Discovery 2 / 3 / 4 Advice please

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SR4x4 said:
I know that the SdV6 is auto only, and looks like all D4’s are only auto. But there are some (very few) D3’s with a manual gearbox. Are there any benefits of having a manual gearbox in terms of reliability? I’m not opposed to having an auto, but am I right to think there’s less to go wrong with a manual gearbox than an auto? And can there be issues/failures with the engine that only occur on auto versions?

Thank you to everyone who’s helped so far! My search is still on going, an still no clearer if it’s going to be a D3 or D4 yet!
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D3 and D4 pre 2012 6 speed auto, not the toughest of boxes, but even when worn can be coaxed for 10s of thousands of mles more just by chaninging the oil yearly.
8 speed is meant to be really good, and tbh I dont think I have read of any issues at all?
I think the car suits an auto box very well, regardless of engine/box type.

All the v6 engines (2.7 and 3.0) have suffered crank failures, though 3.0 are getting a real bad rep for it, even non car people I know have heard of the issue!

Price up a clutch/dmf change on a D3 manual!
 
I’m still on my search, and looking at Discovery 2’s a little closer. Are there less electrical/mechanical issues with the D2 compared to the D3/D4? I know the D2 is slightly older, and will require more attention paid to condition of the chassis. What other points would need close looking at? Thanks
 
SR4x4 said:
I’m still on my search, and looking at Discovery 2’s a little closer. Are there less electrical/mechanical issues with the D2 compared to the D3/D4? I know the D2 is slightly older, and will require more attention paid to condition of the chassis. What other points would need close looking at? Thanks
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Problem you are going to find is D2 are cheaoer than 3 and 4s, so in this time of econominc fukcer ardery they are going to be the best sellers, people are still scared of the 3+4 models, which is why I would say you may be better heading that way, 3s really getting to the bottom of the pile price wise.
 
I'd have a D3 over the D2, simply because it's about a million times better to drive.

Ok the TDV6 can break the odd crank, but if it's going to fail, it's normally done it by the 100k miles mark. That's not to say it won't break if it's done more than that, but it's not so likely.

The D3/4 are lovely vehicles to drive, and as long as it's not been maintained on the cheap. It does have a thirst for parts, which should be changed as necessary. It's no that kind of car that can be run on a shoestring, so avoid any that appear to have neglected, or have missing history.
 
They are different cars really, the D2 and the later ones. D2 is beam axle and relatively simple and agricultural. D3 on is independent syspension, car like drive with a more complex drivetrain. Its miles better to drive but its less DIY fixable for most of us peasants.
A D2 on ACE and SLS with a remap really is not that shabby to drive. It aint a S3!
 
Agree with previous posts- D2 simple traditional Landy with few creature comforts, Heater/ac, leather, reasonable ride. D3/4 tons better on road but more to go wrong and bigger issues eg crank bearing/ shafts, td5s have few little niggles like injector seals but don’t seem any major issues and from its design it’s a strong block.

I have a D2 and it’s fine, bodywork seems to hold up though sills want patching on mine but chassis is ok, roads manors are fine if driven for what they are so like keep it below 65mph there happy, parts are ok should the need arise gearboxes arnt to expensive either r380 manual or zf4hp22 auto I would think they cost a lot more in d3 or 4.

My opinion is a good D2 could be a very good car with simple maintenance where a d3 has the potential to become a real money pit, d2s may also go like p38s and hold value so come selling time shouldn’t lose much where d3s are almost being given away.
 
Last MOT sitting on the counter was the crankshaft from a V6 engine.

The engine as fitted to a D3 or D4.

Put me right off.
 
Was called out today to a local Landy specialist to sort a lighting fault in his garage and got talking about disco 3/4s as one was on ramp for service, he basically said run a mile unless you have very deep pockets as nothing is cheap on them and some things fail that shouldn’t eg cranks that he reckons from ones he’s done is a mix of lack of oil changes, poor materials and penny pinching on material making it as small as possible therefore making it weak and he was saying once broke you could see the metal wasn’t as high quality as you would expect.

His view is if you need 7 seats then a good D2 or other make, though he did say he loves his l322 RR that his wife tends to use.
 
Thank you for all the advice. I’m certainly thinking more along the lines of a D2 now. Anyone got any ideas of how much is reasonable to pay for a D2? I’d probably be looking for an ES spec or something similar and around 100k mileage.
 
Around here, north west I’d guess about £3-3500 Maby £4000 if it’s in very good condition with plenty of receipts for work and parts, ignore service stamps, a full book can be genuine or £20 in a pub with rubber stamp and black and blue pen.
 
Wow maybe I need to have a trip to the North West!!

I’ve seen a couple of what look like nice examples advertised at just under £8k...I’m not sure if this is good or reasonable for one of the last D’s in a good looked after condition with under 100k miles...?
 
Car prices vary all over, mate of mine used to buy cheap at auction up north say Newcastle/ Carlisle sort of level then drive them down south make good profit and do nothing to the car other than move it from A-B. I paid £2800 for my D2, landmark trim, with 118000 miles, service receipts and invoices etc but with some corrosion on sills which I still need to sort but chassis is good.
 
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I’m sure GS is base? Yet it says leather seats which would make it an ES? Unless it’s had seats swapped. And the black hurricane wheels, 18 inch didn’t GS come with 16”? And the tacky chrome tip exhaust. It sounds ok but would want plenty of chassis pics, chassis may be “solid” but solid what... original or solid patches, and at £9000, you would want almost new condition.
 
SR4x4 said:
That was my thoughts too Lynall! Especially when you consider it’s a GS spec that’s done 118k!!
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People especially dealers have been banging on about D2 better than d3/4 for the last year or two, bet they dont say that when selling a d3/4.
Imagine writing that off, and ins co offering you 2 maybe 3k for it!
I would give up on the idea of a d2.

That sort of money is going to buy you a defender of much the same age, and defenders do not really devalue unlike discos.
 
Price on a D2 is no indication of quality. I started out looking for 2004 manuals either ES or Landmark and after looking at about 20 and deciding that what I wanted was just not available at the time, I widened the search criteria and finally bought a really good 1999 auto. I saw dealer cars at £6K that were utterly rotten underneath, and much cheaper cars that were far better. Buy from an enthusiast not a dealer, wear overalls and take a nanocom or hawkeye. Start off under the back of the car and check for solid metal really carefully. You will walk away from about 70% at this point. If the back is good move forward and check suspension, props and disks as well as the rest of the chassis. This will take out another 10%. IF that lot is in good nick then think about opening a door and the bonnet. A diagnostic on the engine and a good listen and look for leaks will eliminate another 10%. The final 10% will depend on what still works inside, the state of the upholstery, the headlining and what mods have been done and how well. Take your time, there are some great cars out there but most are headed for the scapper without serious investment. I paid £3800 BTW for a rock solid chassis, a professionally rebuilt engine - inc steel dowels and an thread locked oil bolt together with an Alive remap. There were bills in the last 2 years for £8K and everything worked (and still does); but having remapped the engine the car was awful to drive with the standard torque converter and the owner bought himself an L322 in ffrustration. I invested £1200 in having an Ashcroft V8 torque converter fitted and it is now great to drive. The drivers seat cushion was beyond repair, so I bought an entire matching interior and swapped the dead drivers cushion with a virtually unmarked passenger seat one.
 
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