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Am I cut out to be a Discovery Owner
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sgtbilko
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 8
 
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| Am I cut out to be a Discovery Owner |
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Having owned an Discovery 3 HSE for two and half years and reading this form I find myself asking the question am I really cut out to be a Landrover Owner? I've owned 4 Audi and a Mercedes in the previous 10 years. I didn't really know the dealers that well, I only ever saw them once a year at service time. I'm on first name terms with my local Land Rover service team, I've seen them so often.
The last car I owned that was so temperamental (and I'm being kind with that description ) was my beloved Alpha Romeo. I was young, impressionable and easily seduced. Once I heard the bark of her flat four I was smitten. I bought that car with my heart and I loved it. But the relationship was doomed, and I had to end it. In return for the pleasure of being with it, it would empty my bank account every other month while being pampered at the Alpha dealership.
Now much older and wiser, I bought the Land Rover with my mind - not my heart. It's great at the weekends
with the three kids - with room for Grandma as well. It's V6 Auto is perfect for traffic and it has Sat Nav for when I inevitably get lost trying to find a customer. Bi-Xenon lamps and decent sound system (well at least it is now that the faulty amp that blew up the speakers has been replaced). The interior comfortable, practicle and relatively well appointed. It's a relaxed drive and the image is understated. What more could I want?
However, as the warranty runs out, I find myself questioning whether we should part company. Am I going to be left with a great big lemon and large unnecessary garage bills when the warranty runs out. I note on this forum that a lot of owners are happy to experiment, modify, tweak and accept quirks that come with owning a Land Rover. I struggle to accept this, my expectations from a modern a car a much higher. I think if I owned an old LR 110 as a weekend project, I might feel the same way. However, I find myself thinking - I made the wrong decision; I shouldn't have ignored all those tails of woe about the D2. I paid a not insignificant amount of money for a car that, on balance, has been quite poor compared to others I've owned. It's painful to admit being wrong - but maybe I was.
Mark
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 Mon Aug 18 2008 6:38pm |
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RLD
Uncle Ray
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Location: lancs
Posts: 3404
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as i wipe the tear from my eye you have to do what your hart tels you but i do hope you you do remember the good times with the Disco3 just remember Land Rovers never dye they just get recycled  is it me your looking for well off again up Scotland for a week then back to sunny Leeds
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| Mon Aug 18 2008 6:48pm |
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mkaresh
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 21
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Is yours a 2005? I think the LR3's reliability has improved since, though it's still not the best. TrueDelta.com
Vehicle reliability information
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| Mon Aug 18 2008 6:49pm |
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jkp
Site Sponsor
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Location: West Lothian
Posts: 1838
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Mark, maybe some of your woes are dealer intervention related. I used a certain dealer in Edinburgh, in fact I bought mine from them from new, although they went by Rossleigh at the time. The new owners are very poor at fault finding and customer aftercare. I moved my business to Taggarts in Motherwell and <touching> ooo'er misses, I find that my car has run without mishap of fault since and that was two years ago.
This same dealer, which I have not used in 2 years, yesterday sent me a letter saying they have booked my annual service for me, given a date and asked me to confirm that this is okay...  What a fricking cheek !!
...John Needing car cleaning or detailing products.
Check my website then drop me a PM for 10% off. Free delivery on orders over £50
D3 winter protection detail offer
Santa Appeal Detail Auction
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| Mon Aug 18 2008 6:51pm |
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Maverick
Joined: 25 Jul 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire!
Posts: 1865
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jkp wrote:This same dealer, which I have not used in 2 years, yesterday sent me a letter saying they have booked my annual service for me, given a date and asked me to confirm that this is okay... What a fricking cheek !!
Rough translation - Dear punter customer,
We are running low on business because we do not know how to treat customers or their cars, please help us keep our accountants happy by paying double and in return we shall do a shoddy job and leave your car in a mess!
Sincerely
Town and County Aberdeen (Sorry, don't know what came over me!  ) Rossleigh (or whatever they are now called!)  Very dirty 1996 Defender 90 - Soon to be mine!
 Stornaway Grey D3 HSE - Dads!
