Most reliable Disco?

[harrisonrice]

Hello D1 peoples
I hear from other people that vouch for Landies that they are more reliable by far than Toyotas and Nissans... so a bit dazed..[bighmmm]
Then another person told me that yes they were, as long as there were not that much electronics.
What discoveries have not heaps of electronics, and which ones are very reliable? Would D1's fit into that category or should i go back to series LR?
Also- if i was to get one what problems should i be looking out for?
Appreciate any help, thanks

[PhilipA]

After 3 RRCs BY FAR the most reliable I have had is my 2002 D2 TD5 auto.

The electronics don't seem to give problems very much aside from the occasional wiring loom which is cheap to fix, and ABS sensors.

The benefits of ABS and Traction control far outweigh the occasional problems IMHO.

That is if you don't get rear airbags and dynamic cornering control or whatever it is called. They seem to be troublesome.
Cars in general became much more reliable as wiring looms improved and QC got better in the 90s and noughties. BMW input by replacing Lucas with Bosch , Nippon Denso etc helped.

Regards Philip A

[Homestar]

Don't be scared by the electronics - they are much better than some mechanical components that I'd be more worried about.

From what I've seen from friends the TD5 powered D2 would be my pick also. A great engine that gives good fuel economy too. Yes, they can have issues, but every engine in the lineup has its own idiosyncrocies. The D2a - the last of the D2's seems to be a pretty solid unit amd would be my pick.

[scarry]

The D2a,2004, i had was by far the best LR i ever had.

Serviced correctly,you can't go wrong.

It did heaps of remote area trips in rough country,no problems at all.

The D4 hasn't been too bad,but has had 3 issues,with things i could do without.

Smart key needed new software,a normal key would be fine.
Electric park brake switch failed,normal hand brake would be fine.
Air suspension,corner valve failed.Could do without the air suspension,but it is nice to have.

I run a fleet of yota work vans,reliability is excellent,couldn't ask for better...

[Young Angus]

I have no personal experience with a TD5 but I hear they're great.

I agree that electronics if looked after can be fine, but if you want even less electronics...in fact one of the simplest engines going round still in a comfortable car...the 300Tdi may be a good one for you [thumbsupbig]

Thing is they're just getting a bit older now, but by all accounts one heck of a reliable motor if looked after regularly and far less things to go wrong than some others. I'm sure a TD5 would also be very reliable if looked after properly, I have a feeling not much on a 300Tdi is actually controlled by computers or electronics. So if you get hit with an electro magnetic pulse from space your electric windows may stop working along with your headlights and radio but if the engine was running when the pulse went off it might still be running afterwards.

(Caveat - I know nothing about electro magnetic pulses apart from what I saw on the movie Golden Eye)

[Fausto79]

Makes it harder for aliens to abduct you if they can’t kill your engine with emp.

[donh54]

After 3 RRCs BY FAR the most reliable I have had is my 2002 D2 TD5 auto.

The electronics don't seem to give problems very much aside from the occasional wiring loom which is cheap to fix, and ABS sensors.

The benefits of ABS and Traction control far outweigh the occasional problems IMHO.

That is if you don't get rear airbags and dynamic cornering control or whatever it is called. They seem to be troublesome.
Cars in general became much more reliable as wiring looms improved and QC got better in the 90s and noughties. BMW input by replacing Lucas with Bosch , Nippon Denso etc helped.

Regards Philip A

Treat the SLS (Self Levelling Suspension) as a service item (replace the bags every 150K for normal driving, probably every 110-120K if you do a lot of gravel road travel. The air suspension system is far and away superior to coils, especially if you do some towing.

The ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement) is even easier to maintain. Change the fluid when you do your PAS fluid, and throw a filter in when you do it. Run your eye over the pipes, rams and connections when you are greasing uni joints, etc, just like you (should) do regularly with everything else.

The D1 300Tdi is very reliable (we use ours for prospecting, desert travel, etc for just that reason), but the Td5 D2 is a much more effortless touring machine.

Any Landy is quite a finely tuned machine, they use a lot of "bleeding edge" technology, and sometimes when you do that, you bleed a bit. [biggrin]

The key to any vehicle (Landy or otherwise) is the servicing it's received at the hands of any previous owners. Don't take Landy's to "ordinary" service centres (or Dealers) for repairs/servicing. Either do it yourself (lots of help and guidance on this forum) or get onto a good independent specialist.

[AK83]

Hello D1 peoples
I hear from other people that vouch for Landies that they are more reliable by far than Toyotas and Nissans ......

D1 person here, and so far so good at my end.

BUT! I don't believe that any vehicle is more reliable than another.
Yeah, there are people driving good old 80's model Corollas or Bluebirds with half a million klms on them, but how of them do you see still going?

All cars break, if it has mechanical parts on it, it will eventually break or wear.. no ifs or buts.
(think about it, if it didn't wear or break, the manufacturer would be out of business, as they'd never sell spare parts for them!)

My dad had a supposed unbreakable/reliable 62 series landcruiser. It seemed that every other day I was up at my parents place, there was always something else to fix on it.
It leaked oil worse than any Rover I've ever had, had about 300-400K klms I think.
The day he stopped using it was the best day of my life!
He got a Holden Frontera. Nice-ish car, hopeless 4WD, buy nice motor, and trans, terrible suspension, very economical and enough power for what it was.
it gave him nothing but trouble for the first year or two, he ended up blowing up the rear diff, and had enough, got the diff fixed, and wanted to get rid of it.
He'd done about 20K klms in about 4 years.
I liked the way it drove(around town). So I convinced him to give it to me.
I had it about 3 years, put about 150K klms on it, as my replacement courier vehicle, other than a cut LPG line that was just badly installed by the fitter, it gave me no problems until the 350K mark, where the valves had worn to the point it needed a new engine.

