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Daddy_pig_disco
Member Since: 04 Dec 2020
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 32
  
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| Newbie- looking at buying a D3 |
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Evening all,
I am currently the very happy owner of a 2004 D2 which I have maintained and improved for the last 12 months. Although I love the car and enjoy driving it daily, I find myself looking at D3's at every available opportunity.
I've done what I always do in this situation and start doing my research, out of all the forums this is by far the best and most informative, so I've spent the few weeks reading.
I think I'm sold into buying a D3 and am prepared to carry out the work to make the the one I buy as reliable as possible. I have always worked on my own cars and now have a pretty comprehensive garage full of the correct tools.
At first I was searching for early 5 seaters, manuals, with the mindset that I wanted a bog standard coil sprung, none sunroof model that would be trouble free, but once I started reading I became very impressed with the terrain response and the air suspension system, plus the option of having all the bells and whistles of the HSE models.
A few questions that I would like the opinion of you D3 owners.
My budgets is around £5k and I'm happy with mileage circa 120k. Are there any versions that I should avoid? What year did the DPF's start making an appearance? My current D2 is auto, is there pros and cons to auto and manual? I regularly tow an 8x4 trailer and will hopefully be purchasing a caravan next year.
Apologies for the short story, hope someone can lend their advice/opinion.
Kind regards,
Jonathan.
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 4th Dec 2020 10:37 pm |
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darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2863
  
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Hello and welcome
I’d go or well maintained rather than mileage and ideally a higher spec as they hold value the best.
Lots can be done to the D3 to square up a car with a few tatty bits but you can’t make good years of poor service. Ideally one that has been serviced by a local Indi as they tend to be properly looked after rather than just serviced, by any old garage. Most importantly check the belts are done - oil pump and transmission sorted are a bonus.  Must stop buying shiny toys....
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| 4th Dec 2020 11:07 pm |
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Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1815
 
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| Re: Newbie- looking at buying a D3 |
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Daddy_pig_disco wrote:
My budgets is around £5k and I'm happy with mileage circa 120k. .
If 5k is your budget, stay away from 5k motors.. IMHO (i have “some” experience, and am regularly a positive man regarding car (and motorcycle) mechanics)
Thing is... these discovery’s are APITA if need structural work on the engine. Crankshafts, head work is all basically body off job... where on other motors such stuff is a lot easyer...
And crankshafts (main bearings) go on these motors, often, not always, but quite often.. have a read here!
I tought, how bad can it be.... bought one for 5,5k low mileage, full service record, 2 owners, etc. Etc.
First 70 mls, spinning like a kitten, then out of nothing... knock knock knock..
Spun bearing, and some bigends gone... 4,5K further, a fresh engine and a TC and some other stuff, while i was there..(and my total rebuild costs was a bargain) i am happy BUT i did have a reserve calculated for such an (to be exprected) event...
If you beware, you can have a lot of fun with a D3...and as former D2 owner, i sure can recommend a D3
But make reservations for a significant budget as spare! Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc. 
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| 4th Dec 2020 11:37 pm |
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gareth71
Member Since: 10 Apr 2016
Location: North-east Wales
Posts: 548
 
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Check out the 'for sale' section on this forum - older D3s in that sort of price range seem to crop up fairly often, and if it's a forum member chances are it's been looked after better than one of unknown heritage that you'd pick up from a dealer or a random private sale.
As someone who went from a D2 to a D3 myself, I promise you you won't regret it! Good luck.
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| 5th Dec 2020 1:11 pm |
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Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10367
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Most of the D3 don’t have dpf.
Maybe 2009 it was introduced ???? 08 ?
A rebuilt auto box is about £2500
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| 5th Dec 2020 1:25 pm |
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Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1815
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I think EU4 has DPF? So MY07 and newer?
When i looked for a D3 last year (LHD) i saw that difference
MY05 and MY06 never (or retrofit like mine) MY07 had them all it seemed..(on the continent)
I can be wrong though 8) Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
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| 5th Dec 2020 1:46 pm |
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lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
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Going forwards the biggest issue with any D3 and early D4 is the road tax situation, ie 570 quid or 47gbp per month.
It might seem daft but as early D3 values drop to virtually nothing, even more expensive road tax will make them practically worthless in the very near future.
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| 5th Dec 2020 6:28 pm |
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Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1815
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WoW! That is cheap! For a D3 or D4 diesel, non commercial, we pay 266 quid each month for road tax....
About 3200 a year....
And yes that is allready converted from € to £
€295 p/m € 3540 p/y Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
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| 5th Dec 2020 6:50 pm |
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goodo
Member Since: 04 Dec 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 96
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Pete K wrote:Most of the D3 don’t have dpf.
Maybe 2009 it was introduced ???? 08 ?
A rebuilt auto box is about £2500
We have a 2010 D4 with no DPF. I think the SDV6 engine is when they introduced the DPF to comply with the new Euro emissions (can’t remember which one)
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| 6th Dec 2020 12:02 am |
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goodo
Member Since: 04 Dec 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 96
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lynalldiscovery wrote:Going forwards the biggest issue with any D3 and early D4 is the road tax situation, ie 570 quid or 47gbp per month.
It might seem daft but as early D3 values drop to virtually nothing, even more expensive road tax will make them practically worthless in the very near future.
The U.K. govt has it in for diesels, they’re almost all paying over £500 a year in road tax, so I don’t think the discovery is a special case. When you’re getting 27mpg, does £500 A year in road tax really break the bank? Someone’s got to pay to subsidise all those Teslas using the roads for free.
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| 6th Dec 2020 12:07 am |
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lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
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Under 40k new cost are using the road for free for now!
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| 6th Dec 2020 9:36 am |
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RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1651
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Motolab wrote:WoW! That is cheap! For a D3 or D4 diesel, non commercial, we pay 266 quid each month for road tax....
About 3200 a year....
And yes that is allready converted from € to £
€295 p/m € 3540 p/y
I used to work in Maastrict and all the dutch and Belgian guys I worked with bemoaned the high taxes on car costs, both to buy and run.
But your roads were/are a hell of lot better than current UK roads which are literally falling to pieces. 2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
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| 7th Dec 2020 8:46 am |
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goodo
Member Since: 04 Dec 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 96
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Perhaps the Dutch are more honest with their taxation, making motorists pay the true cost of road infrastructure, while we in the U.K. get a bargain, and bargain basement road conditions.
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| 7th Dec 2020 10:12 am |
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Dondiddy
Member Since: 26 Dec 2019
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 307
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But is the average annual income not quite a bit higher in the Netherlands?
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| 7th Dec 2020 10:34 am |
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Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1815
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Regarding Average income:
In a top 20 in Europe: both UK and Nl are on place 10 and 9
So not a big difference...
New price of a motor.......to compare, the easyest way is a new vehicle
So the same basic new defender is from £45k on in the UK and in NL € 82K (=£74k) and up Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
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| 7th Dec 2020 10:52 am |
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