Petec1982
Member Since: 19 Jul 2013
Location: Northampton
Posts: 17
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| D3 purchase advice required... |
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Hi all
New to the forum and doing a bit of digging before shelling out some hard-earned on a D3!!
Decided it's time to invest in a weekend warrior...we both have company cars that we turn every 3-6 months and we are getting fed up of being frightened to put anything more that a tesco bag in the boot for fear of scratching them and the subsequent bill  !!
I'm new to LR but looking at the choices out there the D3 gets my vote - needs to be able to cope with Kayaks, bikes and dogs - ideally at once!
Got around 11-12k to spend so I guess that puts me in 2006 territory. I'd be interested to know views on which model to go for... Auto SE with leather seems like the best bet if I want something with sensible miles??
Anything to avoid...(I'm guessing 5 seat coil sprung?!)
Ta muchly!
Pete 
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 13th Aug 2013 6:39 pm |
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grzesiul
Member Since: 11 May 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 6330
  
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I got coil sprung and leather and it does all what SE can do with ease and does not go into limp mode cos of broken brake bulb LOL
avoid them all if you like to have piece of mind and do not want to become mechanic
G
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| 13th Aug 2013 7:00 pm |
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sean 471
Member Since: 26 Apr 2011
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 2990
 
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Don't be worried about high mileage as long as its been serviced and all bills are on hand. In my opinion auto is best but some may differ. Get a spec you are happy with read the posts on here.
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| 13th Aug 2013 7:14 pm |
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Ent
Member Since: 12 Oct 2007
Location: In the cack
Posts: 6485
 
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Skip the D3 and get a D4, they're miles better  Club Exped trailer
Club Timed Climate
Club Flappy paddle steering wheel
Club 300bhp
Club Prospeed test pilot/lab rat
Club National Luna Stella conditioner
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| 13th Aug 2013 7:23 pm |
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Petec1982
Member Since: 19 Jul 2013
Location: Northampton
Posts: 17
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Ent wrote:Skip the D3 and get a D4, they're miles better
If you can let me know where I can get into one for 12k it's a deal 
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| 13th Aug 2013 7:25 pm |
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John P
Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1279
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grzesiul wrote:avoid them all if you like to have piece of mind and do not want to become mechanic
G
A very wise man has spoken. 
If I was doing this all again, I would have bought a Toyota. But I do love my D3, but have spent a fortune on it fixing all the faults, so I want my monies worth so am hanging onto it.
Regards
John
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| 13th Aug 2013 7:29 pm |
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grzesiul
Member Since: 11 May 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 6330
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John,
I agree fully but regardless of reliability BS it has never got to the point of stopping un-drivable no matter where we went in it so I can't stress enough how cool car it might be if only taken care of well
on the other hand how much space is there behind that D44 winch mount you got there, I am still thinking of it as can't convince myself to put external mount on
and coilers rule
G
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| 13th Aug 2013 8:08 pm |
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John P
Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1279
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G
I agree. The D3 is a fantastically versatile car. It can go virtually anywhere any other 4X4 can, but in pure comfort. I'm lucky that I can work on my own cars, and have a MSV2 for fault finding etc. The only thing that worries me is the cambelt tensioner snapping out of the aluminium casting, destroying the engine.
Pete, in all seriousness, the D3 is a nice car. Have a read of the below thread, as this is what happened to me, so you need to look out for the below.
http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic81766.html
As for the D44 winch mount, there was plenty of space, as the standard bumper is removed and replaced with a whole new D44 bumper, which includes the winch tray. The nice thing about this is that you get two very strong recovery points at the front.
Cheers
John
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| 13th Aug 2013 8:55 pm |
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luv_my_v8
Member Since: 14 Feb 2011
Location: Ross-shire
Posts: 83
 
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I had a coil-sprung and now have an air-sprung GS. The only downside for me of the coil-sprung was the (relatively) low ground clearance, but I do drive on a lot of rutted tracks so it was important. Apart from that it was a fine car.
One thing to bear in mind if you're in 2005/6 territory, is that those registered prior to (I think) Feb 06 pay around half the road tax of the later ones. I wouldn't deliberately buy old just for this benefit, but if that's your budget anyway it would make sense. It would be a shame to buy one just fractionally newer and not get the advantage of the lower tax if you weren't aware of it.
It's worth noting that I am writing this as a Discovery nutcase, having had a Series 1, two Series 2's and two Series 3's, but I have to say the D3 is an incredibly versatile vehicle. It will certainly cope with the dog, bikes, kayaks, etc as well as giving you limousine-style comfort. It's immensely capable off road as well as on, the driving position is superb and it has a quality feel to it. Although it's comfortable, luxurious and techy, at its heart it's a Land Rover. Interior trim is hard wearing, controls and instruments are chunky and functional. I've had two episodes when I "strayed" from my loyalty to the Disco; an Isuzu pickup and a Land Rover Defender. On both occasions I've drifted back!
Do get some kind of warranty with it though.
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| 13th Aug 2013 9:49 pm |
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Petec1982
Member Since: 19 Jul 2013
Location: Northampton
Posts: 17
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Thanks for the input guys... I'm not afraid of spending a few quid during ownership- that's part and parcel of running a car like this. ..just want to make sure I avoid any obvious pitfalls at the start.
Stacks of history and the 105k/7 yr belt change now top of the list though!
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| 13th Aug 2013 10:35 pm |
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Thelo3
Member Since: 23 Feb 2011
Location: Nothamptonshire
Posts: 287
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pm sent  D4 HSE Lux - Santorini, Privacy, RLD Protector
D3 Stornaway Grey - Gone but not forgotten.
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| 15th Aug 2013 12:21 pm |
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robo
Member Since: 30 Jul 2010
Location: solihull
Posts: 298
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just to add my two pennyworth,i bought a 2006 se,in retrospect i wish i had gone for a 5seat coiler as i never use the 7 seats and i personaly am not over keen on the ride on air,plus after having the cost of a new compressor to contend with just after purchase put me off a bit, but when its running right cant fault it,all the help and info is right here.good luck gone not forgotten 2 classics
gone forgotten 2 p38s
current d3 se 2006 td standard for now
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| 15th Aug 2013 3:26 pm |
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MarkOne
Member Since: 23 Jul 2011
Location: County Antrim
Posts: 3345
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If your going to buy one that age you might as well buy one with all the toys.
Get a HSE you will be pleased.
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| 15th Aug 2013 4:45 pm |
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Petec1982
Member Since: 19 Jul 2013
Location: Northampton
Posts: 17
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MarkOne wrote:If your going to buy one that age you might as well buy one with all the toys.
Get a HSE you will be pleased.
Tempting....although some of the sunroof woes people have suffered makes me think it could become an expensive water feature! 
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| 15th Aug 2013 11:17 pm |
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BLFarrar
Member Since: 02 Aug 2006
Location: Deepest, Dankest, Darkest, Dingiest......Le Halifax, West Yorkshire...with strong links to Ireland
Posts: 6222
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Petec1982 wrote:MarkOne wrote:If your going to buy one that age you might as well buy one with all the toys.
Get a HSE you will be pleased.
Tempting....although some of the sunroof woes people have suffered makes me think it could become an expensive water feature!
dont believe everything you read - my sunroof is original & doesn't leak at all & never has
just buy a D3/4....awesome vehicles BREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
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| 15th Aug 2013 11:27 pm |
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