Disco 2 or 3. Which would you buy and why?

tonyt37 · Oct 30, 2018

Hi Folks

I'm looking at buying a Disco (up to £6k). Question is do I go for a 2 or 3. I have previously owned Freelander and tackled everything but an engine swap on the drive so I'm not scared of a few repairs. The way I see it is that the Disco 2 is much more suited to, diy repairs and parts are much more reasonable where as the Disco 3 is quite a bit more advanced but parts are more expensive and repairs more complex.

What are your thoughts

Thanks. Tony.

AdamD1 · Oct 30, 2018

I bought a D2 because I’m a big girl and was afraid of the complexity of the D3, the 2 I should be able to look after by myself. I’m sure a fully working D3 is a decent step up from a D2 though. If you buy either go into it with a budget for the car and a budget for some maintenance, that way you’re not going to be surprised. Also buy diagnostics when you get the car, wish I had, would have saved me a three hour wait for the AA to send someone out.

Si Click · Oct 30, 2018

Strikes me that for £6k you can afford either a very pampered D2 or a very tired D3. I know which will cost you more in the long run.

AdamD1 · Oct 30, 2018

Or a 4K or so D2 with money in your pocket to repair it when you need to.

johnlad · Oct 30, 2018

If you buy a D2 budget another 2k for a chassis in the not to distant future

gstuart · Oct 30, 2018

tonyt37 said:
Hi Folks

I'm looking at buying a Disco (up to £6k). Question is do I go for a 2 or 3. I have previously owned Freelander and tackled everything but an engine swap on the drive so I'm not scared of a few repairs. The way I see it is that the Disco 2 is much more suited to, diy repairs and parts are much more reasonable where as the Disco 3 is quite a bit more advanced but parts are more expensive and repairs more complex.

What are your thoughts

Thanks. Tony.

Hi

I done a buyers guide for a D3 and @neilly done a fantastic guide for a D2

D2
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/handy-buying-alarm-info.311291/

D3
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/buyers-guide.312800/

For a half decent D3 ur looking around £7-8k that has had all its belts done and oil pump cover , which are due every 7 x years or 105,000 miles , allow around 1k for that

Front and rear belts, turbo can all be replaced without removing the body

Diagnostics is a must , the iid made by Gap is the readers we normally buy for the D3 , currently £410

Main issues with D3s are , Suspension bushes and there air compressors / discs- pads because there pushing towards 3 ton , all can be done DIY

If u see a D3 being sold very cheap then walk away as they can become serious money pits

There extremely nice to drive, comfortable , plenty of room , quiet at motorway speeds , but plse buy with caution

Higher u go up from the base model the more it costs on insurance

Not trying to put u off but the reality of owning one, Hope that helps a little

Henry_b · Oct 30, 2018

The mechanic part of my head says D2

The Heart says D3 such a nice vehicle imo, second in my heart to the P38

EeEk · Oct 30, 2018

buy a d3.....d2s are worthless now, They are all rotten. At least a d3 will hold some of its value for a while yet

MJI · Oct 30, 2018

D3s also have a very unpleasant consumable supplied by Ford

They tend to eat engines.

Scared me off a D4 in two years

AdamD1 · Oct 30, 2018

EeEk said:
buy a d3.....d2s are worthless now, They are all rotten. At least a d3 will hold some of its value for a while yet

Mine is good, I have had it undersealed but won’t be surprised if I one day need a rest half chassis. It is something to keep in mind certainly.

Si Click · Oct 30, 2018

EeEk said:
buy a d3.....d2s are worthless now, They are all rotten. At least a d3 will hold some of its value for a while yet

Many D2s are indeed rotten, even ones at the high end of the price scale. But solid ones are out there, you just have to look and be prepared to spend most of that time looking underneath. As to value, rather than worthless, I prefer to consider that they are currently excellent value for money.

