Models · Land Rover
Land Rover Discovery 3 buying guide
The third Discovery, sold from 2004 to 2009, with the 2.7 TDV6 diesel as the main engine and a 4.4 V8 petrol in some versions.
The versions
- 2.7 TDV6 diesel, 206hp, single turbo
- 4.4 V8 petrol, automatic only; petrol models weren't sold in the UK after 2007
- Manual or automatic on the TDV6
- Air suspension on all but the most basic models; five-seat and seven-seat versions
What to check on a Discovery 3
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
Air suspension and lower arm bushes
What to look for: Raise and lower the car through its heights and check it sits level after standing. Watch for suspension warnings. On the drive, feel for knocks or loose movement from the front over bumps, and look at the rubber covers on the lower arm bushes for splits.
Why it matters: The air suspension can suffer wiring faults, and once the rubber covers wear, the oil-filled bushes in the lower arms fail and allow excess movement. Aftermarket bushes are an option. The car's weight also speeds up wear on ball joints and wheel bearings.
TDV6 cambelt and engine
What to look for: Look in the history for the timing belt, tensioner, pulleys and water pump being replaced within six years or 60,000 miles. Listen for a smooth idle and watch for intermittent cutting out on the drive.
Why it matters: The cambelt service is essential on the 2.7 TDV6. The oil pump casing that the belt tensioner bolts to can snap, EGR valves are prone to failure, and a failing crankshaft sensor can cause intermittent cutting out. Dual-mass flywheels and clutches can fail early on manuals, especially on cars used for towing.
Automatic gearbox judder
What to look for: On an automatic, drive gently through the gears and in slow traffic and feel for judder. Ask whether the gearbox oil has been changed, and check the coolant level.
Why it matters: Automatics can develop a judder, and the factory transmission oil interval of 150,000 miles is widely seen as too long, so an earlier oil change is a good sign. Coolant can also leak into the gearbox through the radiator heat exchanger, which is worth ruling out.
Also in the full guide
- Electronic parking brake
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the Discovery 3
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
Other generations
Land Rover Discovery 2 · Land Rover Discovery 4 · Land Rover Discovery 5
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Land Rover.