We chose a Land Rover Discovery 3 for our road trip around Australia. So why did we choose it and has it made the cut? Read on to find out.
How does a Land Rover Discovery 3 handle the outback of Australia?
We put ours to the real test on our road trip around the country. See how this often undervalued vehicle performs in its own right when it comes to four wheel driving in Australia. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results.
We bought our 2006 Land Rover Discovery 3 SE 4.0 in May 2017 primarily to build up for our planned travel throughout Australia starting May 2018. Much consternation and research preceded the purchase and we were acutely aware of the risk given Land Rovers reputation for a troublesome ownership experience. So why did we take the risk on an unusual vehicle choice and has it paid off?
The Competition
Although we are keen offroad explorers and love to 4WD whenever possible, we had to concede that most our time would be spent on the tarmac. As such we wanted a vehicle that would perform and handle well both on the tarmac and in the rough stuff, not an easy task for any manufacturer as these differing environments often require completely different engineering approaches. It was also essential that whichever vehicle we chose had a cavernous interior and excellent load carrying ability, after all we would be living out of it for a year!
The larger offerings from Nissan and Toyota such as the GQ/GU Patrol and 80/100 series Landcruiser were antiquated live axle wagons that are monsters offroad but lack any finesse on the tarmac. A newer 200 series Landcruiser would have been a very strong contender, however the Toyota’s exceptional resale value put it way outside of our budget.
The sweet spot for our budget and desired performance lay in the mid size (still pretty large) 4WD category. Toyota’s 120 series Prado was a good option, offering comfortable offroad performance, on road handling and decent fuel economy. The Mitsubishi Pajero (NS) ticks a lot of boxes with it’s independent suspension all round and excellent road holding, but falls short in it’s articulation and offroad capability.
It is here that the Discovery 3 really shone “above and beyond” the competition, for the reasons that follow:
Performance
Engine and Transmission
The Discovery 3 range is available with three engine and two transmission options, though not all combinations are available together. The sole Diesel engine is a 2.7 liter single turbocharged Diesel 24 valve DOHC V6 (referred to as the Lion V6) from Ford/PSA group delivering 140kW/440Nm and mated to a 6 speed ZF manual transmission (base model S only) or ZF 6HP26 6 speed automatic. Petrol engines are a 4.0 liter 160kW/360Nm SOHC 12 Valve V6 from Ford (Cologne V6, for those interested) or the sledgehammer 4.4 litre 220kW/427Nm DOHC 32 Valve AJ V8 from Jaguar, both naturally aspirated and available solely with the ZF 6HP26 automatic transmission.
Having driven all three engine variants, our pick would be the petrol V8 with it’s intoxicating soundtrack and peppy performance. This Jaguar V8 is proven and reliable, revving sweetly and working well with the 6 speed automatic from ZF it really gives the Discovery 3 a premium feel of effortless luxury and performance. Available as an (expensive) option in SE or HSE trim, early models have a known issue with jerkiness when taking off from a stop, related to the tuning of the electronic throttle and fixable with a software patch. Expect all examples on the road to have had this done by now, but something to be aware of regardless. You will unfortunately pay for the 8 cylinder privilege at the bowser, expect 15-20 L/100km (premium unleaded recommended) under normal driving, rising to 20-25 L/100km under sensible off road driving. A serious downside to this is that range from the 86l tank can easily drop below 500km, necessitating additional fuel for long stretches, particularly offroad. That noise though…
The Diesel is the sensible choice, offering the best fuel economy and most range and available as standard or an option in all trim options. Performance is adequate, and actually very respectable compared to much of the Diesel competition of the same vintage, but do not expect a rocket ship with factory 0-100 km/hr figures in the 12 second mark. This is still better than a brand new 2.8 Prado mind you, and plenty of people seem to be buying those. Expect fuel use of 10-13 L/100km under mixed driving, dropping down to 8 L/100km for a very careful highway drive. Range from the 82L tank (yes 4L smaller than the Petrol) should be 600-800km. The downside to the Diesel models, especially now the oldest are approaching 14 years old, are the service costs. The Lion V6 has timing belts (service interval 7 years or 160,000kms, whichever comes first), Exhaust Gas Recirculation systems that can block, a low mounted and difficult to access turbocharger, expensive fuel system components and some examples have been known to have durability issues with the crankshaft. This is a lot more to potentially cost you than the petrol engines, but of course many owners swear by their Diesels and you would be very unfortunate to need to address all these issues. Do your research and buy wisely based on condition.
