1982 Series 3 2.25 Petrol Hard top- Oscar, as featured in Classic Land Rover Magazine for 7 months
24th Aug 2009 8:15 am
GraemeS
Member Since: 17 Mar 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 706
2. The ride is very choppy, bumps on the road can be felt jarring the entire car, from the wheels to the steering wheels to the seats, most unpleasant
This is very bad news for me. We were getting a D3 primarily for the ride for my wife's injured back but waited for the MY10 because the colour was discontinued and now LR appear to have wrecked the ride over bumps. This is not the 1st time the D4 ride over bumps has been criticised.
24th Aug 2009 8:25 am
RRUK Site Supporter
Member Since: 16 Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 676
Before I drove the car at the weekend I had not read a single review about the D4 so had no preconceptions. Admittedly I had just spend an hour in the Range Rover but I don't recall the D3 feeling so choppy.
You'd expect the EAS to soak up the bumps but it really rattled the car.1998 Defender 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
2016 Discovery 4 HSE
1982 Series 3 2.25 Petrol Hard top- Oscar, as featured in Classic Land Rover Magazine for 7 months
24th Aug 2009 8:37 am
Bodsy Site Sponsor
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: In the Clubhouse
Posts: 21361
Was it on 20's or 19" wheels?
Well written review BTW Bodsys Brake Bible
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24th Aug 2009 8:45 am
PaulP
Member Since: 04 May 2007
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 4317
Nice review RRUK
One our spanish colleagues has tested the D4 and his comments were very similar to yours.....that the 3.0 TDV6, although much better and even smoother than the 2.7 TDV6 still felt slightly flat and fell short of what he expected considering that it has almost 250 bhp...
He just didn't feel it warranted the extra cost and also questioned whether there was much difference between a remapped 2.7 and the standard 3.0...
He also commented that the version he tested - a 3.0 SE (yes we have the SE here in Spain ) had no sat nav and the small display used in it's place in lower-end models looked very cheap compared to the large TFT screen seen in all the press photos.2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE AutoBuckingham Blue 2007 Golf GT DSG
Last edited by PaulP on 24th Aug 2009 11:56 am. Edited 1 time in total
24th Aug 2009 8:48 am
GraemeS
Member Since: 17 Mar 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 706
Is there any chance of finding out what pressure was in the tyres? Hopefully they were way too high.
24th Aug 2009 9:52 am
RRUK Site Supporter
Member Since: 16 Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 676
It was on 19" alloys, the smaller version of the wheel used on the Range Rover Vogue SE of late.
Here's a close up of the wheel 8)
Click image to enlarge
No idea what the pressures were I'm afraid.
After handing back the D4 I got in my TD6 RR (remapped to 224bhp by JE Engineering) and I thought the old girl was zippier, sprightly and quicker off the mark, albeit not as smooth or quiet.
Funny that I am not the only person to comment on the sluggishness. The dealer also made a point of saying how the new twin turbo eliminates lag too.1998 Defender 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
2016 Discovery 4 HSE
1982 Series 3 2.25 Petrol Hard top- Oscar, as featured in Classic Land Rover Magazine for 7 months
24th Aug 2009 11:35 am
RRUK Site Supporter
Member Since: 16 Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 676
here's the Black HSE I saw also:
Click image to enlarge
1998 Defender 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
2016 Discovery 4 HSE
1982 Series 3 2.25 Petrol Hard top- Oscar, as featured in Classic Land Rover Magazine for 7 months
24th Aug 2009 11:41 am
GraemeS
Member Since: 17 Mar 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 706
Thanks RRUK.
Without knowing those tyres, that tyre looks to have almost no side-wall bulge and a very short contact patch as though it is at rather high pressure. Hopefully the harsh ride was due to pressures unsuitable for rough roads.
24th Aug 2009 12:28 pm
Jonty
Member Since: 13 Oct 2007
Location: On the beach
Posts: 417
Compared to the FFRR, everything has a hard ride, lol. The engine probably needs some running in to loosen up.
24th Aug 2009 1:25 pm
jwblue
Member Since: 19 Sep 2008
Location: On the sand
Posts: 22
The two dealers I spoke to were gushing over it.
I am sure it was mostly a sales pitch.
A lot of reviewers are stating the same thing about the bumpiness. I undestand it is supposed to be an off road vehicle, but the bumpiness does make me nervous.
Like the original poster said, I REALLY wanted this to be my next vehicle. But the more I read about it, I am not so sure.
I might wait until 2011 to find out what changes might be in store.
24th Aug 2009 6:49 pm
RRUK Site Supporter
Member Since: 16 Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 676
For those interested, there's an interesting 'discussion' going on over at fullfatrr.com about why the TDV8 engine never made it into the D4 line up.
Here's a link, feel free to join in, all opinions and members welcome, we're not snobbish just cos we drive Range Rovers you know!
I forgot to mention in my short review of the car, that with regard to the front seat adjustment, they were of course electric. They also have electric lumbar control and also electric side bolster inflation, so you can squeeze the seats in if you're of a skinny frame like me . Nice touch that.
If they replaced the seats with those from the RRSport it would be a much more comfortable place to be.
Regarding the comment about the engine needing running in, absolutely. My TD6 is now up to 85,000 miles and gets better and better. I really noticed a change at about 60K, loosened up nicely it had.1998 Defender 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
2016 Discovery 4 HSE
1982 Series 3 2.25 Petrol Hard top- Oscar, as featured in Classic Land Rover Magazine for 7 months
24th Aug 2009 7:18 pm
CY
Member Since: 16 Aug 2005
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 4506
I'd have to have it in black. And those wheels are super.2007 Porsche Boxster (987) 2.7
2008 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE G4 Challenge (1 of 68)
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24th Aug 2009 7:36 pm
GraemeS
Member Since: 17 Mar 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 706
Maybe the tyre pressures are kept high to prevent journos and other testers from damaging tyres and rims when off-road. Rougher ride might be a lesser evil than pictures of destroyed tyres and rims.
24th Aug 2009 9:50 pm
Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
I also test drove a D4 HSE with 20" wheels on at the week end.
First impression was that the stearing was heavey and vague at low speeds, the sales man had noticed the same and felt it was due to the 20" wheels. He had driven one with 19" and noticed a huge diffrence. The ride was very smooth, I did not notice any bumpiness in fact myself and my wife both thought the ride was far superior to our current D3. In corners there was far less body role thn the D3 and it felt more compossed. The engine was adream and very quick in comparison to the D3 and the gearbox was the smoothest auto I have ever driven. Overall we were VERY impressed. SWMBO was so impressed that she wanted to order one there and then but we have decided to wait and see what happens over the next couple of months unless we can get a good deal on the table
I would strongly suggest that you test drive one to make your own mind up, but for me as we often use 7 seats and need a large boot space when seven seats are not in use, it has to be a D3 for now and a D4 in the future.
Forgot to say one very neat add on was the inclusion of a digital speed display in the bottom on the instrument panel, this iliminates the hiden section at the top of the analogue speedo.MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
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) had no sat nav and the small display used in it's place in lower-end models looked very cheap compared to the large TFT screen seen in all the press photos.
. Nice touch that.
but we have decided to wait and see what happens over the next couple of months unless we can get a good deal on the table 
