Disco 2 v Disco 3

Currently running a Disco 2, my best LR ever but time to either spend loads of ££ or think about something a little newer. Will the jump to a Disco 3 be worth it or something I will regret. Need a good towing and off-roader which my 2 gives me. Been looking for a while still not sure. Help!!

Hello and welcome

Noonoo said:

Currently running a Disco 2, my best LR ever but time to either spend loads of ££ or think about something a little newer. Will the jump to a Disco 3 be worth it or something I will regret. Need a good towing and off-roader which my 2 gives me. Been looking for a while still not sure. Help!!

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Maintenance and repairs are more frequent, and cost of such work will be more for the D3, compared to the D2.

However in my opinion, the D3 is miles ahead in on road and towing ability, and comparable off road. The electronics of the D3, really do make the most of any available grip from the tyres.
There was an optional electronic locking rear diff available, which would help of road.

The downside to D3 ownership is the expense. They're very complex vehicles, which also have a degree of fragility in some key areas, namely the air suspension (EAS), the electronic parking brake (EPB), and the vehicle electrical system in general can be troublesome, sometimes.
The suspension mechanical components can fail with alarming regularity, especially the large hydro-bushes on the front and rear lower wishbones.

The TDV6 engine has plenty of torque, but it's only adequate at propelling the D3 down the road, keeping in mind the D3 has almost a 2.7T unladen weight, so it's no road burner. The other TDV6 issue is reliability, especially the injection system and crankshaft, both of which can fail, although the latter means a replacement engine will need to be found.

The other downside to this weight is brake wear, which can be high, especially if off roading regularly. It's not uncommon to see a set of front pads worn-out in 20k miles, discs in 40k and the parking brake needs regular maintenance if its to remain trouble-free, especially so if the rear hubs get submerged in muddy water.

The D3 is an amazing vehicle, but it can also be an incredible headache.

Nodge68 said:

Maintenance and repairs are more frequent, and cost of such work will be more for the D3, compared to the D2.

However in my opinion, the D3 is miles ahead in on road and towing ability, and comparable off road. The electronics of the D3, really do make the most of any available grip from the tyres.
There was an optional electronic locking rear diff available, which would help of road.

The downside to D3 ownership is the expense. They're very complex vehicles, which also have a degree of fragility in some key areas, namely the air suspension (EAS), the electronic parking brake (EPB), and the vehicle electrical system in general can be troublesome, sometimes.
The suspension mechanical components can fail with alarming regularity, especially the large hydro-bushes on the front and rear lower wishbones.

The TDV6 engine has plenty of torque, but it's only adequate at propelling the D3 down the road, keeping in mind the D3 has almost a 2.7T unladen weight, so it's no road burner. The other TDV6 issue is reliability, especially the injection system and crankshaft, both of which can fail, although the latter means a replacement engine will need to be found.

The other downside to this weight is brake wear, which can be high, especially if off roading regularly. It's not uncommon to see a set of front pads worn-out in 20k miles, discs in 40k and the parking brake needs regular maintenance if its to remain trouble-free, especially so if the rear hubs get submerged in muddy water.

The D3 is an amazing vehicle, but it can also be an incredible headache.

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Thanks for taking the time to post some very detailed feedback. I’ve got some serious thinking and a MOT to look forward to on the 16th. This will probably come down to what the MOT throws up, I know I have a small leak with my power steering system. Thanks again!

Welcome to the forum.

Nodge68 said:

Maintenance and repairs are more frequent, and cost of such work will be more for the D3, compared to the D2.

However in my opinion, the D3 is miles ahead in on road and towing ability, and comparable off road. The electronics of the D3, really do make the most of any available grip from the tyres.
There was an optional electronic locking rear diff available, which would help of road.

The downside to D3 ownership is the expense. They're very complex vehicles, which also have a degree of fragility in some key areas, namely the air suspension (EAS), the electronic parking brake (EPB), and the vehicle electrical system in general can be troublesome, sometimes.
The suspension mechanical components can fail with alarming regularity, especially the large hydro-bushes on the front and rear lower wishbones.

The TDV6 engine has plenty of torque, but it's only adequate at propelling the D3 down the road, keeping in mind the D3 has almost a 2.7T unladen weight, so it's no road burner. The other TDV6 issue is reliability, especially the injection system and crankshaft, both of which can fail, although the latter means a replacement engine will need to be found.

The other downside to this weight is brake wear, which can be high, especially if off roading regularly. It's not uncommon to see a set of front pads worn-out in 20k miles, discs in 40k and the parking brake needs regular maintenance if its to remain trouble-free, especially so if the rear hubs get submerged in muddy water.

The D3 is an amazing vehicle, but it can also be an incredible headache.

Click to expand...

Great response , perfectly put.

You can prepare yerself for the cost of D3/4 ownership before buying one by burning 20 sovs each week.