The black sheep of the drivetrain family is a staid and simple SOHC 4.0 V6 from Ford Europe and manufactured in Cologne, Germany. It is not sexy and it is not particularly exciting, however it was very good value when new ($7000 cheaper than equivalent Diesel, $11,000 cheaper than equivalent V8 for SE specification) and as a result there are a lot of these on the road. This petrol V6 was the standard engine for S and SE trim levels and is very similar in performance throughout the rev range to the Toyota 1GR-FE engine found in the Prado/Hilux. There is no HSE petrol V6. We purchased our SE 4.0 V6 based on it’s fine condition and good service history attached to a sale price that proved impossible to pass up. Performance is adequate and the engine works smoothly and seamlessly with the ZF automatic, delivering sufficient thrust to our heavily loaded Disco and good overtaking power when called upon. The main downside to this engine is that fuel economy is poor, in fact not proving much better then the 4.4 V8 but missing out on the performance and aural impact of the latter. In stock form (factory wheels, highway tyres, no roof rack ect) expect 13-16 L/100km mixed driving and around 20 L/100km off road. In our loaded disco complete with larger all terrain tyres, roof rack and roof tent along with much more, we return 15-18 L/100km mixed use, rising up to low 20’s when offroad.
Ride and Handling
When equipped with Land Rovers Electronic Air Suspension (EAS) and Terrain Response (TR) system it’s independent suspension delivers excellent ride and handling both on and off road. In addition, it negates the “need” to fit aftermarket suspension as it provides a ride height from 180mm up to 270mm based on user and vehicle input. The system offers excellent wheel articulation for an independent suspension arrangement, as it utilises a crossover valve to push displaced air from one suspension strut into the opposite strut, meaning that as one wheel is compressed by the vehicles weight the opposite side wheel is pushed down towards the ground, aiding traction. EAS and TR are standard on all SE and HSE trim Discovery 3’s sold in Australia, while they were an option on the base model S until Land Rover made them standard across the range for the 2009 model year. In our opinion the EAS/TR transform the Discovery from a run of the mill 4WD wagon to a genuinely go anywhere vehicle that is still surprising us to this day with its breadth and depth of capability.
We have found the ride afforded by this system to be excellent, even over the very heavily corrugated tracks and trails common to Australia. Handling for such a large vehicle (ours is over 3000 kgs loaded with fuel, our gear and two humans) is above average and we have found offroad performance and comfort to exceed expectation.
Although it inarguable adds to the complexity of the vehicle, the system is actually very reliable and rather simple once you get your head around it and easy to diagnose and repair for those so inclined. Most online horror stories seem to stem from inept customer service and poor problem diagnoses on behalf of various workshops. During our ownership we have had two issues with this system, and do bear in mind our car was nearly 12 years old and had covered 180,000 kms at time of purchase.
Issues experienced were as follows:
- The first issue was an amber suspension warning light and notification of “normal height only” indicating that the vehicle had found a problem and would not administer height changes. This was accompanied by the occasional (once every 2 months or so) blowing of the 60 amp fusible link for the air compressor, indicating that the compressor was struggling to pump sufficient air and drawing too much current.
- The compressor (ours is a Hitachi made in Japan, newer models have an AMK brand compressor supposed to be more durable) was pulled from the car and rebuilt by us for less than $150 using a kit procured online. The problem in our case was that the dessicant cannister that dries the air prior to entry into the system had become saturated and blocked forcing the compressor to work hard to overcome the blockage. This could have been fixed simply for $20 with new dessicant, however while the compressor was out it made sense to give it a full overhaul.
- A main dealer or service agent would have replaced this with a brand new OEM compressor and likely upgraded to the newer AMK unit, costing roughly $1500-2000. This is not the fault of the dealership and assures they have no future issues with the vehicle, however it does illustrate where the reputation for voracious running costs on Land Rover vehicles can come from.
- The second issue was that the front end of the vehicle would drop overnight, indicating a poor air seal somewhere within the front suspension system. Some digging revealed that the air suspension struts have a good reputation for being durable and reliable even under harsh use and unlikely to leak, so my attention started with the pipework and solenoid valve block that allows air to enter and leave the struts.
- The air pipes all tested well using soapy water to look for bubbles, particularly at the connection points.
- The front solenoid block was removed from the vehicle and disassembled to be found full of white dessicant powder, related to the compressor issue above. This was preventing a good seal between the various O-Rings and airway galleries, so everything was cleaned and reassembled with a new O-Ring kit procured for $8 online.
- After rebuild of the front solenoid block (which took 1 hour start to finish) the issue has been solved and not returned.
We realise this can all sound intimidating, however the works completed were simple and easy for anyone with enthusiasm and handy inclination. The upside is a smooth ride, competent road holding no matter the conditions and instant suspension lift when and where required, a price worth paying in our opinion.
Practicality
With a larger footprint and cleverly designed interior, the Discovery 3 offers superior practicality to the 120 series Toyota Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero, in fact comparing closely with the full size Landcruiser (100/200 series) and Patrol (GQ/GU). Most Disco 3’s are 7 seater examples, with all rear and centre seats folding cleverly to provide a completely flat storage area. 5 seater models still have the centre row fold flat, with an additional storage area where seats 6 and 7 would otherwise be. Each seat is comfortable for a full size adult and we have had 7 adults comfortably in ours for longer trips, however do note in this configuration boot space is almost non existent and holiday luggage would need to be placed on the roof or in a trailer.
The front seats are comfortable and offer a range of support, including manual lumbar adjustment for the driver. HSE models have electrically adjusted seating with increased adjustment range including lumbar for both driver and passenger. S and SE models have manual adjustment and cloth seats as standard, with leather and optional extra.
