Diesel Disco I - reasonable first Land Rover?

[Nomad_K]

First off, thanks to everyone both on the Land Rover forum, and on Expedition Portal in general for all of the great information that you all have put up here!

As for my question - following on heels of the 'Should I buy a Range Rover discussion' I'm looking for similar advice on a Discovery I. I've found two decent prospects, one with a factory turbo diesel, one with a Toyota 1KZ.

This will not be a daily driver, it will be more for long weekends or the occasional 1 week+ trip around different parts of SE Asia, some reasonable time off-road but no rock crawling. Other than 'general advice' any thoughts on the following would be great.

1. Factory turbo diesel - I've been told that the early TDi's 1994/1995 were easy to work on and bomb proof if maintained.

2. A local off road specialist said the factory diesel would be a good expedition rig so long as I brought it round to have the breaks inspected - he's seen a few with problems locally - and had a thorough service before heading out on a trip. Most of the forums I've checked have had scant info in the Disco diesels - anything specific to look out for?

3. Parts - said mechanic has heard that parts for the older Discovery are more difficult to come by due to Ford reducing/stopping the supply of some parts for older Rover models while they owned the company. How are you all doing with sourcing parts for the Disco I?

4. I haven't found one LR around the area with a complete history. Is this a deal breaker, or, with a thorough inspection and update of the service, would I be able to make a few decent trips without too much fuss?

Thank you guys for the info, and if you see me jumping back and forth between here and the LC forum prior to purchase, feel free to nudge me back towards a Discovery as opposed to an FJ80 - I know they're different but both have caught my eye and have active clubs here around SE Asia.

 

[NeilWilson]

My 1st Land Rover was/is a 300TDI 1997 D1.

I think it is great, they are pretty foolproof with next to no electronics etc, run on almost anything vaguely combustible and with regular services (at home) they engine will last 250,000 miles easily. Yes it is an old British built heap with various oddities, metric/imperial fittings used almost at will, it rattles, squeaks at times but I think it is brilliant, my kids love it and it is a very capable vehicle.

I would think sticking to the original LR engined one would be better as that has the proven longevity.

Parts from dealers in the UK need to be ordered in normally, but there are a host of parts shops on line and in magazines.

I have had my D1 for 4 years now and anticipate it should still be running in another 10 years.

Neil

 

[ttravis5446]

I would say that it is a good starter Rover. I have had my V8 D1 for a couple of years now and love it. The only thing that could make it better in my opinion would be a factory diesel and a manual transmission. You can still find almost any part for them online still, they may not new parts and they may not be OEM parts though.

 

[Nomad_K]

Neil, Travis,

Thank you for the responses... it sounds like the all Rover Discovery - as opposed to the LR-Toyota hybrid - is worth a look.

Kyle

 

[ttravis5446]

I think the Rover diesel engines are good from what I hear (300TDI better than TD5) and the Toyota diesels are good from personal experience. I'm just not sure about mixing brands with conversions when the real deal from the factory is available. I've seen some strange conversions here un the US but that is mostly just because we can't get most of the good diesel powerplants here due to emmisions. That being said I have a frined putting a 1.9 VW diesel into his toyota pickup because Toyota diesels are not common here.

 

[kevb]

Hey Kyle, early Disco's are a great choice for a 1st LR but take your time and get a good one. if corrosion is a problem in your area then look out for rotten inner front wings, sills and rear floor. Also check the diff pans for leaks as these can rot, particularly the rear. 3 door models are less prone to body rust as there is less to leak.
Engine wise my choice would be for the stock LR over the Toyota purely for simplicity.

A UK based forum such as Difflock.com or lr4x4.com may be good resource for more mechanical info on theTdi.

I have to say that I prefer the TD5 engine over the TDi. Having had a D2 TD5 and now 2 90 TD5s, I wouldn't go back to a TDi.

Regards

kev

 

[Nomad_K]

I have to say that I prefer the TD5 engine over the TDi. Having had a D2 TD5 and now 2 90 TD5s, I wouldn't go back to a TDi.

Regards

kev

Travis, I dropped you a PM, cheers.

Kev, thanks for the reply and for the websites... plenty of good info 'round both. Also, I will have a good look around the usual rusty spots before taking.

As for the TD5 - you're the first person who gave that the nod over the TDi... glad to hear that it has a following as well.

 

[revor]

Wish I could have one!!

"vaguely combustible" LOL That is too funny!!