I was concerned too when i bought my V8 ES Auto D2 having had a manual 300 tdi 90 before. but the auto is brilliant off road the only slight draw back is when negotiating steep descents as it rolls a little fast for my liking and i find myself using the brakes too. Everything else is just as good as it is wit a manual especially where in a manual you could get the wrong gear for a climb the auto will change without loosing momentum. but i guess i'll just have to learn to live with the downhill issue or get a defender transfer box fitted
 
There are two issues:

V8 or diesel of some kind - V8 is thirsty but brilliant to drive and has a good reserve of power when towing.

Manual or Auto - We have one of each one of each on a V8, I much prefer five gears on the manual box to four on the auto, and for heavy towing the auto gets hot pretty quickly.

It's down to personal preference, but a good multipoint LPG system properly installed can give excellent figures on MPG, but you do have to curb the right foot a bit. 2+ tons of car takes a bit of power to push along, and with 3.5 tons of loaded trailer as well we are getting the equivalant of about 18 to the gallon on the level.

Peter
 
Auto is fine its just that you have to be careful with the v8 as they like to break down when damp. Even a misty day can do them in! Top quality ign components should sort that tho. But the 300tdi is a more reliable engine. Id still have the v8 tho if I could afford it:D
 
Auto is fine its just that you have to be careful with the v8 as they like to break down when damp. Even a misty day can do them in! Top quality ign components should sort that tho. But the 300tdi is a more reliable engine. Id still have the v8 tho if I could afford it:D

Rubbish! I've had a V8 vehicle since 1985 without any dampness or reliability issues. It depends how u look after it, servicing etc to the spec of that vehicle.
 
Rubbish! I've had a V8 vehicle since 1985 without any dampness or reliability issues. It depends how u look after it, servicing etc to the spec of that vehicle.

Agree with Pete, D1's are pretty good but the distributor at the front of the engine needs to be in top nick. D2's have it all buried at the back of the engine and no distributor, so you'd need to be in big DooDoo to get that washed out. The ECU gets water in first, it's down by the throttle pedal.

We went to Scotland in January on one of the wettest trips I've done, and we didn't have a bit of trouble.

Peter (on the Ferry in the North Sea)
 
Having had both auto and manual. I much prefer to off-road an auto! I've got another manual for now as I'm skint and enjoy the extra few mpg I get out of the manual. But given the choice auto every time!

1st low range, diff lock feet off the pedals and it will creap down the steepish of descents. Done it enough in my old 300tdi auto disco.
 

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