The asymmetrical split tailgate on the Discovery 3 has proven a revelation on our trip and I doubt we would ever buy a 4WD Wagon with a conventional barn door or liftback again. The lower section is very soundly designed and will support a capacious load if required, which we have used on regular occasion to sit at or place heavy shopping and camping gear. The upper half can be opened individually to quickly access and place goods in the boot. This split arrangement also minimises the rear overhang with doors open, allowing the driver to park in a confined space and still access the rear cargo area.
Due to a very rugged construction (the Disco 3 has two chassis’, a separate steel chassis to which is bolted a load bearing monocoque, Land Rover call this “Integrated Body on Frame”) The Discovery lends itself to being loaded up for a long off road drive. We have a significant load on the roof rack, along with equipment ranging from a 40L Engel fridge to full recovery gear spread throughout the interior and the car has not missed a beat. There have been no burst spot welds, deformed panels or stress cracks anywhere on the car even after thousands of Kilometers of corrugated gravel tracks and bush bashing antics.
Accessories and Aftermarket Support
A major consideration for those looking to modify a 4WD to suit their travelling needs will be the cost and availability of accessories to suit their chosen vehicle. At least in Australia, the Land Rover loses a few points here compared to it’s more popular Japanese competition, however that is not to say it’s poor. The Discovery 3 was released globally for the 2005 model year and this generation body was produced right up until 2016 when it made way for the current model, giving aftermarket manufacturers plenty of time to hone a range of accessories.
ARB and Opposite Lock both offer a range of frontal protection and long range fuel tanks, very similar to those they make for Japanese vehicles. One disappointment for us was that all available long range fuel tank options necessitate relocation of the spare tyre, adding substantial weight behind the rear axle and additional cost for a spare wheel carrier. A full fuel tank replacement option with a larger unit, such as the frontier range of replacement tanks from ARB, would have been a preferable solution here. As a stop gap solution to range anxiety we have two 20l Steel Jerry cans mounted to the trusty Front Runner Roof rack using their dual fuel can carrier kit, however more on that later in the gear guide!
Land Rover offer a “Raised Air Intake” (RAI for short) as a factory option on the Discovery range, however please note this is not fully waterproof and cannot be trusted for preventing water ingress unless suitably modified. The main culprit here is a fabric air pipe from the snorkel body to the airbox, which will need to be replaced with a water tight item. Full snorkel solutions are also offered by Safari (Part Number SS385HF) and Airtec and are much better value than the Land Rover offering.
Wheels and tyres are easily upgraded to suit desired performance. Standard Land Rover wheels range from 17×7″ on the base model S, through 18×8″ for SE and 19×8″ for HSE. The smaller wheels are preferable for offroad tyre selection and the 17″ examples will fit all models bar the petrol V8 (in SE or HSE), as these have larger brakes and can take a minimum 18″ wheel. We have fitted 17×8″ wheels originally from an E53 BMW X5 (selected for increased width and preferable wheel offset over the Land Rover 17″ wheels) with 265/70R17 BF Goodrich KO2 all terrain tyres, but more on this in a separate article.
Roof rack solutions are readily available through both local vendors and online. We run the Slimline II rack from Front Runner Outfitters and would recommend it, otherwise Rhino offer a variation of their backbone system rack that looks to be great. For those on a tighter budget or not requiring a full rack, most aftermarket suppliers (such as Rola, Prorack, Rhino) offer cross rail systems for the Discovery range.
Please note that some manufacturers only list the Diesel Discovery 3 for their equipment, however the chassis, body and airbox are unchanged on the petrol models and many have fitted these options without issues. Notable examples would be the ARB Bullbar (listed Diesel only, fitted our 4.0 Petrol without problems) and Safari Snorkel. I would presume the reasoning behind this is that they have only designed and fitted their equipment on the Diesel model and wish to err on the side of caution. Unfortunately exceptions may apply with later models and if you do happen to be a lucky bugger that owns one of the rare 5.0 petrol V8 Discovery 4 models, do note that your engine has a differing intake arrangement drawing air from both sides of the engine bay through separate airboxes. This means that while a snorkel will fit up the your driver side (Right Hand Drive) airbox, the passenger side will still draw from the standard location rendering the whole affair a bit pointless. While I have heard of owners replacing the intake tract with that from the 3.0 TDV6 to utilise a snorkel, please conduct your own research on this first.
Value
Brand new the Discovery 3 was priced sharply against Toyota’s Prado, despite offering a more technologically advanced design. Thanks to Toyota’s legendary resale value (dubbed “Toyota Tax” by the cynics amongst us) and Land Rovers less than stellar reliability record, a used Discovery 3 can be easily had for 30-40% less than it’s equivalent Prado on the used market and presents a real motoring bargain for an enthusiastic owner.
This was a primary driver for our purchase decision, as the money saved paid for most of the required modifications and camping equipment, or alternatively serves as a fund to fix any issues that may arise. Diesel Discovery 3’s hold their value better than their petrol counterparts in much the same way as other 4WD vehicles. Expect to pay $12-16k for an SE petrol V6, $14-18k for a Diesel and $13-17k for a V8, subject to condition and kms of course.
