Discovery 3 - any experiences?

[gensetsteve]

Thank you for all the useful responses. I will continue to think through the options and test drive a few Discos. If the fuel economy of the D3 isn't so different to a Land Cruiser Amazon then the relative mechanical simplicity and longevity of the LC weighs in its favour even if the D3 is a better driving experience.

 

It's never straightforward is it? But interesting trying to work it out!

 

Cheers, Tom.

 

The 3 year old disco was great to drive. But the 17 year old land crusier was doing all the work while the disco spent it's life at the dealers. In 12 years the Amazon has been faultless. And for the age it's still a nice vehicle and it's still here.

[HertsWood]

Takes Land Rover techies about an hour to lift the body on a disco 3 - only 10x bolts holds the body to the chassis.

[skyhuck]

Takes Land Rover techies about an hour to lift the body on a disco 3 - only 10x bolts holds the body to the chassis.

 

Unless its got a bit of age about it and the bolts don't want to come out and then there are all the elderly electrical connections that start playing up.

[Billy]

Unless its got a bit of age about it and the bolts don't want to come out and then there are all the elderly electrical connections that start playing up.

 

 

....And your probably charged 4 hours labour for that hours work.

[Stubby]

....And your probably charged 4 hours labour for that hours work.

 

Someone has said you don't need to lift the body to change a cam belt . What cant be done on a service without lifting the body ?

[skyhuck]

Someone has said you don't need to lift the body to change a cam belt . What cant be done on a service without lifting the body ?

 

All servicing is done without lifting the body, its replacing parts where it needs lifting, turbo, alternator, etc, etc.

[gensetsteve]

The dealer changed the turbo actuator without lifting the body but it's tight and took a couple of hours. The local independent has made tools to change the turbo and change the belts. You can get to everything on the 4.2 Amazon and if the belts did ever snap they miss and are a safe engine.

[J The Tree]

All servicing is done without lifting the body, its replacing parts where it needs lifting, turbo, alternator, etc, etc.

 

You can do all the above without lifting the body off, turbo thu passenger wheel arch, alternator and cam belt is all on front of engine and relatively easy to get at, I find them relatively easy vehicles to work on without lifting the body

[Tom D]

We had one for a couple of years, nicest car I have ever owned. But i'd never have another. Fantastic to drive and if you have a hi spec one (we had the HSE with TV, DVD multi changer, etc) it really is awesome. But you need to allow around £2k per year to keep it on the road. ours wasn't a bad one but it still cost a fortune. There is just so much to go wrong with them. Like Dave I miss it, but my bank manager doesn't.

[GlobalNewark]

The Independant garage where I go can do the belts without body removal, I did the alternator myself which wasn't easy but possible.