Test Drive

[Mike110]

I drove an LR3 today, I really liked everything about it accept for one thing. I know all of the Landy's in the passed have had an excuse to have the initial body roll due to the solid axles kind of right b/f the sway bars grab hold. But why...WHY?!?!? does the LR3 have this bit of body roll when you first dive in to a turn if it has IFS and IRS? I just dont get it! Was there like some sort comfort mode that would change the shock damping or what? Everything else about it was great, the motor, interior etc. What do you guys have to say about this? I just expected it to handle a little tighter due to the suspension overhaul. Thanks for your input.

 

[DiscoDave]

UK "Discovery 3" (US LR3) is a real on-road drivers car. I didn't think the body-roll was excessive (but then I drive a 96 300TDI Disco 1). Apparently the air suspension detects that the LR3 is going round a corner and stiffens. Did you have a play with the "idiot dial" in the centre?

Local Dealer's Salesman's sales technique was to drive it really fast in circles (we have "Roundabouts" in UK) and then try to four-wheel drift the car out. For a heavy car it did really well! The Salesman was also really keen on showing up how good the stereo and display screen was.
When we asked to take the ?42,000 car off-road for the weekend the salesman wasn't so keen though............

Not sure whether LR3/Discovery 3 is the way forward for Land Rover. We were impressed with the build quality but didn't like the layout - spare wheel underneath (why? You would be upto the bumper in mud when you get a puncture in a Land Rover) and drive-shaft boots being open to rock/tree damage.........

Land Rovers have always been utility vehicles and built to work - why change into a functional vehicle into a Poser's wagon?? (I've already seen a couple of "Pimp" types driving LR3s!!) Looks like it will be a 300TDI Defender for me when my D1 dies (you can buy a replacement chassis so they should last forever!!) Can you do this with an LR3??