Summary
We are very happy with our Discovery 3 and it has insofar proved to be a reliable, exceedingly capable and comfortable overland and touring vehicle for us. We would recommend a Discovery 3 to the keen and enthusiastic 4WD owner who is capable of maintaining the vehicle themselves and wants an excellent all round vehicle.
Pro’s:
– Extremely capable in stock form, particularly compared to the competition. The air suspension and terrain response largely negate the usual requirement to fit a suspension lift and differential locker. If you can find a disco with the optional rear E-Locker differential this is even better, though ours is yet to get stuck even without it.
– Amazing value on the used market.
– Well equipped, with a far better standard equipment level and specification than much of the competition.
– Reasonable aftermarket support for a non Japanese 4WD. Since purchase (in stock form) we have added an ARB bullbar, Frontrunner roof rack with accessories, Traxide dual battery system and much more.
Cons:
– This is a complex car and at this age they really suit an enthusiast owner who is able to perform basic to intermediate diagnostics,maintenance and repair themselves. Often minor issues can appear much larger with the car throwing faults for various systems, which without efficient troubleshooting can result in large bills for misguided diagnostics and unnecessary part replacement.
– The Disco is heavy!! 2700kg unloaded, easily breaches 3000kg with occupants and associated camping gear.
– Fuel consumption for the Petrol models, maintenance costs for the Diesels.
– The fuel tank size in insufficient and aftermarket solutions add weight aft of the rear axle and necessitate spare wheel relocation.
33 comments
Hi Adam, I enjoyed reading your comments/experience and history/specifications about the LR Discovery’s. In South Africa only the 2.7 and 3.0 Diesel Disco’s and petrol V8’s was sold and only with 6 and 8 speed auto gearboxes. We have a stock standard 2007 Discovery 2.7 TDV6SE with over 180 000km on. We don’t do any seriouse offroading, except for towing a offroad caravan to some beach resorts in Mozambique and some more places around the country. So far we didn’t had any issues with the SUV except for a rebuid alternator. The vehicle is my wifes daily drive and we are very happy with the overall performance and capability of the car.
May you have a save and enjoyable trip in Australia and hope your Discovery gives you the same enjoyment that we have experienced for many years now.
Regards Hofni and Landi
Thanks Hofni,
Very interesting and we are glad to hear you have had a positive experience with your vehicle. They are a very capable four wheel drive and it’s great to see others using them how they are intended. We have often eyed South Africa for it’s beauty and hope to travel there at some point, maybe even in a Land Rover!
Thank you for the well wishes and we hope you both continue to enjoy your Rover.
Kind Regards,
Adam – The Dirty Drifters
Hi Adam,
Great read, thanks for the effort and detail. I am in the process of buying a D3 and my research aligns with many of the points that you make about the D3.
Only point i wouldn’t agree with is your comments about the Pajero. I am on my 2nd Pajero (2015 NX) my previous car up until 12 months ago was an NS 2007 Paj.
Like the discovery the Paj is a very capable off road 4wd and one of the most underrated units on the market (IMO). Im looking forward to learning all the ins and outs of the D3 as i did with the Paj.
thanks
Matt
Hi Matt,
Thanks for your comments and feedback, they are much appreciated.
Regarding the Pajero, I agree they are a much underrated vehicle and very capable in their own right. I would stand by my comment that they trail the Discovery and Prado when it comes to offroad performance off the showroom floor, but admittedly not by a huge amount and even less so when fitted with the optional rear differential locker. Though the Discovery has a similar independent suspension arrangement to the Pajero, the EAS system permits increased ground clearance and maximises wheel articulation by forcing air into whichever corner is starting to lift, pushing that wheel down towards the ground and increasing traction.
It is a safe bet that for most owners the standard off road capability of the Pajero will far exceed what is required, and for those wanting more from their vehicle there exists a great range of aftermarket support.
I hope you enjoy owning your D3 and getting acquainted with their unique foibles, it is what I would call an ‘interactive’ ownership experience 🙂 Not much comes close to their all round capability and ours even now surprises us with just how capable it is.
Thanks,
Adam
Good morning Tahnee and Adam (ladies first cobber),
I came across your posting by accident, I’m considering retiring my’06 D3. Therefore started browsing the web for info as I thought of moving away from LR vehicles. I have had 2*D2 and my current D3.
My D2’s where a bit like me high maintenance, grumpy(I am now 72) but solid as a brick s**thouse (like me 184cm 100kilo’s scares from playing afl and full of arthritis) the D3 is like my younger wife(58), nice lines, graceful and lovely to look at! However, I was thinking of getting rid of her(the car not the wife) as the car has got a few k’s up and was going to change brands.
