Going sideways - L322 Rangie to Disco 3?
Going sideways - L322 Rangie to Disco 3?
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RedLeicester

Original Poster:

6,869 posts

266 months

Monday 25th February 2008
quotequote all
Ho hum, one must explore the options wifey requires.... even though tis with a heavy heart.......

We currently have an 54-plate L322 V8 which is lovely, fluffy, wonderful, hugs trees, annoys the lefties, and being out in the sticks is damned useful when it gets icy/snowy/muddy/covered in roadkill/obstructed by dithering townies. Much of its duties involve family carrying - we have a brace with a boy of 1 and girl of 3, so obviously both in front-facing Britax Rennaisance enormo-seats. Quite often we will be five up - me and wife, friend, and the two kids, with the boot stuff with double buggy, nappies, clothes, boots etc etc, IE all the usual child paraphenalia.

The thing is, wifey has convinced herself that despite liking the Rangie, what we ought to have is actually have is a Discovery, as after all they have seven seats you know..... and they're more "practical". Now this I am struggling with - I can see the argument that the Disco is rather more utilitarian and liable to stand up better to kiddies and what have you, but the seven seat arrangement is beyond me - again I can see the use of being able to carry more peeps, but when one still drags along pushchairs and so on, 7 seats = naff all boot. Moreoever, the Disco appears (I say appears as i haven't got out a tape measure) to be narrower than the Rangie inside, so friend may not even be able to fit in the middle seat of the middle row anyway.... which would then mean using one of the rear seats.... and having luggage loose to the side (hope I don't corner quickly then!).

Finally, assuming one did have the kids seats in the middle row, the back row becomes inaccessible - her option would be to put one child in the very rear row, but I am apprehensive about the safety implications of using one rear seat for a child, then the remaining rear space for luggage which as above, may be inclined to move around. An adult may be able to fend off flying pushchairs, a small child would not.

Final, finally and last interior point, even given any or all of that, is it just me or is the boot in the Disco also smaller than the Rangie one? I'm thinking of being 5-up, rear seats folded (IE, just the same arrangement as the Rangie) yet having less space..... or may be my imagination - comparing boot literage is not a helpful way of doing things, as that tends to include height and so on and so on, I'm thinking more of practical, usable space.

The remaining objection is the engine choice.... as I said, our Rangie is the V8. Thankfully we don't worry too much about the economy, and frankly 20mpg for such spacious serene progress is worth it in my book. The thing is, apart from a handful of the early ones, all the Discos are the TDV6, which whilst being impressive for a logburner, seems woefully underpowered - granted again figures are no real-world comparison, but 0-60, 50-70, and 0-100 times compared between the V8 Rangie and TD Disco are shocking - 60 in 8.7 / 12.2, 50-70 in 5.4 / 7.9. So much for oodles of torque and all that jazz. Out in the sticks here we are beset with both tractors and dithering townies, so having enough poke to overtake easily and cleanly is a must, as is being able to dart out of little junctions - something the Rangie manages admirably.

So that would imply that tuning the TDV6 would be wise (or am I missing something miraculous in its performance?), or going for an early V8, and damn the economy?

Would be very interested to hear people's views on the subject as its defeating me - I have no great objections to the switch if it's what she really wants, I'm just struggling with the "logic" of it (which as it came from a Woman is probably why!) - I can't see why one would switch from luxury, pace and space to slower, less space but two extra seats.... which we could rarely, if ever use! Sorry if the post doesn't make much sense or the like, but it's beginning to addle my brain overall, hence the request for advice!

Cheers.


PS - Nervy old boy, wanna buy a proper RangeRover? wink


Edited by RedLeicester on Monday 25th February 15:52

Steve_D

13,801 posts

279 months

Monday 25th February 2008
quotequote all
Lose the kids somewhere then load all said paraphernalia (and SWMBO)into Rangie and head down to a dealers forecourt and see if you can load it all aboard a Disco and still have an extra 2 seats.

Steve

RedLeicester

Original Poster:

6,869 posts

266 months

Monday 25th February 2008
quotequote all
Aye, seems to be the plan at the moment and see what happens - two dealers have refused to allow me to borrow a car for the day do try the same at home, so I fully intend to make a mess of their showrooms instead!

Triple7

4,015 posts

258 months

Monday 25th February 2008
quotequote all
In a similar situation. Ditched the LR322 a year ago and am looking into the Disco 3 with view to purchase one. Agree that with the seats up in the rear, you won't be getting in any buggies. You also cannot get 3 child car seats across the back, so might answer the q about getting someone to squeeze in between 2 kiddies.

