| Author |
Message |
    
Ted
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 02, 2002 - 09:13 pm: | 
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Dealer called early yesterday morning and said the truck just dropped off my 2003. So I got it earlier than the 10th when it was scheduled. Its Grey with the performance package and HK stereo as the major options. It does NOT have CDL although the manual seems to assume that every vehicle it refers to does have CDL so it seems that later on in the model year it may make an appearance as standard..the manual certainly implies that its standard. The lack of CDL doesn't bother me, I need the car 3 months ago, and waiting for a feature I might use once in the 5 years I'll probably have it didn't make sense. The 4.6L is fantastic and I did wait 3 months, driving a loaner honda from a co-worker to get the new engine. Plenty of grunt for passing, this is no sports car but you can easily goose the accelerator to snake your way into traffic or onto a freeway. It does 70MPH at 3K RPMs effortlessly. Gas mileage is slightly better than expected. With everyone complaining about it,I thought it was like an F350 or something where you can watch the needle go down. I've been seeing 17-18MPG but then its only on tank of gas #2.
ACE is spectacular, its not noisy at all, I turned down the stereo for a second to listen for it and while you can definately hear a subtle hydraulic whine its not like the noise the dealer warned me some people disliked. Sort of a background whistling noise during cornering. The performance of ACE is amazing, it really does keep the truck flat and level through sharp on ramps or off ramps or tight corners at speed.
The HK stereo is mindblowing...really really spectacular, its capable of generating more volume without distortion than any person with relatively intact eardrums can handle with bone thudding bass. Its not a pair of 12s in a ported box but for a factory system its awesome percussion.
The front headlamps are regular incandescent projector type. They look like the trick xenons off the Range Rover but no dice, not an option..plenty bright though.
The accelerator and brake pedals are far more car-like than the 2001 I test drove before buying. The long throw pedals are history, these are comparable to a passenger car if with a tad more travel. The only other thing I can think off the top of my head thats different from the one I testdrove is that you can't get many "kit" parts yet. I have a brushbar on order but no word on when it will show up, the front parts are different enough to prevent mounting of a 2002 or earlier bar. The rear light guards from 2002 do fit over the slighrly different rear lamps. same shape, just different lights in them.
So far people seem to like the car, got a crowd around it at the gym, people really seem to like the new front appearance. Even people who said they'd always thought they were sort of ugly were in favor of the new look. |
KJ
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 01:56 am: |
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Congrats on your new truck, Ted! I have to laugh though, you've had it 36 hours and are already burning the second tank of gas???? LOL! There's nothing like road trips in the new truck!
Karen  |
dchrismon
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 02:55 am: |
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Good for you rich boy....Are you going to get it dirty? |
Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 07:00 am: |
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Ted - Photos! |
Gil Stevens (Gil)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 09:09 am: |
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put it in sport mode, stomp on it, and itll return maybe 7 mpg. but it sure is a fun ride, especially after being used to "slow" discoverys. If you think about it, the 03 could be the last "real" disco.. meaning solid axle, coil sprung.. and it has a 4.6 and eventually a cdl, i think its the one to buy. Im going to have a hard time passing it up. |
Binh Nguyen (Lrdisco)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 09:54 am: |
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I am gonna test drive the '03 today. Possibly will take it home... |
Greg Davis
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 09:59 am: |
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I'm just waiting for someone to pull out in front of me so I can at least get the new front end.
Guess I'll just have to give up on that 4.6. . |
Dave
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 11:35 am: |
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I'm with Gil on this one. I'm going to drive my '00 until June of next year and wait for the '03 clearance sales....
I really do not see LR making another vehicle that's not Independent suspension in the future.. |
Ho Chung (Ho)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 12:40 pm: |
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yeah ted, go get busy with 
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Dave
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 03:00 pm: |
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I heard someone might already have their hands on the parts manual for the '03 DII. IF so, what are the prospects of fitting those 03 headlights in an 00 DII???? |
Gil Stevens (Gil)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 05:32 pm: |
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easy fit.. youll need the lamp and the trim piece under it. |
Eric
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 06:10 pm: |
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I was really worried about the 03 and then I looked in my piggy bank. I don't think I have anything at all to worry about.
I hope they keep the straight axles. Remember, Ford has to differentiate the Discovery from the Explorer Sport... 4.6 mustang engine... cobra IRS... AND AND they need something to compete with the HUMMER H1 (neener neener) which will be brought to market through GM dealers.... Whew!
I predict the Discovery to compete with the H1 expect the square off to begin in 04. Could be good for the Disco... turbo diesel, factory winch, HID headlights, true off road capability focus. |
Mr GB
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 06:28 pm: |
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Today I've seen the next Landrover prototype down my country lane! [I live very close to the Landy factory.] Very nice duel headlights. |
Ho Chung (Ho)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 07:10 pm: |
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ted, thanks for the pics. they are now posted in your gallery. NICE INDEED! |
Kyle
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 07:57 pm: |
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Hmmm , that damn thing is indeed awfull perdy...
Kyle |
RVR OVR (Tom)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 08:01 pm: |
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WTF is up with that aweful caution sticker????
What a way to ruin the interior of a beatiful machine.
Tom |
charles
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 08:13 pm: |
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What name is his Gallery under? |
RVR OVR (Tom)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 08:20 pm: |
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ted stalcup, for a link, see the home page of discoweb |
M. K. Watson (Lrover94)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 08:46 pm: |
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yes the headlights are cool!
mike w |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 08:47 pm: |
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that caution stick is for the SRS airbag. It should come right off.
now, genuine American autos are adorned with lots of "interior litter"
VERY NICE RIDE! |
94Rover
| | Posted on Thursday, July 04, 2002 - 12:12 am: |
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Nice, Very Nice.....
94Rover |
Warren
| | Posted on Thursday, July 04, 2002 - 02:31 am: |
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If those headlighrs can fit a Disco 2 can they fit a Disco I? And how much?
Warren |
Dave
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 08:06 am: |
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The word on the DII yahoo grpoup list is that the headlights are a uch different design. They are bolt on and would not retrofit the prior DII or DI.... |
Roland H. Alder (Charita)
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 02:54 pm: |
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How about fitting the whole DIIa front including bumper, grille and headlights to a DII? Would that work? |
Kyle
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 02:56 pm: |
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Well just from the first look I am saying they will fot a DII or a D1 with the right mods..
Kyle |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 03:19 pm: |
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Okay... I'll ask. What's so great about the new front lights? Granted I like the round and seperate hi/low beams. I think that's the way the should have been from day one but the turn signals are just goofy. And changing your current light to the new ones won't really get you that much or will it? I also take it that the new lights (for the US anyway) won't have the citylights. Does the rear US lights still have the rear fogs? |
Paul D. Morgan (V22guy)
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 03:31 pm: |
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On my way out of Wilimington, NC this morning, I stopped to check out the new SE7 and HSE Disco and the new Rangie. Both vehicles looked very nice. That new Range Rover is sex on wheels IMHO
Paul
Still a little hung from last night...... |
Jason Kozma (Ravensjk)
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 04:10 pm: |
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Still looks pretty much like the Disco I and the II. This is good. One of my favorite things about LR is that they don't completely redesign exteriors every 4 years. When you have a great design, it should still be a great design 30 years later.
Congrats on the new ride... |
Ange (Orates)
| | Posted on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 05:51 pm: |
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Nothing short of Yummy.
Very smart looking vehicle and they have still retained all the LR characteristics.
Well done Ted. Enjoy the ride. |
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