12:34 pm
stuart27
Member Since: 22 Feb 2006
Location: darlington
Posts: 19
The g will be smaller us gallon.....still scary though. I'm only getting 20 or 21mpg at home in the TDV6, but its brand new and don't expect proper mileage for a few thousand miles yet....it was the same with the 2.7 d jag.
The rental LR only has 6000 miles on the clock so I wouldn't have thought it could have been thrashed that much. New Jersey roads are particularly bad...last time I was over I had a regular rental car and was thrown all over the place! I guess in perspective, the rental disco is doing ok.
Incidentely...didn't mean to overplay the build issue.....its not bad...just feels different to mine. No offence meant to US cousins!
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