I think people confuse reliability with misuse/abuse, and terrible upkeep/repair work.

No matter what car you get, as it'd have been previously owned, it goes without any question that you have to question what quality of work had been done to it previously.
That's always the major factor in whether the car you get will be reliable.

I was worried about the TD5's electronics, but so far(brother's TD5) have proved to be fine.
I got my 300 Tdi based on my (baseless) fear of electronics, and hundreds of thousands of klms on badly rutted roads.

But now I'm looking forward to the day I get myself a D2 TD5 too .. maybe a D3 2.7 .. one day, but still plan to keep the 300 Tdi for as long as I can afford too.

[harrisonrice]

Hello everyone
Thanks heaps for your inputs to my question..
So i take from it that any vehicle that has been looked after will be a lot more reliable?

[bee utey]

The "Most Reliable Disco" is that one that has never been left out in the weather, has never missed an important service, has never been on the beach, has never been used for heavy duty towing, has never been used for short run commuting, has done less than 100K etc. Then you must be prepared to keep it in the same manner forever. In other words, you may be after an impossible dream. [biggrin]

[harrisonrice]

haha yeah good point[biggrin][tonguewink]
wasnt thinking exactly like an immaculate one.. haha..
although that would be a nice thing to want to have at some stage.[bigwhistle]
will keep on looking then.. maybe there will be one within 10 years..
Although what im looking for doesnt exactly have to be perfect condition
maybe i could try to get something from the LR series IIa or III

[Fausto79]

I saw an immaculate d1 at one of the workshops in perth. Had been kept in a time machine. Apparently was from a deceased estate and had been held in storage for all this time. Had only 35,000 original km on it. Had a few things done to it to bring it up to scratch but was absolutely immaculate and sounded beautiful. That’s the vehicle you want.

[gavinwibrow]

I saw an immaculate d1 at one of the workshops in perth. Had been kept in a time machine. Apparently was from a deceased estate and had been held in storage for all this time. Had only 35,000 original km on it. Had a few things done to it to bring it up to scratch but was absolutely immaculate and sounded beautiful. That’s the vehicle you want.


Just needs wings or floaties to get it to Christchurch

[AK83]

Just needs wings or floaties to get it to Christchurch

Nah! .. just a really .. reeaalllyy! .. long snorkel should do it! [tonguewink]

[Classic88]

I saw an immaculate d1 at one of the workshops in perth. Had been kept in a time machine. Apparently was from a deceased estate and had been held in storage for all this time. Had only 35,000 original km on it. Had a few things done to it to bring it up to scratch but was absolutely immaculate and sounded beautiful. That’s the vehicle you want.

Not necessarily. Long term storage isn't very good for vehicles because parts deteriorate from lack of use - seals, gaskets, hoses, rubbers etc (and in particular suffer badly.

[harrisonrice]

Nah! .. just a really .. reeaalllyy! .. long snorkel should do it! [tonguewink]

haha yeah and about 20k's worth of repairs to rust etc afterwards..[biggrin]
Although that does sound appealing[bawl] pity its not in NZ

although, if i get a bit of speed up (not possible with the 300tdi), and then jump off uluru (maybe not), and then land on the side of mt Cook and i might make it. Then straight to get it registered.

being serious though, was it a 300tdi or a v8?

[Fausto79]

Not necessarily. Long term storage isn't very good for vehicles because parts deteriorate from lack of use - seals, gaskets, hoses, rubbers etc (and in particular suffer badly.

Like i said, needed a few things done to it but when i saw it was up n running and beautiful

[harrisonrice]

Like i said, needed a few things done to it but when i saw it was up n running and beautiful

how much spending do you estimate that it needs?

[Fausto79]

Don’t know. Was all done by the time i saw it but it was very nice. Everything inside as well. Looked like what it would have looked like when it came out of workshop

[donh54]

haha yeah good point[biggrin][tonguewink]
wasnt thinking exactly like an immaculate one.. haha..
although that would be a nice thing to want to have at some stage.[bigwhistle]
will keep on looking then.. maybe there will be one within 10 years..
Although what im looking for doesnt exactly have to be perfect condition
maybe i could try to get something from the LR series IIa or III

Series Landies are hard core! No power steering, air con, sound or heat insulation. Not very fast on the open road, but very capable in the bush, and can carry heavy things a long way! I've had a few over the years. They have a way of casting a spell over you![bigwhistle]

If the Missus would allow it, I'd have one in a heartbeat [thumbsupbig]

[twr7cx]

I can't comment on other Disco's as I haven't owned them. But my D2a TD5 ownership has been a lot more trouble free than general opinion seems to expect of a vehicle loaded with electronics and an electronically controlled engine and transmission. I have had some issues with it yes, but thankfully so far it has not left me stranded.
First 4WD trip - hole in the fuel line - finished the track and drove home no issues.
More recently, rubbed the transmission wiring loom through exposing the copper of some wires on Day 1 of a 4WD trip 200kms from home. The vehicle crawled along for a day and a half off road and got me home to repair.
Most recently, worn alternator, after 280,000km wasn't keeping up with charging the battery. Luckily it was still outputting enough that I managed to drive to and from work every day for a fortnight before being able to replace it.
I've also had the fuel line leak at the back of the vehicle above the fuel tank on the chassis rail and the FPR leak twice. Generally there's always something trying to leak engine oil and or coolant out - currently I suspect that the o-ring between the block and the accessories/water pump bracket needs to be replaced again.