Vehicle & Technical > Discovery

Discovery buying advise from the experts.

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Reggieroo:

--- Quote from: "RichardRRC" ---I once read somewhere that the DII has a more "robust" update of the P38a electronics, and to be honest, I think that's probably true.
You can work on/service the DIIs in the same manner you would the RRCs/D1s, the only thing I do extra is I have the DII "plugged in" once a year, just to make sure all the ECUs are happy.
The only thing you might find is that if your good lady is used to an Astra Turbo, the TD5 performance (or lack of it :lol: ) might be a bit of a let down :) But then, you can allways get V8 performance by having it "chipped" :twisted:
Regards,
Richard.
--- End quote ---


No worries about performance, she's also got a 94 Suzuki Vitara which is gutless & rattly, that's whats she's driving at the moment as the Astra's been in & out the garage for the last 6 months with various problems.

Hence the reason she wants something else which is reliable.

thermidorthelobster:
TD5s are nothing like P38s, having had both.  The TD5 is a pretty decent motor.  Yes it's a bit more complex than a 300tdi but not nightmarishly so.

The main reason to go for a 300tdi would be (a) they're dirt cheap, and (b) on balance if you want to run the truck for hundreds of thousands of miles you'll probably find the 300tdi is more bombproof.

In the TD5's favour is extra space in the back, a more civilised driving manner, a more modern look and some nice little bits like ACE if you choose to go for that.  ACE is fantastic technology but it does add complexity and can go wrong.

If you're looking at a TD5:
- drive a few and you'll find some run more smoothly than others
- check all the factory recalls have been done, definitely absolutely!  A dealer should be able to tell you if you give them the reg number
- if it has ACE (look for a hydraulic ram in the front right wheelarch, attached to the anti-roll bar) then make sure it's working;  hammer it round a corner and you should get very little body roll
- the ACE pump should make a barely audible noise a bit like a turbo, but it will change constantly with the engine revs;  it shouldn't be noisy unless it's on the way out
- check the air suspension seems to be operating OK if it has it.  It should sit level and stay level overnight, if you get the chance to find out.  The EAS is not as complex as the P38 and usually operates fine, but it is something to keep an eye out for
- if the coolant level is low, that doesn't mean it's leaking coolant, they tend to vent a bit of coolant if they're topped up
- look out for oil leaks, there are plenty of places for it to leak from (totally unlike any other Land Rover product of course)

If you have ten grand or more to spend then you can definitely get a decent TD5.  If it's more like 6 grand then I'd consider getting a mint 300tdi.  The TD5 will give you about 10-15% lower economy, sometimes worse.  The performance isn't anything particularly spectacular but they're easy to chip.

By the way, I've never heard of ANYBODY having problems with the turbo on a TD5, and only with astronomical mileage on a 300tdi.  Don't let the turbo put you off.  My view on LPG (my P38 was a gassed 4.6) is that on modern, electrically controlled engines it's too much trouble and just causes grief.  If you had a carburetted 3.5 I'd say gas all the way;  but not on the Thor engine.

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