Discovery desires - rot replacement

[dollywobbler]

They are interchangeable, but you end up with issues like speedo differences and other detail things. I can't see why you'd bother really. The oil cooler is for the engine, not the gearbox. Not sure what set-up the autos have.

 

It did get a new MOT. Advisories for minor sill corrosion. He wouldn't have given an advisory if he was allowed to remove the sill trims and see what lurked behind! Sod all. It seems to just be the outers - the inner sills are surprisingly sound, which is why I'm probably going to shelve any crazy super-sill plans and just go for a standard repair.

[Mr Livered]

Cheers Dolly. It's just that the box is knackered and we've been offered one for free, but it's from a 300. Might be easier to look for a cheap 200 box, but undecided, hence the question

[dollywobbler]

200 will certainly be easier. They're both prone to issues too - namely synchromesh failing.

[Rusty_Rocket]

It's hard to find a good LT77 (200TDi) box nowadays.. as DW says, failure of the synchromesh is a common problem.  My 80k example is weak but it'll probably soldier on forever.  The R380 fitted to the 300TDi is supposedly a little more substantial but it still suffers the same problems.  I 'think' the box swap is straightforward in the Discovery.. as long as the new one is from a Disco' in the first place.

If you have a free R380, I'd run with that- apart from reverse being in a different place, you won't notice much difference.

[warren t claim]

All this talk about clutch fork and gearbox issues has got me wondering whether an automatic would be a better idea?

[dollywobbler]

111bhp, two tonnes and you want to sap power further with an auto box? There are some foibles to the manuals, but that's true of many vehicles. Sure, the clutch fork COULD go bang at some point, but I'll deal with it when it does. No point stressing about it. 

[warren t claim]

Are the diesels really dog slow on motorway runs? 

 

Are both the 200 and 300tdi engines happy on used veg oil?

 

Will they keep up with day to day traffic? 

 

Do they have any sort of refinement for long distance runs?

 

Are the heaters any good?

[dollywobbler]

No. 70-80mph is no problem, though they don't rush to get there.

 

As far as I know, both munch veg happily.

 

I seem to spend all my time overtaking dawdling twats at the moment. They're no sports car, but can get a shift on. 

 

Refinement? Er, well, they're better than a Defender due to less noise and taller gearing. Mine's noisy because something, somewhere is worn and howls a bit.

 

Heater seems superb, though the fan isn't overly quiet. 200Tdi allows cool air to face and hot to feet/windscreen. 300Tdi has split heater side-to-side.

[warren t claim]

It may just be camera angles but it seems like the 200 has a more Mini like driving position than the 300. 

[Rusty_Rocket]

There's not much in it, driving-position wise.  I have an early 200 like Wollydobler's and it is a perfectly good vehicle to use every day.  In fact, I choose it when I have a long journey to do as it is very comfortable.  Seats are soft but give you a very good commanding driving position, after a week of driving small hatch backs, I feel like a King in the Disco!

As above, they don't accelerate particularly quickly but it never feels like a chore.  The 50-70mph time is quite acceptable for a 2T+ vehicle and I never feel as if I'm driving the small truck that it really is.  They cruise very nicely at 70+, the road and engine noise is not intrusive.

The only thing that slows you down is the clumsy gear change and long-throw clutch imo.  The engine is not really the problem!  But having said that, never does driving one of these make you wish you were in something better.  I still think they are a total bargain as long as you find a relatively good one rust-wise.

Mine is 100% on bio all through the year and veg is ideal for these..

[scruff]

Agree with the above... they are a total bargain. I prefer the look and feel of Range Rovers but of course they are the same underneath, my late RR Classic even has virtually the same dash as the Disco.

As DW says they can tramp on when needed, if you still find them a bit flat (and some are) turn the pump up and you'll be flashing Disco 3's out of the fast lane.

If you want one that isn't a complete unreliable heap don't buy one with any form of off-road bolt ons added. No offence to those on AS who have vehicles so adorned but most offroad Discos are run on a budget of F-all and in my experience tend to have axles and gearboxes lubricated with a muddy water and EP90 sludge mix. There's loads about (especially 300s) and plenty that have already KO'd their gearboxes or clutch arms and cost someone a fortune so take your time looking. My best mate bought a L reg 300 manual for £750 four years ago... he's put a set of tyres and a timng belt on it and that's it. It's used every day up and down the A3.

[brickwall]

If it's a keeper then I would sort the sills before the rust reaches the body mounts. Saves much of a job.

[warren t claim]

Here's some pics of the one I linked earlier.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/landrover-discovery-25-tdi-10-months-mottax-till-novemberstunning-conditionowner-since-2006/1033411449#photo-content

 

There's something honest about its looks that I find appealing. I love the basic Forestry Commission paint job and spec. Plenty of Disco's appear to be Range Rover wannabees but this tidy example stands apart. Top of my budget though. 

[dollywobbler]

Aye. My approach was to buy right at the bottom of the market (and the top of my budget!) but I spent weeks finding the right one, declining an awful lot of shit along the way. I did test drive a 300Tdi - it was £1875, had as much transmission noise as the one I bought and was a heap of MOT-standard welding and underseal. I was astonished at how bad it was for the money!

