Thinking of a Disco

fish slapped

Hi lads,

I'm looking at a 96 reg disco. 2.4tdi 7 seat, 103k, steering feels a little wooly and there a bit of a squeal from the aircon pully on start up, clutch can feel a little gritty.

other than that she's not bad.

price €1600

what you think????

thanks in advance,

Fish

101sean

It's a 2.5l 300tdi. Good price if the body isn't rotten. Carefully check the rear floor and front/rear arches and sills for rot (especially if it has a sunroof).

Wooly steering could be normal if you've never driven one before but is more likely a track rod or at worse the PAS box which is easy to change and not too expensive. While looking at the steering, check the state of the front swivel housings, should be clean and shiny (or black if teflon coated). If badly pitted add another £300 ish to rebuild both sides.

Gritty feel to clutch could be simply master or slave cylinder. However the release arms on these are weak and eventually punch through the pivot meaning box out to replace.

If it's straight and engine/gearbox sound it could be a good buy if you're prepared for the inevitable repairs which it sounds like it will need, it'll be that cheap for a reason.

OldGuysRule

Also find yourself a good landrover specialist and introduce yourself as ye will probably be getting to know each other very well. Also, get on the landrover forums, Landyzone, Landroverowner etc, great sources of info.

I am on my third Disco (current is 01 ES auto, so smooth and comfy) and while each has had its issues, there are very few if any vehicles I would trade it for.

Keep an eye on the coolant and keep it serviced, then you wll be fine

fish slapped

Thanks lads,

My main use for it will be tipping in and out of the local town as i'm out in the sticks and doing a decent amount of foxing and a little deer hunting. so I wanted something I could take across some rough ground and not just tracks. it has a full service history and was serviced 300 miles ago with new pads.

there is a little bit of rot in the back floor of the booth around the welds but not much, the sills and arches are good.

the steering is actually a little better than the brotherinlaws l200, so I think it should be grand.

101sean

Sounds like you're clued up enough and know what to expect, go for it

At least when it does go wrong, the bits are cheap and it's easy to work on.

Pot Noodle =

Dont

fish slapped

Pot wrote:

Dont

???

and...
or because...

???

hiluxman

because are just awfaul jeeps and they arent easy to fix and stupid things go wrong that dont go wrong with japanese jeeps. why dont ya go for somethin jap? becides, for offroading they are just far to heavy

Slidey

I spoke too soon.

I was only discussing with the motors mods today how there has been no Toyota -v- Landrover crap for a while.

BeardyGit

hiluxman wrote: »

because are just awfaul jeeps and they arent easy to fix and stupid things go wrong that dont go wrong with japanese jeeps. why dont ya go for somethin jap? becides, for offroading they are just far to heavy

Pick any 'jeep' and folk will list off the things that go wrong with them. Jap, German, Brit, whatever....

Disco's no heavier than a Surf, Cruiser, Terrano, Trooper etc etc etc.

Do you just make things up as you go along?

hiluxman

RoverCraft wrote: »

Pick any 'jeep' and folk will list off the things that go wrong with them. Jap, German, Brit, whatever....

Disco's no heavier than a Surf, Cruiser, Terrano, Trooper etc etc etc.

Do you just make things up as you go along?

do ya fix discos or just drive them?

hiluxman

Slidey wrote: »

I spoke too soon.

I was only discussing with the motors mods today how there has been no Toyota -v- Landrover crap for a while.

Landrover crap eh? I think ya mite be onto something there!

BeardyGit

Both. Look, I'm not getting into a tit-for-tat thing now. There's no point in just bitching about all the stupid things that go wrong with discos, and letting on that a jap jeep won't have problems. That'll get nobody anywhere. It's a tired old record and could do with being changed. Jeeps break down, are abused and all of them have their bad habits and common failures.

Fact is that Disco's are grand machines if you're a bit handy and don't mind doing bits and pieces yourself - You'll have some hope of buying parts as cheap for anything else..... They're a potentially GREAT machine if you've a few quid to spend on a few bits and pieces like a lift and a set of muds.

Whether you're prepared to acknowledge it or not, they're just as good as anything else out there for the money when you're over the 10-12 year old mark. The whole jap vs landrover thing is tiresome....give it a rest.

hiluxman

ah man dont take it to heart im only takin the pee. its not my fault ya picked the wrong brand from the start!

BeardyGit

Right, go on so. I'll be nice to Hilux drivers then.....

Gophur

fish slapped wrote: »

Hi lads,

I'm looking at a 96 reg disco. 2.4tdi 7 seat, 103k, steering feels a little wooly and there a bit of a squeal from the aircon pully on start up, clutch can feel a little gritty.

other than that she's not bad.

price €1600

what you think????

thanks in advance,

Fish

Wooly steering?

Look at this, the exact same problem with the exact same car. Apparently a common fault.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7y1d5DXNp8&feature=related


Power Steering box. About a €200 component.

fish slapped

Gophur wrote: »

Wooly steering?

Look at this, the exact same problem with the exact same car. Apparently a common fault.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7y1d5DXNp8&feature=related


Power Steering box. About a €200 component.

now thats a useful reply.
Cheers man. taking a trip over tomorrow and I'll have a closer look at the steering,;)

as for the jap argument, well to be honest I thought about it but I just love the size and arrogance of the disco .

Thanks to all.

101sean

If it is the steering box, get a replacement with the drop arm already fitted, they can be a complete barsteward to remove.

Pot Noodle =

Just got mine back:eek:€1498 for a head gasket airbag & 2 locks fuel distributor and a thingmejig only 67,000 miles on the clock O1 as well

Gophur

Pot wrote:

Just got mine back:eek:€1498 for a head gasket airbag & 2 locks fuel distributor and a thingmejig only 67,000 miles on the clock O1 as well

You're not comparing like with like. The Td5 is a completely different animal to the 300Tdi, which is what the OP was referring to.

Td5 is not a good car, the 300Tdi is a far better used buy.

First Disco was what is known as 200Tdi, replaced by face-lifted Mk1 known as 300Tdi, in 1994. Td5 came out in 1998/9, this being the Discovery Mk2

101sean

Nothing wrong with the Td5, very reliable engine, especially post 02. A lot don't like them because of the electronics but that's the way things are going. The 300Tdi is probably the best non electronic diesel (was available in ROW spec Defenders up to 2007), I've heard some 200Tdi bits are getting hard to find.

That's a fair amount of work for the money Pot Noodle. Only 67k, not being driven enough!

Pot Noodle =

I had a 95 Disco also it was like sieve you should see my driveway

Mycroft H

300tdi is one of land rovers finest diesel engines.

Mechanically sound and reliable.

Pot Noodle =

landyman wrote: »

300tdi is one of land rovers finest diesel engines.

Mechanically sound and reliable.

But leaks see above post

101sean

Land Rovers don't leak, they just mark their territory!

The Td5 is the first relatively leak free engine they've managed to build.

fish slapped

This one has been parked up for 2 weeks now and theres nothing under her on the concrete, so

Pot Noodle =

Mines Feckin leaking again:mad:

Melodeon

fish slapped wrote: »

This one has been parked up for 2 weeks now and theres nothing under her on the concrete, so

This means one of two things...

101sean

........it's got no oil in it, put some more in until it leaks
........someone's snuck a Jap engine under the bonnet in the night :rolleyes:

crosshair1

101sean wrote: »

Land Rovers don't leak, they just mark their territory!

The Td5 is the first relatively leak free engine they've managed to build.

Until it overflows out of the ECU after the injector loom seals fail!!:D

fish slapped

Ah boy ye's are trying ta scare me now!!

but I still want it.:D