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WayneD
Member Since: 11 Sep 2007
Location: Sydney Darwin ,Singapore, USA, UK and now country NSW
Posts: 531
  
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Do remeber in my younger days buying a Datsun 1600 (yes it was along time ago)and mate bought Holden Torana. He had 43 items to be rectified on his first service  The Datsun had none.
My D3 has been pretty good so far, but I often think it would be nice to have something a little less technical Defender? but I do like my creature comforts and the fact that after a 1000k trip I can still get out of the car and manage to walk to the cafe without looking as though I am looking for loose change on the road. Take the road less traveled. Dual battery system.ORS drawers,LR cargo Barrier.ARB Bull bar,side protection bars,Mickey Thompson ATR's 17" rims, Rear wheel carrier, radiator guard TPMS Mitchell Bros Tow Hitch LR RAI Steel Rims , GME UHF, Off Road GPS, Llams (yet to be fitted)
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 18th Feb 2010 5:34 am |
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MarkTaylor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 185
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I know how you feel. The D3 is so beautiful to drive. i just love it. But Jesus, it is becoming very unreliable. The dealer rang me today to tell me that the transmission is off to Melbourne tomorrow to be repaired. Yet they had it out Thursday of last week and it has sat on the dealer's floor for a bloody week.
LRA have said that they will now get a valve block in a week.. their idea of urgent. I could ring a dealer in the UK tonight, quote my Visa Card number and have it here in 3 days on DHL.
I need the car back by the 12th to take it to Sydney to a trade show.. packed full of stuff.
I'll keep you all posted.
Cheers
Mark Taylor Nothing of any value is ever achieved without some sacrifice.
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| 18th Feb 2010 9:01 am |
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MarkTaylor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 185
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Well... got the old girl back last night.
Had a service done while I was there.
Total bill was $10,082.00 all up.
My part was around $600 for the service.. the warranty company picked up the rest.
The vehicle has ben off the road for 4 weeks as they could not get a new valve block (have you seen the price of those things?) and has had a complete transmission rebuild and a new suspension compressor,but now all is sweet.
After just a few kilometres of driving home I came to realise why I like the old girl so much.. makes the Freelander loan car seem like a skate board by comparison.
I am amazed to learn that the transmission oil costs $577 plus GST. WHat on earth is it made of.. Unobtanium??
Anyhow.. I would highly recommend that if you own a D3 you take out post OEM warranty cover.
I got my money back nearly 5 times over in just 3 months.
Cheers
Mark T Nothing of any value is ever achieved without some sacrifice.
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| 5th Mar 2010 10:18 pm |
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MarkTaylor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 185
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So.. got the beats back last Friday night with a rebuilt gearbox.
Shifts from second to first or second to third are so rough.. it slams into gear.
Back to Austral's today...
Stay tuned.
Cheers
MArk Taylor Nothing of any value is ever achieved without some sacrifice.
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| 9th Mar 2010 7:13 am |
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MarkTaylor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 185
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So... another week later and I have it back again!
The new valve block fitted turned out to be faulty.
Then Australs discovered that the rear diif was shot.
So... new diiff, new suspension compressor, two valve blocks, a transmission rebuild and 5 weeks later and the D3 is back in the garage.
Finger crossed for the next 3 years.
Cheers
Mark Taylor Nothing of any value is ever achieved without some sacrifice.
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| 13th Mar 2010 8:19 am |
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jdea
Member Since: 02 Mar 2008
Location: Tannum Sands QLD
Posts: 176
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what was you rear diff doing?
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| 13th Mar 2010 7:54 pm |
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MarkTaylor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 185
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The rear diff was as noisy as hell.
Sounded like you had a piece of wire riveted to the body of the car with the other end dragging on the road. Turns out the bearings were shot... at 66,000K!!
Read an article in a Pommy Mag on used Range Rovers.... late models with Terrain Response.
Said that diffs tended to shag out at 100,00 miles and transmissions (ZF?) at 160,000 miles.
