2008 Land Rover Discovery 3 Dune driving on Stockton Beach
17 Nov, 2008
10 Comments 
2008 Land Rover Discovery 3 Dune driving on Stockton Beach
Model driven: 2008 Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto SE - $75,990 (RRP)
-words and pictures Antony Crawford
Two and half hours drive from Sydney’s North Shore lies a four wheel drive Mecca called Stockton Beach. It’s a beach like no other in the state of New South Wales - 32 kilometres of legally drivable shoreline and sand dunes. It’s almost too good to be true and utter madness that I hadn’t yet taken the family on this wonderful adventure so close to home.
As one of the driver’s on Land Rover’s 60th Anniversary Cross Australia journey, I was quick to realise whilst ploughing through some extraordinarily soft sand in a Series 1 outside of Alice Springs, that I had all but forgotten most of the skills I had picked up driving ex-World War II Jeeps and barely roadworthy LandCruisers as a teenager on the old man’s farm.
Now, thanks to John Eggenhuizen from The Getabout Group, who was on that northern drive to ensure we stayed out of harms way, I have regained those lost skills during the 1700 kilometre leg from ‘The Alice to Kununurra’. My point is, and the reason for the plug, is that you need to know what you’re doing before charging off in your new four-wheel-drive into places such as Stockton Beach, particularly when the area has been without rain for so long and the sand is deadly soft.
As it turned out, one of the kids had a Nippers carnival on that weekend and couldn’t make the trip, but my parents were on their way down to Sydney and were more than happy to come across from Taree for a bit of sand hoping in the Disco 3 TDV6 .
There are plenty of off-roaders and even soft-roaders, with the capability of tearing along the beach at Stockton at speeds well beyond the speed limit of 40km/h. That said, after witnessing the 4WD gymnastics this vehicle is capable of when the going gets rough, I was more than pleased to be driving the Discovery, not to mention the comfort and convenience.
While its not quite Range Rover in the luxury class stakes, Land Rover’s Discovery 3 TDV6 SE is not about roughing it either. Wrapped in supremely comfortable leather seats with an interior similar to that of the Range Rover Sport, and my iPod running through a nine-speaker Harmon/Kardon system, the Friday afternoon drive up the Sydney/Newcastle Freeway without kids, was pure bliss.
At 110km/h the TDV6 is barely ticking over and you won’t be able to pick the engine as diesel powered. There’s absolutely none of that diesel clatter once you are on the go, and inside the cabin is noticeably quiet. That’s not surprising, and with 440Nm of torque coming on song at just 1900rpm, there’s also plenty of in-gear acceleration for entering freeways and the like.
There’s also negligeable road noise from the Goodyear Wrangler M+S (mud and snow) tyres which are designed for high pressure/high speed although with a slightly deeper tread pattern than the stock road tyre fitted to the Discovery.
While these tyres are fine for the sand dunes, they would need to be replaced by a more serious off-road tyre, such as the MT/R if you intended tackling rocky terrain or muddy trails.
Location: Home / 4x4, 4WD, Land Rover, Behind the Wheel, Car News / ...
Rate Post: 
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...
-
Print it:
November 17th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Great 4Wd’S! Im not sure of the reliability issues of the past, but my cousin has a TDV6 Disco in Fiji, and that thing is awesome, straight through flood waters, gravel, sand, mud, you name it and its just kept going and never missed a beat after 2 years, and nearly 80K.
(Report)
November 17th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Mmmm…damn I miss Stocko Beach! Was out there last year cruising about with my mate with the Pasha Bulka in the background. Made for some pretty cool pics!
(Report)
November 17th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I like Stockton beach, but I don’t think I could bring my self to taking any thing better than an old rust bucket out there- after all the salt is only going to wreck any car that goes on it.
(Report)
November 17th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
There’s not much doubt about it; CarAdvice has the best photography in it’s reviews of all the online car sites, I love your work guys.
Oh… and the Disco looks pretty good too!
(Report)
November 17th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
avg 10.8l/100km is brilliant for such a large heavy, comfortable 4wd, especially including sand work.. You cant ask for any better than that, and doing it in comfort and style, brilliant..
(Report)
November 17th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
With Indian’s money and technology, can they build Discovery lighter?
I read some review from Internet and according to it this car’s weight is 2.7ton. Is it true? If so WTF !!! Why it so heavy?
I hope Discoverry4 use high-tec material and at least half ton lighter than 3.
(Report)
November 17th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Disco is running two chassis. Its got a monocoque and ladder frame. exactly why i dont know but it’s this that accounts for a fair bit of weight difference. The remainder? Disco 3 also did away with the aluminium panels of its predecessor.
Agree with being off the sand for too long. Never really got bogged before but last time I ventured onto the stuff I managed to plant the chassis on the sand not more than 20feet off the tarmac.
A couple of tips. Maxtrax and long handled shovels are brilliant suitably unimpressed girlfriends with nails to file are not.
(Report)
November 18th, 2008 at 1:08 am
I reckon I’d be crapping myself all the way driven a £75K wagon capable of sinking to the gunnels in sand.
I wouldn’t question reliability nowadays my boss has a RR sport and a Disco 3. The RR sport is 2yrs old has about 195K on the clock with no problems so far.
(Report)
November 18th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I gotta say, one thing a Land Cruiser will always have over a Land Rover is that a Land Rover is too pretty for most people to risk scratching it. A lot of people wouldn’t mind if they scratched their Land Cruiser while off roading but I’m not so sure about this. Still, it is a wonderful car for the job. Trackdaze - The reason for both chassis is that according to Land Rover, one is better for on road and one is better for off road so the one that is needed gets used in the right conditions and it makes for a very good all-round driving experience. I’d much rather one of these over that Land Cruiser you reviewed recently.
(Report)
November 30th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Great Review, the Disco has the ladder frame and the monocoque to gian the best of both world, refine ment while on road and strength and resistance to flex off road.
(Report)