Defenders are going up in value, partly because of the character, partly because they are so easy to modify, but partly because in a world where modern cars are increasingly daunting to the home mechanic, their simplicity and minimal reliance on electronics actually makes them sustainable. A modern cars longevity is ultimately limited by the availability of complex electronics. As soon as the screens, computers and other components are obsolete and no longer in production, the car's days are numbered. That includes the D3, but it does not include the D2, which for me sits at the technological sweetspot. Modern enough to be comfortable, reasonably powerful and economical and to have as many toys as you actually need, but also sustainable by a home mechanic and repairable in the field or overseas without requiring sophisticated workshop facilities. I think as Defenders become increasingly unaffordable, the market will recognise the value of a good D2 and prices will start to climb. Buy now while they are "worthless".

berg450 · Oct 30, 2018

gstuart said:
Hi

I done a buyers guide for a D3 and @neilly done a fantastic guide for a D2

D2
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/handy-buying-alarm-info.311291/

D3
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/buyers-guide.312800/

For a half decent D3 ur looking around £7-8k that has had all its belts done and oil pump cover , which are due every 7 x years or 105,000 miles , allow around 1k for that

Front and rear belts, turbo can all be replaced without removing the body

Diagnostics is a must , the iid made by Gap is the readers we normally buy for the D3 , currently £410

Main issues with D3s are , Suspension bushes and there air compressors / discs- pads because there pushing towards 3 ton , all can be done DIY

If u see a D3 being sold very cheap then walk away as they can become serious money pits

There extremely nice to drive, comfortable , plenty of room , quiet at motorway speeds , but plse buy with caution

Higher u go up from the base model the more it costs on insurance

Not trying to put u off but the reality of owning one, Hope that helps a little

Is there any improvment in the engine after 2007-2008MY? I have heard from someone that after 2007 they have improved crankshaft, so more reliable.
I ask it because I am also thinking to change my D2 (which is in very good condition) but on the local used car net there are about 30pcs D3s and 1 already with broken crankshaft and 3 with new motor (maybe more but in 3 cases it is written). Not a good percentage....

brian47 · Oct 30, 2018

MJI said:
D3s also have a very unpleasant consumable supplied by Ford

They tend to eat engines.

Scared me off a D4 in two years

And what are those "Unpleasant consumables"?

Oh, yeah, now I remember ....... the crankshaft!

gstuart · Oct 30, 2018

berg450 said:
Is there any improvment in the engine after 2007-2008MY? I have heard from someone that after 2007 they have improved crankshaft, so more reliable.
I ask it because I am also thinking to change my D2 (which is in very good condition) but on the local used car net there are about 30pcs D3s and 1 already with broken crankshaft and 3 with new motor (maybe more but in 3 cases it is written). Not a good percentage....

Hi

Not that I’m aware of, from 2007 is more important to replace the oil pump cover as the casting is weak on the corner and snap , normally happens when the belts have been replaced and the old oil cover hasn’t been changed

Unfortunately heard of cranks snapping on models from 2005 all the way up to 2017 , on both the 2.7 and 3.0

U can now buy the engine parts as before they were only supplied to engine rebuilders, a 2.7 recon engine average price is £4-5k , but many will buy a complete S type jag, use the engine , swap over all the ancillaries and sell the jag for spares to recoup some of the money , main advantage being able to hear the engine running

Here’s abit of interesting reading , guy had a full report done after his crank failed, the shells spin and consequently block off the oil ways leading to the crank snapping

https://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/userpics/23856/D4_russian_doc.pdf

From 2007 if blanking off both egrs a software patch is required

Up to 2007 engines are euro 3 , from 2007 they are euro 4

EURO3 the VIN ends 5A123456 (05MY) or 6A123456 (06MY), for EURO4 & onward 7A, 8A, 9A.

Hope that helps a little

lynall · Oct 30, 2018

Like everything else in ife it comes down to money, which can you afford to run?

I have had both and have to say the D3 will run rings around the D2 in most departments.

The chassis are starting to show rust on the early D3 so may be an issue in the future? but the D3 chassis is much more manly than the D2 one.

By choice I would not go back to a D2.

AdamD1 · Oct 30, 2018

Budget is an interesting point. Sure a nice D3 wth everything done is going to be a much nicer place to be than a D2 could ever be. A rough or cheaper D3 vs a D2 that’s well sorted or buying a decent one and getting it properly sorted is a tougher choice. I couldn’t have afforded a good D3 and had money left over to fix it if required so the choice for me was obvious, no doubt if you drive both the answer will be pretty obvious. Would have loved a D3 (or even an L322) if the money was there to look after it.

lynall · Oct 30, 2018

AdamD1 said:
Budget is an interesting point. Sure a nice D3 wth everything done is going to be a much nicer place to be than a D2 could ever be. A rough or cheaper D3 vs a D2 that’s well sorted or buying a decent one and getting it properly sorted is a tougher choice. I couldn’t have afforded a good D3 and had money left over to fix it if required so the choice for me was obvious, no doubt if you drive both the answer will be pretty obvious. Would have loved a D3 (or even an L322) if the money was there to look after it.

