Cocker
Member Since: 10 Feb 2005
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland.
Posts: 26
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Well folks, went on my Land Rover Experience up in Dunkeld, near Perth, superb. A great day. Remember I'd said before that I'd had my courtesy half-day upgraded to a full day, for my girlfriend and I, due to my D3 breaking down within 24hrs of taking delivery ?. Well they really looked after us....almost made up for the breakdown !.
I've not done much off-roading before, the odd corporate day here and there, so I was pretty amazed at what the cars could do !.
The first half of the day was spent in the grounds of the Dunkeld Hilton. LR Experience have a really good set-up there with all the usual mud-baths, hill-climbs(and obviously the decents !!) and the most disconcerting, side-slopes  How the D3 doesn't flip on to it's side seems to defy gravity.
After a nice lunch we headed further afield. LR have a great relationship with the Duke of Atholl and can basically roam wherever they fancy within his vast estate in Perthshire. Emma and I took turns with the driving with the instructor in the front passenger seat keeping a watchful eye on us. Had plenty of occasions to change the Terrain Response settings. It's just incredible what the D3 can manouver over....driving up and down old river-beds, a "Hands & Knees" incline, through a dense forrest !....in Rock Crawl, feet off everything, concentrating on the steering, a great experience. Coming to the top of an incline when all you can see is the bonnet and the sky is something else....and then when you crash to earth you think the 2.5 tonne beast is just going to freefall down the other side, but with a crunch the HDS kicks-in and you gently pick your way down the slope. Cue my really terrible attempt at an American accent....AWESOME !!.
Late afternoon and back to the grounds of the Hilton for some more fun. Watched one of the instructors tackle their "Rock Pit" in a spanking new D3, incredible to see, the travel in the suspension is a sight to see but so glad it wasn't my D3 he was using !.
To top off the day we went to the hotel spa to freshen up and then had dinner.....lovely....charged it to my LR Dealer and haven't had the bill through the post yet so even better !. 
All in all, a great day. Knew these LR's were good but you really have to experience their range of capabilities to appreciate it. Hopefully everyone out there will get their vouchers sooner rather than later and also that the LR Experience Centre beside you are as good as the Dunkeld centre !!! 
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 21st Feb 2005 1:13 pm |
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Smarticus
Member Since: 01 Jan 2005
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 655
 
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Did the instructors ar Land Rover Experience tell you what their views were on the Disco 3 ? There is an interesting article in this months Land Rover Magazine where they compare the offroad ability of a 300tdi, TD5 and TDv6 Discovery. Surprisingly the 300Tdi did best in a variety of offroad situations, particularly the steep climbs and deep mud. The conclusion was that in the hands of an experienced offroader the low technology 300tdi (mechanical centre diff and grunty diesel engine) beats the traction control and electronic diffs etc in the modern vehicle. Disco 4 TDV6HSE
Defender 200TDi CSW
RR Evoque
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| 22nd Feb 2005 8:47 am |
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Cocker
Member Since: 10 Feb 2005
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland.
Posts: 26
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The two instructors I spoke to at Dunkeld both raved about the D3. They'd actually used it to 'rescue' a couple of Defender's that had got stuck earlier in the week.....very capable and they were really impressed with how refined the D3 was on the road. One thing they were getting fed up with though was filling-up their V8's....averaging 11MPG....
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| 22nd Feb 2005 9:31 am |
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Landyman
Member Since: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 2
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I recently went on my landrover experiance and was all so impressed with D3 performance. I didnt think it would do what it will do. I cant wait to I get mine of road and get it muddy.
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| 24th Feb 2005 6:03 pm |
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nigelpugh
Member Since: 31 Jan 2005
Location: West Midlands , UK close to LR Solihull!!
Posts: 215
 
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Guys,
My experience cert finally turned up in the post today, only 3 months after picking the car up.
I am still up for doing some form of a joint session if everyone else is interested?
Happy to go to Eastnor or fly up on cheap flight from brum to Scottish one as discussed before?
Any takers?
Cheers
Nige Nige - 2014 Disco 4 TDV6 HSE Luxury - Scotia Grey
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| 4th Mar 2005 5:44 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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Not used mine yet and Eastnor is best for me.
-s
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| 4th Mar 2005 8:44 pm |
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Ecosse
Member Since: 07 Jan 2005
Location: Grampian, Scotland
Posts: 889
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Mine's got an expiry date of September which gives pleanty of time! - Perth will be my choice!
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| 4th Mar 2005 9:09 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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mmm mine runs out mid April 
-s
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| 4th Mar 2005 10:13 pm |
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Ecosse
Member Since: 07 Jan 2005
Location: Grampian, Scotland
Posts: 889
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Sounds like a LR specification.... "random"  My car was 01/01/05 & vouchers received today. For use by end of September!
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| 4th Mar 2005 11:11 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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Nige,
You want to team up at Eastnor this month ? Probably during the week. I'm off to Venice early April then Vegas for work 2nd Week... so my voucher will run out by then.
Let me know.
By the way... the green lanes you do. Where are they and are they a bit dodgy (ie damaging)... cause I would love to go off road proper but not risk my D3 if I can help it.
Do you remove the front panel first ? I notice some of the off road pics in the mags tend to do this. And it actually seems to add to to tough look of the front of the car.
Cheers,
-s
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| 5th Mar 2005 11:14 pm |
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DiscoDuck
Member Since: 23 Jan 2005
Location: West Sussex UK
Posts: 126
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I was told the date was when you had to have made a booking by, not when the course is taken D4 HSE
Blue
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| 6th Mar 2005 7:42 am |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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Hi Disco Duck, whereabouts are you in West Sussex?
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| 6th Mar 2005 12:53 pm |
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DiscoDuck
Member Since: 23 Jan 2005
Location: West Sussex UK
Posts: 126
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Near Chichester! D4 HSE
Blue
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| 6th Mar 2005 7:48 pm |
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