DISCO4.COM - View topic - My 2004 Tonga Green D3

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Manual Tonga Green

Another hard lesson learned. Business venture dissolved with the help of Kent police after I think the guy I was manipulated by I think relapsed on drugs, that or he is just evil, but the police stated what I went through was imprisonment in my own vehicle through fear of violence as well as a host of other offences including fraud as the guy drained me financially and kept all the money made to himself and then changed the internal lock on the workshop and fitted his own lock on the container meaning he stole my stuff including my large white box trailer. Emotionally and physically beyond drained, and relieved that worst of it is over. The owner of the container and workshop ended the tenancy with immediate effect and kindly didn't charge any additional money despite the huge trouble this will have caused them. But all responsibility has been relinquished by the owner, now she has the joy of getting what I thought was a friend, out of the buildings. And hopefully I will get my trailer back. But if, and I mean a huge if, I have to lose my trailer, I will just have to chock that up to stupidity.

Once I have healed or at least begun to heal from this, I will be on the hunt for another workshop to rent (on my own), to do my own thing.

On a positive note, I no longer have the campervan, after an emotional meeting with the police this morning, I had great pleasure in delivering the campervan back to its elderly owner who now has her license back and will be driving it as her daily driver again from the end of lockdown and I now no longer stress about what damage I might find on it everyday.

Getting back on topic,

My discovery is going to be having a deep deep clean on the next dry day and hoping to get the painting done very soon.

30th Jan 2021 8:24 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Well, starting to come to terms with what I stupidly somehow ended up going through.

My good trailer still stolen and missing, believed to be in Southborough now in Tunbridge Wells, I actually know the name of the thief but can't name him legally YET.

But police are coming to my house again tomorrow to take the full statement, and once that statement is complete, the perpetrator will be arrested and dealt with and because of the severity of the crimes involved, court should be within a few days in theory. Hoping to at least get my trailer back, but have come to terms with the fact that I am probably whistling in the wind.

But yesterday, had to go to a friends property to collect something I needed from a distance, and thankfully he lives by a beach! So I decided to give myself a little therapy in comfort and went for a short walk along the beach and sat in my car a while listening to he waves. But didn't really get long enough to chill there. But glad my Discovery hasn't failed me.

3rd Feb 2021 5:48 pm

James W

Member Since: 27 Mar 2008
Location: Riyadh, KSA
Posts: 3068

If nothing else, this thread makes me actually thankful for the relative boredom of my lockdown life right now.

Driveway looks a lot better, sorry to hear of the predicament with this person you attempted to do business with. Maybe a reflection is to slow down a little if possible with decisions, don't act on a whim.

But then I'm the one with a boring lockdown life. All the best to you. Disco will look as good as new once you sort the paint out. Keep going. D4 XS, gone, much loved, never forgotten
2018 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography - Gone to someone with less sense and more time to enjoy it

2016 Toyota Hilux Invincible - Liberating experience

3rd Feb 2021 6:22 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Cheers James W. The person I was supposed to be helping and went into business with is actually being arrested as the police stated, ASAP. Charges they want to bring include TWOC (My trailer), Fraud, Assault (Against me), Hate crime (I was surprised by this one but part of what happened was deemed to be just this), False Imprisonment, Criminal Damage and I can't remember what else. Anyway, not a story I can fully go into until the police have actually made the arrest and put the case to the CPS. If with all the evidence provided they choose to proceed and if / when he denies it, then it will be a case of going to court to tell them what I went through. I think the above might give a hint at what happened.

But getting slightly back on topic, using the Discovery again for my own stuff, and today got the wood to do my non stolen trailers floor. Building up a few things to get lockdown projects done.

Click image to enlarge

5th Feb 2021 10:55 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

That chapter now over with, my trailer is officially not coming back, name of the thief is known but the trailer is not recoverable

So..... just finishing refurbishing the one I have at my house as I just sold it and that is out the door on Wednesday, and I am on the hunt for another trailer. Either a project or a keeper. Bringing the subject back around to the Discovery, I think I need glow plugs

Let the coil light go out 6 times this time to give it a better chance, and it started and ran like a bag of

at first then once warmed slightly, was fine. Had to move it to get to the trailer. The snow that came today didn't settle to a thick enough depth to encourage me to go out and play

Have higher hopes for tomorrow.

Click image to enlarge

7th Feb 2021 10:38 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Today was meant to be a day of finishing the quick refurbishment of my trailer which I sold a couple of days ago and received payment for, but the incompetent boobs who didn't check the gearbox that was delivered from the breakers directly to them required me to attend and after asking a favour from a friend, I had to rush the gearbox from Tunbridge Wells to Dartford. So lost around 2 and half hours of the day today. Then found out someone on my friends list who actually recommended that garage to me kindly informed them of the rant I had posted without naming the garage on my own profile page set as private so was to friends, past that post onto the garage, so had an irate garage not only on the phone but also via messenger, I stood by what I wrote and told them also that it was a private rant. And following that post, my now ex friend put a post up stating how wonderful this garage was, so I simply posted 1 reply to his post, "Your Range Rover that they can't diagnose which is sat outside your house unused and broken down is a true testament to your recommendation"

Yet all of my green ovals are still on the road and being used. But I know once my partners Agila is back after my trusted friend has fixed the gearbox, and the boobs have fitted it along with another new clutch, I will never be returning to that garage. But I am pleased to say, I love every minute of driving my Discovery.

