RRUK
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Member Since: 08 Jun 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 6366
 
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| 2 Day test drive of a Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE | |
I took this test drive with an open frame of mind, I know that the FFRR is MUCH more luxurious but I needed to see if I thought I could live with one of these as a longer term fuel saving exercise.
My thoughts about my next car are that it needs to be a capable 4WD, comfortable on long journeys (as I do high miles) and fairly frugal. I had thought about having a motorway hack and an old P38 RR 4.6 HSE, but I am not sure its cost effective in the long run.
I was given a D3 HSE, in Stornoway Grey with black leather and no privacy glass. It looked boring. Being an 08 plate it had Hybrid TV and the newer rouched leather look that the HSE Sport owners will know of. I actually prefered the previous leather as it was the same as the Sport Supercharged (so why was it seen as premium on the Sport  ) It also had the standard silver/rhodium finish inside rather than the nice looking Piano Black that I have seen some with. Again, dull and boring looking.
My first impressions of the TDV6 is that it's incredibly smooth to drive, and brilliantly quiet compared to the TD6 in my FFRR Vogue. It did seem pretty gutless though and I found it hard to get it off the mark without flooring the throttle hard. Overtaking was not much fun either but I suspect that someone like JE Engineering can work wonders with this as they did with my car.
Handling was very good, not as good as the Supercharged Sport I had with the Dynamic Response pack but certainly better than the FFRR. Certainly less roll in the corners and my wife said it was nicer being a passenger in the Disco.
The interior was ok although I though that the quality of the leather was not great, it felt like cheap leather, cheaper than the previous version which had the non-rouched look and a firmer feel to it. In particular around the arm rests the leather was baggy and made it feel not like a £46K car.
Areas where I feel LR could have made more effort are things such as the rubber mats, very thin and cheap looking compared to the thick sturdy versions from the Sport and FFRR. The cubby box interior in the model I was given was just a cavernous box, nothing special about it and the lid was not sprung or damped, just a hinged top that felt thin, cheap (again) and unpleasant to use. It slammed shut with a harsh plastic bang. I compared this to an earlier D3 in the showroom upon my return that had the smooth topped cubby that I had in my RRS SC, much nicer, along with the little tray that sits underneath too.
The switchgear in terms of indicator stalks etc, although technically look the same as the Sport, felt cheaper somehow, very plasticky and creaky to operate. Every flat surface had a rubber mat and the cup holders are rubbish. (Same as the ones I had in the Sport) With the insert no decent size bottle will fit, without them they fall around. The ones in the door pockets were the same, too big for an Evian or Volvic bottle (What did they model them with?)
Another drawback I found was that the seat did not go far back enough for me, it was only just comfortable enough for me at about 6'1 with it as low and back as possible. I could have done with another inch or two of adjustment. I also found the lack of headrest movement uncomfortable too. The Sport has brilliant headrests right behind your head, no room for whiplash, the D3 is not so good.
The rear seats are flat of course and although I would not spend any time in the back I tried them, they were OK, I wouldn't want to be in them for any length of time though. The 3rd row beneath the floor were ingenious, but a bit tricky to get to from the back door.
I averaged 26mpg while I had it which I was a little disappointed with, I reckon you'd have to pootle about at 70mph or below to get 30mpg as people seem to think I could. (Perhaps it was low because I had to rev it more to get it going fast enough?)
Overall I think the D3 is a great car, lovely engine & gearbox and you get a decent spec. If you had not previously had a really nice car you would think the D3 is lovely I am sure. It would be a great car for a family, practical, lots of spaces to stuff junk and removable rubber mats all over the place. Easy to clean wipe down plastic too.
It's a shame that LR feel they have to cheapen even the top spec model to differentiate it from the Sport and FFRR but I guess that's why they are cheaper overall and aiming at a different market. Once again though, I saw an XS Commercial in the showroom and the interior was actually nicer than the HSE I was given.
Would I buy one? Yes, but I would never feel it was 'special' or different. It would be a compromise as far as I am concerned. I would also have to add some accessories to make it look a bit more special too, factory privacy glass would be essential, side steps, rubbing strips, tow bar, a pair of IPF driving lamps at the front and maybe some different wheels.
Otherwise, for the time being I'll stick to my 3 year old Vogue as I still think it looks beautiful and it still turns heads. No one took a second look at the D3..... 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NewsFlash:
My Dealer rang me today to book my car in for the FREE replacement of my front Driveshafts. Land Rover are lending me a brand new Full Fat Range Rover Vogue TDV8 for the day too.
Now this will be interesting!
As you'd expect from me I took plenty of pictures, here are some examples of how dull I think the car looks, especially when put next to mine (not clean and shiny but still 'shines'  )
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 Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top
*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB
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29th Jul 2008 2:58pm
Downside is...once your been in the FFRR, the D3 does seem rather low when you sit in it 
and also it felt heavy to drive, and does not brake as well...