Reading your post has made me rethink my options re brand/car make will now most like stick to D3’s. As an aside I/we will be travelling around a bit next year(the reason for upgrading) and towing a 19ft caravan (don’t know how she got me to get a bloody van, how do U tow a van and a 20ft boat), I noticed I dealership in Melbourne had a ’06 D3 HSE v8 (4.4l) with 105ks on it and reasonably priced: having read your post I may go have look at it when I go up to Melb next week( I live 2hrs out oh Melb). By the way what your opion on the v8 won’t hold U to anything. Regrettable not mechanically mind but have very good mechanic here and reasonable priced(most times)
Also I see your in Bryon Bay lovely part of the world my oldest son live’s in Grafton. Enjoy your tripping around our magnificent country, might even see the pair some on the road.
Regards,
John.
PS. As I am not on face etc hopefully this reaches you.
G’day John and thanks for your comment,
Glad to hear you’ve found our post and it’s been of some use to you.
The 4.4 V8 is a great engine and generally gives very little trouble, in fact we would have preferred the V8 to our 4.0 V6 as it has similar fuel consumption but with more power and a much better sound track! If you have found a good one that has been well looked after I don’t think you can go too far wrong. If you do end up with that V8 my only advice is that there is a plastic coolant pipe that is known to fail, often at the most inconvenient time. It’s a cheap replacement part and easy enough to get to, so if it has not been replaced recently it’s a good idea to put a new one in and replace the coolant while you’re there. If you have any trouble just get in touch and I’ll find some more detailed information for you.
For any D3 in general, and contrary to Land Rovers claims that it’s “filled for life”, make sure the transmission gets serviced every 80,000 kms or 5 years. The best way to go about this is to replace the factory plastic transmission pan and integrated filter with the metal pan and separate filter found on most BMW models with the same ZF 6HP26 transmission. The reason I mention this is that the car you were looking at only has 105,000 kms, so it’s quite possible the transmission has never been serviced.
Best of luck with your adventures next year, I can honestly say that this trip has been the best decision Tahnee and I have ever made. Get on out there and see the place 🙂
Adam
G’day Tahnee and Adam,
Finally acknowledging your reply and finds both of you well. Not long after writing to you we had a some/ lot of set backs with things and everything got delayed, including losing this ipad2 and finding it couple of weeks back. Your link was still on it when it final charged up. That dam V8 was sold the morning I went up to Melbourne, too some Sydnites. I got there in the afternoon. Still got both my old gils (car and Wife) we are now gearing up to go early next year al things go well, my wife wants to be in Victoria for 60th in January 2021. So we are looking at replacement D3/4 now and hopefully travel restrictions will be lifted by then: Granma Bear needs to get up to Grafton to see her two little cubs, she remembers how irresponsible their father was growing up.
Want to drop a line so you won’t thing I was a rude old B’rstd(which I am). I hope you are still travelling and enjoying this great and beautiful country of ours, and that you have had smooth travelling on your trip. And again apologises for delay in responding look fwd to catch up reading.
Hope you are looking after yourselves in the current crisis.
Regards and good health.
John
P.S. still not on facebk etc. Note to Tahnee, I noticed that you replied to a post and signed off with Adam’s name first as I’ve expressed to my girls:you did the job, you go first. Just a thought old fashion by me!
Thanks John and good to hear from you again.
We are well, travel restrictions are slowly easing here in WA so we’re planning on getting back out into the wilderness next week. Originally we had planned to be in Karijini NP for the week but we still cannot get up there, so South West WA is on the cards.
Best of luck with your adventures and finding a replacement D3/D4 🙂
Adam and Tahnee (I wrote this so assume I’m permitted to put my name first? 😛 )
Good morning Adam and Tahnee, and yes Adam, you can sign of 1st when U reply👌😆.
Adam, if you don’t mind me asking how many K’s have you now done in the D3 and what are the total clocked K’s. Have you had many hiccups with the D3 whilst travelling.
I ask this as my D3 has 260K’s up, (I do love my old girl-both of them) and looking around anything in my price range with low K’s have gone: missed the boat on a few low K’s but couldn’t travel to the city to check because of the virus- joys of living on the coast away from Melbourne. The reason I ask you of your situation is, as you & Tahnee have travelled around with your D3 for sometime now and no doubt have clocked up lot of K’s, your input might assist me.
I can not see the point in paying a lot of bucks to swap over to a car with only 40/50K’s less than mine and I Don’t know how she been looked after and what work she has done.
Hoping you don’t mine me asking, thanks.
You and Tahnee take care out there.
Regards,
John.
As previous still not on that other stuff.
Hi John,
We bought our D3 at just under 180k kms in 2017, and have covered 77,383kms since so now sitting just under 260k kms total. We have not had anything major fail, with the engine, driveline and majority of suspension components still original. The main issues we have had were a failing non OEM mass air flow sensor when we first got the car (replaced with an OEM Denso one), a busted suspension compressor on the Gibb River Road (put a rock though it) and now I have a failing downstream O2 sensor causing a check engine light. Other than that it has just been servicing and maintenance.
If you’re going to upgrade I agree you would be best looking for something around the 100k kms mark, to give you many years service should you need it. That being said though, the odometer isn’t everything and especially on the Land Rovers good service history and maintenance is more important. A newer vehicle with high kms but a good service history could prove to be a worthwhile purchase.
