Lr3 or Disco I?

[Ian Morrison]

I brought a Land Rover Discovery 3 just over 3 years ago with 98000 miles on the clock. I knew it needed a new battery and the rear suspension bushes replacing. The car is relatively easy to work on. I’ve replaced the rear suspension myself with the longer lasting Polybushes and now the car drives like a dream. All I’ve spent the last 2 years is the cost of the annual service. If you do look for a disco 3 look for one that’s been well looked after and has the recipes for all the big jobs that you could get. Like front a rear suspension, Cam belts changed, Air Compressor replaced and Brake Discs Pads and Shoe replacement. My Discovery 3 has now done 134000 miles and is a 2005 model. It drives lovely and is a absolute dream in the snow. Make sure you buy one which has been serviced yearly by Land Rover and has not been in a bad collision. Check underneath the Discovery and make sure the Steel chassis has no severe corrosion on it. There are a few Discovery 3s around now which have spent a number of years being pulled in and out of salt water and a vehicle which is close to being 10 to 15 years old could be quite badly corroded in many places by now. My Discovery 3 still has most of its black paint on its chassis And it’s body is still like the day it left the show room.

 

[doc5339]

LR3

 

[rjowenusa]

It depends... I have a 175K '04 D2, a 150k '06 7 Seat V6 LR3, and an 130k '06 5 seat V8 LR3. Without hesitation the V8 LR3 is my daily driver. The 7 Seat LR3 is my load carrier (seats all fold flat in the 7 seat). If the weather is bad and I want to feel invincible I take the D2. The LR3s are just as capable but in a weird way they feel too comfortable for bad situations. The D2 has awesome visibility and I feel like king of the road. If I could trade the D2 for a good D1 I would. The D2 and V8 LR3 have intermittent electrical issues and are just so hard to diagnose. A D1 doesn't have all those computers trying to outsmart you...

 

[remember5]

Everyone has great points. I've owned a Disco I, Disco II, and my LR3 and prefer the 3 much above the others mainly for the technology, looks, and it really goes like a mad man off road. I don't remember ever getting stuck in the Disco's nor have I in the LR3 but I am older and more cautious now then back when I had Blazers, Jeeps, and a Trooper. I did have an 80' RR Classic too.

 

[slippedmydisco]

It depends... I have a 175K '04 D2, a 150k '06 7 Seat V6 LR3, and an 130k '06 5 seat V8 LR3. Without hesitation the V8 LR3 is my daily driver. The 7 Seat LR3 is my load carrier (seats all fold flat in the 7 seat). If the weather is bad and I want to feel invincible I take the D2. The LR3s are just as capable but in a weird way they feel too comfortable for bad situations. The D2 has awesome visibility and I feel like king of the road. If I could trade the D2 for a good D1 I would. The D2 and V8 LR3 have intermittent electrical issues and are just so hard to diagnose. A D1 doesn't have all those computers trying to outsmart you...

I really liked the visibility and driving position of the Disco, is the Lr3 not quite as good?

 

[rjowenusa]

I really liked the visibility and driving position of the Disco, is the Lr3 not quite as good?

The LR3 is bigger so you are not quite so up close to the Windows and it is ever so slightly more curvy so the corners/front are not quite where the view drops off. The LR3 is not bad, it's just the D1/2 is exceptional for visibility. My granddaughter also prefers the D2 over anything else because she gets a great view all around from her rear car seat