I feel a Disco coming on...

[Mace]

OK guys, I'm in the market for a Discovery, with 2 nippers snappin at me ankles I need some extra room and comfy seats so the kids can enjoy the mudplugging too. The 90's going to have to make way (for now)

I'm looking at Series 1's 200 or 300tdi's and I would appreciate any comments regarding bad points and problems I'm likely to come across during my search. I would like a tarmac used motor that I can fiddle with and make my own little off-road gem with the help of a few add-ons of course.

I know about the boot floor plate and rear seat footwells rusting, sills can be a problem too behind the plastic trim, is there anywhere else that can give me reason to worry? I'm not too bad with all the mechanical bits so I'll check cam belts, transmission clunks etc etc. Do gearboxes have a known expiry mileage? I've test driven a couple with 80k on FSH etc but no work done to either gearbox or transfer box. In fact most road driven examples I've seen, you can't get diff-lock to work because it's never been used. Is this a problem to sort out? PAS boxes going every 30k is this normal too?

I bow to your superior knowledge  :D

Ta very much

[Benji]

Right Melon Man!    Where shall i start?

Ive got an M plate 1994 300 TDi ES with 106k.  I love it to bits but it has its faults.

The centre bearing on the clutch plate snapped a week after i got it (at 80k). Luckily that was fixed under warranty....after taking the garage to court!  

Gearboxes are a real problem on Disco's.  Mine gradually got noiser as the months went by.  I had all the lubricants changed as soon as i got it but i think the garage didn't change the transfer box oil. (no proof though) Apparently the oil in the T.box was well old and it slowly ate away at the shaft splines from the gearbox shaft.  The noise was getting terrible and the only option was to replace the gearbox with a recon unit and the T.box with a another unit. Apparently the T.boxes are really tuff so theres was no need to get a recon unit, just one that had an oil change every now and then!

Total bill was around £1300.  That was from a Land Rover specilaist, could prob get it cheaper at a back street garage if you can take the chance.  I think to buy a recon box is around £450 + vat if you can fit yourself.

I think ive been quite lucky with the rest of the car.  Odd things go occasionly, had to replace the lock mechanism in the tailgate last week as the spring had broken and i couldn't open the door (£55 for the part), very common so ive been told.

I purposely went for a low mileage model against a younger one with higher miles but more gadgets like leccy seats and cruise etc. I kept telling myself that leecy seat motors would be ruined if water got in when wading and extra gadgets are just more to go wrong!  Air-con was my only must have.

Ive heard of other people having endless probs with theirs, but its like any car, some are doomed from the start and im sure Jag, Merc and BMW's have their fair share of pants vehicles!

I think the engines are pretty tuff, just make sure you do frequent oil changes and let the engine tick over for a while after a motorway stint.

I get about 30mpg on average although 32 isn't hard to achieve if your careful. I tow everyday now and i average 26-27 which isn't bad for Ifor Willys biggest box trailer.  Just don't expect quick getaways from standing cos it don't happen!

Being a Land Rover owner already your obviously aware of build quality problems but i would def. recommend a disco. Im already saving for a TD5.

If your going to use it in the mud then don't stick road tyres on it. Mine really struggled before i changed them.

Good luck and i hope this helps a bit

Ben

[Benji]

Forgot to add,

I was told that 100k is around the limit for a disco gearbox although im sure they can go on to about 101k!

Never heard about faults with the PAS box.

Cambelts are about 2-3 hrs labour i think so if buying from a garage, get them to change it as part of the deal.

And change the axle and transfer oils straight away as these are often forgotten.

Cheers Watermelon!!!

[datalas]

Dunno about 100K..

Fathers disco is still on the original box (although synchromesh on second is on it's way out) and he's got 263,000 on it at the moment...

still, that's father for you

[dustyv]

Hi,
There are a lot of myths attached to the Disco, the gearbox (I think) being just one, mine has covered 141K with no problem  :lol:
I personally think routine servicing is the key to success - I service everything every 5K, use quality oils etc - well worth the time and trouble. :lol:
However I did have to replace the engine, but it did have a fault when bought   :shock:
Some advice I was given: -
"If it don't leak, If it ain't noisy - it ain't a Land Rover"  :P
Mine does both and I am as happy as a pig in ????.  :D  :D  :D
Best 4 now -=- dustyv

[Lostboy]

Glad to hear that other people have managed to get more that 100k out of their gearbox. Mine is an early R380 and its now on 135k. A bit of backlash and sometimes a bit stubborn to get into third but otherwise ok (touch wood...)

But then it did have 60k on the clock when I got it so it may not be the original gearbox...

[muddyweb]

There were a couple of fundamental design flaws with Disco gearboxes (especially on the earlier models).  The early LT77 for example is renowned for snapping mainshafts due to poor lubrication, and ISTR the R380 had some oilway issues too.

The transfer boxes are much tougher, but will suffer if they aren't looked after.  The input gear will wear in sympathy with the gearbox output shaft, and this is a common location of play in the assembly.  

Transfer box output oil seals are a common failure, but not a huge trauma to replace.

Generally speaking, the gearboxes in Land Rovers are adequate.  If you look after them and don't abuse them too severely they will be fine and last a good while.  On the plus side, changing a gearbox or Transfer box in a Land Rover is no-where near as hard as a lot of other 4x4s

[Mace]

Thanks chaps, I've got a bit more confidence in a 80k motor now. The thought of buying a recon gearbox after a few thousand miles would have put me off. I've looked at 300 tdi's and they do have the later R380's fitted so that answers that question.

In my search I've noticed a big difference in the condition of the sills. From underneath you can see a vertical seam that runs the full length of the sill. Some are good, others bad with plates welded, but most seem to have rust splitting the welded seam in several places. Is this something to worry about just now, will a coat of waxoyl inside and out stop the rot? or is it to late already ?

The search continues....