Thread: I need advice. Defender or dico?

We've got both.

When it comes to practicality, disco 2 wins by a full length of the straight.

There's no getting around that, but defenders look cool!

I'd look for a 2 that has the rear air con as well if you are touring.

Had the same decision to make back in the late 90's, only one child at the time.
I felt a Disco would have to be repaired if the panels got dented/scratched off road whereas with a Defender they are seen as battle scars & worn with pride........plus the panels aren't that straight from the factory !

Purchased a secondhand 300Tdi with a crab bar and inward facing 3rd row seats.

Lots more storage in the back (when not using the 3rd row) compared to a Disco. Served us well for holidays, Four Wheel Driving etc. More kids appeared, they loved the Defender (and still do), put a storage system in the back which restricted us to 5 seats.
Never had an issue with the aircon

Still have the Defender and currently could probably get back close to what I paid for it in the late 90's.
Gromit's Defender Tanami


Colin

For the use I would buy a Discovery 2 with a TD5
They are getting old and the auto needs attention at about 260000 plus the TD5 while it can be reliable
will likely need some money spent on it to get it to a reliable state.
We discarded of a Disco 2 Td5 a couple of years back that was in good condition I let it go for $2500 and now regret it.
A couple of Defenders here and they are used daily I wouldn't swap but the Disco is ok for light use and lets face it that's what most people do nowadays.
I have used a Defender for the last 10 years from the extreme heat of the Pilbara to the cold of South Australia (living there not visiting) and haven't found it particularly lacking in comfort.

first thing to do is drive all the vehicles on your short list. Defenders are an acquired (and compromised) taste. you will either love it or hate it. Then get your wife to drive all the cars on the short list. If the wife won't drive the Defer you limit yourself both as a family vehicle that the wife will drive and as a co-driver on long trips. Sometimes the greater good of a happy marriage is more weighty than your desire for a long held desire to own a Defender.

As much as i hate to say it, the disco is a better all round vehicle. A Disco 2 is smaller than a 110 and packing for a holiday requires skill. Most D2s will be high milage with systematic maintenance that can get expensive. I'm wary of D3's. Being a generational leap from the D2 and it would be getting up there in kms and age. The D4 deserves its title of best 4wd for all those years running.

I have a 130 which consumes all the stuff one could want/need on a trip. If you can stretch the budget, a Grenadier at the entry price of $80k is a worthy Defer alternative with the modern cons that a Disco offers.

i've had numerous Range Rover classics, one Discovery- a 1997 V8 version- and a 130 defender (also a series 3 shorty many decades ago). Geez I hated that discovery. All the reliability of a RRC without the refinement. A bland, nothingness of a 4wd designed to compete with the japanese for the soccer-mum market, which it did and saved the brand from extinction but at what cost. At least you won't cry (nor will anyone else) if you dent it, scratch it or burn it to the ground with an electrical fire; it is impossible to become attached to one. The defender, on the other hand, does not pretend to be anything other than a utilitarian, agricultural, do-anything-easily no-nonsense piece of manliness that will give your kids a life-long emotional attachment and make them feel like adventurers every time you leave home. A toyota driving friend asked me why he could see daylight between the door and the floor of the 130? I told him that is because it is daytime; if you want to see darkness, come back at night. Such is the defender life. You know you want one.

Originally Posted by trout1105

Sorry, My Bad.
I should have used Reliable and family friendly in the same sentance with 200 Series

You forgot boring, generic, overpriced and overrated.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

You forgot boring, generic, overpriced and overrated.

Booring, As in not happily spending hours of enjoyment on the spanners keeping it running or supporting your local indie doing the repairs for you.
Generic, Yes but then again the Discovery 5 blends in with every other SUV on the road.
Overpriced, Not in comparison to the new offerings from JLR, Second hand units are a bit pricey But that is a Good thing as it tells you that they retain their resale value well which is something that Landrovers are not renowned for.
Overrated, Not really they do exactly what the manufacturer states they can do (and more) and millions of Toyota owners can't be all wrong.

Don't get me wrong I like Landrovers But if I were to use my head instead of my heart I wouldn't buy another one.

Originally Posted by trout1105

But if I were to use my head instead of my heart I wouldn't buy another one.

??? Who makes decisions that way? I can't imagine it's much fun!!