Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
3 ft snow drifts & rising
Hi everybody, expecting my disco 3 HSE TDV6 at the end of march, getting very excited now LOL. My question is, does anyone have experience of the 3 in severe snow conditions yet ? I just drove my disco TD5 (2003) five miles back through a North East Scotland blizzard with 3+ foot icy snow drifts on dirt tracks. I have not used it in this kind of snow before, it just cut through it all like there was hardly anything there and the Traction control just went off once !!!!! I am hoping the disco 3 is up to this kind of real life use- and nothing has been sacrificed for its on road behaviour, any experiences out there ???
2nd Mar 2006 9:49 pm
Dom Harvey Lord of the Four Fingers
Member Since: 15 Apr 2005
Location: Dorset
Posts: 7454
Hah you're in for a big surprise......its even better 2004 Discovery 3 - gone
2006 Discovery 3 - gone
2008 Discovery 3 GS - gone
2011 Freelander LE Special Edition - gone
2007 Discovery 3 XS - gone
2012 Discovery 4 GS - current
2nd Mar 2006 9:57 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
How about this
It is extremely capable in deep snow, I had a V8 s2 Disco before the D3, and the D3 is far better in the snow.
2nd Mar 2006 10:14 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
No such luck yet in a disco3, although the disco 2 I had in Kosovo was more than capable in the snow, in every way the Disco3 is head and shoulders above it so far, so I would expect it it be in snow, just remember to switch off DSC at low speeds
2nd Mar 2006 10:16 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
thanks for the reassurance
thanks for the replies, I just drove a D3 demo vehicle for 30 mins - so really did not get much of an idea of the off road capabilities of the D3 other than smoothness & quietness of the ride and the lovelyness of the auto box compared to the D2. Can you switch the DSC off on the D3 then & does the DSC interfere with handling in snow ? I got the impression from reading the blurb I should just select the snow setting on the console - I see it may be more complex than that
2nd Mar 2006 10:39 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
in normal road conditions, just select snow - the TR will work in high box and on road for Grass / gravel / snow. It's also the only TR programme that doesn't reset to 'road' after more than a 2 hour switch off period. you would only need to switch off DSC ( by pressing & holding the DSC button on the centre dash console for a second or so) when driving in situations where you would not want the throttle to be 'backed off', i.e. driving through drifts at low-ish speeds, or driving offroad in snow - or sand 8) that said, it doesn't really switch it off, just raise the threshold before it comes in.
2nd Mar 2006 10:46 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
very informative - thank you.
2nd Mar 2006 11:09 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
No worries, although I'd ask your dealer for an extended test drive - a day should do it - so you can play with the TR and other stuff... also the LR Experience 1/2 day or level 1 is well worth it, try and push the dealer for a voucher, which used to be included with a new vehicle but now seems to have been discontinued
2nd Mar 2006 11:13 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
well it's ordered now (D3). I am pretty confident from the things I have read that the D3 will be up to the job. I think from what I am learning here & elsewhere the D3 can probably be set back further toward a manual input from the driver than the auto D2 I have got, which will be fine. To be honest my main concern is crash safety - I was involved in a life threatening RTA - some 6 years ago, and I have driven rigid frame 4x4's ever since. I am confident the D3's combination of rigid chassis and mono coque protection will offer good crash protection in any accident, which is why I am trading my D2 in for it.
2nd Mar 2006 11:37 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
for sure, have a look at Nick Hearne's 'incident' details for an indication of the protection a Disco 3 affords...
2nd Mar 2006 11:40 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
do you have a link - I cant find it ?
2nd Mar 2006 11:51 pm
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
I did an LRE Winter Level 1 course in Finland a couple of weeks ago (I'm going to post a few more comments sometime when I get around to it). The D3 was fine there. Off-road we mostly had chains on all 4 wheels. However, even without chains, it handled snowy forest tracks with light gradients without trouble. Once it got steeper, you needed the chains, though. On a frozen lake the car drove fine - as long as you didn't over do it! Since it was pure ice underneath, you certainly could skid if you applied too much power.
It was great fun driving on the snow and ice
Eric
3rd Mar 2006 8:29 am
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
espri wrote:
On a frozen lake the car drove fine - as long as you didn't over do it! Since it was pure ice underneath, you certainly could skid if you applied too much power.
Apart from Mr. Clarkson and friends, us Brits don't ever get the chance to drive on a frozen lake! Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
3rd Mar 2006 9:15 am
jacob
Member Since: 12 Jan 2006
Location: athens
Posts: 145
the car is perfect on snow, i made some friends with modifited cars
and realy mud tyres to wonder what this ''grazy car'' is doing ..??
however i feel tht on a slop with too much snow(not fresh),
a bit more aggressive tyre, could make a better ballance between cars weight and traction, and could give better control of the vehile in such
conditions. otherwise you can always use the snow chains. 8)
cheers
3rd Mar 2006 11:33 am
Vo Rogue
Member Since: 16 Jan 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 123
I did an LRE Winter Level 1 course in Finland a couple of weeks ago (I'm going to post a few more comments sometime when I get around to it). The D3 was fine there. Off-road we mostly had chains on all 4 wheels. However, even without chains, it handled snowy forest tracks with light gradients without trouble. Once it got steeper, you needed the chains, though. On a frozen lake the car drove fine - as long as you didn't over do it! Since it was pure ice underneath, you certainly could skid if you applied too much power.
It was great fun driving on the snow and ice
Eric
I am curious. The manual says chains to only be used on the Fronts. Why would that be when they are using them on all 4's on a course ?
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