Just how good are Discos?

[landyfromanuthaland]

I have been giving consideration to trading the AU on a Disco, a mate owns a car yard and has a pair of series1 V8 Discos, one two door one four door, I have read about some dramas with the diesel discos and have decided petrol/lpg would be the go, now are the discos cash cows? are they generally reliable, I really want to give this all the consideration I need as last thing I want is a lemon.

Andy

[Outlaw]

personally love my v8 disco as an on AND offroader... would be great on 100% lpg as the fuel bill is the main downfall... had very few problems

[LandyAndy]

Hi Andy
The 2 door V8 wouldnt be worth much,getting pretty long in the tooth,havent been sold for ages.
If he is a good mate get him to lend you the one you want for the weekend,bet you like it!!!!
Andrew

[dirtdawg]

my disco runs great on lpg but is a bit rough on petrol but i think its just a tuning issue

[4bee]

The 2 door V8 wouldnt be worth much,getting pretty long in the tooth,havent been sold for ages.

1995 in fact.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

funnily enough:p
I think the 3door is one of the better offroad vehicles out there,,

its just one big shell,,

has the same running gear as the RR's,,

has THE BEST STEERING WHEEL ever on a LR,,,



cash cows???

not now!

everybody else has already fixed all the faults,,

mind you,, the early ones are getting on a bit,,,

[RonMcGr]

I have been giving consideration to trading the AU on a Disco, a mate owns a car yard and has a pair of series1 V8 Discos, one two door one four door, I have read about some dramas with the diesel discos and have decided petrol/lpg would be the go, now are the discos cash cows? are they generally reliable, I really want to give this all the consideration I need as last thing I want is a lemon.

Andy

Andy,

We kept our AU "AND" bought a Disco :)
1997 V8i, took it on last weekends adventure and really found out how good they are. I love the Disco, it is tops.

Washed it on Monday after all the dust, and it even runs better that it did prior to Sunday. I think it was the "Italian Tune up" over the rough stuff.

Mate, they can be dirt cheap to buy and are 100% on the expensive jap cr*p that most people buy.

Nothing like being an individual :D, Stuff the Jones :p

[Blknight.aus]

with 2 inchs of spring lift (and the brake lines and shockies to suit) 7.50r16 steeltrecks on my 93 disco could go anywhere.... With a good driver Id dare to suggest it could outgo a deefer.

[dirtdawg]

whats the approx cost of lifting a 95 disco 2 inches??????

[Blknight.aus]

$600 if you DIY and only go for it via single rate springs ($250and a bit for front/rear as a set) and 3 new slightly longer brake lines. But That was a mates rate deal.

PM wrex hes just gotten effectively 2 inches of spring lift but Im not happy with the shockie situation he was running when he left but his was on the cheap but not doing the shockies also ment we didnt have to do his brake lines.

[dirtdawg]

its not that hard to do youself is it??? i did a lowering job on the prelude i used to have ( not a spring chop ) and did the springs and shocks myself then just took it for an alignment

[rovercare]

with 2 inchs of spring lift (and the brake lines and shockies to suit) 7.50r16 steeltrecks on my 93 disco could go anywhere.... With a good driver Id dare to suggest it could outgo a deefer.

I guess I should put my 35" simex, front and rear maxi's, all custom suspension stuff, horspower additions, in the bin.............If a 2" lifted, 7.50 tyred, stock disco will go anywhere:p

The differences in the suspension and undercarriage between RR classic, Disco(until D2), Defender are minimal, almost zilch

So unless the extra 10" or the sals, if it's got one in the Defender, makes the difference, i'll eat my hat:D

[rovercare]

its not that hard to do youself is it??? i did a lowering job on the prelude i used to have ( not a spring chop ) and did the springs and shocks myself then just took it for an alignment

Have you got spanners and a good jack?

[dirtdawg]

i have my full toolbox and roll cab so id say im fairly equiped ;)

[Blknight.aus]

Id also want some good tall jack stands but thats just me....

borrow or make a set of spring compressors and thats the hardest part made easy. Just be sure to watch the brake lines while your doing it as its easy enought do stress one and have it fail later.

the most infuriating part for me doing wrex's disco was trying to tetris out the drivers side shock tower to get the shockie clear of the spring.

