Member Since: 10 Apr 2016
Location: North-east Wales
Posts: 597
Think I'm done with the Green Oval!
After 8 years with the D3, and 3 years with a D2 before that. I think my time as a Land Rover driver is coming to an end.
It's a second vehicle, so only does 2-3k miles a year, and I've reluctantly had to admit to myself that the cost-per-mile on that basis just isn't working any more. So I think the time has come to start looking at consolidating the D3 and my smaller 'daily driver' car into one vehicle. An XC90 PHEV is top of the list at the moment, but come the new year when I really have the time to do something about it, who knows what else will be on the list!
What's bugging me, though, is how low the prices of used Discos seem to be at the moment. Mine's never wanted for anything - I've spent thousands on it while it's been in my ownership - and it's comparatively low mileage (135k on an '09-plate) but in spite of that I can't see a reality where a sale would achieve more than about £4k at best. (Especially bearing in mind that the air suspension currently has a very slow leak - so slow as to be untraceable without throwing money at replacing components one by one until it goes away, but still something which needs to be considered.)
So what are people's experiences when disposing of D3s these days? Is there still a private market for them? Better, maybe, to take the hit and flog it to Motorway or WBAC? Sell it to a breaker (everything else on the vehicle is in great shape, so it must surely have a value as a 'donor')?
12th Oct 2024 2:30 pm
nigethecat
Member Since: 11 Sep 2016
Location: Marnoch
Posts: 4244
WBAC would only offer you around £1500 ! I was offered that last year and then sold it privately for £4.5k within 24 hours... There's plenty on here who are looking for a very well maintained D3 I want to see the sweets before I get into your windowless van... I'm not stupid!
Corris Grey D4 Commercial SE 2016
Zermatt Sliver 2007 D3 SE manual (gone)
Indus Silver D4 HSE 2015 (gone)
Bonatti Grey D3 HSE 2006 (gone)
White D3 S (LHD) 2007 (gone)
Firenze Red D4 HSE 2014 (gone)
Black RRS 3.6TDV8 2008 (gone)
Rusty Green Defender 110 1997 (gone)
Black FL2 HSE 2013 (gone)
12th Oct 2024 3:33 pm
WRFrance
Member Since: 24 Nov 2008
Location: Down South
Posts: 15
Ok - I’ve just been through the process of selling our D3 to a private buyer here in Germany. So the market will be totally different.
The vehicle was of similar age to yours.
2008 Disco 4 HSE TDV6
125.000 miles
One owner, we bought the car new in 2008
Timing belts done last year
New radiator, AC condenser, after cooler last year
Underbody, frame and sills cleaned of any rust and Dinitroled last year
AC pipes front to rear replaced last year
Brakes new last year (you see the car was meant to be a keeper….)
Front control arms done 30.000 mls ago
Turbocharger replaced 30.000 mls ago
Brake lines changed 30.000 mls ago
New tires just before the sale
I put the car on our version of Auto Trader (Mobile.de) and out version of Gumtree (Kleinanzeigen) in August and sold it within one week.
The car was as clean as can be and treated as a valued family member (probably being treated better than myself…) so I knew the first one to see it will buy it. All work that had need carried out after the warranty ran out in 2013 was done by myself, I kept all the records and invoices.
The market here is different, Discoveries are niche vehicles and people that know what they are and that don’t rely on a garage to keep them running will buy these cars and put history and condition over price.
I finally got 13.200 Euros, about 11.000 pounds for it, including some spare parts for the next two services. My asking price was 13.500 Euros. I could have sold the car for the full price, the buyer and his partner were so overwhelmed after the test drive, that they had no arguments to negotiate. I still think they got a lot of car for the money. I did list the car also as a basis for a camper-conversion, which triggered their interest. They are planning to put a roof tent on it and do some off-road trips.
Non-runners here are listed between 2-4K
Runners with 200k miles go around 7-8k
Top vehicles are listed close to 15k, but I don’t see them moving….
What car is replacing the Disco 3? Well, it’s been a long process and to be clear, there is no comparable vehicle with this level of versatility on the market. I think everyone knows this by now.
I still needed the 3.5 ton towing capacity and long distance comfort, so we bought a new Defender. The Toyota Land Cruiser should have been for sale in Europe by now but the lack of a 6 Cylinder Engine and Air suspension ruled it out. I had a very early reservation for an Ineos Grenadier but ruled it out after the first test drive in a quarry in October 2022.
So I’m staying with the brand (not sure how smart this makes me here)…This forum has been such a great source of support for me and it probably does more than the Land Rover Dealer network to keep the Disco 3/4 on the road.
Good luck with your sale. You have something very special with your Disco 3. Market the strengths and don’t rush.
May the journey continue!
