Morning all,

I'm looking for some honest guidance from owners to help my decision on what 4x4 to upgrade to! I'm looking at either an L322 TD6 Vogue (approx 8-10 yrs old) or a Disco 3 TDV6.

Having not owned defender for some years, I'm not up to speed on the new technology and reliability issues/fuel economy/off road ability etc - can anyone give me some ideas on what to expect/look for and if I should look towards one model in place of another?

Any help most appreciated, I'm spending around 11k so expect the vehicles I will be looking at to be high mileage, again any experience of things failing at over 100k on the clock?

Cheers y'all,

CB

Well the l322 is a good motor
I was in the same situation a year ago, l322 or disco 3 ??

Both we're roughly the same price at the time
The looks of the l322 won it for me.

However both are riddled with problems so be prepared to spend some money on either

Don't know much about the disco but I know they have a few problems with there electrical systems, eg the electronic hand brake tend to fail etc..

IMO the disco is more of a work vehicle and the l322 more of a luxury drive tbh
But it's all personal preference on what you prefer.

The l322 has its on fair share of problems to
Down to gearboxes, injectors, air suspension etc..

Nothing that you can't fix

Have a search on here, there's quite a lot of knowledge around

Good luck !

I went for the L322 as I am and always will be a Range Rover man - life without one sucks!!

I happened upon mine on a drive home from work and I just had to go and have a look - got it for a steal at just over £7k having done 137k miles.

Had a few niggles along the way, ABS Sensor, Ride Height Calibration, dicky Height Sensor, knackered locking wheel nut - that one was fun, new brake pads, new thermostat - all in the first 10 weeks of ownership....nothing that couldn't be done myself thankfully.

The GM box on the TD6 does have a habit of sudden failure, so make sure you get history with the vehicle....they are a dream to drive and so effortless....

Many don't like the look of the L322 they say it is to big with a fat arse, but when the P38 came out people said it looked to much like a Metro Cab!! - personally I think the L322 is the prestiest of the bunch.

The Classic was a design icon - timeless, the P38 brought comfort and class, the L322 dragged it into the 21st century with amazing road presence (I love driving right up behind someone at a set of lights so all they can see in the rear view mirror is the snarling front end with RANGE ROVER logo filling the rear window...)

They do have electrical niggles and throw diva fits on occasion, so get yourself a diagnostic device for it (best budget device is the RSW All Comms £200 ish).

I have driven a Disco 3 back in 2007, the company hired me one for a trip to Cardiff of all places, and it was very nice and comfortable - but I didn't get that 'Feeling' when I drive a Range Rover from it.....

We also have a 2011 Disco 4 at work, and this is pretty much the same - comfortable and pretty quick from the TDV6 engine - but when I get back into the Rangie - it just feels right...the woes of the day melt away and I can glide home knowing I have one of the best 4x4xfar....

The new models are sublime off road, the Range Rover look too big, but aslong as you remember the overhangs and ramp over angles, she'll get you any place you need to go (tyres are as always the key in most cases)....the Disco 3 and Range Rover head to head off road I would say the Disco has the edge but only just - the Disco 3 came with Terrain Repsonse - the early Rangies (02-05) didn't.....

Fuel Economy from the Rangie TD6 is in the mid twenties (Hippo will know - he has one!!) as mine is Petrol and I get average 15mpg on LPG....the Disco 3 probably won't be to far removed from the TD6 figure.

As with all Land Rovers - never buy with faults no matter what the guy selling it says, he just wants to shift it....

If you find one you do like take it on the longest test drive you can and find as many different road types as possible....I was lucky when I tested mine - the guy didn't come with me - so I took over an hour and found an A road to stretch its legs, a windy conutry lane to test steering and body roll, a rough track to test the suspension and a town highstreet to test the stop-start town driving experiance....I then found a quiet road and parked up, then went all over the vehicle pressing things, twiddling things, bonnet up with my head in alsorts of places, under it, on it, in it, all over it.....

Whichever you chose - Disco or Range Rover - you will be in for a love affair, you won't want to be without, but at the same time it will test your paitience, frustrate you and make you want to tear your hair out - but there isn't a better marque out there.....

Ive had my fair taste of RR over the past few years and problems to boot.. currently ive got a 04 Vogue 4.4 on LPG .. Best thing ever.. I wouldnt bother with the Diesels as they're far too thirsty and without the grunt.. 28-30MPG no thanks.. 18-24 with a 4.4 petrol chuck it on LPG (£1200) and pound for pound your looking at 40MPG !! with all the trim and grunt .. best thing ever.. It pays for itself after 7months (depending on use)

Thanks chaps, appreciate your help.

The vehicle I'm looking at has had the following work done during it's life - does this sound about right or is there anything there I should be wary of?

new steering column fitted by Lancaster Land Rover in June 2003 at 41915 miles (copy of original invoice available to view)
new front diff fitted by Lancaster Land Rover in Sept 2006 at 59487 miles (copy of original invoice available to view)
new gearbox fitted by Lancaster Land Rover in January 2008 at 75993 miles (original invoice available to view)
Front propshaft replaced under a service recall (general problem with early TD6 RR’s) by Lancaster Land Rover in Sept 2009
new SRS ECU fitted by Land Rover in May 2011 at 106306 miles (original invoice available to view)
OSF drive shaft oil leak identified and repaired by BLR shortly after above, but I seem to have misplaced the invoice for this
new secondary fuel pump fitted by Land Rover in May 2012 at 114762 miles (original invoice available to view)

I have replaced the Final Stage Blower resistor myself using a genuine LR part (identified as being a common cause of battery drains on L322’s)

Water pump and thermostat replaced by myself in January this year.

Battery replaced in June 2010 (and just replaced under warranty from the retailer so it will have a brand new battery by the time you see it – if you decide to view)

I also fitted new EBC brake pads all round last year

The vendor claims everything is in working order. I'm happy how to check most things however I've never used the air suspension before, what should I be looking for and how do I to test it?

Thanks again!!

Garwillis said:

Ive had my fair taste of RR over the past few years and problems to boot.. currently ive got a 04 Vogue 4.4 on LPG .. Best thing ever.. I wouldnt bother with the Diesels as they're far too thirsty and without the grunt.. 28-30MPG no thanks.. 18-24 with a 4.4 petrol chuck it on LPG (£1200) and pound for pound your looking at 40MPG !! with all the trim and grunt .. best thing ever.. It pays for itself after 7months (depending on use)

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More like 11to 17 mpg on petrol!
24 on a motorway, maybe

Thats Bollocks said:

More like 11to 17 mpg on petrol!
24 on a motorway, maybe

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Agree - check my fuelly account (click on the little logo on my signature) - best I have had is 17.3 on a long motorway run to West Yorks and back....worst 13 and I average about 15mpg....

Thats Bollocks said:

More like 11to 17 mpg on petrol!
24 on a motorway, maybe

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And about 24mpg equivalent on LPG

Someones over estimating there petrol consumption

2.0_hippo said:

Someones over estimating there petrol consumption

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ha ha my old p38 used to averge 9mpg
mind you i did do alot of red light racing lol and i loved the sound of the V8 roar down the twin pipes, almost as good as hearing cheryl cole moan