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czewski
Member Since: 17 Dec 2012
Location: New Forest
Posts: 12
  
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We're starting the hunt for a Disco3 so here's the first of probably quite a few basic questions - our budget means prob 2005 ish model (looking for cheaper road tax if we're in that age range). The advice I've picked up from mags so far includes
- avoid air suspension so go for basic model. If we do this, what are we losing out on ? There must be good reasons why the higher spec vehicles have air?
- avoid sunroofs as they leak - do they? I know the old disco had problems but has this continued into the new models?
Also any other 'avoids' please?
I've read that cruise can reasonably easily be retro fitted to a base model - roughly how much does that cost (would get it done professionally - speed adjustment is too risky for my DIY skills)?
Someone (bodsy?) mentioned a 55 model can be brought up to 07 spec easily - what's the differences?
Thanks
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 29th Dec 2012 9:54 am |
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Narpy
Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
Location: Stockport
Posts: 7830
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If there's no air, there's no terrain response ( I think  ) meaning your off road ability is massively reduced, it just won't be the same vehicle even for on road driving.
Sunroofs are a constant pain on all Land Rovers. IMO, you're right to avoid a sunroof.
Cruise can be easily retro fitted ( around £100 ) but will need enabling by someone with a Faultmate diagnostic but there's guys on the forum who can help with that.
It's easy to do mods to a D3. Search the forum, the answers are there. 
Xenon upgrades, cruise, FBH remotes, spoilers, sat nav install, puddle lights, front fog, grills are all popular mods. Mods:
Front Fogs + Halos
FBH Remote Control
The 1st Ever RRS Modded Grill
Garmin Nuvi + D4 Surround + Reversing Camera.
D4 Steering Wheel.
Rear Boot Spoiler.
Twin Brake Lights.
Wing Mirror Indicator Repeaters.
Long Roof Rails
Make your own Narpy grill thread
I'm not scared, I'm outta here.
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| 29th Dec 2012 10:07 am |
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Hess
Member Since: 07 Mar 2011
Location: Highlands
Posts: 1533
 
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I seem to recall that sunroofs were only standard on HSE models,
unless they were retro fitted. Perhaps someone can confirm this.
As for sunroof issues, I've had more issues with the A pillar leaking than the sunroof
on ours. As long as its maintained or checked regularly it shouldn't give
you much trouble.
As for base or basic models, it seems to me that people with base models
tend to do a lot of upgrades once they have the vehicle, as they get more
involved with it and more eager to do mods etc. for things they feel they're missing.
Sometimes to such an extend that they could have bought the higher spec model
with the money the spent on modifications.
I think the best idea is to look at all the options available, and make a choice on what
you want rather than what can go wrong with it.
Because once you have it, you won't want to get rid of it 
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| 29th Dec 2012 10:28 am |
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pinhead
Member Since: 20 Dec 2010
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 877
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personally i wouldnt want a base 5 seat model
why?
no air suspension means no terain response no ability raise ride height when off road and an inferior ride when on road
no xenons
no heated seats
no heated front window
no cruise control
no extra seats in the boot just incase
no parking sensors
all of the above can be retro fit (except air and terain response) but by the time you had done that then you might as well just buy an s spec
they dont tend to have any price premium over a base model unlike se and hse and in my mind had everything i wanted except leather and an arm rest Club original turbo
161k and counting
general AT's, oval timer, blanked egr's, silicone intercooler hose's
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| 29th Dec 2012 12:44 pm |
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stew 46
Member Since: 01 Dec 2011
Location: cornwall
Posts: 10147
 
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+1 -------------------------------------------------
if you cant hold on dont let go , it ill come in handy for something even if you never use it.
D3 SE 05,
110 s wagon 300 tdi SOLD
h top transit
crew cab transit
transit connect
ausa dumper, muck truck .
peljob 2.5 digger
06 L 200 crew cab
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| 29th Dec 2012 12:45 pm |
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Barn1e
D3 Decade
Member Since: 28 Aug 2006
Location: Mid-sussex
Posts: 2021
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05 S
After 8 years still think it was the right model for us. 2005, TDV6 S, Auto, 190k miles, owned from new, V8 Brake Upgrade, Nancom Evo, RLD protector, BAS EGR blanking & Remap, separate ATF cooler, changing all the fluids ahead of time.
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| 29th Dec 2012 1:11 pm |
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Moo
D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14409
 
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+1
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| 29th Dec 2012 1:19 pm |
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orkneydave
Member Since: 27 Aug 2012
Location: Orkney Islands
Posts: 597
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I've had my 05 S for about 4 months and love it. I don't have all the fancy gizmos (cruise, xenons etc) but do have air and terrain response and think these are a must.
I too read magazine articles before buying and they actually put me at ease with what I was buying (although someone wrote to one magazine after reading the same article as me saying that it helped them decide not to go for a D3  )
I made sure the one I bought had a full history (it had just had the 105k service done) and it had had a new compressor, EPB and EGR valves (personally I would have blanked them, will get round to this later).
Go for the condition of the vehicle and the history over the spec. As previously said, this can be upgraded if you really want, but I would say that air suspension is a must. Mine was a good price with good history, a higher spec would have cost a lot more and I live on an island so sat nav and cruise are pointless for me! Dave Neil
2018 Outlander PHEV
2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 S (went up in flames)
1972 Series 3 109 200tdi (@alfredthe109)
1972 MGB GT (in bits)
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| 29th Dec 2012 1:40 pm |
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therso
Member Since: 01 Dec 2010
Location: Here!
Posts: 368
 
