simpdogg
Member Since: 08 Dec 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 1
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| About to purchase my first D3 |
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Hi All,
My wife and i are about to purchase our first 4WD (secondhand) to do some light to moderate off roading and some towing nothing too full on or crazy as our 2 young kids under 5 will be in the car.
Predominantly it will spend 90% of its life on the black top as it is going to be my wife's daily driver.
i've done a fair bit of research and looked at all different brands and makes within my budget Patrols,Pathfinders,Pajeros, Challenges,Prados, Jeeps etc and now have a better understanding that all of the above cars like everything will always have pros and cons - my main issue being the k's on the clock are all around 150,000 + most have been kitted up for off road and i feel uneasy about buying someone else's problem, no warranty etc
I've come across a 2005 D3 Petrol 4ltr V6 S with 105,000 on the clock - it is immaculate and appears to have been really well cared for - interestingly i didn't contemplate a D3 however as soon as we drove it sold come with 3 year warranty road side assist etc.
The car drives smoothly, auto gearbox responds well in sports mode and normal driving, i haven't noticed any funny sounds coming from the suspension front bushes/control arms nor from the parking brake motor the electrics haven't been played with and the engine spotless no evidence of leaks around seals etc.
Ive checked under the car and apart from a little mud and dirt nothing to worry about.
As this only happened yesterday i've only managed limited research on this model pleas note that we do have a 3 day cooling off period so if things don't go to plan we can walk away.
The 3 main areas of concern for this particular model that keep popping up are:
Fuel economy - i'm not worried about this all cars are guzzlers some more so than others - thats life....
Ground Clearance - This seems to be a problem with non airbag models most people are doing a 40-50 mm spring lift which will raise the clearance to tackle what i want to do, apparently i can still keep stock shocks is this correct? popular brands to use are Dobinsons, King Springs what are your thoughts and suggestions?
No All Terrain Selection - is it really that critical? im not driving in snow,ice,grass i might go over some rocks and some mud maybe some sand i'm sure selecting the lo gearing would suffice???
The car i'm looking is riding on 22's they look great but im sure are impractical for off road use, what would be the best compromise diameter wheel for off road and city driving on a D3?
Also I am unable to get a straight answer on the timing and cam belts and when these need to be replaced so if someone could assist here it would be great and also what should you expect to pay here in Australia for this job
If there is anything else i have missed or need to look out for please let me know.
I appreciate your advise
Simpdogg
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 9th Dec 2012 12:33 am |
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DerbyshireDisco
Member Since: 12 Mar 2012
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1397
  
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Hi and welcome to the mad house, sorry can't answer most of your questions but as far as I know belts are due at 150k miles on a petrol engine but no idea of cost.
I'm sure someone will be along soon with more knowledge than me.
Good luck with whatever you decide but must say the D3 is a fantastic machine especially the petrol. Displaced Yorkshireman.
=^:^=
SDV6 Auto obviously, Loire blue/Ebony, ugly kid glass, RLD wheel protector, private plate and maybe side steps.
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| 9th Dec 2012 7:17 pm |
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Neil Pettersen
Member Since: 23 Nov 2007
Location: Cutting the grass
Posts: 1254
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The engine has timing chain and slave chain . Nothing to change ,although it can fault
wrt the cassette that holds it together. Fuel economy is as per its weight of 2550kg ; no drama really.
Your warranty will have a heap of exclusions : they always do. If you start to get a heap of amber
warning lights/warning sounds happening , then be worried because its been ditched by someone who
has had quotes on the fixes . If it doesn't give you alerts , then that's jolly good for you . Enjoy !
Get a cheap set of 17" wheels ; the saving on tyres will be immense .
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| 14th Dec 2012 8:21 am |
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SADISCOBOB
Member Since: 08 Oct 2010
Location: Alberton
Posts: 246
  
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If your not worried about petrol consumption, see if you can find a 4.4 V8 - great engine and easy to work on but you will then have all the bells & whistles which bring their own problems. Life always good with a Landy
2006 LR DISCO 3 4.4 V8 HSE
DISCO 1 2.8 TDi
DISCO11 TD5
RR CLASSIC 1980 3.5 V8
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| 15th Dec 2012 9:26 am |
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