Member Since: 10 Nov 2018
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 1
Confused, do I join the club or not?
Hi all,
I’m looking at getting myself a D3 but i’m just confused to bits as to whether I should or not, and if I do, which year?
I’ve read so many conflicting stories of ‘steer clear of this year’ to ‘any year is fine’ to ‘buy pre 07’ to blah blah.
Can anyone clarify for me if there are certain years I should steer clear of or is it just the usual case of buy on condition and history?
Thanks
10th Nov 2018 8:36 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6570
Welcome.
The latter.
I think it amounts to a combination of:
- mileage
- verifiable car history
- condition when you view it (also underneath)
- gut feeling
- price
- the time you intend to keep the vehicle
Do keep in mind that the oldest vehicles are built 2004 so they’re 14 years old. That means either they’re really or had [preventive] maintenance. It also means that some things really are at the end of their designed/engineered life and need replacements sooner or later.
I’ve got no complaints of my 2005 vehicle, it’s functionally sound (knock knock) and there isn’t much to nitpick on it beyond some scratches on the paint and surface rusty bolts...
There are things you might want to look out for to help you either steer clear of a vehicle or not. There are various checklists on these forums which are/were really useful at least for me when I looked at D4 and D3s.
Total cost of ownership (TCO) kind of depends how handy you are yourself or whether you take it to the shop for every thing. Some parts are rather expensive as genuine ones and regular upkeep is necessary. There are plenty of things one can DIY however. I would also advise for getting a good diagnostic tool, a lot of forum members would probably recommend IIDtool but there are of course others. YMMV.
There are forum members who are selling vehicles with known history and sometimes really nice mods so you might want to take a look at the for sales section.
Good luck in your search.
10th Nov 2018 8:44 pm
Sea Raider
Member Since: 01 Nov 2016
Location: None
Posts: 4450
Pre March 2006 have cheaper road tax
by cheap I mean £315 a year, don't know what post 2006 pay
10th Nov 2018 9:03 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72786
£555 for post March 06.
10th Nov 2018 9:05 pm
Sea Raider
Member Since: 01 Nov 2016
Location: None
Posts: 4450
blurrrry hell, thank god mine is Feb 2006
10th Nov 2018 9:07 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72786
£20 a month more, nothing in the grand scheme of running a D3.
Last edited by DSL on 10th Nov 2018 9:22 pm. Edited 1 time in total
10th Nov 2018 9:10 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6570
~610 EUR here for the V8... ~678 for the diesel Volvo. Taxes are sometimes funny... (taxation doesn’t change retroactively even in our socialist paradise)
10th Nov 2018 9:14 pm
Discomadness
Member Since: 19 Jan 2015
Location: Caerphilly
Posts: 2256
DSL wrote:
£20 a month, nothing in the grand scheme of running a D3.
£20 a month ? Del you been on the vino ? Mine is 07 and £44 a month. Well she was when On the road. She’s laid up at the min. Jarrod
Current : D3 2007 HSE - AKA the lemon
-beanie grille
-detango with led bulbs
-club body off rebuild. TWICE.
10th Nov 2018 9:21 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6570
Has to be less than a half tank of diesel over there..?
10th Nov 2018 9:23 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72786
Discomadness wrote:
DSL wrote:
£20 a month, nothing in the grand scheme of running a D3.
£20 a month ? Del you been on the vino ? Mine is 07 and £44 a month. Well she was when On the road. She’s laid up at the min.
Forgot that little 4 letter word, more.
And of course. Venison steak rolls with a rather cheeky Chilean Malbec. Well for starters.
10th Nov 2018 9:24 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6570
“More vino”?
10th Nov 2018 9:25 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72786
If you insist.
10th Nov 2018 9:26 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6570
Suits you, sir, suits you!
(I’ll get my coat right about now)
10th Nov 2018 9:27 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72786
10th Nov 2018 9:28 pm
Discomadness
Member Since: 19 Jan 2015
Location: Caerphilly
Posts: 2256
kajtzu wrote:
“More vino”?
Oh well if you insist... Jarrod
Current : D3 2007 HSE - AKA the lemon
-beanie grille
-detango with led bulbs
-club body off rebuild. TWICE.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
or had [preventive] maintenance. It also means that some things really are at the end of their designed/engineered life and need replacements sooner or later.