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Get the most bang for your buck. You could spend most of 2013 reading about what to and what not to buy. The D3 is a bloody brilliant vehicle and, as with probably all vehicles, you're might experience problems major and/or minor....it really is the luck of the draw. I own a 07 HSE and it has worked perfectly. Someone else will have bought the next one off the production line and cursed it from Day One! Do the basics: service history, how it has been driven, etc. I was taught to drive (and maintain a vehicle) by Staff Sergeant Ray Wilmott - strange how you remember names - in a LWB Series 3 (crash gear box) on and around Salisbury Plain in 1973. More importantly, it was hammered into our skulls the importance of daily/weekly checks..............and that, I believe, is the key to avoiding problems in most cases. Look after your kit and your kit will look after you. Land Rovers have, literally, saved my life on more than one occasion. They have never let me down (you could say I've been very lucky but I live by the 6 Ps (not 5): Prior Preparation Prevents  Poor Performance). So, do your research, and this website is probably the best possible place to start, compare models, select your short list then go for it. Don't forget your fine toothcomb and when you've got your new Disco - look after it and enjoy! Best of luck 
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| 29th Dec 2012 1:49 pm |
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mark the spark
Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: southampton
Posts: 2521
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agree with therso above
get as high a spec as you can afford or you will end up paying more for the upgrades than the difference you save .as an 05 SE owner i think you get best of both but if you can stretch to the HSE then do it .
as you are looking in 7 year old country make sure its had the cam belt service done at a main dealer or lr specialist indy
but most important of all a well serviced and a well maintained vehicle trumps all regardless of spec MY05 SE D3 Manual my first LR what a car
MY10 HSE D4 auto
MY14 XXV more buttons than the spaceshuttle
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| 29th Dec 2012 1:57 pm |
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A.J.M
Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2847
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Buy an HSE. It's worth having imo.
The better seat's over my bosses S is worth it, plus the sunroof makes it more airy rather than dark.
The autobox is superb and has command shifts for manual changing if you want.
Buy on condition rather than mileage. My 102k has had little work done over it's life, my bosses 44k example has had loads of work done to suspension as it's led a harder life. Which shows.
Mine has been almost faultless since i bought it, i read up loads on this forum, asked loads of questions and interagated the seller about work done, what tyres it had on it etc. Only real issue is iffy front parking sensor's but that's usually down to rain, and some previous work done on the front.
My view is if an older car has premium make tyre's, then it's usually been maintained to a high standard.
Mine has almost full dealer history, which would cost a lot.
Don't be put off buy people saying X,Y or Z can go wrong. Any problem that's ever happened to a Disco, will be on this forum with the guide on how to fix it.
Mine is so good, i have 2 neighbour's, a mate and even my dad  all looking at buying ones. In loving memory of FA54WSK.
Rest well old friend, your work is done.
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| 29th Dec 2012 2:27 pm |
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czewski
Member Since: 17 Dec 2012
Location: New Forest
Posts: 12
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Thanks....certainly food for thought! Interesting the support for air suspension, I'd got the message not to go for it from LRO mag, they do tend to be a bit 'anti-gadget' but I thought that it must be worth having if they fit it on the higher grade models so thanks for your inputs.
Out of curiosity...if the compressor does go what sort of cost. I'm pretty convinced will go for air - the one we test drove had it - but just wondering how much if it's one of the items that seems to suffer from wear and tear limited life.
Also (sorry) what's my DPF and EGR (when I get them...)?
So, spec is building - cruise, air, auto box, not fussed about satnav (got good Tom Tom), prob not sunroof, 7 seats so far.
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| 29th Dec 2012 2:49 pm |
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czewski
Member Since: 17 Dec 2012
Location: New Forest
Posts: 12
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....also, puddle lights?
....FBH remotes?
Thanks!
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| 29th Dec 2012 2:58 pm |
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blue200tdi
Member Since: 23 Sep 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 1094
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When I was looking I didn't want or need an HSE model, I was looking for an SE or at a push an s spec. The car I have now was the best I could find, in our price range and that was local if anything went wrong. It just so happens to be an HSE and what a car, although it seems to have sprung an air leak somewhere
Anyways, an air compressor is around £350 if you can fit it yourself, not too difficult. Seriously, don't get one without air suspension, it may well be a pain in the arris from time to time but no air equals no terrain response and that can have a huge disadvantage in certain circumstances. I love my HSE and have never had any issues with leaking sunroofs even in disco 1's. As ever they just need servicing the same as everything else, that way they don't leak. Oh and an HSE doesn't have three sunroofs, they have one at the front but one huge glass roof covering holes in the roof so the kids can watch the stars on a clear night. 
Just buy a good one, full service history ETC regardless of spec, except a base model, not worth it in my humble opinion.
EGR... Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve, there are two, one for each bank of cylinders. On cars built before 2007 take them off, sell them or throw them away and blank them off. Stops the engine from eating its own .
DPF...Diesel Particulate Filter. Filters particles from the exhaust gases, fills up then needs a good 15 minute thrashing to burn it clean hence causing more pollution than the thing stops!
Puddle lights...Lights in the bottom of the doors and/or mirrors
FBH remote... Fuel Burning Heater. All UK spec cars have one to warm the engine coolant on cold days. An FBH remote is a remote used to turn it on whilst you're still eating your breakfast so when you get in and start the engine you should have heat from the blower straight away. You guys are gonna be busier than a test bench in a plunger factory!
Java black 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE AUTO.
2014 Kawasaki ZZR1400 Performance sport.
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| 20th Jan 2013 10:34 pm |
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Discoed
Member Since: 16 Jun 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1020
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I saw that article in a LR mag that suggested you should avoid air suspension - what a load of Air is great (unless its on a p38!)
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| 20th Jan 2013 11:14 pm |
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