Best Discovery for under £3k

Welshsean · Apr 4, 2016

Hi
I am about to buy a Landrover discovery and want to get some advice before I buy. I am aware that there are known faults with these vehicles like rotten chassis leaking sunroofs, but other than that I am pretty clueless. I need a 7 seater and think the 2.5td is the most economical?? Any advice given will be much appreciated

saxavordian · Apr 4, 2016

Welcome to Landyzone and feel free to introduce yourself on the forum. Discos tend to be in two camps now pre td5 and post td5. Pre are the body rusters but bullet proof engines 300 tdi and 200 tdi which become donors for 90/110. Post td5 lovely engine but full of electronics as you mention the rear chassis rust but the body not much. Now the golden rule is buy a well maintained and cared for 300 tdi this prevents being punish by TAX as this went out of date 1998. The TD5 after 1998 could have a tired engine and with the electronic added you pay for service maintenance. If you have seen any disco version check this service history.

Zed. · Apr 4, 2016

As above really, I'm biased towards the Disco 1's myself (have 2, a '91 & a '93 with the '200tdi' engine)

If you want a car then a '300' or td5 would have more creature comforts & refinements over the earlier '200'

With the 2 & 300 / D1's the rear or boot 6th & 7th seats can be easily retro-fitted (I have no knowledge of the D2 / td5's but this may also be possible??)
Body rust is a problem on the D1's

but there are good examples out there and there are more repair panels available now so they can continue to be roadworthy

Mechanically simple, easily repaired just bigger than most cars

with generally cheap parts as commonly shared with strangerover of similar age to mid '90's??

I'm not too far from you in Ammanford if you want to look at a partly dismantled D1 (200) that I'm almost restoring for ideas on rust issues although mine is one of the worse

Rich.

Welshsean · Apr 4, 2016

saxavordian said:
Welcome to Landyzone and feel free to introduce yourself on the forum. Discos tend to be in two camps now pre td5 and post td5. Pre are the body rusters but bullet proof engines 300 tdi and 200 tdi which become donors for 90/110. Post td5 lovely engine but full of electronics as you mention the rear chassis rust but the body not much. Now the golden rule is buy a well maintained and cared for 300 tdi this prevents being punish by TAX as this went out of date 1998. The TD5 after 1998 could have a tired engine and with the electronic added you pay for service maintenance. If you have seen any disco version check this service history.

Hi thanks for your advice I have seen the below Land rover it is genuine miles and is in very good condition, there was only the below advisory's on the last mot

Advisory notice item(s)
nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)
nearside rear Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting chassis area in need of attention soon (6.6.6)
offside rear Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting chassis area in need of attention soon (6.6.6)

Land Rover Discovery 2 * 2001 * Manual * TD5 Diesel Only 62k Miles 7 Seater
Its from a garage so probably paying over the odds at £3790. What should I be looking at when I go and see it?

Welshsean · Apr 4, 2016

Zed. said:
As above really, I'm biased towards the Disco 1's myself (have 2, a '91 & a '93 with the '200tdi' engine)

If you want a car then a '300' or td5 would have more creature comforts & refinements over the earlier '200'
With the 2 & 300 / D1's the rear or boot 6th & 7th seats can be easily retro-fitted (I have no knowledge of the D2 / td5's but this may also be possible??)
Body rust is a problem on the D1's but there are good examples out there and there are more repair panels available now so they can continue to be roadworthy
Mechanically simple, easily repaired just bigger than most cars with generally cheap parts as commonly shared with strangerover of similar age to mid '90's??

I'm not too far from you in Ammanford if you want to look at a partly dismantled D1 (200) that I'm almost restoring for ideas on rust issues although mine is one of the worse

Rich.

Welshsean · Apr 4, 2016

Hi thanks for your advice I am looking to get one that doesn't need anything done as it is mainly for my wife to run the kids around. I am intending of adding a snorkel, big roof rack and skid pan and diff protection so we can have a bit of fun in it and be able to throw the bikes on the roof rack and go for a ride. Nothing to serious though as the kids are young lol. Also we are either buying a caravan or camping gear so want to be able to load it up and still have comfort. I don't have a lot of free time with work and the kids activity's so major renovation is beyond me at the moment although I would love to have the time to.

markSX · Apr 4, 2016

If you go the camping route you'll be better off with a TD5 as the boot is bigger (but not by that much).
Both will do a reasonable job of towing a caravan at a sedate speed.

davcud · Apr 6, 2016

Hello and welcome

Disco1BFG · Apr 6, 2016

Welcome to the forum

Welshsean said:
I am looking to get one that doesn't need anything done

No offense, but the one you linked to NEEDS the rear chassis sorting ASAP - it might last another year, but it probably won't - at which point you will be looking at seriously expensive repairs if you can't do it yourself.

Note also that the MOT advisories relate to the chassis corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting, and yet you intend to tow a caravan with it.......

I might suggest that, unless you have deep pockets or long arms, or both, you are looking at the wrong vehicle if you can't do the bulk of the work yourself.....

(only my opinion

)

Best Discovery for under £3k

Welshsean

New Member

saxavordian

Well-Known Member

Zed.

Well-Known Member

Welshsean

New Member

Welshsean

New Member

Welshsean

New Member

markSX

Active Member

davcud

Well-Known Member

Disco1BFG

Well-Known Member

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