Another neighbour posted a plea advert on Facebook this morning stating that a van had gotten stuck trying to get up the hill on the road I live on as the road was sheet ice. So I took that as a challenge. First as I lived at the top of that hill, I decided to try going down it. I stopped at the top, got moaned at by a couple of guys shouting you won't get down the hill, bla bla bla, so as it is manual, put it in 1st, and didn't touch the brakes, got down without any slipping or sliding, so to really take the mick, I turned right around, then went back up, a little bit of traction control kicking in, but happily got up in 2nd gear, sticking my fingers up like the child I am at the others who said I wouldn't make it, and just to rub it in as I actually wanted to go round the block anyway, I turned round and went back down the hill

with a few peoples heads shaking. Then like a kid as I came round the other end of my road, the whole road was sheet ice, slight hill into the other end, 1st gear, foot down clutch up, came in sideways

Then deliberately slammed the anchors on to see how far past my house it would take my car to stop, but the ABS works pretty well even in the ice

So got to have a bit of fun. Last time we had a good amount of snow about 3 years ago, I took both the 4x4's I had up to the forest and played like a child doing 4 wheel drive drifting in the empty car parks. I know some people will frown upon this, but I did no damage to the car parks, and no one was put in danger. And will probably keep doing it until the day I die

However, loud screeching is back as if a brake caliper is seized on again. And occasionally getting a judder when driving along. But the if the Agila isn't back in a week and my partner is still using the Freelander, then the Discovery will be going for a holiday for up to a month while I bring the Range Rover home for its MOT. If not, The Freelander will be taking its place temporarily.

I am also now on the hunt for another braked trailer that is cheap.

All that dirt on the Discovery is from 1 65 mile trip today

And it annoys the hell out of me that I can't wash it off in this cold weather

9th Feb 2021 10:46 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Another calliper seems to have seized, so as my Range Rover's MOT is due anyway, I went and collected my L322 and left the Discovery with my Mum's boss for a couple of weeks, maybe longer, depends on the outcome of the MOT of the Range Rover and if the Agila comes back soon. But for now, I am listening to the V8 burble as my daily runner tune again, not that I am sad about it

Looking forward to getting the Discovery back so I can paint it though.

12th Feb 2021 5:24 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Went and collected my Discovery early, wanted to get the stress of seeing if my neighbour will damage a car again over and done with. So the Freelander is now on the road and the Discovery is on my drive.
However the front drivers wheel was trying to lock up at slight left hand bends again only when level or going down hill at the moment. Now suspected brake hose or possibly driveshaft fault. But also noticed when I turned the car around before putting it on the drive, that there was a grinding noise of metal on metal pads and discs coming from the rear which only happened once. And when I picked it up, despite the handbrake not working and the car just being left in gear, the rear brakes were stuck on

But glad to have the beast home. Now what I think will feel like the longest night of my life begins. I wonder if the tyres or the bodywork are targeted on the Freelander or both this time.

Click image to enlarge

20th Feb 2021 9:36 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Gave the Discovery a wash today, collapsed in the process and that collapse lead me to spot an issue

I guess I need new callipers, discs and pads.

21st Feb 2021 9:13 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

New crashbar is now painted. Tomorrow is going to be the day that I hope to pull everything on the front end apart.

Click image to enlarge

24th Feb 2021 4:47 pm

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

I know people won't probably like what I am going to do with my Discovery, but have decided to look into fitting bonnet vents where the word is scratched in to the paintwork as well as same location on the opposite side. So have ordered a pair of these... (Ford RS Style Bonnet Vents)

They will be colour coded to the car.

25th Feb 2021 1:49 am

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

Finally got around to pulling the front end apart, I would have got it back together already but it started raining earlier in the day and that delayed me starting the work.

The crash bar wasn't the issue, but the bent metal is now straightened. I am going to clean the metal that is rusty up properly and treat it and seal it, then the new bumper will be going on along with the light guards that I removed previously.

Click image to enlarge

I had to cut the bottom of the bumper to get it off.

25th Feb 2021 9:49 pm

lard

Member Since: 07 Jul 2018
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 143

2008 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Tonga Green

have to say I'm starting to get used to the painted patches on the car now - give it character

though I keep checking to see if you are going to fix that drivers door trim

- did mine the other week after it came off, just ordered new trim clips from ebay and so far still solid

26th Feb 2021 12:25 am

disco-nut

Member Since: 27 Dec 2013
Location: Kent
Posts: 951

I have got the clips for the drivers door trim, or at least I think I have bought the right ones, But there is an issue with the sidestep at the moment which catches the door trim and ended up with it pulling it off. But today I am removing the rust at the front before refitting the bumper. and getting the front end back together. And I might fit the LED rear bumper lights as well depending on my health.

26th Feb 2021 12:11 pm

lard

Member Since: 07 Jul 2018
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 143

Ah o.k. understood - my brother had issues with his side-step catching the trim after installing it and required some fettling to get it to clear, never looks good when bits of your landrover fall off when you close the door

26th Feb 2021 2:19 pm