Everything else went easy. (but I had a choice of hoists, spring compressors on hand and a decked out workshop.)

[V8Landy]

I have swapped springs and shockies in the driveway a couple of times it's easy.:D;)

[mcrover]

I guess I should put my 35" simex, front and rear maxi's, all custom suspension stuff, horspower additions, in the bin.............If a 2" lifted, 7.50 tyred, stock disco will go anywhere:p

The differences in the suspension and undercarriage between RR classic, Disco(until D2), Defender are minimal, almost zilch

So unless the extra 10" or the sals, if it's got one in the Defender, makes the difference, i'll eat my hat:D

The Sal is like a big ancor in ruts, my Disco unlocked has made easy what Chris's Fender made look difficult but in saying that I wouldnt say there is that much difference and it has only been once that he needed 2 bites and his rear locker to get up out of a river crossing.

The same crossing stuck Sschmez, a Fender ute/tray and a GU Pootrol, My Disco and another Disco 2door V8 locked on muddies made it in 1 go.

Ask Chris to down load the Vids as Im on Dial up I cant do it.

[mcrover]

I will point this out,

There is nothing wrong with the Diesels as long as they have been looked after, there have been some updates done and a few mods and you keep up the maintenance.

There is also nothing wrong with the V8's, they are cheaper, they seem to go great on LPG but again there are a few updates and mods to do as well as regular maintenance will provide a reliable one.

The only differences that I have come up with are,

Diesels you get more range but on LPG they are comparable for cost to run.

V8's are smoother and have a little more pickup than the Diesels.

Major engine repairs are generally cheaper on the V8's than the Diesels.

out of 135ltrs of long range tank, I get consistantly over the 1000km mark with both country and city milage, it is more economical in traffic than our Carolla and is the most comfy car I have ever owned.

I have had an AU 1 tonner and I wouldnt have another but a lot of people have had a great run out of theirs so like the Disco's there were good and bad.

[Greylandy]

The Sal is like a big ancor in ruts, my Disco unlocked has made easy what Chris's Fender made look difficult but in saying that I wouldnt say there is that much difference and it has only been once that he needed 2 bites and his rear locker to get up out of a river crossing.

The same crossing stuck Sschmez, a Fender ute/tray and a GU Pootrol, My Disco and another Disco 2door V8 locked on muddies made it in 1 go.

Ask Chris to down load the Vids as Im on Dial up I cant do it.

I think somebody should have a chat to Chris and Sschmez .. such behaviour is not allowed! ;)

[mcrover]

I think somebody should have a chat to Chris and Sschmez .. such behaviour is not allowed! ;)


As much as I would like to say mines better than everyone else but there were extenuating circumstances.

Chris was first accross so he clreared the track for me but did get his sals hung up and needed his locker to get up.

Stevo was well loaded (his vehical that is) and slightly smaller tyres and Coopers plus the track was getting pretty wet by that stage as I had gone before him.

The other fender was just on smaller tyres and I dont have to explain the Pootrol.

The other disco was just all locked up and full noise but probably would have made it anyway.

The point is that on roughly the same sized tyres and where ruts are involved a Disco/Rangie will clear more due to the lack of the Sals up the back.

In saying that, what ever you do to a Fender can pretty much be done to a Disco but off the shelf, the Fender is a bit more capable there is no doubt.

[dirtdawg]

i have a good set of spring compresers that i bought last time, wouldnt mind a hoist though

[twitchy]

whats the approx cost of lifting a 95 disco 2 inches??????

Mine just cost me $650 for a full EFS suspension kit, shoulda been $1200.


Disco as an offroader, Damn I lurv my V8!!!!!!!!:D

[Cliffy]

Early disco is the way to go!!
V8's last a while if looked after and run sweet on LPG (make sure the LPG is not run too lean, back firing and the hot wire air flow meter means $$$) Early discos may have the flap type airflow and therefore will be safer on LPG. You should also find out if the cross drilled gear box shaft has been fitted. Nuthin like no drive after the old types sieze then shear off!