 

My thinking was that I could spend a lot more money than I did, on buying something that would still need hundreds spending on it. I was very lucky to dig it out of the parts section on Ebay after it attracted no attention at all - it was a blind punt but in the £500-800 range, you can't really go wrong as Defender owners will pay top dollar just for the engine.

[Rusty_Rocket]

I totally agree with the above, they are very odd cars in the respect that they can look superb, be up for top-dollar and drive really, really badly   Like Dollywobbler, I got lucky with my current Disco too- another parts section jobbie, which needed much recommissioning after an 8-year lay up but was essentially a good 'un where it matters.  Mine isn't much to look at though.

The (Conniston?) Green one does look nice, the more basic colours and plain steelies look just right IMO.  Mine is a nasty early 90s gold/ Silver and looks wrong for such a work orientated vehicle.

If the Green car is local to you, check it out.  The owner sounds clued up in a good way.  Just check the boot floor, sills and adjacent flooring, body, mounts and inner wings.  I would be happy to be 'another pair of eyes' if you were local, but Kent-Liverpool is a bit of a trek !

[warren t claim]

Every car I normally buy is bought on the basis of making a profit, regardless what make and model it is . The Disco would be the first time in nearly ten years that I've gone out to buy a car I actually want. I'm going to be choosy this time! I've got a buyer for the Punto which means I might be without a car for a bit but I'm away most of the week so that isn't too much of a problem just yet as I still have the bike.

 

Still fancy an LPG V8 though, pity there isn't much of a choice where I live.

[dollywobbler]

Aye. Good ones do take some hunting down! Good luck. 

[hairnet]

disco perv alert

[John F]

Are the diesels really dog slow on motorway runs? 

 

Are both the 200 and 300tdi engines happy on used veg oil?

 

Will they keep up with day to day traffic? 

 

Do they have any sort of refinement for long distance runs?

 

Are the heaters any good?

 

a. No, they're not slow... I've driven 200s and 300s and they'll both happily cruise at 80 mph. I went to the Alps last winter in my 300 TDi, 4-up with luggage and a roof rack... the trip was about 2,500 miles, it spent most of it being hammered down the Autobahn at 100 mph or so (top indicated speed was 105 mph) and still returned over 20 mpg. Usual mpg is 29-30 on the mixed cycle at more normal speeds, without the roof rack.

 

b. Yep, they both have Bosch pumps. I've run my 300 on pure veg but it's happier on a mix.

 

c. Yes, easily.

 

d. The 300 TDi is MUCH more refined than the 200 TDi. It's got much better engine soundproofing and the dash is more ergonomically designed. In terms of long-distance comfort, I was fine to go out for a night on the lash after travelling over 1,000 miles pretty much non-stop with 3 of us sharing the driving. Rear leg room is also good.

 

e) The 300 TDi has a good dual-system heater with floor-level vents in the back, as mentioned. The fan bearing in the 200 TDi is known to fail, and it's a dash-out job to replace it. The job takes about 4 hours from start to finish with coffee & cig breaks.

[dollywobbler]

Nipped out yesterday for a quick bit of laning before my mate Rob headed off for a couple of weeks. Witness us both get it wrong at the first attempt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSpR6P_keFI

[brickwall]

Aye, you live and learn.  The diffs are set to one side for a reason

[Junkman]

Yep, so you only have to shorten one axle tube and shaft if you want to use it in a Stockcar.

[dollywobbler]

The diffs cleared the section no problem - it was the Disco II's front bumper that caught a couple of times. Last time though here, I got up it in one go, without the dramatic sideways action. Get your line wrong and the front wheel just skids off that rock (which the back end then did too, requiring manual traction control).

[Pillock]

I'm severely tempted to buy a Disco for Mrs_Pillock as a weekend toy. I thought I had some storage sorted but the garage got firebombed at the weekend, although only a few cars got torched I'm now a bit wary of keeping anything in their storage yard.

 

That green one is lovely, really like that as well as the early ones with the cool graphics. Would a petrol one be cheaper than a Tdi? It'd only get used for mucking around so no real fuel cost issues.

[Rusty_Rocket]

To be honest, the tdi's are very cheap now, I'd go for one of those.  The V8's are lovely.. but even just mucking about in one will see you empty a full tank in no time at all..  After running a 4.6 RV8, I can confirm that unless you are genuinely rich, you'll soon start to seriously feel with pinch with the cost of petrol- think £60-£80 a day if you use it for any length of time.

[warren t claim]

So jealous.

[cort16]

v8 on gas - just add headlamps

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPARES-OR-REPAIR-LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-WITH-GAS-CONVERTION-/261294582718?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd65eebbe

[dollywobbler]

Oddly, V8s don't seem that much cheaper, perhaps because V8s are awesome. LPG isn't necessarily a cure either - my mate sees single-figure MPG when towing with his V8 Disco on gas. I was tempted to go V8, but Tdi makes more sense for me as I don't want it sitting on my driveway filling up with water because I'm too scared/skint to drive it.

[brickwall]

I use the V8 as my toy. It's cheap to insure and I love the burbling of the engine/exhaust. I love just to go for a drive with the dog of an evening and around here it is indispensable in the winter.

 

 

A daily it ain't.

[dollywobbler]

I valiantly overcome traction difficulties with clever throttle manipulation.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151955278078200&l=7635976762718389350