12th Oct 2024 4:36 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1664
Obviously a newer car will have considerable depreciation that could cost you a lot more than the D3 maintenance is costing you. It's the hidden cost of car ownership.Gary
-------------------------------------------
Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
12th Oct 2024 5:12 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14387
I sold my daughter's well spec'd and well looked after D3 SE with 165k on the clock in August via the Forum. Got £3200 for it, which is pretty well what it cost me in repairs this year.
Still regret selling it. New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
12th Oct 2024 5:26 pm
defector
Member Since: 23 Feb 2009
Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 1471
Should have kept it Moo, when your daughter gets back she'll be wanting your Defender because YOU sold her D3.
The logic of women
12th Oct 2024 5:46 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14387
Sold it to buy her a new Mini. Thought it was a better option for driving in about of Bath. She likes her Mini but loved her D3. Wishes she'd never sold it. It was certainly more useful than my Defender!
As an FYI, Dick Lovett Mini offered her £1450, which is what WBAC was offering. The sales guy admitted thats what they use for PX pricing.New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
12th Oct 2024 6:46 pm
gareth71
Member Since: 10 Apr 2016
Location: North-east Wales
Posts: 597
nigethecat wrote:
WBAC would only offer you around £1500 ! I was offered that last year and then sold it privately for £4.5k within 24 hours... There's plenty on here who are looking for a very well maintained D3
Motorway offered a shade over £2400. I don't know where I'd stand legally if I didn't disclose to them the slow leak on the suspension (it's that slow at the moment, it would be a good few days before they noticed it! ) but it's a given that if that was factored in they'd probably end up offering less than scrap value!
12th Oct 2024 10:37 pm
gareth71
Member Since: 10 Apr 2016
Location: North-east Wales
Posts: 597
Gary_P wrote:
Obviously a newer car will have considerable depreciation that could cost you a lot more than the D3 maintenance is costing you. It's the hidden cost of car ownership.
Depreciation on a newer car (and it would be a couple of years old, so the massive hit of the first year or two would've been taken by someone else!) would be a much sweeter pill to swallow. Plus, it would be a consolidation of two vehicles (D3, and a 420d coupe) into one ticks-all-the-boxes vehicle, so there'd be something to balance things out.
12th Oct 2024 10:39 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1664
Understand completely and obviously there’s a bullet to be bitten in the future for all cars.
Don’t know about the XC90 PHEV but a friend of mine has a Mitsubishi PHEV. In Winter he gets less than 20miles on a charge ( in Summer 30).I would treat manufacturer info on mpg with a pinch of salt. On runs, he gets significantly less mpg than I get in the Disco ( I get 37 on my lieometer) he gets 30 ish on his.
It suits him for the many local journeys they do as he recharges every night at home. I guess it will depend on the sort of motoring you do, but go in with your eyes open. There are other write ups on here about people’s experiences with them.
Interested to find out where you end up, please keep sharing. Good luck with the sale.Gary
-------------------------------------------
Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
13th Oct 2024 9:18 am
gareth71
Member Since: 10 Apr 2016
Location: North-east Wales
Posts: 597
Popped in at my local BYD showroom the other day to have a look at the new Seal U DMi - definitely not as spacious as an XC90, but broadly comparable to an XC60... and bloody hell, you don't half get a lot for your money!
13th Oct 2024 12:14 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8225
It will cost you more to insure the x90 than you will get for the Disco, spend a bit of money on the Disco is my advice, but it depends how you evaluate a car, is it a means of getting from A to B or a status symbol?It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
13th Oct 2024 12:33 pm
defector
Member Since: 23 Feb 2009
Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 1471
Not looked at insurance groupings but I think Volvo's would be cheaper to insure because of their safety record in both collision avoidance and survivability in the event of a collision.
And of course I think Volvo's are less stolen than Land/Range Rovers.
13th Oct 2024 4:10 pm
timmyt79
Member Since: 18 Oct 2016
Location: Pemrokeshire
Posts: 589
Moo wrote:
I sold my daughter's well spec'd and well looked after D3 SE with 165k on the clock in August via the Forum. Got £3200 for it, which is pretty well what it cost me in repairs this year.
Still regret selling it.
As a previous owner of your 'OLD BUS' i can attest to the obvious love and care she had over the years you owned her,I regret selling her on but just couldnt justify owning two D3's !
If i recall i think i sold it on for about £2600....
13th Oct 2024 4:34 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73080
Moo wrote:
I sold my daughter's well spec'd and well looked after D3 SE with 165k on the clock (
My thoughts were “bullet dodged”, but that might be Dark Bluie popped her mortal ignition coil at 166k.
May she rust in pieces.
Gratuitous pic of the old girl, still miss her but not the bills.
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