Discovery choice - Imported 300 Tdi or TD5?

[ANDY-C]

Hello to all.
After some advice please – I have had a look at other posts and opinion seems a bit divided so I thought I’d provide a bit of back ground on my current Land rover situation.
Its my wife who has owned our current 1993 L plate manual Discovery 200 Tdi for the past 4 years it has 128k on the clock is in good order, has never let her down and has just passed its MOT with no work required (It has been regularly serviced and waxoyled) The vehicle is used as her daily transport - 30 mile round trip to work – mainly motorway and then to tow her double horse trailer in the evenings and at weekends to horse shows/competitions etc. We are now in a position to update her car and have a budget of £5k.Her only requirements are that her newer Land rover have air conditioning and if possible cruise control!!! She is not bothered if its manual or automatic.I do all the maintenance on our vehicles and have access to full garage facilities (although I am not a mechanic I’ll take on most jobs).
What I want to know from you guys is – with a fairly modest budget of £5k is it worth spending the whole budget on buying a pre May 2001 TD5 with a good spec GS/XS etc with sub 100K and FSH and then no doubt in the future having to sort out a few of the common TD5 problems (leaky sunroofs, suspension issues etc – although I will ensure that I make sure any potential vehicles don’t have any of these problems before I buy) and the fact that the vehicle has been subject to the UK weather and salted roads for 7 years or should I look at getting a Japanese imported 300Tdi again with a good spec (county spec I think for the Japanese market) but obviously a little bit cheaper but also easier and cheaper to maintain and rust free.
Or as another option I would consider an LPG converted vehicle or is this not recommended?
Any advice/opinions gratefully received especially from anyone who has considered similar options in the past.

Cheers
Andy

[thebiglad]

Hello to all.
After some advice please – I have had a look at other posts and opinion seems a bit divided so I thought I’d provide a bit of back ground on my current Land rover situation.
Its my wife who has owned our current 1993 L plate manual Discovery 200 Tdi for the past 4 years it has 128k on the clock is in good order, has never let her down and has just passed its MOT with no work required (It has been regularly serviced and waxoyled) The vehicle is used as her daily transport - 30 mile round trip to work – mainly motorway and then to tow her double horse trailer in the evenings and at weekends to horse shows/competitions etc. We are now in a position to update her car and have a budget of £5k.Her only requirements are that her newer Land rover have air conditioning and if possible cruise control!!! She is not bothered if its manual or automatic.I do all the maintenance on our vehicles and have access to full garage facilities (although I am not a mechanic I’ll take on most jobs).
What I want to know from you guys is – with a fairly modest budget of £5k is it worth spending the whole budget on buying a pre May 2001 TD5 with a good spec GS/XS etc with sub 100K and FSH and then no doubt in the future having to sort out a few of the common TD5 problems (leaky sunroofs, suspension issues etc – although I will ensure that I make sure any potential vehicles don’t have any of these problems before I buy) and the fact that the vehicle has been subject to the UK weather and salted roads for 7 years or should I look at getting a Japanese imported 300Tdi again with a good spec (county spec I think for the Japanese market) but obviously a little bit cheaper but also easier and cheaper to maintain and rust free.
Or as another option I would consider an LPG converted vehicle or is this not recommended?
Any advice/opinions gratefully received especially from anyone who has considered similar options in the past.

Cheers
Andy


Hi Andy, both our Disco's do the same sort of work as your wife's vehicle and we are delighted at how well they do.

I have a third option for you, find a late model low mileage 'UK spec' Tdi300 - there are loads about and the market is on the floor at the mo.

My '98 Tdi 300auto is as clean as a whistle - rustwise and drives really well. When I bought it with full LR dealer history it had done 76k mls.

Go for an ES spec and you'll get all the toys inc aircon. Budget to spend about £2000 and leave the rest in the bank for servicing parts.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1997-LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-ES-TDI-AUTO-GREEN_W0QQitemZ140276303559QQcmdZViewItem?hash=ite m140276303559&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Re auto or manual, we have both and there are pro's & cons for both as you would imagine, but if I was buying again I think I would have a manual - close run thing though.

Cheers & good luck, if I can help any further just ask

Dave

[piper5]

having had a 200 300 and now td5 i would say td5 , i found my 300 to be an absolute dog and several customers at my mates garage are of the same opinion with blown engines and rust, i have now had my td5 18months its a 2000 gs model and has been flawless apart from one rear break pipe. a friend has a saudi imported disco 300tdi and yes its rot free but still the same gearbox /headgasket problems

go test drive !!!

apart from the rot my 200tdi was the best ever and after new inner wings cills and boot floor it still comes in every year for mot at 260 000mls on its first engine/second gearbox

[ANDY-C]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies - again opinion is divided but always helpful - i think having read more posts on the subject body and chassis condition and good service history is the rea key to key to getting a good second hand Disco 300 or Td5 model. The other interesting thing i've read recently was that cruise control can be cheaply and easily fitted to any TD5 Discovery which broadens model selection considerably and means that lower spec TD5 models can now be considered (which are a little cheaper) with a minimum requirement of Aircon if i am to get a vehicle that meets the Mrs requirements with a little modification. Having looked at a few TD5 'S' models for sale in the clasifieds this model seems to tick all the boxes as they don't tend to have air suspension as it was an option but quite a few have air con and provided someone can confirm that they come without sunroofs then i think that this may be the model to look for, for us?

