leaving the 80 series behind thinking about 95 discovery

1morebike

Adventurer
im selling my land cruiser 80 series and looking at other options to buy. i ran across 95 discovery with 5sp and 2 inch lift and have always loved the look of the discoveries and wanted one but there reputation tends to scare me off. so I'm wondering if you guys could be honest and tell me if they are really as bad as they are perceived. what i would use it for is a expo rig nothing really crazy just an adventure rig with the wife, we would love to take a trip up to Alaska and maybe a drive to see my parents 2,500 miles away. hell maybe i would take it mexico i think that would blow peoples minds.
 

proper4wd

Expedition Leader
Not to be cute but this topic has been covered here at length lately, you shouldnt have to look much past the 2nd or 3rd page to find all of the answers to your questions.

In short, the Discovery will take you every place your 80 series did. It may not be as idiot proof though so if you have a habit of ignoring maintenance, looking for a cheap fix, or a general habit of cutting corners then a Land Rover may not be for you.
It's like the old saying, there are no bad dogs just bad owners. Same goes for Rovers!
 

Ray_G

Explorer
As mentioned, take a look at Scott's D1 5 speed thread (and/or by the OJ issues), several other threads on here about the D1-my build thread being one.

If its been maintained and doesn't have significant rust issues they can be excellent trucks for your intended purpose.
Long live the 5 speeds!
 

Scott Brady

Founder
I enjoy my 1995 5-Speed every time I drive it. These trucks have been figured out a long time ago by guys like Jack Quinlan and other on DWeb. Get the spares and keep up on service, then no big deal.
 

alia176

Explorer
If you are a tall guy, make sure you can sit inside and be able to look up at the traffic signal without having to crane your neck. The low windshield line tends to block your field of vision.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
 

Viggen

Just here...
So being 6 ft 5 is not going to work out so well

I am 6'3" and was more than comfortable in mine. The Disco has a better roof line (because it kicks up) than a Range Rover. Go sit in one. They are more than comfortable for tall people.
 

Howski

Well-known member
I am 6'3" and was more than comfortable in mine. The Disco has a better roof line (because it kicks up) than a Range Rover. Go sit in one. They are more than comfortable for tall people.
x2. I'm 6'3" also and was plenty comfortable in my D2
 

Toy-Roverlander

Adventurer
I'm 6'6" and I fit comfortably in a D1. Only issue I had with the vehicle was it was really lacking power. That 300tdi manual was incredibly gutless..
 

tacr2man

Adventurer
I'm 6'6" and I fit comfortably in a D1. Only issue I had with the vehicle was it was really lacking power. That 300tdi manual was incredibly gutless..

I ran a 130 DCPU and trailer with a train weight of over 16,400LBs regularly it handled it prettywell especially considering 35C + . So must be something wrong with your vehicle. JMHO
 

Toy-Roverlander

Adventurer
Doubt there was something wrong with it. It had 210k km's on it, full service history, well looked after late model '98 D1. I owned it for a while in South Africa. Many, many hills around. With the aircon on it was a real dog, wanting to stall when you would try to drive of on a hill unless you'd keep the revs up and slip the clutch... NO torque... It was reasonably ok when you would keep the revs up. Just a little 2.5 diesel, no torque when the turbo is not spinning. My 3B turbo intercooler in my 109 is a completely different animal :smiley_drive:.

I did love the D1 for everything else though. Spacious, comfy, good aircon, quiet inside, good handling with swaybars front and back...
 

EricTyrrell

Expo God
Maintenance is key for any vehicle. Either buy one that has been maintained, or expect to invest time and money initially getting it up to spec.

All vehicles have weaknesses. Learn and apply the known fixes.

As for visibility, sit in one and see.

For power, it'll be similar to an FJ80.
 

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