jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
either with the right wheels
thebiglad
Well-Known Member
The facelift cars give a perception of higher build quality, but this does not necessarily translate into greater reliability.
The facelift autos seem to have a better Torque Converter and are supposed to be tuned slightly better to offset the power loss of the TC.
The biggest single question for Disco buyers right now is which way is the market going to go. Fuel prices are almost guaranteed to continue the upward trend and what effect is this going to have on vehicles that have been bought as daily runabout cars (as opposed to working vehicles needing offroad and high towing capabilities).
I envisage a significant drop in market values within the next 12 months with dealers getting rid of stock at cost prices just to get shot.
There will always be buyers for 4x4's but for the peeps who 'fancy' one - those days are coming to an end in my opinion.
The facelift autos seem to have a better Torque Converter and are supposed to be tuned slightly better to offset the power loss of the TC.
The biggest single question for Disco buyers right now is which way is the market going to go. Fuel prices are almost guaranteed to continue the upward trend and what effect is this going to have on vehicles that have been bought as daily runabout cars (as opposed to working vehicles needing offroad and high towing capabilities).
I envisage a significant drop in market values within the next 12 months with dealers getting rid of stock at cost prices just to get shot.
There will always be buyers for 4x4's but for the peeps who 'fancy' one - those days are coming to an end in my opinion.
Unfortunately I fall into the latter category
I have no actual need for a landy, I just want one I could probably get better use out of something like a galaxy, but it just doesn't appeal in the same way As an aside, how easy are they to work on for a novice mechanic? I have no experience but lots of enthusiasm, the most i've ever done was changing the carb on my mk 1 golf many years ago.
thebiglad
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately I fall into the latter category
As an aside, how easy are they to work on for a novice mechanic? I have no experience but lots of enthusiasm, the most i've ever done was changing the carb on my mk 1 golf many years ago.
They are quite straightforward to work on, just download RAVE (the LR workshop manual) and Microcat LR parts catalogue.
I have a pre-facelift and a facelift D2 ES at present (waiting to sell the 01). The newer one looks taller from the front due to whatever visual tricks are played by the lights / bumper style. The older one looks a bit more squat. Other than that, there is not too much difference, although I do like the fact that the newer one has isofix fixings in the rear for car seats.
MartinK
New Member
IIRC most of the fixes were done in 2001, so the last of the pre-facelift vehicles were "improved" from chassis number 2A236340 on pre-facelift cars.
These improvements were things like the locating dowels in the cylinder head being improved by using metal instead of plastic (affected all TD5, incl the Defender). Plastic dowels softened, allowing the head to flex causing premature head gasket failure. Metal dowels were fitted from from chassis number 2A236340 on pre-facelift cars (from 2001 I think).
BMW owned LR until sometime in year 2000, and fixed a lot of the pre-2000 niggles which started hitting the roads in late 2000 and 2001 (back to chassis number 2A236340).
Facelift started with the 2003 model-year which acually started getting on the road in summer 2002.
Some have manual difflock dependant on age, some rely on traction control. Later pre-facelift transfer boxes did not have manual difflock (you can get a activation kit from Ashcroft Transmissions). Unless you off-road a LOT, the electronic traction control is actually very good.
All D2's had some "weaknesses". Such as expensive wheel bearing (complete hub) replacement, leaky sunroofs, ACE pipes prone to corrosion, and SLS airbags which can be prone to being problematic on older vehicles. Front LH coil springs can be prone to damage because of a bad batch. The dreaded 3 amigos is often sorted farily easily.
Many D2's are being modded and repaired by their enthusiast owners all the time to improve on these issues, which TBH are well documented now. A cherished enthusiast-owned one will have all of these sorted, because the owners are well-aware.
Generally a very good car imho. Choose a well looked after one (mileage less improtant than good TLC, the TD5 is very robust, and only early ones are starting to suffer with corrosion). One which has been regularly serviced, maybe waxoyled will be a good motor, even at (very) high mileage... One that's been harshly treated is probably worth avoiding even on low mileage...
These improvements were things like the locating dowels in the cylinder head being improved by using metal instead of plastic (affected all TD5, incl the Defender). Plastic dowels softened, allowing the head to flex causing premature head gasket failure. Metal dowels were fitted from from chassis number 2A236340 on pre-facelift cars (from 2001 I think).
BMW owned LR until sometime in year 2000, and fixed a lot of the pre-2000 niggles which started hitting the roads in late 2000 and 2001 (back to chassis number 2A236340).
Facelift started with the 2003 model-year which acually started getting on the road in summer 2002.
Some have manual difflock dependant on age, some rely on traction control. Later pre-facelift transfer boxes did not have manual difflock (you can get a activation kit from Ashcroft Transmissions). Unless you off-road a LOT, the electronic traction control is actually very good.
All D2's had some "weaknesses". Such as expensive wheel bearing (complete hub) replacement, leaky sunroofs, ACE pipes prone to corrosion, and SLS airbags which can be prone to being problematic on older vehicles. Front LH coil springs can be prone to damage because of a bad batch. The dreaded 3 amigos is often sorted farily easily.
Many D2's are being modded and repaired by their enthusiast owners all the time to improve on these issues, which TBH are well documented now. A cherished enthusiast-owned one will have all of these sorted, because the owners are well-aware.
Generally a very good car imho. Choose a well looked after one (mileage less improtant than good TLC, the TD5 is very robust, and only early ones are starting to suffer with corrosion). One which has been regularly serviced, maybe waxoyled will be a good motor, even at (very) high mileage... One that's been harshly treated is probably worth avoiding even on low mileage...
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Thanks for the info, as I mentioned before i have no NEED for a discovery, so lots of off-roading is unlikely, probably at most farm tracks/fields or more out of the way dive sites.
So a well looked after 2001 model should suffice. (unless I find a decent post face lift model)
jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
everybody should try a discovery especially auto,most useful car you could have
