stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
  
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| So what's wrong after two years of ownership? |
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After two years of ownership, I thought I'd share my thoughts of the car and for novelty reasons, will be scoring 1-appalling bad through to 5-Excellent for a range of made up categories.
I've based this list on an arduous journey this weekend involving floods, high winds (external), closed sections of M25, aquaplaning morons, sloppy deep mud, deep pot-holes, gravel, variable speed limits and Audi drivers who think that slamming on the anchors at the last camera post of an average speed camera set-up will somehow save them.
1. Vehicle comfort. 4.
Even after enduring 45 minutes stationary on the NCP25 in driving rain, no-one felt the need to complain or stretch. Marked down due to distracting rattle from sunroof over bumps (appeared after I had the cracked sunroof arms replaced. Dealer can't fix.)
2. Brakes. 5.
The weather was very wet and so out came a number of cars who thought that they didn't need to demist their windows. Had to hit the anchors hard twice due to morons pulling out in front of me. Even with heavy surface water, no loss of grip requiring ABS, and a nice progressive feel to the braking.
3. Suspension. 5.
Concrete roads were as usual muted compared to my previous cars, and joints and potholes were soaked up without distress. Off road height worked perfectly through some of the flooded B-roads and ensured there were no dramas created by the submerged potholes.
4. Cruise Control. 4.
Still not entirely happy with the way the cruise control 'overshoots' your required speed when you 'resume last speed', but otherwise no issues. Managed 29MPG in spite of headwinds by setting the RPM at 1900.
5. ABS. 5.
A couple of the b-roads had slick clay running cross them from the fields; and ABS ensured I kept on the straight and true approaching junctions.
6. Auto Wipers. 5.
OK, so at times they're oversensitive. Not so this time. Varied from off to warp 2 as required and quickly enough for me to maintain visibility. Kept windscreen grit free after frequent puddles (is it still a puddle when it's right across the road, or is this technically ford?)
7. Adaptive xenons. 5.
Excellent night driving even in treacherous conditions on winding back roads. Fantastic visibility of rocks, potholes and collapsed ditches at the verges of the roads that stright ahead lights never see till it's too late.
8. DSTC. Ungraded.
As far as I know I wasn't driving stupidly enough for this to kick in, though in fairness I was concentrating hard on the mahem outside.
9. Engine. 5.
I've grown accustomed to the >2007 TDV6 rattle, and am happy with the almost 30MPG that it gives me, along with the acceptable power when needed for (planned well in advance) overtaking. No power loss during driving through deep puddles at speed. Nice.
10. Auto Gearbox. 5.
No searching for the right gear, it behaved perfectly without making a pratt of itself. Handled downshifting without fuss as I braked and accelerated out of a couple of tricky situations.
11. Drinks holders. 5.
Kept everything safe and dry even when the traffic suddenly started moving to clear a path for the fire engines.
12. FBH. 5.
Kept us all toasty even with the engine off. Had car warm and ready to go when we set off.
13. SatNav. 5.
No wrong turns, postcodes led us to where we had to go at each stage and route was best available. TMC didn't let us know about the M25 closure, but then we were probably only 800 yds back from where the accident happened so no-one had a chance to update it in time for us to leave t the previous exit anyway.
14. Sure-footedness. 5.
At no time, even when travelling over the motorway sections I witnessed other cars aquaplaning on, did the car feel like it was going to lose control. Excellent, excellent, excellent.
15. Hi-Fi. 5.
Traffic bulletins continuously interleaved the glorious sound quality from the CD player. Radio re-tuned itself frequently without fuss. I've met some self proclaimed hi-fi nuts that didn't have such a good sounding system as this.
16. Overall. 5.
If I won the lottery, then this is the car I'd buy. I never thought it'd be possible to own a car that works so damned hard to protect the occupants from everything the outside world can throw at them, and still be the most comfortable car to drive.
Sure it has it's foibles and I know over several posts I've whined about a few of them; but let's face it most of them are in the nice-to-have category, and don't make a damned bit of difference when it comes from getting your family safely from A-B across uncertain terrain and in grim conditions.
Guess that's still a big thumbs up for the D3 after two years of permagrin 
Nothing wrong! Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
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 26th Jan 2009 3:38 pm |
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diamond
Member Since: 17 Jan 2009
Location: Dusseldorf, Germany
Posts: 49
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That was a very nice and detailed post at the right time for me who is looking to buy the car
Thanks
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| 26th Jan 2009 4:05 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
 
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| 26th Jan 2009 4:20 pm |
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SJR
Member Since: 09 Aug 2006
Location: East Manchester
Posts: 4030
 
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stapldm
I think your post hits the nail exactly how most of us feel about the D3 
I would not swap mine....
....except for a newer model year HSE
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| 26th Jan 2009 4:32 pm |
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jm105845
Member Since: 21 Aug 2007
Location: dublin
Posts: 271
  
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hi all
having been without a disco for over 2 months now and driving a 1.4 08 golf i have
just ordered a NEW 09 disco
i agree with everything original poster said
ONCE YOU GO DISCO YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK
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| 26th Jan 2009 5:10 pm |
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Oats
Member Since: 02 Oct 2008
Location: Galway
Posts: 26
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After buying an '05 model a few months back, 1 prior owner - all works well so far bar a niggle with BT compatability. Must say, love D3. Had a Jeep Cherokee & Pajero Sport before - no comparision...... delighted with the purchase...
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| 26th Jan 2009 5:25 pm |
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stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
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diamond wrote:That was a very nice and detailed post at the right time for me who is looking to buy the car
Thanks
Happy to help
As my (non-critical!) Land Rover Watch tracker system has failed again (again) today, I suggest that if you're getting a GPS tracker system that you get one from another company  Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
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| 27th Jan 2009 1:40 pm |
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captain_sugar
Member Since: 05 Sep 2006
Location: Hradec Kralove
Posts: 1095
  
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very similar opinion as Stapldm! Some people get by
With a little understanding
Some people get by
With a whole lot more
I don�t know
Why you gotta be so undemanding
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| 27th Jan 2009 2:04 pm |
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Discofever
Member Since: 18 Dec 2008
Location: Norwich, Norfolk
Posts: 86
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Superb post, I agree totally - best 4x4 by far, and I've tried most of them - well done.
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| 27th Jan 2009 7:58 pm |
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DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
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how do you have the patience to post such details.
I get distracted after 5 or 6 lines 
fair play and good review Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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| 27th Jan 2009 7:59 pm |
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