Are older Land Rover Discoveries really that bad? How do they compare to contemporary Toyotas?

[bri]

I have and won't own a D2. Have had a few D1. Built them and beat them up. Great vehicles that are as or more capable than similar/aged straight axle vehicles and no more or less to maintain. They are a POJ compared to an LR4. Almost used rovers are going to require $5k minimum after purchase. Regardless of previous owner.

 

[redneck44]

Just saying- these pics were taken in 2009 , 2 of the 10 body mounts were intact, my defender 110 was worse

 

[ComfyVan]

I have to second that D1/D2s do get a bad rap and much of it is unwarranted. Yes they are quirky trucks can be annoying and *may* require more attention than our Nissan/Yota/Merc equivalent. I too have seen that so much the (I had a buddy with one and it was a POS ) yet when asked what went wrong and was it properly serviced its *crickets* plus some just jump on the bad wagon just to talk bad about anything that isn't what they drive or own or just drinking the coolaid. To be brutally honest a D1/DII is just as durable as anything out there when maintained now if majorly neglected yes they will make you wanna fire a RPG at them. I've considered it a few times in the 18 years ive been driving them (DI's) hahaha ? but then reality set in and I realize that there is truly nothing like Driving them quirks, annoyances and all.

I have leaned a lot from this thread about older disco. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ComfyVan]

Anyone who think Scott Kilmer is a reputable is sorely mistaken. Go find a real YouTube mechanic to get advice from. Car Wizard will tell everyone to just go buy a Toyota, but he’s a huge Rover and Jag guy and has owned several.

If you want to talk cost of ownership over time, my 46k mile LR4 was $28k in 2020. A LC200 with similar mileage would have been $50k. So far I’m into my Disco for $1400 minus oil changes and a set of tires, currently a little over 76k miles. I’d need to blow the motor in my truck and pay the dealer to install a brand new one to bring the cost of ownership close to the LC. My local LR specialist does the full timing chain service replacing EVERYTHING that comes off with genuine LR parts for $6500.

I will say that if you take a similar condition D1 and LC80 side by side, and baseline them, the 80 will be more reliable for a while. The D1 will always need some care here and there… usually nothing major but it isn’t as set it and forget it as an 80 is. However, it’s more comfortable, faster, and gets better fuel mileage than an 80… and more capable if the 80 isn’t factory triple locked.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[classic72]

Let me put it this way... always preferred and drove Land Rovers. I spent about $15k building out a 2014 4Runner (drove it new off the lot with 15 miles on it). I am back in a 2001 Disco 2 as my new build. Here is the thing... if you can honor and appreciate the legacy of Land Rover --- its heritage and its history, you will never drive any other 4x4. If this is just another car for you, then get something else. Its a vehicle you will have an intimate relationship with. You will become friends and at times, just like friends, you will fight one another. But that friendship will grow as you nurture the relationship. I can't say that about any other 4x4 I have driven.

 

[Boss Hog]

Yeah people love to clown Land Rover for their dubious build quality and engineering, but what gets lost in all that talk is the gulf in the price of entry between a Disco and Land Cruiser is vast. An 80 or 100 series in the same condition as the truck posted above would go for at least $20k, probably much more on an auction site. And an $8-10k Land Cruiser is likely to be a basket-case with leaks everywhere and north of 200,000 miles on it.

Also, as you said, the Disco 1 is lighter and shorter than an 80 with better angles. The axles also have at least as much flex, if not more. Admittedly the Toyota birfs and axles are likely a but stronger from the factory, but that can be fixed easily with 300 mms etc.. I'd bet stock-for-stock a Disco 1 would go further than an unlocked 80, especially one with a manual.

Everyone who says Discos are junk are probably thinking of the Disco 2s, especially the later ones with the 4.6 V8.

I apologize for going back this far in a thread…but I have a D1 with a 4.6 swapped in. I’ll do some research on my own, but curious as to your comment about the 4.6. I haven’t had any issues with it in about 5k miles…

 

[rgallant]

@Boss Hog the 4.6 had a bad rep for slipped liners and cracked blocks. But it was down to 2 issues, they were run hotter for California emissions when sold they had a 190 thermostat and ran around 212-215F - (244F is the overheat light) any cooling issue tended to create overheating, which resulted in head gasket issues. And the lore is the engines were not as well quality checked, no way to know if that is true, but the castings are rougher with less cleanup done.
Every time one ticks the 1st response on internet forums in slipped liners, because they know nothing about pushrod V8's they all tick eventually, even iron blocks. Mostly it is the rockers from bad oil change intervals, or poor grades/quality of of oil and exhaust leaks.


I have an 04 with a 4.6 did head gaskets, a minor crack due to a poor job done by someone else prior, about 3 years ago still runs like a top, about 290000KM or 180000 miles on her.

 

[XJLI]

The 180F stat should be the first mod anyone does to these.

 

[Boss Hog]

@Boss Hog the 4.6 had a bad rep for slipped liners and cracked blocks. But it was down to 2 issues, they were run hotter for California emissions when sold they had a 190 thermostat and ran around 212-215F - (244F is the overheat light) any cooling issue tended to create overheating, which resulted in head gasket issues. And the lore is the engines were not as well quality checked, no way to know if that is true, but the castings are rougher with less cleanup done.
Every time one ticks the 1st response on internet forums in slipped liners, because they know nothing about pushrod V8's they all tick eventually, even iron blocks. Mostly it is the rockers from bad oil change intervals, or poor grades/quality of of oil and exhaust leaks.


I have an 04 with a 4.6 did head gaskets, a minor crack due to a poor job done by someone else prior, about 3 years ago still runs like a top, about 290000KM or 180000 miles on her.

Helluva response. Very thoughtful. Thank you.

The 180F stat should be the first mod anyone does to these.

Will do!!

 

[HUMMER/Expeditions]

I had few older discoveries, never had issues,
They have one of the best T cases in industry, LT230.
pushrod V8 is super simple motor, Zf 24 is a great transmission,

People forget that 90% of older Toyota 4 runners needed head gasket replacement,
So did Land Cruisers,
I also had a Land Cruiser 80seriers, I wouldn’t say it’s any more reliable than older discovery.