Show us your Disco

[Cookiemonsterandmerlin.]

I'm amazed at all these pictures of the best 4x4 by far getting stuck, from what owners say you'd think it was a rareity rather than the norm to get your landrover stuck while out and about in the country

 

I dont get my landy stuck in conditions like this as I would be on my quad as pictures clearly shows its too wet for a two ton of metal driving on it it with with high ground pressure tryes on.

 

OTH

[gixer1]

Not in the stubble field in my picture....you wouldn't have known by looking at the surface as it seemed to be a sort of clay mud underneath...

[Red 9R]

I have never really thought of Hyundai's, but I guess they can not be too bad or they would not give the warranty’s they do? What are they like off road?

Edited January 22, 2010 by Red 9R

[EMcC]

I have never really thought of Hyundai's, but I guess they can not be too bad or they would not give the warranty’s they do? What are they like off road?

The Hyundai Terracan is very good and excellent value for money.

They aren't made any more so if you decide to go that way it would have to be second hand.

The only reason I went Disco is purely because of the 'Off Road' programmes and elevated suspension which I saw in action at a Landrover Adventure day down near Honiton.

To the chap that does not like Privacy Glass.

I have it to keep sun off my dogs and to prevent nosey parkers seeing anything I have in there.

It is also handy when a passsenger is not wearing his/her seat belt

[dodeer]

Can anyone tell me what tyres fit the Disco 3's? I am thinking of buying one in March but would require good A/T's or Muds on it from day one.

Someone i know has a 58 plate version and fitted some sort of Michelin's I think but worked out at £165 per tyre.

[ProteuS]

they're bloody huge when stood next to them! and I don't think there's been that many horror stories has there?

 

They just don't seem that big to me. I drove one for a bit and thought it was quite neat, and seemed really easy to maneuvure. The only thing i thought about it was that it would have made a very good "modern defender"

 

as for horror stories, I just pulled this short list out:

 

Latest or updated Disco 3s are fitted with four panel seat squabs that don't have the creasing problem. Three panel seats squabs do crease.

 

Air suspension compressor may fail.

 

Sunroofs may leak.

 

Terrain response system can fail.

 

Satnav screens can fail.

 

Bizzarely, if the engine pre-heater does not work, you can get it to by leaving the radio switched on the previous night. Software and wiring problem apparently.

 

Lots of suspension problems, mainly due to wiring faults.

 

Failures of 2.7 V6 diesels quite common, possibly due to failure of single turbo oil seals. (LandRover fits a single turbo version rather then the twin turbo in Jaguars, Citroens and Peugeots.)

 

One reader's saga from December 2005 to June 2006:-

 

-Clutch failed

-Suspension failed

-Brake problems - replace twice and adjusted a third time

-Transmission failed

- rear screen wiper unit replaced twice

- passenger seat sensor replaced

 

Driver's cloth seats prone to creasing. The cause from the dealer is: "The seat cushion cover is secured to the cushion foam by two rows of securing rings on the first and second panels, but in order to accommodate the seat heater mat, none are installed at the rear of the cushion, which can lead to the above complaint. A revised cushion design incorporating a different seat heater mat (where installed) allows the cover to be secured to the cushion in the critical area. Should a customer express concern regarding the above, refer to the service procedure detailed in the bulletin to renew both front seat cushion covers."

 

Complaints of driver seat wear and leg pain from somdething metal under the seat cover.

 

Problems continue. Received 24-11-2007: "I purchased an 'approved used' Land Rover Discovery 3 in December 2006. It was delivered with faults (a flat tyre, faulty engine which loses power at 60mph in the outside lane - very scary, numerous electrical faults, etc ad infinitum). It has never been repaired satisfactorily and I returned the vehicle to the dealership recently and will be claiming a full refund. The appalling level of customer service that I have received beggars belief. What is the point of paying a large sum of money for a prestige car that doesn't work? I believe that there is a growing bubble of discontent amongst consumers that have purchased the Discovery 3 and the Range Rover and have been left short

 

and the recallls:

Unknown date TSB to renew front seat cushion covers if creasing occurs (see above).

9-11-2005 Safety Recall R/2005/144: vehicle may become unstable if jacked VINs SALLAAA185A320952 to SALLAAA176A357812.

30-11-2005 Safety Recall R/2005/154: seatbelt buckle may not be retained, build dates 21-8-95 to 12-9-05.

30-11-2005 Safety Recall R/2005/156: parking function of automatic transmission may not operate correctly, build dates 2-7-2004 to 30-4-2005.

7-6-2006 Safety Recall R/2006/069: on petrol versions fuel may leak, build dates 2-7-2004 to 20-5-2005.

19-3-2007 Safety recall R/2006/226: on petrol versions possibility of fuel leakage, build dates 3-5-2005 to 28-9-2005.

[al4x]

that really makes them sound like a cracking buy

[gixer1]

Don't read too much into the recalls - if you go onto (i think) the AA site it has all the recalls for all the UK model cars, some of them have lists miles long, it's not uncommon for cars in thier first few production years to have alot of niggles....

 

even Lexus have about 25 and they are apparently the most reliable manufacturer....

[Blackbart]

I thought they didnt bother with recalls for landrovers anymore opting to just do them in the first year when it is in the dealers getting something else fixed.