Hope that helps!
Adam and Tahnee
Nice write up Adam, well done
Thanks Grant, we appreciate the kind words. Happy New Year to you!
Adam & Tahnee
great write up. appreciate it
Thanks Damien! We’re glad you enjoyed reading it.
Adam & Tahnee
Adam, loved your article. I’m a huge LR fan although never owned one. I’d love to swap my Subaru Forester for a D3 one day. Regarding self maintenance, it’s easy for you with your experience and knowledge, but for a non technical person would you still think it’s doable or should I hedge my bets and get a Paj?
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment and kind words, I’m glad you enjoyed the article.
Regarding maintenance and knowledge, we all need to start somewhere and the most important attribute in my opinion is a “can do” attitude and an enthusiasm to learn. For me it started with a passion for nice cars and bikes, but with a university student budget I had to get a bit creative to keep them on the road!
With all that said, the newer Land Rovers are complicated (and at times temperamental) vehicles, so if you would prefer not to spend the occasional weekend on the tools then a newer Pajero is a great option. At least with the Mitsubishi you eliminate air suspension, electric handbrake and a few other “nice to have but potentially problem causing” features.
We’re a bit spoiled for choice at the moment if you’re in the market for a 4WD wagon in Australia, so you have a lot of good options to consider. In the mean time your Subaru Forester can also be made into a surprisingly capable light duty off-roader, so you don’t necessarily need to rush an upgrade there either.
Fantastic and very accurate review thanks Adam. I followed you guys for much of your trip because I was keen to see how the Disco went. I have a 2006 SE TDV6 with 320K and still going strong. It’s had a hard life in the Victorian High Country nd has had no structural issues at all. It throws up the odd fault but as you say these can be remedied with quick diagnostics and handy hands. Thanks again. John.
Thanks John, glad to hear you enjoyed my ramblings and that you have had a positive experience with your LR. Ours is pushing 260k kms now and still goes well.
Adam, thanks for the reply earlier today re how many K’s etc.
Going by what you have stated I might hold off a bit longer re change over D3. I have had it serviced reglry and bits replaced as they occur, gear box might need a service now, was last done @ 129000K’s and plastic pan replcd with metal, also air compressor changed to AMK Ccouple months later also 2 yo ago EGR/MAP sensor replaced. I have add bits like side steps, already had DVD player in roof, had LED Lights module install to stop flickering on caravan and trailer, led lights, also 18 months ago purchased from Unique Auto Development in UK a unit that fits into cubby hole that allows for reversing camera, download of a gps from whom ever I.e. Tom Tom , hema etc, bluetooth , USB port and other stuff: I don’t but my 14 yo grandson likes, this fits like a factor install in the cubby hole.
As you said if it’s been looked after should be good, mine due for a service in 500k might get them to give a good going over and report. Just got a bit paranoid with the K’s on her and the travelling in the future.
If I bought a replacement vehicle may need to buy a lot of what I have installed- gps, camera, led module etc.
Once again thanks for you input and you and Tahnee take care.
I leave you in peace now, unless I change my mind and buy someth🤣
Regards and safe travelling to the both of you.
John
Hi all , good to read some honest comments on the D3 I have a as basic as it gets 2005 D3 ford v6 powered D3 S no air suspension , bought it because I had to get something on a very limited budget to tow my near 3 ton Jayco Silverline , had the set up for about 18mths now done a few trips around WA (still working so not as much as we would like ) however probably done 8k – 10k and I have to say the D3 has been fantastic other then the stupid EPB failing , the fuel economy towing the monster is around 25l/ 100 k which I originally thought was outrages until I got to speak with others towing similar weight with much more expensive and younger vehicles not achieving much better , I realized I can buy a lot of petrol for $50,000 , not to mention the ride in the D3 is far superior to my mates 2020 ford ranger , crossed fingers crossed she will keep travelling on my only thoughts are maybe diesel D4 any comments on that ? thanks for the posts , cheers Terry
Hi Terry,
Thanks for the comment and glad you’re (mostly) happy with your D3. Yes when towing a 3 tonne camper it’s difficult to find anything that will use under 20 L/100kms unfortunately.
Regarding the D4, great vehicle they’re basically everything our Disco 3’s are with a nicer interior and a series of updates/improvements as the years role on. The pick of the Diesels would be the last of the 2.7 TDV6 (with 6 speed) around 2012, down on power compared to the 3.0 Diesel but far fewer problems. Even better would be a 5.0 V8 petrol or the later 3.0 SCV6 petrol with 8 speed transmission, however these later petrol models are sadly very few and far between.
Hi Adam and Tahnee
I hope you are both well and would like to thank you for your informative write up. I came across your postings and travel write ups yesterday and have enjoyed following your adventures. I have derived a lot of inspiration and confidence from your technical write ups as I have been planning to travel throughout Australia once the covid situation settles down and travel between states is less disrupted.
