Disco 1 vs Disco 3 (LR3)

[tacocat]

I’ve been contemplating selling my FZJ80 and picking up a Land Rover. My 80 is a secondary vehicle and is only used for adventuring and hauling.

The Disco 1 appears to be the simplest Disco to service mechanically and the knowledge base is very mature. It seems best suited to technical trail work. It’s pretty crude by today’s standards.

The LR3 appears to be the better all arounder. It seems to be more mechanically reliable. The knowledge base is very mature for suspension and electronics, but not for engine work. Although it probably has one of the more reliable engines made, the general populace seems to do a good job killing them (not enthusiasts).

Am I missing anything? Which would you choose? With a Disco 1, is the manual transmission the better choice?

Thanks

 

[Blaise]

Who in the General Population is able to kill an LR3? And how (that you're aware of)?

LR3 all the way.

 

[tacocat]

Who in the General Population is able to kill an LR3? And how (that you're aware of)?

LR3 all the way.

Just in the ads I’ve been watching. A fair number have had replaced engines or are not running. It’s nowhere near what one sees in Disco 2 ads.

I’m sure it’s a result of abuse or neglect.

I am leaning LR3. I know the wife is, but the idea of neither of my rides having an auto is enticing.

 

[XJLI]

For wheeling, D1. For driving/overlanding/trails anything else, LR3. Its getting pretty hard to find "good" ones, since they aren't nearing the collectible phase yet. A lot of junk is still out there for cheap. Its the opposite for D1s now, most are in good shape and have a high asking price.

The manual in the D1 is geared nice and low, but its a tractor trans by any measure of a modern stick shift. Try and shift it any way other than slowly and surely and you'll bounce off the syncros.

 

[Shigeta]

Just in the ads I’ve been watching. A fair number have had replaced engines or are not running. It’s nowhere near what one sees in Disco 2 ads.

I think it's detrimental to use rather weak anecdotal evidence as a basis for disqualifying an otherwise qualified vehicle.

On the topic of qualities, what are your needs in a vehicle? What creature comforts do you want? What are your "build" goals—if any? What sort of trips are you aiming to do?

You'll find no shortage of opinions on D1 vs D3, but without more context about your needs, the community will have a hard time giving you advice that is relevant to you.

 

[tacocat]

My goals:

Crush my enemies. See them driven before me. Hear the lamentations of the women.

I’m not disqualifying it at all. Just asking, much how like everyone thinks an 80 series will always blow a head gasket without considering that it’s a gasket and not really a lifetime item. The brakes do suck. That part is true.

With vehicles, I enjoy tinkering with them and driving them. I really have no “needs”
I adapt to the platform as I’ve owned and worked on almost all the major 4x4s.

Edit: the post regarding the manual transmission is most helpful. Sounds like the manual is fun, but at a cost.

 

[gabrielef]

I’d say LR3 hands down, unless you plan on doing the Rubicon every weekend (which I know a guy who completed the Rubicon in his LR3).

My LR3 is at 273,XXX miles. We got it 9 years ago with 72K miles. It was the family car until last year when I got my wife an LR4 and the LR3 became a full adventure ride. For 2 1/2 years we’ve been taking it all over offroad more and more. It is quite the platform, and like you mentioned above, it is becoming the most reliable engine LR has put in their vehicles.

The “issues” the LR3 are easily managed with preventative maintenance.

If all you want to do is rock crawl on the weekends, get a D1/2, otherwise, stick with a D3/4 for the 95% of other off-roading you’ll be doing.

My D3:

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[Blaise]

Can personally attest to the wife being very happy in an LR3.

Also, having 300hp vs the 150 or less in the 80 series will be a nice improvement. Still slow, but enough go even at 13k feet. My buddy in his 80 series was struggling to hold 30mph... he's since swapped in a GM 5.3.

 

[tacocat]

I read about the first LR3 on the Con. He dragged and scraped his way through it....... like all the classic 4x4s did.

This vehicle and the 80 are more hampered by their size rather than the suspension type.

Hey it’s a 1FZ. It has 212 HP thank you very much.

 

[gabrielef]

I read about the first LR3 on the Con. He dragged and scraped his way through it....... like all the classic 4x4s did.

This vehicle and the 80 are more hampered by their size rather than the suspension type.

Hey it’s a 1FZ. It has 212 HP thank you very much.

Yea, he winched a bit to get through some sections and bypassed the super hard stuff. Don Happel is the guy who did it. He’s in the LR club I’m apart of in NorCal. He’s super experienced, I’d never take my D3 through there.


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[gabrielef]

Can personally attest to the wife being very happy in an LR3.

Also, having 300hp vs the 150 or less in the 80 series will be a nice improvement. Still slow, but enough go even at 13k feet. My buddy in his 80 series was struggling to hold 30mph... he's since swapped in a GM 5.3.

View attachment 641689

The San Juan’s are amazing. That was the first off-roading we really did with our LR3. The following year I went without the family and did as many passes as I could (California, Hurricane, Imogene, Ophir, Black Bear, Corkscrew, etc) and did a bit of Slick Rock in Moab on the way home. These trucks are so capable.


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[tacocat]

Yea, he winched a bit to get through some sections and bypassed the super hard stuff. Don Happel is the guy who did it. He’s in the LR club I’m apart of in NorCal. He’s super experienced, I’d never take my D3 through there.


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Oh, you’re a NorCal Rover guy? I live in Fresno. I could tell. He picked good lines. Nowadays, it trying to pic the worst lines possible to push the rig rather than just getting through.

 

[gabrielef]

Oh, you’re a NorCal Rover guy? I live in Fresno. I could tell. He picked good lines. Nowadays, it trying to pic the worst lines possible to push the rig rather than just getting through.

Yea, just east of Sac. The NCLR will be rolling though Fresno this weekend as we head up to do some snow wheeling near Shaver Lake. A few are showing up on Friday and most are showing up Saturday to spend the night. Sunday we’ll do the trails. You should come hang!


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[tacocat]

Yea, just east of Sac. The NCLR will be rolling though Fresno this weekend as we head up to do some snow wheeling near Shaver Lake. A few are showing up on Friday and most are showing up Saturday to spend the night. Sunday we’ll do the trails. You should come hang!


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Sounds sweet, but we have plans on Saturday. Why does Valentines Day fall around Steelhead season?

That and I need to my 315s won’t be ready for install until next week.

 

[John R]

I sold by TD5 D2 and bought a D4 because I was after something more reliable and I really just got sick of fixing the D2. I found the TD5 dirt easy to work on and I was comfortable doing all my own repairs. The 3.0 D4 makes me a little weary of doing any repairs.

I do miss the D2 and I’d own another in a heart beat, but the younger car is nicer to drive and I’d have no hesitations in taking it remote. I found that I was always nervous of taking the D2 remote