Farmerdave
New member
Thanks for the response. Very interesting. I'll keep reading sounds like there is a lot to learn. What year is best for classics and why? I have already figured out that 2004 is supposed to be best for disco 2.
Thoughts on RRC vs. Disco II?
- Thread starter Farmerdave
- Start date
benlittle
Adventurer
These are two completely different vehicles. In every way.
You'll have way more issues with the DII. Both have their issues though. DII's are so cush and fun to drive. RRC's are really fun to wheel (very low COG).
Why the consideration of a RRC and DII? Why not RRC and DI? For what you want I would recommend a DI with a SD rack (you'll need it with 4 kids).
That being said, I've owned and wheeled all three (still own a DI and currently buying a cream puff 2004 DII).
You'll have way more issues with the DII. Both have their issues though. DII's are so cush and fun to drive. RRC's are really fun to wheel (very low COG).
Why the consideration of a RRC and DII? Why not RRC and DI? For what you want I would recommend a DI with a SD rack (you'll need it with 4 kids).
That being said, I've owned and wheeled all three (still own a DI and currently buying a cream puff 2004 DII).
czenkov
Adventurer
Going through with the DII cream puff purchase are you Ben? I heard about it and it sounds like a nice DII. I bought a cream puff 1995 LWB Classic so I understand the desire.
Opinions vary on best year classics. 1995's are the last year and feature the DI dash (soft dash) so there are those that like those. But a downside is a 1 year windscreen from what I understand.
Real early ones imported into the U.S. have the LT230 with diff lock. Later a Borg Warner. Early ones have non-abs and some have cloth interior that wears better than leather. Manual seats on some. Simpler is always better IMHO.
That being said I love the 1995's, '89 & '91 Hunters, and the Great Divide Editions. Long Wheel Base 1995's specifically because I can sleep in the back with the rear seats removed. My off-road LWB is being retro-fitted to a LT230 since the viscous coupling was seized when I bought it. Another issue with the Borg Warner. It has already been converted from air suspension to coils. Would love to find a GDE bumper for my off-road LWB.
However the 2-Doors are the best looking, few will argue.
Drew
Opinions vary on best year classics. 1995's are the last year and feature the DI dash (soft dash) so there are those that like those. But a downside is a 1 year windscreen from what I understand.
Real early ones imported into the U.S. have the LT230 with diff lock. Later a Borg Warner. Early ones have non-abs and some have cloth interior that wears better than leather. Manual seats on some. Simpler is always better IMHO.
That being said I love the 1995's, '89 & '91 Hunters, and the Great Divide Editions. Long Wheel Base 1995's specifically because I can sleep in the back with the rear seats removed. My off-road LWB is being retro-fitted to a LT230 since the viscous coupling was seized when I bought it. Another issue with the Borg Warner. It has already been converted from air suspension to coils. Would love to find a GDE bumper for my off-road LWB.
However the 2-Doors are the best looking, few will argue.
Drew
Farmerdave
New member
Why would you choose a D1 over the 2? Is there a significant difference?
benlittle
Adventurer
I think I'm going through with it...lol I'm having a friend go drive the truck tomorrow to see how it really is. We'll see.
I personally prefer a good working BW over a LT230. Drew contact RoverTrader (Dale Knepp) for a GDE bumper.
czenkov
Adventurer
Ben, thanks for the GDE tip. I like the LT230 in the Defender a lot so thinking I cannot go wrong with one in the LWB.
Honestly I would have a RRC of every year...but there are those that know me that would say I have a bad Land Rover addiction/problem...already.
slcrover
Member
I would go with the D2, but I have honestly never seen more engines pulled from any other land rover due to dropped liners and blown headgaskets and whatnot.. As much as I love my classic, It gets pretty crowded in there with 3 people and gear for more than 3 days. (without a rack).
The most significant one in this scenario is the fact the the D1 is going to have sideways crappy jump seats and the D2 rear seats are going to be pretty close to real seats, facing the correct direction with headrests and proper seat belts.
Snagger
Explorer
The DI is mechanically and structurally almost identical to the RRC. The main difference is the transfer box - late RRCs use the chain driven Borg Warner unit with a viscous coupling, while the DI uses the LT230Q (1.22 gearing with "quiet" gears, same as on DII and Defender, except Defender has 1.4 ratio as standard). The BW unit is quieter and very reliable, but if the viscous unit seizes, it costs about £300 for a new unit in the UK and probably a lot more over there. The BW unit drives more nicely, but it does wear tyres out more rapidly by scrubbing them on hard surfaces as its slip is very slow and stiff.
