TD5 manual or automatic

[greg-g]

My old 81 Rangie has finally died of rust and gearbox problems, not to mention the rest. The replacement will probably be a new Disco TD5 (Also looking at Prado (Shame)). Good used vehicle appear to be too expensive. All the dealers are trying to push me to go automatic, but my natural instinct was for manual. Data would sujest the manual has about 10% better fuel economy. Is this correct? What would be easiest to eventually trade?.
It will mainly be used for road use, and light duty 4x4 where the clearance and approach - departure angles are required. I don't have a strong preference either way. What do you think? Thanks..

[DiscoTDI]

I used to be a manual only person, but since I have gone with autos I have never turned back, and autos are better for resale

[rmp]

Autos are easier to drive offroad, simply because they are unlikely to stall and you can left-foot brake. On the open road, once the torque convertor locks up you'll probably even beat a manual for fuel economy.

Go the auto.

[defute]

Greg-g,

AUTO all the way mate!!

The ZF auto gearbox is very well matched to the Td5 and is the pick of the transmissions for all forms of driving - 4wd, towing, city driving. It helps keep the turbo engine spinning smack bang in the middle of its power band so making it so much more driveable than the manual.

With the inclusion of Hill Decent Control on Disco IIs, it allows the auto models to travel as slowly as the manuals down hills when off road.

Good luck.

[rmp]

I've not used HDC, but understand it relies on braking downhill. Therefore it is inferior to the overdriving the brakes technique which is the correct way to descend steep hills in autos. I also believe that HDC has a minimum speed of 7kmph? Which is too quick for my liking.

cheers

[RichardK]

Well, when the better half suggested (around 10 years ago) we trade the ser111 and her toyo..... in to buy a Rangie I thought RIPPER!!! but she added it had to be auto.....now at that time being full of testosterone I could only believe that REAL men drove manual 4wds. 8O 8O

I thought I could disguise myself to save embarrasment in case anybody saw me driving an auto in a 4wd situation. :oops: :oops:

I now say that an auto is the only way to go, I have much more control of the vehicle in any 4wd situation and she (the RR) doesn't have the forces going through the drivetrain that I have seen some manuals go through in difficult situations. ........ and perhaps my testosterone level is lower :roll: :roll:

....and the wife is happy..... style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif :

[Goblin]

Just watch the early Series II disco's. They don't have the CDL. The sII upgrades (easily spotted by the newer headlamp cluster) do have the CDL and most of the earlier ones can be retro-fitted, but not all.
Without CDL the TC only sII disco's do struggle. I've seen it numerous times.

[rmp]

Agree about the CDL (centre diff lock, not to be confused with cross-axle lockers). To see what difference it makes, drive a Defender or Discovery with the centre diff open. The traction control works much harder and the vehicle is simply considerably less capable. Why LR did that in the Discovery S2 is beyond me, but they did.

[greg-g]

Hi
Thanks for your help
I'm now the proud owner of a new TD5 Auto Discovery Classic Town with 16" Alloy Wheels.
I don't know why anyone would want 18" Alloys. They ride harder, and I suspect the rims and tyres would be far more suseptiable to damage.
The Leather seats and park distance control are very nice.

Thanks again
greg

[rmp]

Congratulations!

You're right about the 18" alloys, no use for offroading at all. But they look better (apparently) and improve on-road handling (apparently).

[MylesC]

Go auto. Used to be a stick man once but have been auto for the last ten years - and glad of it. Great for towing, off road and around town. The ZF is perfectly mated to the TD5 for all applications I have put it to - particularly heavy towing. Drove an 18" shod truck for a day recently. Great handling on smooth tar but quite rough on broken stuff. Didn't (and wouldn't) take it on the dirt for fairly obvious reasons.

[drivesafe]

Hi Greg-g, is there a better feeling like that as you get into that new disco and the smell of a new Landy makes it worth every cent.
As for the auto, if you’ve not had one before, you will never have any thing else again.
One trick, I have a Rangie but I think the Disco has a similar. transmission management system. It’s great in just about every way you want to drive but there is one little narky thing that comes as a rude shock the first time it occurs.
I use my auto on long down hill runs like a manual, as you do, but the Landy transmission management system monitors the engine revs and if the revs get to high, even though you may have selected a given gear, the transmission management system moves up a gear and as I said it comes as a bit of a boot as you may have to go looking for the breaks big time.
Also as you have your new machine, this is not for you. For any one else looking at buying a pre-loved Disco, forget the dealers and just look around. There are some really cheap deals out there. I was after a disco for my daughter and there was a 2001 Disco in Sydney, with 300,000kms on it but it was going for $7,500. At that price, the saving would cover any running repairs. That one went quick!
Regards. 8)

[greg-g]

Hi drivesafe.
I was looking for for a used disco, but couldn't find one in tasi or vic in the time frame. Most people in my opinion are asking far to much for good recent vehicles considering the deals available on new units with full warranty.
Thanks for your comments
regards greg-g