Aanother question i have is that the TD5 models do not appear to come with a centre locking differential as standard? (according to parkers model guide) Is this something i should worry about as my wife has had cause on quite a few occasions to use the 'centre locking diff' facility on her 200tdi when towing a fully laden trailer out of a muddy show ground.

Cheers for the info guys.
Andy

[thebiglad]

Hi guys,

Another question i have is that the TD5 models do not appear to come with a centre locking differential as standard? (according to parkers model guide) Is this something i should worry about as my wife has had cause on quite a few occasions to use the 'centre locking diff' facility on her 200tdi when towing a fully laden trailer out of a muddy show ground.

Cheers for the info guys.
Andy

Between about '99 & 2003 Td5 didn't have as std, a manually locking centre diff, but I believe it does have an electronic gadget that performs a similar function.

The Td5 boys will know better than me.

Cheers
Dave

[grieuclarke]

Well this is a Bit af a grey area. My own Series 2 Discovery it's a V8 in my case and not a TD5, is fitted with traction control and in theory shouldn't need Diff lock. However and this is were it gets a Bit fuzzy Early Disco 2's have the internals in the Transfer Box so worst case it can be used. Landrover then removed the internals form the Xfer box. This caused a bit af a stir so they introduced back as an option.

[thebiglad]

Apparently there is a linkage kit which can be purchsed to reinstate the manaul centre difflock.

[ANDY-C]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies once again. Having checked parkers again apparently traction control comes as standard, but does the electronic traction control invoke the center diff if conditions become exceptionally difficult? perhaps someone who takes their Disco 2 Green laning/off road could comment on the Disco 2's off road capability compared to the earlier 200 and 300 series. I'm sure its still good but would like to know if people miss the ability to lock the center diff manually when conditions dictate.

Also could someone confirm if sunroofs only appear on the GS models and above?

As an aside - 'thebiglad' where abouts in cenral France are you? My inlaws have a holiday home just out side Limoges which is fairly central.

Cheers
Andy

[thebiglad]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies once again. Having checked parkers again apparently traction control comes as standard, but does the electronic traction control invoke the center diff if conditions become exceptionally difficult? perhaps someone who takes their Disco 2 Green laning/off road could comment on the Disco 2's off road capability compared to the earlier 200 and 300 series. I'm sure its still good but would like to know if people miss the ability to lock the center diff manually when conditions dictate.

Also could someone confirm if sunroofs only appear on the GS models and above?

As an aside - 'thebiglad' where abouts in cenral France are you? My inlaws have a holiday home just out side Limoges which is fairly central.

Cheers
Andy


Hi Andy, if your predominent off-road issue is towing a horse trailer out of fields, do make sure you have appropriate tyres - all the traction control and difflocks won't help if you have tarmac-only tyres on.

Ask me how I know??????? CLUE: We tow horse trailers as well :D

We are just 1hr north of Limoges.

Cheers
Dave

[grieuclarke]

I have at home a Range Rover Classic and the Disco 2.
The Rangie has Mud Terrain tyres on it, So far the Disco with Road tyres has gone everywhere i would expect the Rangie to go. When it has been stuck it's in places where i shouldn't be playing anyway in a standred vehicle!!!
The Only Problem i see with traction control is if you loose drive in one axle i.e break a half shaft or CV Joint then i think you will be stuffed!!!!!

[ANDY-C]

Hi guys,

Well i think that has settled it for me - if you reckon that traction control is sufficient then i don't think i'll worry to much about the lack of center locking diff facility.

Thank you for all the advice - i'll start and look for a replacement vehicle now and see how prices go the nearer we get to Xmas. Once purchased i'll no doubt report back again and again as the niggling problems arise :) - but as they say forewarned is forearmed and with the help and info on here i'm sure it'll be fine if not a little frustrating at time.

Aside again - thebiglad - my inlaws place can't be too far from you - its about 40 minutes NE of Limoges in a small village called Azerables.

Cheers
Andy

[thebiglad]

Hi guys,


Aside again - thebiglad - my inlaws place can't be too far from you - its about 40 minutes NE of Limoges in a small village called Azerables.

Cheers
Andy


Hi Andy, I know Azerables quite well, it's near Saint Sebastian and north of La Souterraine.

There are a couple of equestrian centres nearby, that we visit.

Cheers
Dave