Drove by one the other day. Almost didn't recognize it as a LR. Kinda blends in with everything else on the road.
Drove an LR3...I'll keep my D2, thanks
- Thread starter bcroz
- Start date
C
campbell
Guest
Well I like it. And I've been a die-hard LR fan all my life. I like the Element too.
I remember when the Disco first came out in the late '80s. People hated it...'It's not a real Land Rover' and all that.
Well, now we can't get enough of those 'funny' looking Discos.
As for the availability of off-road goodies and modifications...give it time. They will come (kind of like Field of Dreams).
When the first J**p Liberties came out, it didn't take long (like a month) for someone to stick a solid axle under the front of one and improve it. There are great parts available for 2nd Gen RRs now too.
I agree with the whole LR3 v Disco 3 name thing...bloody wankers in the LR marketing dept. And I'm with most LR fans with regards to opinions on simplicity and off-road performance etc. I'm not confident that the all-new Defender (whenever that comes out) will be what most of us want.
I'll just stick with my Classic until it totally falls apart, then buy another 'Classic' Land Rover...whatever that might be.
Rohan.
I remember when the Disco first came out in the late '80s. People hated it...'It's not a real Land Rover' and all that.
Well, now we can't get enough of those 'funny' looking Discos.
As for the availability of off-road goodies and modifications...give it time. They will come (kind of like Field of Dreams).
When the first J**p Liberties came out, it didn't take long (like a month) for someone to stick a solid axle under the front of one and improve it. There are great parts available for 2nd Gen RRs now too.
I agree with the whole LR3 v Disco 3 name thing...bloody wankers in the LR marketing dept. And I'm with most LR fans with regards to opinions on simplicity and off-road performance etc. I'm not confident that the all-new Defender (whenever that comes out) will be what most of us want.
I'll just stick with my Classic until it totally falls apart, then buy another 'Classic' Land Rover...whatever that might be.
Rohan.
wagnerjc said:
I don't think the LR3 is as bad in the design department as the Freelander, which IMO is a dead ringer for the Ford Escape (from an exterior styling point of view). I fear one day Ford will just slap leather seats in an Escape and call it a Rover. The LR3 might be butt ugly, but as soon as somebody puts a real roof rack and a winch on one it will look like a Rover again.
And, I think LR was on to something by not calling it the Disco 3 here in the states. First off, when most people hear "Land Rover Discovery" they think "terrible reliability." Secondly, it seems like most of the Discovery fanatics on this board hate the LR3, so why taint the Discovery's good name by putting it on the LR3? The D3 name would piss off the die hards, and scare away the average consumer.
Just my $.02.
It's a shame that in the States the Freelander came out after the Escape, because now everyone here thinks the Freelander and the Escape are more or less the same car.cmoore207 said:
Everywhere else in the world, the Freelander was out years before the Escape. Whether Ford styled the Escape off the Freelander...who knows?
I guess, just like everything else, everyone has their own opinions of what looks good and what doesn't.
Rohan.
Well I think alot of mid-level vehicles have some european influences. Exterior design can obvious clue. Look at the Nissan Exterra, from far its resembles a Diso, it even has the same roof lines & they even throw in a handy-dandy rook rack. Also the Hyundai Hatchback looks like a spitting image of the Saab 9-3 Hatch. Alot of desingners are looking to mimic higher-end vehicles to boost sales, or have lack of creativity.
My .02
My .02
All those japanese car manufacturers have been doing that for years. Quite annoying but at the same time complimentary. Not impressed.
Alan said:
That can't be true! Land Rover says the body design is "innovative" and original.
ROTFLMAO
M
Mosi
Guest
rmarti said:
In the Xterras defense (we have had 2 of them), the roofline was designed as such so they woulnd't have to relocate the gas tank. The X was designed over the Frontier chassis and was meant to be cost effective for manufacturing so they didn't mess with the underpinnings.... thus, the stadium seating and stepped roof design.
If you have seen the new 2006 Jeep Commander, they are going with the stepped roof as well.
Mosi said:
I find it hard to believe that the fuel tank is the only reason they did the stepped roof. I am sure that had something to do with it but it is clearly a copy and so will be the 2006 Jeep Commander. No matter the reason, the disco was the first SUV with a stepped roof. Someone had to do it first, just happened to be the Brits. God bless 'em.
"the disco was the first SUV with a stepped roof. "
Didn't LR get the idea from the Daihatsu Fourtrak?
Didn't LR get the idea from the Daihatsu Fourtrak?
D
Dan Ratcliffe
Guest
V8' what the hell do you need more than four Cylinders for? I figure any weenie can climb using a V8.
If you had any driving skill you could do it with four.
Power Steering, what's the matter Nancy boy, wrists too weak to wrestle that wheel like a man? I always thought "power" came from the forearm.
Power brakes? What do you have on the end of your feet? Ballet slippers or boots? If you don't have enough power in that leg to bring that beast to a stop, you shouldn't be riding it.
Automatic Transmission? Gee I thought any real driver would be able to combine, engine noise, forward momentum, degree of slope, the ability to coordinate petal movement using TWO feet, available traction and use the amount of strength and intelligence that God gave a 6 year old and figure out when to actually move that lever thingy.
ECU? I kind of thought the real ECU sits about four inches above your shoulders.
What the hell could anyone need with more than 2 17Amp fuses? Radios, heated windshields, rear wind shield reversing lights, I think anyone who can't recognize that 4000 pounds of metal is backing into their line of sight deserves to be ran into.
Coil springs? If you need that much contact with the ground just to make a little traction than maybe you should stay in the parking lot.
