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LT
Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 1161
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I really think that LR got the design of the D3 spot on in the first place. I like it best in its standard form. I added side mouldings & mudflaps to mine for practical reasons, but I think even these spoil the design.
I'm sad, as I really don't much like the changes on the 2009 model.
If I can get a good deal, I'll buy a 2008.5 model very soon.
Unless some serious competiton comes along, I'll buy a 3.0l D3 in the future & just put up with the new styling. 
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 Wed Jul 23 2008 3:27pm |
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rsk21
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 44
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Saw one of these inthe flesh today at LRE Chilterns. It was a silver HSE and I have to say it looked very good indeed, much better than the pics. Not keen on the styling kit add ons though whoch thankfully the one I saw didn't have. D3 TDV6 S Auto Nav PTI
Alfa Brera 3.2 Q4
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 3:38pm |
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CY
Joined: 16 Aug 2005
Location: The Bonnie Banks of the Forth
Posts: 3432
 
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If you weren't 'in the know' the website would be a mighty confusing place, a muddle of pre/post facelift D3s and some nasty photoshopped images to try and bring some existing pictures up to date...
Whilst I've not seen it at the flesh (had to pull out of this years motorshow  ) I'm not a massive fan of the 09MY for the following reasons:
- The side profile now looks too elongated and stretched. The black arches and bumpers put in some perspective and gave it a proper shape.
- The back bumper looks all wrong- they almost get away with it at the front but the back looks like they couldn't decide between paint or plastic so they did a 50:50 to keep everyone happy..
- It's too overcomplicated and fussy - that's not what the D3 is all about.
- The 'original' D3 worked beautifully. If it ain't broke then don't fix it.
On the other hand, it does look quite good from the front in some colours and there are a few neat touches to add class, like the door handles and side vent. DISCO3's Student Correspondent...
Discovery 3 TDV6 SE
Volvo V70 T5 SE
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 4:35pm |
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jjvd21
Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 67
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How would a Santorini black D3 look with Stornoway fenders? Or a Cairns blue or Izmir blue with Zermatt fenders? Or a Stornoway with Santorini fenders. I wonder if we'll see 2009 owners swapping their fenders with others to change the look...... USA
2005 HSE
Java Black
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 6:38pm |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bob the Builders 'ere
Posts: 10343
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I will reserve my judgement until I can see it in the flesh. I know I was not convinced about the current model until I saw/drove it. Then I was convinced and had to have one. Roll on 3 litre tdv6  Silver TDV6 HSE
Pepper White Cooper S Convertible
Old English White MGB GT
Ex Military 109 Series 2a Soft Top
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 6:57pm |
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azure111s
Joined: 20 Sep 2006
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 111
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I saw it 'in the flesh' at Yeovil when I collected my 8.5MY. I have to say that IMHO it looks better than in the pictures, but I'm still pleased I got one of the last 8.5MYs, with a good deal to boot 
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| Thu Jul 24 2008 11:26am |
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NoDo$h
Joined: 02 May 2006
Location: wear the fox hat?
Posts: 6612
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Nipping in tp Yeovil tonight to sort out the wheels so if anyone has any special requests for pics of the 09my let me know. Ditto if anyone going to the SE meet next week is ordering parts and wants me to collect them this evening. Carbon footprint? I neither know nor give a damn
DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it. If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate.
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| Thu Jul 24 2008 11:53am |
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Beachboy
Joined: 09 Dec 2007
Location: berkshire
Posts: 70
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Do they do an expedition rack for the extended roofrails then 
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| Fri Jul 25 2008 4:06pm |
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shellshock
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Location: Chester/Wrexham
Posts: 205
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Saw one in the flesh when I called into the dealers yesterday. On most cars I don't like "black plastic" but I do think it works on the D3, so I was unsure about the new 09MY even after seeing TLO's pics. The one I saw was in Stornaway and with additional colour coded door handles and wing mirrors, I have to say it looked pretty good and I would be happy to own one when the time comes. There is a BUT.... I think that the new look may not look as good in silver etc.(but then neither does the 8.5MY   ) so the colour chosen does become more important. I think colour coded handles will be a must with the new version as even the new improved tianium(?) would stick out like a sore thumb. I even think that coded handles improve the look of the D3 and are very much in keeping with the smooth unfussy door design!