[landyfromanuthaland]

Just to shine a light on the AUs for a bit, my wagon has a real thing for front pads I cant get 12 months out of a set, they start squealing at 3 months of use and have to be replaced at about 5 months, never ever have engine dramas apart from the crappy reseviors all late Fords have, the autos are good long as you dont want to pull anything heavy, they haveno tranny dip stick so you cant just check it, would I have another one? No!, my old 78 Fairlane runs on LPG she gets 2 years to a set of pads, stillnice to drive but modern carparks dont take her into consideration, we only use her now when we have to go rescue a trotter from the track before the doggers get there otherwise it sits under the tree with the currawongs crapping all over it.

Am looking at a 89 Rangey with 60k only, one owner, I could straight swap for the AU but I have a thing for Rangeys they just dont appeal to me but its probably a fair machine.

[DaveS3]

I love driving my Disco - like others it such a comfortable car to drive.

I have a late 95 D1 update 3.9 on Gas. Nice to drive around, box is a bit notchy as it has just clicked over 200k, and I believe that it doesn't have the cross drilled gear in the transfer so adding to g/box wear.

I have a 80 lt tank in the back, which seems to be usable of about 73.5lt, I am returning about 360-380km fairly regularly, but occasionally can be lower or higher depending on where I drive. In saying that, it costs about $32-$35 to cover this distance, so is cheap to run.
BTW my right foot gets pretty heavy too ;)


I'm slowly sorting mine out to mod it the way I want, but in the 6months I have owned it I haven't had a problem.

Great Cars!

Dave.

[mcrover]

i have a good set of spring compresers that i bought last time, wouldnt mind a hoist though


I find it much easier to change them on the floor, too hard to hold everything in and lined up as well as lifting things like the entire rear axel back into place.

Trolley jack and stand 1 corner at a time, 2hrs max taking your time.

[landyfromanuthaland]

I remember doing a set of springs in an 86 hilux 4wd, lifted type very heavy duty things, a real bugger of a job, A mate of mine had a series 2 Disco he drove this Diesel thing from one side of the country to another from top to bottom and with never a drama bar one belt, he bought a new one about 3 years ago now a real nice rig with DVD screens in the back and all sorts of other creature comforts, hes been over to Perth up the coast to Darwin and back through Mount Isa, he loves them ,absolutely raves about them, they seem to be held in high regard, whats the goss on towing wieghts with the 2 door and 4 door?

[twitchy]

I find it much easier to change them on the floor, too hard to hold everything in and lined up as well as lifting things like the entire rear axel back into place.

Trolley jack and stand 1 corner at a time, 2hrs max taking your time.

AMEN to that brother!!!!!!!!!

[olbod]

I am more than satisfied with my 3 door Disco.
I had to rebuild the V8 after I cooked it. My fault.
I am slowly going thru it, replacing old bits with new.
Have new Maxi axles and ARB airlockers going in.
Will be doing the 2" lift after Xmas, also replacing all
of the suspension rubbers and bushes etc, with new.
New longranger yet to be fitted.
Removing back seats and building cage and draw system. Snorkel and twin batteries also going in.
Not going on gas.
All up including purchase, I reckon I will be spending about 25 grand, maybe a bit more.
Is it worth it ?
I think so.
Of course I would never get my money back if sold
or traded but that doesn't matter.
It's what it means to me that is important.
When finished I will have a good as new vehicle,
without all of the electrical crap and very easy to maintain.
More than capable of towing an offroad camper,
anywhere in OZ that I want to take it and I will not have spent a bundle on something perhaps more comfortable but definately not more capable.
The 30 or 40 grand saved by not buying a new vehicle
will be well spent on having fun !
So, when I look at my Disco and what it costs, I look
from the point of view, of what it means to me.
I love my disco.
Cheers.

[4bee]

CRIPES! :o Who said the day of the romantic story is dead? Definitely a touch of the Jane Austen there.


Do you sleep with her (your 3 door, not Jane Austen) as well?:D:D

[olbod]

CRIPES! :o Who said the day of the romantic story is dead? Definitely a touch of the Jane Austen there.


Do you sleep with her (your 3 door, not Jane Austen) as well?:D:D

Yes, as often as I can get out in the scrub !
I would not be surprised if it was buried with me.:D

He aint a she, by the way.
His name is Nat, after Nat Buckanan the Drover !
Hard worker and as tough as an old boot.
Druther have an ol boot than a new boot anyday.:cool:
Cheers,