Disco 3

I have a 90 defender and am thinking about getting an 05 or 06 Disco 3.

Any advice I should have before going looing at them?

Is 100k miles too much?

Should I look for anything in particular?

Thanks in advance....

100k vehicle need timing belt and pump belt change, so make sure you know the cost in advance, or negotiate that in the price.

I find the very early models have more issues than the 06 or 07 models. Door locks, electrical, water ingress and bushes etc. Some early ones may have missed the Vehicle Enhancement Program as they would have been out of the dealership workshops by then.

They can be expensive to run with as little as 22mpg reported. Be prepared to spend out over the first year to get it right, and find an independent with IDS who can perform all the software updates and will fit EGR blanking kits (only possible up to around the early 07 - EU3 emissions) and a good remap to get the power delivery up as well as the fuel figures.

Avoid the manual gearboxes as well. They can mess you about at the clutch.

fatastic vehicles i had an 05 hse, but i wouldnt have one out of warrenty as everything is expensive on them

Clutch problems on manual ones

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/clutch-failure-discovery-3-a-74817.html

Recovered an 07 D3 the other day - front o/s wheel bearing. Apparently the second bearing to go in 45k miles. (not the same one, tho)

Cool, thanks for those ideas better to be forewarned!

Buy something cheap and easier to work on......****ty peugoet engine

juiceyv8 said:

Buy something cheap and easier to work on......****ty peugoet engine

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That's true! Doing anything on it is impossible because everything else is in the way. I have heard of cams snapping on them. In fact I've just had a FoMoCo PAG 2.2 from a FL2 do the same thing on the fuel pump drive cam. :doh: Yea, like Juicey says avoid modern engines...

Body off for anything more than an oil and filter, cam belt can be done and actually aint that bad as long as your tall

Ive done 4 sets of turbos fot them on a mix of jag/disco/pug....


they suffer from carbon build up in the feed return lines and it starves the turbos and kills them.....thing is some people have done a couple of sets(have to be repalced in pairs) untill they find out that the lines need replacing.

Thats why I drive a classic V8.... may like a drink but simple to fix if it ****s up.

I cant really see D3's having anything like a decent lifespan,there is so much to go wrong,nobody has even mentioned the ****ty EPB...
And even things like the STUPID cable to open the tailgate that snaps,looking at the design its clearly the solution looking for a problem school of design.
They are just crap.

eightinavee said:

They are just crap.

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Is that a technical term, Jon?:boink:

I am not inspired!!!

On a positive side, they do ride quite nicely, even with play in the lower ball joints, clattering front anti-roll bars and defective suspension bushes.:boxing:

WSLR said:

Is that a technical term, Jon?:boink:

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I just dont think they warrant any of my really high tech terms.