Hello everyone, as some of you may know from reading my post you know I'm in the market for another Land Rover and specifically the D2. In my search for a new D2 you may know I have been searching long and hard for one and so far not successful in finding a good one, so far. I have read about the LR3 and have thought about it from time to time but unsure. The one thing about the LR3 that I'm not thrilled about is the independent suspension in the front and rear compared to the D2's solid axles.

I love everything about the D2 and it's been my favorite vehicle to date and I have owned a few vehicles plus driven other models but nothing compared to the D2. I felt like sitting and driving the D2 was like Land Rover built the vehicle just for me and knew exactly what I was looking for.

Is the LR3 a better option to go with? And I am not speaking about how many more amenities the LR3 may have over the D2 but how does it stand up to the D2 as far as reliability? And off road? Is it a worthy vehicle to stand next to the D2?

Or should I keep looking for my next D2?

Thanks

 

Please ignore this post, my mistake. I don't think I could choose a LR3 over my love for the D2. Thanks and sorry for making a new thread. If there is a way a mod can delete this post than please do so. Thanks

 

Well, you may be in love with a D2, but the LR3 is much better in so many ways, including reliability. Different engine, etc. You can delete your own posts.

 

Both Discoveries are great vehicles when properly taken care of. But fact is, LR did NOT put as much time effort or quality into the D2, many of its components came from the parts bin and alot of its technology is borrowed from Range Rover and BMW. The petro Buick engine in the D2 is very unreliable and poorly built so you can expect problems with it such as bad head gaskets, overheating and eventually a rebuild will be in order. Im sure you already know about the front propshaft by now yes? Another poor design.

That said the early model Disco 3 is not perfect neither. Some have been plagued by air suspension problems which can be very costly and not practical in cold weather environments where the bladders are more likely to crack due to extreme cold. Early models also had some electrical issues, some of which stem from LR installing a underpowered (to small) a battery for which to handle all the fancy new electronics on board. Some have reported that the exterior trim pieces practically fall off, and interior pieces to be low quality.

Lucky for you, both models are lowering in value so youll have more options. And luckily for you the Disco 3 has been out long enough that aftermarket Land Rover parts vendors sell affordable parts for the Disco 3 as well as the older D2 models so maintence should not be to costly so long as your a do it yourselfer or have a trusted indi mechanic with good rates. Both vehicles are very capable both on and off road. Each has its highlights and drawbacks. Same can be said for any vehicle though. If money is not an issue and you prefer the D2 then treat yourself to a well maintained 2004 D2 HSE model. Just keep in mind what i said about that engine, cause eventually you WILL have to replace or rebuild it. Average cost for engine replacement is roughly $9,000. If money is of concern and your not to found of major engine issues then go with the Disco 3, because air suspension repairs will still cost much less then a D2 engine repair. The D2 is easier to work on and parts may be cheaper and more common to find, while the Disco 3 is larger, more room for passengers and cargo and the terain response system combined with diff lock and aggressive tires makes the Disco 3 superior to the D2 in many cases.

Best of luck

 

Some people would not throw $9000 engine replacement at a $3000 - $5000 D2. But I was incomplete when I did not point out that you can download the full owners and shop manuals for both in links below for free, the LR3 section contains all sorts of press release photos, etc.

 

..... eventually I probably will though. Hopefully i get a long life out of this engine first though....

 

Yes, and I should have pointed out that if you love a D2, when yours dies, you will be able to buy another on the cheap and swap parts about and keep on rolling.

 

Yes but the time money and hassle spent swapping everything over adds up quick and might cost you more than $9,000 and even after you swap everything over to the replacement used D2 (which by now will have at least 150K) your original engine is almost dead). IMO better to stick with one vehicle, work on it, replace parts as needed and keep up with it. Less hassle, less paperwork, less phones calls to insurance company and DMV, and less time in the garage cause youll be shopping or off-roading besides I hear the remanufactured D2 engines are quite an improvement over the stock engines so for a one time fee of $9,000 you can leave your engine problems behind you.

I think the hardest thing about owning a Rover, or any pre-owned vehicle for that matter is catching up with the maintence, learning what things the PO screwed up or neglected on the vehicle, determining if they used the correct fuel grade, figuring out if it was ever in a accident etc. But once you get completely up o date with service I think you will experience alot less problems with the vehicle and youll have more confidence in your rig. Knowing every inch of your vehicle is a good feeling. You drive down the road and you can identify everything thats going on with the vehicle, any sound you hear you can associate with the cause, and vibration you feel you can pin point, and you might even be able to tell when its time for next oil change without looking at the dip stick or odometer. WHen you get a new to you used vehicle you start all over and hope for the best but dread the worst..... your a victim of the vehicle and you know nothing about it.... just saying

 

But then again these scenarios only apply to fanatical people who trully love their vehicles enough to invest this much.... whereas any normal person would walk away.

 

I truly loved my last Rover and I learned a lot mechanically by owning it. lol. I spent a lot of time under the hood fixing issues but I gained a lot of knowledge which I'm thankful for. There were times I just wished so hard that it had at least half of the reliability of Land Cruisers and 4Runners. I even remember times getting so tired, cold and frustrated I almost cried. lol. But I loved everything about it and I still miss it to this day.