The DII second row seats have more leg room than a 100" RRC. They were moved up and aft, which is why the roof line above the windscreen is higher on a DI and why the roof is kinked half way along. If you want reasonable leg room in the back of a RRC, you really need the LSE, and that will limit you to a vehicle with all the electronic nightmares unless you modify it with the simpler systems, like stripping out the EAS and electrically operated seats (they have a reputation not only for motors failing with age, but for their memory ECUs failing and the seat motoring fully forward or fully aft).
As far as third row seats go, the rear facing accessory bench seat available for RRCs is terrible - its base sits directly on the boot floor, so the occupants' legs have no space below. DI rear seats are inward facing and not especially comfortable, but they are manageable. DII rear seats fold down into the floor in an ingenious way that gives a normal load bed, but are nearly as comfortable and supportive as the second row and are forward facing. Top of the line DII models even have separate HEVAC controls in the rear.
The 2004 DII is no different to the previous few years except for the face lift - prettier headlights and bumper is the sole change. These go missing a lot in the UK, stolen by or for people with older cars who want the facelift. It's only the earliest models of DII that have a problem, and that's the omission of the centre diff lock linkage. LR thought that diff lock would not be requires because they had 4-channel ETC, but in practice this was not as effective as hoped and increased brake wear dramatically, so after a year or so and a lot of consumer grumbling, they reinstated the centre diff. As I understand it, all vehicles have the lockable diff, it's just the linkage between the housing and the lever that's missing, and a retrofit kit is available.
For waht it's worth, the 94/95 "soft dash" RRCs do not have a Discovery dash. It does look fairly similar to the 300Tdi DI and the DII dash, and shares several parts, but the dash itself, the switch gear and the passenger airbag are specific to the model. The instruments, manual heater controls, fuse box, glove box, ash tray and retractable drinks holder are common parts to all three models.
The DII second row seats have more leg room than a 100" RRC. They were moved up and aft, which is why the roof line above the windscreen is higher on a DI and why the roof is kinked half way along. If you want reasonable leg room in the back of a RRC, you really need the LSE, and that will limit you to a vehicle with all the electronic nightmares unless you modify it with the simpler systems, like stripping out the EAS and electrically operated seats (they have a reputation not only for motors failing with age, but for their memory ECUs failing and the seat motoring fully forward or fully aft).
As far as third row seats go, the rear facing accessory bench seat available for RRCs is terrible - its base sits directly on the boot floor, so the occupants' legs have no space below. DI rear seats are inward facing and not especially comfortable, but they are manageable. DII rear seats fold down into the floor in an ingenious way that gives a normal load bed, but are nearly as comfortable and supportive as the second row and are forward facing. Top of the line DII models even have separate HEVAC controls in the rear.
The 2004 DII is no different to the previous few years except for the face lift - prettier headlights and bumper is the sole change. These go missing a lot in the UK, stolen by or for people with older cars who want the facelift. It's only the earliest models of DII that have a problem, and that's the omission of the centre diff lock linkage. LR thought that diff lock would not be requires because they had 4-channel ETC, but in practice this was not as effective as hoped and increased brake wear dramatically, so after a year or so and a lot of consumer grumbling, they reinstated the centre diff. As I understand it, all vehicles have the lockable diff, it's just the linkage between the housing and the lever that's missing, and a retrofit kit is available.
For waht it's worth, the 94/95 "soft dash" RRCs do not have a Discovery dash. It does look fairly similar to the 300Tdi DI and the DII dash, and shares several parts, but the dash itself, the switch gear and the passenger airbag are specific to the model. The instruments, manual heater controls, fuse box, glove box, ash tray and retractable drinks holder are common parts to all three models.
Very close to perfect, with the exception that 99-03 DIIs don't have a CDL, and 2001.5-03 don't even have the possibility to retrofit a CDL into them without changing the transfercase(which is what I'm doing right now).
And a 4.6 liter as opposed to a 4.0 liter (2003 and 2004), and a center diff lock with an in cab linkage to actually engage it (2004 only, 1999 to mid 2001 with the mechanicals but no in cab linkage)
You only need the nose cone (and linkage to operatie it in cab), and you don't even have to drop the transfer box to put it on.
Farmerdave
New member
Thanks for all the responses. I drove past a 2004 DII for sale today. I think I will go take a look tomorrow.
Dave
Dave
The 2001.5s-2003s literally don't have the correct internals. There's a part they removed from 01.5- 03s that makes putting a CDL in NEARLY impossible without serious modification. If you have a 99-2001.5 you can just put the linkage on. I'm not sure what you mean by "nose cone"?