I purchased my Discovery 3 HSE 6 cylinder diesel in 2017, 193,000 kilometres, ARB bumper, flood lights, bash plates.
Totally agree with your “can do approach” to servicing, analysing faults and correcting them if you are tooled up and confident to tackle them. I am not a qualified mechanic and would aptly describe my self as a handy bloke with a spanner monkey mentality.
Since owning the Lr3 my wife and I have undertaken several camping holidays that have been prominently tarmac orientated. I have clocked around 76,000 kilometres and have not broken down whilst away. That’s not to say there haven’t been some mechanical issues.
Warning lights, ABS, engine, suspension, also humorously known as the three amigos.
New battery, new brake sensors, new rotors & brake pads, dif breather cap, a good clean up of most electrical connectors, compressor service kit, valve block assembly inspect and clean up, replacement C.V front passenger boot have all been undertaken with assistance from Lr3 forums and YouTube DIY’ers show & tell videos. The LR3 community are a generous and affable bunch.
Plan to tackle EGR’s and change transmission filter. I have the steel pan so I believe it has been serviced previously.
I have also added a dual battery to engine bay which is managed by DC to DC charger that permits solar intake from three 20wt panels mounted on roof. Dual battery is connected to 100 AHR battery box in rear cargo bay that runs 40 litre fridge. In addition I have installed a Ryder 12,000 pound winch.
Future projects include building a rood rack, batwing awning, safari snorkel, pressurised shower, led flood lights and bash plate for EAS. Just wondering if you had the plastic bash plate protecting your EAS when it was damaged by rock?
I also looked into mounting addition diesel tank but did not like adding the additional weight to rear axles as well as justifying new rear mounted spare wheel & metal bumper. Prefer to carry additional fuel although I am concerned by placing fuel loads on rack decreasing vehicles centre of gravity. Would like to know if you looked into establishing roof rack load ratings and load placements on your roof rack.
Thank you for your informative write up on tyre selection. Currently running with Toyota all terrain which came with Lr3 when it was purchased. Would like your feed back on how your new tyre selection affected vehicles performance ie cabin road noise, steering & cornering, tyre pressures for off road/ sand, frequency of punctures & type of repairs. Did you carry two spares?
Wish you success in all your future overlanding ventures and once again compliment you both on informative write ups.
Hi Carl,
Thanks for your comprehensive comments and I’m glad you found the article useful. It sounds like you’re an ideal Land Rover owner, understanding of the vehicles foibles and happy to solve them in exchange for such a capable and comfortable vehicle.
Regarding the air compressor we damaged, it had no protection plates and was just in the standard plastic insulated box as supplied from the factory. One of the aftermarket steel plates may have prevented the drama we had on the Gibb.
I had a similar dilemma regarding the carrying of additional fuel, exacerbated further in fact as ours was a thirstier Petrol powered example. We carried 2 x 20L Jerry cans on the Front Runner Slimline II platform rack, along with the roof tent and a cargo box. I would only fill the Jerry cans when necessary, however must say the vehicle did not drive any differently even with some weight on the roof. The dynamic roof load rating for the Australian spec D3 is officially 75Kg, however in the UK this rating is over 100Kg if memory serves, with the only difference being the ADR testing vs EU testing regulations. I’d recommend you do your research and make sure you’re vehicle is within legal limits, however can attest that a good platform rack on the sturdy D3/D4 bodyshell is capable of carrying significant loads, with the air suspension adjusting accordingly.
We ran the BFG KO2 All Terrains and I think they did a good job. Over 80k kms from a set of 5 in a vehicle of this weight and in this environment is quite impressive. Handling was not really impacted, with the vehicle driving as it did with highway terrain tyres, while noise was marginally increased but still very well suppressed. We only had the single spare and had no issues with punctured or damage. We have a separate article on them that may answer some of your questions.
It sounds like you have a well sorted vehicle at this point. The only point I would highlight is consider replacing the plastic thermostat housing as these have been known to fail suddenly and result in near instantaneous loss of coolant and overheating. A new OEM replacement every 5 years along with a coolant change is good insurance, or you could get the billet Aluminium replacement from TRS and never worry about it again.
Hi Adam
Read your article on BFG K02 and would like to do same. Wondering if you looked into steel rims. Have heard that metal rims can be repaired should they develop indentations or cracks whilst alloy rims once cracked need to be replaced. I am not an off roader but I would imagine it would take a great deal of punishment to crack an alloy rim. Did you venture through many tracks that could be described as challenging rock crawls. also did you take alternate jack as most consider Lr3 supplied tyre jack inadequate. Also interested in knowing what essential spares you brought with you. I have also noted some recommending transmission cooler install to assist with desert dune travel. I am wondering if transmission cooler is over kill when you are not towing. However hotter desert environments do pose greater stress on engines/fluids. I read recently that one method to eliminate EAS problems is to remove fuse No.26 in engine bay whist you are travelling in extended mode through challenging terrain. Wondering what your thoughts are on this solution and if you tried this solution.
Hope you are both well.