Also is it my imagination but are LR only producing Black, Stornaway and Silver now - I havent seen an 08 in any other colour Over 10000 miles of trouble-free motoring......well almost .....(only two visits to dealer and 3 days without)
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| Sat Jul 26 2008 8:02pm |
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PeanutBob
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
Location: WIRRAL
Posts: 298
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I was in probably the same dealership today and saw the HSE in Stornaway,with a light leather interior plus piano gloss trim, with the new wheels. I thought it was a bit of a mish mash of conflictiing colours - like add ons from Halfords - with a sticker price of over £46k (obviously open to negotiation). Whereas Conway Land Rover have a very smart silver HSE not colour coded with under 500 miles with tinted windows and looks splendid at £37995.00. I think in many instances car manufacturers do cosmetically improve their vehicles during their lifespans, but as Land Rover got the D3 so right from launch, introducing colour coded arches and bumpers has diluted the impact. Maybe it appeals more to a broader spectrum of potential buyers - less off roadish and 'smart' but I'd rather there was a Silver HSE complete with tinted windows, black arches etc, and a RAI, stood there.
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| Sat Jul 26 2008 9:07pm |
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shellshock
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Location: Chester/Wrexham
Posts: 205
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Yep I'd have to agree. I don't dislike silver on 8.5 MY and it looks great with black glass. Think 09MY with all the clour coded trimmings will not look as good in lighter colours eg silver compared to darker ones. The non-colour coded models were able to still look good in virtually any colour. Over 10000 miles of trouble-free motoring......well almost .....(only two visits to dealer and 3 days without)
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| Sat Jul 26 2008 9:26pm |
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hernan1304
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Location: Dubai
Posts: 388
 
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crews control wrote:
Just saw one of these at the mall yesterday in black. I have to say, whereas it looks sort of maybe acceptable in the photos, in person it really doesn't work. Every piece looks bolted on as an afterthought, and it all looks a bit too big for the disco. Not a fan.
The one I saw said HST on the side next to the vent, not sure if they just stole this off a RRS or whether it really is called the Disco HST.
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| Sun Jul 27 2008 4:30am |
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Vegas
Joined: 29 Jul 2008
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 16
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Great Pics! Anyone snapped a silver one (apart from those on the LR website)?
Eagerly awaiting the Zermat MY09 SE V6 which I ordered back in May. Dealer says first deliveres in Oz will be end of September.
Only thing is, I quite liked the grey wheel arch moldings of the existing model - they were quite a clever design feature to hide the height of the D3 (noticed how the MY09 looks taller and more slab sided)
I hope I haven't done the wrong thing by ordering an MY09 with it's colour coded bits. I'm thinking it has lost some of its design cohesiveness (and as a consequence looks a bit fussy, like most american SUV's do)
However, got a good deal on it and actually saved a couple of grand becasue the existing SE model in Oz does not come with the 6 disc HI ICE stereo (only a single disc version) whereas the MY09 now has the HI ICE standard. Specing the current model with HI ICE costs an outrageous sum.
Not sure about the new 19" alloys either. Anyway I'll reserve my judgement until I see it in the flesh (when I'll be stuck with it anyway).
One thing I can't get over is the price of the discovery (LR3) in the US. In AUS$ the top of the line HSE with the V8 in the US costs less than the base model SE V6 in Australia. Why?
Either Land Rover is losing money on sales in the US, or they are making a huge margin on Australian sales.
What do others reckon?
Finally does anyone have any idea's about the Disco snapped below. It uses the cheese greater grille from the RRS and matching side vent. Is this the MY10 Disco 3?
[img] http://www.motorauthority.com/news/suvs/sp...ng-50l-v8/
Vegas
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| Tue Jul 29 2008 2:09pm |
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