You can chip the D3 to get you more power, but I would bag a bargin get a V8 D3. But seeing as you won't beable to get 7 peeps plus luggage I think stick with the Rangie. We are buying one to give the flexibility of seven seats.

G

Triple7

4,015 posts

258 months

Monday 25th February 2008
quotequote all
PS Visit here: www.disco3.co.uk

G

RedLeicester

Original Poster:

6,869 posts

266 months

Tuesday 26th February 2008
quotequote all
Cheers for the linkie chap, some interesting reading. Seems like no one likes the V8s....

GKP

15,099 posts

262 months

Wednesday 27th February 2008
quotequote all
We have breifly toyed with the idea of a D3 to replace our L322, mainly due to the infuriating and well documented front prop/diff issue (it's on it's third).

But unfortunately neither of us felt we could live with the dash/interior of the Disco. The word 'Lego' came up in conversation a couple of times and seeing as how that's where you spend 100% of your driving time, it didn't seem a comfy (or easy on the eye) place to spend lots of time. frown

RedLeicester

Original Poster:

6,869 posts

266 months

Wednesday 27th February 2008
quotequote all
GKP said:
We have breifly toyed with the idea of a D3 to replace our L322, mainly due to the infuriating and well documented front prop/diff issue (it's on it's third).

But unfortunately neither of us felt we could live with the dash/interior of the Disco. The word 'Lego' came up in conversation a couple of times and seeing as how that's where you spend 100% of your driving time, it didn't seem a comfy (or easy on the eye) place to spend lots of time. frown
ROFL.... I'm with you on that, I find the D3 dashboard a heinous assault on my eyes, yet wifey doesn't seem to mind.... odd wench!

funinthesun

1,170 posts

286 months

Wednesday 27th February 2008
quotequote all
GKP said:
mainly due to the infuriating and well documented front prop/diff issue (it's on it's third).

. frown
apologies, slight hijack, are these fairly common occurances?

are they usual warranty items? approx cost if they do go to chocolate , if you know...

just trying to get an idea of these before i buy.

thanks

Triple7

4,015 posts

258 months

Wednesday 27th February 2008
quotequote all
funinthesun said:
GKP said:
mainly due to the infuriating and well documented front prop/diff issue (it's on it's third).

. frown
apologies, slight hijack, are these fairly common occurances?

are they usual warranty items? approx cost if they do go to chocolate , if you know...

just trying to get an idea of these before i buy.

thanks
The diff issue he is referring to is for the Mark 3 Range Rover, not D3.

There have been the odd documented front diff prob with the D3, but it tends to be due to overfilling of the diff fluid. The Range Rover diff is a known prob. BMW sorted out the issue with the X5 but LR prefer to pretend it doesn't occur. After 3 diff's they tend not to want to pay for them again, even with the car being under a factory warranty.

G

nervous

24,050 posts

251 months

Wednesday 27th February 2008
quotequote all
how much?

wiffmaster

2,615 posts

219 months

Thursday 28th February 2008
quotequote all

nervous

24,050 posts

251 months

Thursday 28th February 2008
quotequote all
wiffmaster said:
that could work...

if Reds' kids were 1940s ventriloquists dummies.

RedLeicester

Original Poster:

6,869 posts

266 months

Thursday 28th February 2008
quotequote all
nervous said:
wiffmaster said:
that could work...

if Reds' kids were 1940s ventriloquists dummies.
Ello Nervy old bean. Sadly I'm not a ventriloquist, my kids make noises and wiggle about all of their own accord! Mail me if you want a chat.

funinthesun

1,170 posts

286 months

Thursday 28th February 2008
quotequote all
Triple7 said:
funinthesun said:
GKP said:
mainly due to the infuriating and well documented front prop/diff issue (it's on it's third).

. frown
The diff issue he is referring to is for the Mark 3 Range Rover, not D3.

There have been the odd documented front diff prob with the D3, but it tends to be due to overfilling of the diff fluid. The Range Rover diff is a known prob. BMW sorted out the issue with the X5 but LR prefer to pretend it doesn't occur. After 3 diff's they tend not to want to pay for them again, even with the car being under a factory warranty.

G
its the Mk3 Rangies im thinking of, somehting around 2003/4.. I will see if i can find any other info on the issue. thanks..