Probably the least interesting post ever but after I guess almost a year I dropped the battery from my D2 into my D1 and of course she starts literally first turn of the key like nothing had happened. The D2 has consumed too much money for me to be able to afford the welding on the old girl so I’ll be getting it prepped for sale over the weekend.

I’m still not convinced I’m doing the right thing but the D2 is safer, girlfriend will drive it occasionally and it has isofix, hopefully after some necessary and some preventive maintenance it’ll be back to behaving! Will miss the trusty D1 though.

Had a 200tdi d1 knocking around at one time, had been sat for 10years, after dropping a fresh battery in she started after half a crank..

Great motors..

It’s a shame as the interior is great and other than me scuffing the front wing in Wales it still looks pretty tidy too. I’m hopeful someone will put it back on the road rather than break it.

Not at all uninteresting. I have exactly the same problem. D2 is our only auto so the only one wifey can drive (handicapped) but she isn't really that bothered about driving it. Our 2 D1s both have problems, rust in the 300dti Anniversary, plus although I used to start it and run it down the road once or twice a year, last time I drove it, I stalled it on our drive and had to push it back into place with the D2. Then it wouldn't restart. That's 2 years ago now. But, apart from the rusty right sill, and the interior now in need of a deep clean, it is lovely and usually really reliable. The V8 I bought 2 years ago, cos it has a really good lpg set up and was owned by a welder, so all the necessary had also been done, I had trouble getting a certificate for, as the numbers on the tanks are all on top, i.e. not get-at-able, and the LPG bloke said it isn't worth spending your money on me to fail it for an inspection. so, no certificate, no insurance, until I can get around to sorting it out. The D2 is almost a text book case of the things that can go wrong with it, and now it seems to be leaking lots of ATF. When it goes, it is great, although juicy, but I just don't trust the electronics on it. So in the ned I can see myself working to get the D1s up and running and getting rid of the D2. Will miss the extra boot space though. So I feel your pain. Also, like you spending money on a D2 is a real pastime, although so far I have been able to do most of the work myself so costs have been reduced. But if it needs a new gearbox or torque converter, I think that may be its ticket out. The phrase "sending good money after bad" is always coming into my mind! Then others say "Well that's one other thing you will not have to worry about" each time I fix the next blasted problem. The D1 simply never broke down, and is so easy to work on and so economical. Best of luck with the decision. Shame you cannot just store it until better times come along. I think good ones have stopped depreciating now.

PS, you won't need isofix in a short while, unless you plan on creating your own football team!

Mine dumped buckets of atf everywhere. Turned out to just be a (paper?) seal. Was done at a local transmission specialist that seemed to know the D2’s pretty well. There’s also the cost of replacing it for something that would do the same to consider. D3/D4 and all the RR’s have their issues so maybe there’s something to be said for feeding the D2 with mostly affordable parts. I did see a Mercedes GL the other day which was a monster of a thing, I’m sure they are just as troublesome as anything with a green oval though.

The D1 has to go really. I don’t really have the space to keep hold of it and the likely hold of ever having the time and money is slim. I plan to keep the D2 going for as long as I can economically justify. There has to be a point where you’ve covered all the main jobs.... doesn’t there?!

My son in law has owned a lot of the D3, RR and D4 brigade and I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole. His problems were crazy. Like a battery continuously dying overnight. He had to disconnect before he went to bed until it finally turned out to be a problem with an auxiliary socket in the boot! Needing to take the body off to do lots of jobs is mad too. DM flywheels are the invention of the devil. My local 4x4 specialist will not touch a Disco after the D2. so, no, if you have to stick with the D2 then stick with it. It seems to be a bit more DIY friendly. As for the ATF, the leak is not as enormous as yours was, it has just driven from just north of Bournemouth to just north of Carcassonne with no problems after all, but I know there is a slow leak somewhere and I am scared of it suddenly getting worse. To change the paper gasket, I bet the gearbox still had to come out didn't it? That cannot have been cheap.

Was less than £300 from memory, I know I was pleasantly surprised as I too was expecting to be needing a new box.