Hesko the German Shepherd - Coming Saturday, hopefully! 
R.I.P. Smudge! 24.10.08
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| Mon Aug 18 2008 7:04pm |
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NJF
Joined: 05 Oct 2007
Location: Luxembourg, Strassen
Posts: 764
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We've had a D3 for 18 months and not a sign of bother.
I'm on my second Merc E-class in 5 years and both have had trouble. The first was a total lemon (2003; the nadir of their quality problems) and the second is much better, except for the auto box, which is truly awful and getting worse. I think I need to take it in to get the electronics reset.
What car gets left in the garage on weekends? The Merc.
SWMBO had an Audi A4 Avant before the D3. There's no question in her mind: she prefers the D3. Her only doubt was whether she would have been better off with a Yummy Mummy Volvo thingummy. We discussed it like adults and then I bought the D3.
IMHO the D3 is superb.
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| Mon Aug 18 2008 7:06pm |
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BLFarrar
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Location: Deepest, darkest Halifax, West Yorkshire
Posts: 608
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.....this would appear to be in wrong thread
bit in response to Sgtbliko's eloquent & "so true" post
what I (& I presume many others) design enhancements would like to make
"reliability as standard"
....& if Land Rover achieved this it would be a world beater ....have Disco3 HSE TD6 Auto...
....also S Type 2.7 Auto....
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| Mon Aug 18 2008 7:31pm |
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hernan1304
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Location: Dubai
Posts: 387
 
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Easy answer - replace it...
...with another D3 that's new and under warranty 
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 6:20am |
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MG
Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Surrey
Posts: 59
 
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Why not buy the extended warranty? I have just done so for my '05 HSE.
I have to say that apart from the sunroof problem, which Guy Salmon did under warranty for me I have had no other faults with the vehicle. I have only covered some 20k miles from new and it may still be early days, but she runs beautifully is as reliable a car as I have ever owned and I get up to 37 miles per gallon!!!
What else could you ask of a car.....go on sgtbilko keep it and get the extended warranty (with LR assistance - they do a good bundled deal).
MG MG
HSE V6 Diesel
Buckingham Blue
Ebony Leather
Side Steps
Mini Fridge
Rosen A7 Roof-mount DVD player
Parrot 3100 Bluetooth
Removable Towbar and Elecs
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 8:06am |
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TallPaul
Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Location: Corporate Hell
Posts: 514
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I think the problem with the Disco is that there is the scary thought of something complicated going wrong that you can't ignore. After 3.5 years I had the first problem with my Alfa earlier in the year (yeah they make them well these days) with a slave clutch cylinder weeping slightly. Simple problem, but I left it until it was convenient to take it in and get it sorted.
With the Disco however, if you wake up one day and the suspension is locked in crawl - it has to go straight in, and you can't just ignore it until you have the money either - kinda functional requirement!
Basically Sgt Bilko its the Dirty Harry answer - do you feel lucky?
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 8:43am |
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ridgeback_moor
Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Location: Down 'ere
Posts: 616
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The only problem you mentioned was with the audio amp, which is now sorted. Clearly you appreciate the comfort, space, image, drive etc, so if you've not had too many recent problems what are you worried about? I've got a D3 built in November 04 which is now out of warranty (at 76K miles), and it's fair to say it had a difficult first 2 years with numerous warranty claims. But now the known problems have been ironed out, and the faulty items replaced, so in theory the 'bath tub effect' should apply where the reliability during mid - life significantly increases, only going back down again as it gets 'old', whatever age that is. So unless you're getting persistent problems still, surely it's a no brainer? My current plan is to keep mine until it's about 6 years old, then replace it with a 3 y.o. 08 HSE. That way the depreciation is fairly easy to live with D3 TDV6 S 2005 - TorqTune, Privacy Glass, Remote FBH, 19" HSE Alloys, Boot liner, retrofit F&R PDC, RAI
Defender 90 Truck Cab TD5 2003 - Ifor Williams back, alloys (SWMBO's toy - well, one of them  )
Toyota Yaris 2008 (SWMBO's company shopping trolley)
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 9:10am |
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kevi
Joined: 18 Mar 2006
Location: in the rhondda valleys
Posts: 286
 
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It must be a question of
how many problems have you had ?