I hope my D3 is not similar.
Cheers
Mark taylor Nothing of any value is ever achieved without some sacrifice.
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| 13th Mar 2010 10:31 pm |
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Haggis
Member Since: 26 Jun 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 126
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Mark,
For what it is worth....
I decided NOT to take out the extended third party warranty. Basically the cost seemed prohibitive to me at $'000s per year, and when I read the conditions I figured I be better off taking a risk. To put this in perspective, my D3 is 'heavily' kitted and these days only tours Australia, and more often than not, on the least comfortable roads. When I'm not touring I drive a Diesel Focus, however currently I am permanently on tour (at least until the money runs out). I did NOT have a trouble free warranty period with front diff, rear suspension, battery, EPB (everything from the controller to the hubs), turbo, steering rack, at least one set of ball joints, and a headlight replaced under warranty. I also had the 'filled for life' auto gearbox fluid replaced under warranty (ie the gearbox was serviced).
Why did I take the risk? As someone else already pointed out, in Australia, despite any manufacturers warranty limitations, there is a requirement that a product meet an expected standard. A properly maintained auto gearbox should last longer than 60,000km. Given that this particular gearbox is 'filled for life' there really isn't any maintenance to not do properly - if you get my drift. Thankfully we all aren't replacing our gearboxes at 60,000km. So there is a real and fair expectation that it should NOT have happened to you.
Unfortunately I have had ocassion to test the theory. I had the brake booster replaced for oil intrusion before there was a recall - it was replaced again a few months later after the recall came out. At the time the vehicle was out of warranty by distance (lots) and time (a few weeks).
Several months later I have just had the steering rack and all the bushes in the front end replaced under warranty - because a rack shouldn't rattle at ~60,000km. This rack was the second rack, the first was replaced at ~50,000km and was in the LR records. It wasn't an easy or fast thing to do, partly because I was working through a 3rd party service agent in Broome - who frankly have done a pretty good job given the lack of support they get from LR in general and LRA in particular. All up it took 6-8 weeks of negotiations, and then several weeks for the parts to arrive. Interestingly the rack was flown from the UK to Melbourne (~4 days) and then road freighted to Broome (~10days).
I don't intent to rub salt into your wounds, but do want to offer an alternate view. If you are persistant and can wait them (LRA) out, they will eventually do the right thing by you. In my case the vehicle was not off the road, but realistically I was 'stuck' in Broome (paradise) while they made decisions.
Oh, and one last thing.
I've done the Korean with 5 year warranty thing. They are boring to drive, boring to own, and cheap to maintain - but they will never give you the satisfaction, comfort, or fun you will get out of the D3. Despite the issues I've had with mine I can't find a better choice on the market in Australia today, so I'm sticking with it... for now...
Haggis D3 (06) SE TDV6, Rear Locker, Rear Air, ARB bar w/winch, Safari Snorkel, 110l aux fuel tank, Kaymar rear bar (twin wheel carrier), Black Widow rear storage system, Rhino rack, GME UHF, Codan HF, IPF HID lights, CSA Explorer 17" w/BFG Mud Terrain KM2 - see Australian 4WD Monthly #103
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| 22nd Mar 2010 12:23 pm |
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Desert Traveller
Member Since: 06 Aug 2006
Location: The Gabba - QLD
Posts: 420
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I'm another one who decided against the extended warranty, based on cost vs risk. I only drive a few thousand kms a year and these consist of a few club trips and a long desert trip. My biggest problem is keeping the battery charged. During the warranty period I also had most of the items that Haggis had replaced. My daily drive is a diesel VW Eos. The Eos is a great town car 8) , the D3 is just TOO big and heavy to commute.
In the end you have to decide what risk you what to cover. 06 TDV6 SE with many LR and after-market extras. Used only on weekends and trips out west.
Audi TT Roadster (Daily and around town drive)
VW Eos TDI For Sale
Previously 01 TD5 and 94 TDI
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| 23rd Mar 2010 8:25 am |
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