Hi Carl,
Steel wheels are often touted as more suitable for tough bush work for the reasons you mentioned, however I have found that alloy wheels are lighter, easier to balance, stronger and generally superior for most users most of the time. The only real negative being if you do manage to badly damage them they are not easily repaired. The key is having a small wheel with a large tyre and you’ll find most incidents of alloy rims being cracked or damaged are cases of 19, 20 or 21 inch alloy wheels with low profile tyres.
I must admit the factory jack never came out of it’s mount, as I used a small 5000Kg rated bottle jack for all lifting of the vehicle during my ownership. As such I can’t comment on the factory jack, but have heard similar sentiments to those you mention.
I would say an external transmission cooler is not necessary, however it is good insurance. The factory cooler is integrated into the radiator to allow faster transmission warm up as well as cooling, however this does mean that transmission heat is dumped into the engine coolant, and there is the risk that if the cooler leaks coolant can enter the transmission with unpleasant results. In a warm country such as Australia (except Tassie…), the coolant/trans fluid heating function is probably not necessary, so bypassing this with an external cooler would reduce maximum operating temperatures and eliminate any risk of cross contamination.
Removal of fuse 26 will disable the ability of the system to lower the vehicle and self level, but your dash will light up like an Xmas tree. A much better solution would be to install the LLAMS kit that allows override of suspension height, or you can use a IID diagnostic tool or similar to reprogram the constant ride height up to 50mm above stock height.
All the best,
Adam
Carl Baena
Thank you for the valuable feed back.
Must admit I have yet to use the supplied jack as I also carry an 8 tonne bottle jack and all of my work has been done at home with 3 tonne hydraulic jack and back up screw jacks for safety.
hope I don’t jinx my good fortune but I have yet to change a flat whilst holidaying.
Congratulations on the land rover magazine article. I suspect when you commenced your Australia trip you did not contemplate this level of international interest.
Stay well and all the best with your future overlanding ventures.
G’day to the both you ,
I was just going through my iPad to check the fishing report for east Gippsland when I saw your page in my list of websites and decide to check, good to see your still posting.
Are you still travelling or have you settled down?
We kept our old D3 V6 petrol now has 265k’s up but we are finally travelling: having cb installed, nudge bar, long range tank and pre trip service and inspection and all things being equal will be taking of in July unless our new granddaughter decides not to arrive on due date if not, it will be after she sees fit to join us/family.
Heading for Port Augusta to Kununnara then west then travelling around you state for awhile the heading back home for Christmas.
Keep up your updates so I have something to read whilst travelling.
Cheers to you both.
John.
P.S. Don’t forget Tahnee you reply, you sign of with your name first.
Great article.
I’m actually looking at getting a Discovery 3 2006 HSE model with the 2.7 diesel and long range tank.
Your article really helped me settle some of the doubts and questions I had about that model.
Very thorough and really positive article. Thanks for writing it up.
CK
Thanks CK,
I’m glad it has been useful to you and all the best with your new vehicle.
Cheers,
Adam
G’day to both you again,
It’s the old bloke in Vic annoying you again.
Adam I’m reaching out to you as I’ve received no response from the AULRO forum re removing the lower trim panel under the steering wheel to get to the accelerator pedal. You gave some good feed back re the V8 and km on the cars, yours and mine.
I wish install a EVC throttle control ( I did not what these where until my son-in-law told me about them and that it might help with the lag time) unit on my 2006 D3, as I noticed some lag time when pressing the accelerator pedal down while towing over Easter. Unfortunately my S-I-L is interstate, might be able help any way doesn’t like LR vehicles.
I noticed the two screws holding the panel in at the top, however the sides of the panel seem to to be notched into panels on either side I.e centre consul and body side of car. Only got as far unscrewing these and stopped.
Can you please advise me on how I remove this trim panel with out doing damage to the side panels and is very complex: arthritic hands. I like to install the EVC unit before we leave to come over to the west in June/July as we will be towing a caravan.
Even after you explain still might need to take to a mechanic!
Thanks in anticipation to your response.
From the old bloke in Vic., and signing off first: John
Just installed a red arc tow pro 3…with the panel you need to push it forward and sides in together to make it concave and just be forceful. There are no clips holding this in.
We did an overland from Cape Town South Africa, through Botswana and to the north of Zambia in 2020, just before the lockdown hit the world in our 2007 Discovery 3 SE diesel. We bought it especially for the overland across Southern Africa and for some safaris and sold it after again. What an amazing vehicle. Besides the costly service (at an agent of course), the constant need for nurture, care, cleaning and daily startup checks along with the constant thought of “what was that sound.” It is a truly amazing vehicle.
I’ve owned a 2000 Discovery 1 300 TDI and a 06 freelander but the Disco 3 is by far my favourite. Capable of traversing the harsh African lands in almost any terrain. From side mirror-deep wading to getting 1000km on one tank on the open road.
The disco 4 is definitely on the watchlist.
Hi Lyc,
Great to hear about your travels, a stunning part of the world down there that’s on our list to visit once this pandemic settles down.
I agree completely regarding the Disco. There’s not much better when they’re working well but they demand an attentive owner to keep them that way.