 

I have a landrover recovery tool..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's called A MITSUBISHI

[ProteuS]

Don't read too much into the recalls - if you go onto (i think) the AA site it has all the recalls for all the UK model cars, some of them have lists miles long, it's not uncommon for cars in thier first few production years to have alot of niggles....

 

even Lexus have about 25 and they are apparently the most reliable manufacturer....

 

I was looking at model specific recalls rather than entire manufacturer recalls. I know that the LC landcruisers have had two recalls, both over tiny production runs. 1 was injector seals, and the other was some seat mounting bolts on a run of commercial vehicles that were then converted into normal wagons.

 

If you are talking 25 for Lexus/toyota, then land rover must be into the thousands.

[Mungler]

Sammy, what's the score on the hidden winch kit?

 

I want one.

[ProteuS]

Mungler, I'm sure TBR do hidden winch mounts for most vehicles.

[George1990]

By the way, How did the defender cope compared to the hairdresser cars.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Though to be fair the Disco could have easily got up with a bit of skill.

Land-Rovers will out perform any other off roader hands down. No arguments about that. And they're only unreliable if you don't know how to look after em.

[ProteuS]

Land-Rovers will out perform any other off roader hands down. No arguments about that. And they're only unreliable if you don't know how to look after em.

 

I'm not sure if you are cleverly taking the ****, or genuinely believe that.

 

In standard trim the 80 series landcruiser will walk over pretty much any land rover. Difflocks make a world of difference off road. Even the gelanderwagon will go further.

 

There is a very good reason that in countries where 4x4's are necessary in many places ( Australia etc) Toyota and nissan account for about 90% of the market.

[fendrover90]

if you lot get stuck in your discos give me a shout i'll come pull you out with my 90 chuckle chuckle

[rodp]

I'm not sure if you are cleverly taking the ****, or genuinely believe that.

 

In standard trim the 80 series landcruiser will walk over pretty much any land rover. Difflocks make a world of difference off road. Even the gelanderwagon will go further.

 

There is a very good reason that in countries where 4x4's are necessary in many places ( Australia etc) Toyota and nissan account for about 90% of the market.

 

 

You're quite right, it's called factory back up. Even Toyota themselves admit that. Gwagen versus L/R, spec for spec, no competition, fact. Toyota versus L/R, spec for spec, no competition, fact. Don't forget you can get difflocks for L/R, they're just unnecessary usually. I did 4x4 competition for donkeys years and I've seen them all (driven most of them) and spec for spec nothing will touch a L/R. There's just something that makes the L/R go that bit further.

 

Even the Aussie mines and foreign logging companies still buy a few L/Rs just for when the going gets really tough, for dirt tracks they use the Jap 4x4s, they're the ones you see on telly.

L/R will not supply the back up, that's the big problem. Doesn't apply over here though, there's so many independents you'd have to be crazy to use a dealer.

[George1990]

In the harshest of conditions the old land cruisers will probably last longer than a LR, but in UK they're as reliable as the rest.

 

Landy's come with centre diff lock as standard (classic Range Rovers, 90's 110's and 130's and Defenders) and can put cross axle locks in too.

[cuff]

The Hyundai Terracan was better off road than the Disco untill I tried to run it on Biofuel

The disco is a 2.7 and the Hyundai was a 2.9 and had more MPG than the disco too

 

 

dont know if anybody noticed but terracan had mud tyres disco road tyres. putting off road tyres on ds3 i do not think there is any thing to better it as a good all rounder

Edited January 22, 2010 by cuff

[ProteuS]

 

This has some of the best best off road trucks in the world, and i think at most there are 2 range rover based vehicles, and possibly one series bodied vehicle. Although I agree it's not a side by side comparison.

 

I don't know of any factory fit diff locks for civilian land rovers and i've never spotted them in the dealer mags i've looked through in the past. Most people that I know who compete have fitted ARB lockers, and then have to uprate the halfshafts and cv's with ashcrofts or similar because the drivetrain just can't take the added strain.

 

Nearly every time i've been involved amongst my friends with stock vehicles the landrovers have always stopped first. On slippery hills they usually break traction and end up spinning two wheels, apart from suzukies which seem to float over most things impressivley, the rear lockers on shoguns / land cruisers / patrols and the like make an asbolutely huge difference.

 

p.s. when i talk about lockers, i'm refering to axle diff locks. a transfer case without a diff lock is a waste of space, I know there are some lim slip ones but even then without full locking capeabilities i wouldn't even refer to the vehicle as a 4x4.

Edited January 22, 2010 by ProteuS

[scarecrow243]

i have a 97 discovery xs v8i 3.9 litre petrol i havent had to use 4wd low or diff lock with all the snow we had it depends on how you drive any 4x4 a heavy right foot will get you stuck no matter what 4x4 you are useing

[Chally2]

6.bmpHere's mine today in the snow at my shoot. Edited January 23, 2010 by Chally2

[Troosers Too]

In reply to Sam F's query on tyres for a Disco 3, I'm using General Grabber AT-2s, which seem to be pretty good both on & off road. I worried at first about how long they would last because of their soft(ish) compound but they've been pretty good. I priced them up recently & the best price I found locally in Worcestershire was £116 plus VAT.

 

TT