D4 prices are dropping, which means early D3 are becoming very affordable, which also means more will come into the hands of enthusiasts and they as always will find cheaper/easier ways to fix things.

Its the little things that can surprise you, handbrake issues on a D2 very few pounds and its fixed.
D3 handbrake shoes (genuine) 60 quid a side, the backplates rot out at about 10/12 yrs old and are 66 quid a side, these arent just back/dustplates, the handbrake shoes are mounted on them, Epb acutator 500 quid (though guy on ebay now repairs them for 150) most issues on D3 are because people push things to far and the results can be bloody expensive, keep on top of the snag list and its a good car.

But it can also slowly creep up on you and also add up to a chunk of dough.
Mine needs injectors x5, 1 already done 1000 pounds, Torque convertor juddering so needs new 1500 incl fitting, front lower arm bushes worn 300 quid diy, off side cam chain tensioner worn 200 quid in parts alone, a/c has just packed up have ordered new pipe 90 quid and I will have to fit it then pay for a regas another 50 odd quid, as you can see very quickly if you cant diy thats close to the value of the car!
On the upside apart from regular servicing I have spent practically nothing on it over the last 4 years.

Si Click · Oct 30, 2018

Perhaps another way to look at this is that for me a D2 is a comfortable, highly modifiable, day to day usable, family friendly alternative to a Defender. For a potential overland vehicle where DIY mechanics are a real plus and ECUs need to be simple, reliable and ideally non-critical, that is an excellent starting point. But it is always going to be relatively agricultural, noisier than a modern car, worse on economy and the environment, with a harsher ride and archetypal 4x4 handling. Parts though are plentiful and cheap (aftermarket ones anyway), often interchangeable with Defender ones and you can fix most things yourself. So fairly cheap to maintain as long as you are handy with a spanner ............and have plenty of free time.

I always think of D3s an D4s as being closer conceptually to a modern Range Rover, hugely comfortable, prestigious, massively capable on and off road with modern levels of interior noise attenuation, decent road manners and impressive performance. But don't plan on modifying it too much, you are reliant on the technology to work, almost everything on it is computer controlled and if the electronics go south in the back of beyond, you may have real issues getting it to the sophisticated servicing facilities that are required to fix it. Fantastic on western, developed roads and lanes, but not sure I would want to cross Namibia in one. With high technical merit maintenance there is more widespread reliance on professionals, so the market for aftermarket parts is limited and you will probably be paying genuine LR prices.

All depends what you want to use it for and what is right for one person may not be right for someone else.

Spot1 · Nov 3, 2018

I have a D2, 2004 ES Premium Auto and love it.
I was in a similar position to you, I had the money to buy an early, bottom end D3 with all but nothing left to fix it if there were big problems OR a D2 with a good reserve in the bank for problems.

I was fussy and wouldn’t settle for anything less than a facelift, upper spec (ES, Metropolis etc) and I decided on an auto of ease of driving on road and overall being the better option off road. I’d have liked a v8 but didn’t want the fuel bill so went for the TD5.

Other than money, the decision was made on the reliance on technology. The D2 does have electronics but it is not massively reliant on them, as said the D3 on is heavily computerised and even basic functions are solely reliant on a computer and that I didn’t want.

I’m no mechanic but I can spanner a bit and am happy to get my hands dirty when needed.

I also planned on modifying, basics first but more involved in the future. Take a look at my thread;

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/spots-disco-2-es-premium-project.330929/page-5#post-4365937

I’ve added a snorkel and will be adding the breathers (Diffs, ‘boxes etc) to this in the not too distant future.
I want to put it back on air at the back as someone previously changed it to springs and then I’m planning a 2” ish lift.
I’m planning on a re-chassis in the future and possibly air-lockers and up rated drive train so the D2 is better suited to my plans.... I guess it ultimately comes down to what YOU want to use it for and do to it in the future....

MJI · Nov 3, 2018

Si Click said:
But it is always going to be relatively agricultural, noisier than a modern car, worse on economy and the environment, with a harsher ride and archetypal 4x4 handling.

D2 handling is actually not bad at all, much much better than a D1

Disco 2 or 3. Which would you buy and why?

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