I always thought that the reason God gave you a head that swivels with the eyes pointed to the front, a brain that thinks, opposable digits, and independent movement for all your limbs was so that we would be able to drive a land rover the way it was originally designed.
Lord someone is going to take offense at this but it is meant entirely in fun. I haven't driven a Land Rover yet that I didn't find I was falling in love with.
Dan
If you had any driving skill you could do it with four.
Power Steering, what's the matter Nancy boy, wrists too weak to wrestle that wheel like a man? I always thought "power" came from the forearm.
Power brakes? What do you have on the end of your feet? Ballet slippers or boots? If you don't have enough power in that leg to bring that beast to a stop, you shouldn't be riding it.
Automatic Transmission? Gee I thought any real driver would be able to combine, engine noise, forward momentum, degree of slope, the ability to coordinate petal movement using TWO feet, available traction and use the amount of strength and intelligence that God gave a 6 year old and figure out when to actually move that lever thingy.
ECU? I kind of thought the real ECU sits about four inches above your shoulders.
What the hell could anyone need with more than 2 17Amp fuses? Radios, heated windshields, rear wind shield reversing lights, I think anyone who can't recognize that 4000 pounds of metal is backing into their line of sight deserves to be ran into.
Coil springs? If you need that much contact with the ground just to make a little traction than maybe you should stay in the parking lot.
I always thought that the reason God gave you a head that swivels with the eyes pointed to the front, a brain that thinks, opposable digits, and independent movement for all your limbs was so that we would be able to drive a land rover the way it was originally designed.
Lord someone is going to take offense at this but it is meant entirely in fun. I haven't driven a Land Rover yet that I didn't find I was falling in love with.
Dan
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I was going to say I thought Daihatsu had one first. In Australia it was badged the 'Rocky'.
Perhaps someone can find one even earlier...
Perhaps someone can find one even earlier...
A
ag4ever
Guest
My wife and I drove a LR3 today thinking it would be a great replacement for our '99 D2, and think it is a great vehicle, but I personally have some gripes.
First, the styling of the truck from the rear doors back does not look steller like the RR does. (Not a major deal breaker, but a small annoyance)
Second, the shade for the sunroof does not block all sun, and living in Houston where it can get really hot, you really don't want the sun sometimes. (Not a major deal breaker, but a small annoyance)
Third, the parking brake is an electronic toggle switch. WTF, I want a lever that connects directly to a brake at some point in the driveline that has a permenant connection to the ground. (Major problem, and potential deal breaker)
We also drove a RR off road recently, and feel it is far superior to the LR3. I guess it might be the difference between BMW influence and Ford influence.
So if the RR sport has a real barking brake (don't think it will) that is what we would get.
First, the styling of the truck from the rear doors back does not look steller like the RR does. (Not a major deal breaker, but a small annoyance)
Second, the shade for the sunroof does not block all sun, and living in Houston where it can get really hot, you really don't want the sun sometimes. (Not a major deal breaker, but a small annoyance)
Third, the parking brake is an electronic toggle switch. WTF, I want a lever that connects directly to a brake at some point in the driveline that has a permenant connection to the ground. (Major problem, and potential deal breaker)
We also drove a RR off road recently, and feel it is far superior to the LR3. I guess it might be the difference between BMW influence and Ford influence.
So if the RR sport has a real barking brake (don't think it will) that is what we would get.
ag4ever, the LR3 has a rear locker. IMO, having a rear locker (and same off-roading specs otherwise to RR) makes the LR3 better than RR in off-roading.
A
AndrewClarke
Guest
EXCELLENT, excellent post, Dan. Very insigtful. As others have pointed out too, most of us get used in the end to what's available, and make good use of it. For the rest, there are used Series trucks, or I suppose bicycles if you're still not ready for those internal combustion engines.
Since my D1 engine was destroyed, I test drove an LR3 and thought it was great. I decided I just might need to get one. I then stepped right out of that into an '04 still on the lot. I expected to be underwhelmed by the '04 after trying the LR3. I was very surprised to find that I liked the '04 "almost" as much as the LR3 on the road. I guess if money was no object I'd take an LR3 over an '04, but for my intended uses the price/features of the '04 wins out.
The '04s 4.6l engine is much much more powerful than my (currently wrecked) 4.0 even with my 5spd, and I guess I liked the familiarity of the Discovery layout too even though the LR3 is of course much nicer inside.
In the end, common sense won over and I decided a paid-for vehicle was better than car payments. When I have the cash for a purchase like this, I'll maybe revisit the issue.
- Andrew.
Since my D1 engine was destroyed, I test drove an LR3 and thought it was great. I decided I just might need to get one. I then stepped right out of that into an '04 still on the lot. I expected to be underwhelmed by the '04 after trying the LR3. I was very surprised to find that I liked the '04 "almost" as much as the LR3 on the road. I guess if money was no object I'd take an LR3 over an '04, but for my intended uses the price/features of the '04 wins out.
The '04s 4.6l engine is much much more powerful than my (currently wrecked) 4.0 even with my 5spd, and I guess I liked the familiarity of the Discovery layout too even though the LR3 is of course much nicer inside.
In the end, common sense won over and I decided a paid-for vehicle was better than car payments. When I have the cash for a purchase like this, I'll maybe revisit the issue.
- Andrew.
LandRoverRo said:
I disagree on the off-road goodies. Less and less people are using rovers for off-road these days. Look at the P38 Range Rover, 10 years and nothing to show for off-road. New Range Rover, obviously nothing. I think you will see some off-road "look" items and maybe some stuff from ARB, but I wouldn't expect a lot of suspension stuff because there's no market for it.