how serious were they ?
are they sorted to your satisfaction ?
would you / are you happy to keep it ?
and do you feel lucky ?
i got my 55/06 in jan new , only 1 problem i have had and that was with the clutch , but a new one was fitted under warrenty and i do think now that it my have been driver error that caused the problem .
thing is now do i get a new one in jan or keep it ? it has only done 13k and the dealer has offered me a rubbish price for it against a new gs , and no better with a 6m old xs , witch i have taken a likeing to .
mine is a coiler , having read all the problems people have had with the suspention on the s and up models i'am a bit reluctant to tip my toe in , but with coilers no longer available i will have to get a gs at least TDV6 5 SEAT BASE NO GIMMICKS NO FUSS
tow pack, tasmods sills
IT goes without sayingthat you should never have more children than you have car windows
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 10:21am |
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sgtbilko
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 8
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Thank you for all the comments guys.
I can't ditch the D3, not because I'm a bit of "petrol head", nor because I secretly really enjoy driving
the D3. But because to sell it would mean admitting to my better half that she was right all along, and
we should have bought an MPV and an A4!
Despite being 3 years old and having only covered 38k miles the list of faults have been numerous. However,
most of them have not been "major" mechanical failures. But they've all required replacement parts and labour at the LR dealership. Though after tailgate failed (see technical post) on holiday I'd have been happy to see the back of it. The inconvenience of not having the car is very annoying - but I could live with it. However, I'm s**ting it that something major does go and I get landed with an enormous bill.
I have a cunning plan though ...
Dispose of my wife's Audi, give her the D3, she only covers 5'000 miles per year max! I'll buy an extended warranty for years four and five (any suggestions / help on this appreciated). Then buy myself a two seater sports car for Monday to Friday driving. Now do I buy a sensible Honda S2000 or roll the dice once more on one of those drop dead gorgeous new Alphas!
Only two things stand in the way of my master plan: 1. Convincing my lovely wife that the D3 is no more difficult to park in town than an A6 estate and; 2. That a two seater sports car is a sensible choice for a second car for a family of five.
I know that your thinking - point 2 sounds impossible. But, dear friends, I find that "Practicality" and "Sensibility" are relative statements. I keep leaving information on this BPR Spyder lying around the house (http://spyder.brp.com/) and suddenly a two seater rag top is the ultimate sensible family car - genius!
Mark
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 10:57am |
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Andrew van den Heever
Joined: 09 Jun 2007
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 201
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Have you ever taken the D3 offroad? If you have, and you have experienced all the "road car" features you have described AND the unbelievable ability of the D3 offroad, why not just get another one??
Seriously, if you know how capable this machine is offroad you would never want to change it.
I can't understand comparing a D3 with a Merc or an Audi or Beemer. Sure there have been reliability issues with earlier models but this is a 4x4, designed to take you through what seems impossible. It's not a road car at all, yet also gives you every comfort and safety feature you could hope for. Even the "clay-bar" types on this forum love it, and they would be reluctant to go up a pavement for fear of getting the car dirty. It gives you so much that you just can't help giving it a bit of slack when its not as reliable as a Toyota Tazz.
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 11:03am |
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sgtbilko
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 8
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Andrew,
Having driven the D3 and 110's off-road I have to agree they're fantastic. Was having an argument with a Jeep driver the other week who tried to claim that the D3 wasn't a true off-roader! It's also one of the most versatile cars on the market, succeeding in being many different things to many different people. Though this in my experience always leads to a design compromise. (I don't want to even start on devices that try to be phones / PDA's / SatNavs / Cameras and MP3 players - I only wanted to phone for pizza!)
I guess my point (if there really was one at all) is that our loyalty is elastic, if it's stretched too much then it snaps. I think my elastic is becoming a bit frayed.
I'm going to shut-up now. I feel much better for getting all this of my chest and my love for my Disco is becoming restored. Thank you all for your indulgence.
Mark
Edit - I wasn't being flippant on the RFI on Extended Warranties, any advice welcomed
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| Tue Aug 19 2008 12:50pm |
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