Thread: Curious - IYHO how do you think the D1 stands up to similar era Cruisers/Patrols?

I'm a big fan of the Discovery since owning one myself, and apart from their little quirks I'd definitely rather drive one than a Cruiser or Patrol. My sister was carrying on tonight about how she did some 4WD course today as part of her Geology training at university and how she loved the Patrol she got to drive as opposed to the Land Cruiser and she was surprised when I told her that the Discovery is regarded as one of the serious heavyweights for off road driving up there with both the Patrol/Cruiser.

That just got me wondering more than anything, what do the experienced folk on this forum think of how the Disco compares to the Patrol and the Cruiser...from a more factual point of view

I have no doubt they're all very serious vehicles and all capable, just wondering how you folk see it. I'm more talking about the D1 versus things like the 80 series Cruiser (and the one after it) and then the GQ type Patrols and the one just after that, they were all the cars I was looking at when I was on the path to buying my Disco.

(apologies if this is in the wrong part of the forum)

please people stop embarrasing yourselves. This is always a lovely topic to discuss and the merits of one vehicle over another gets done to death on every forum but if you know nothing of the vehicles being discussed it's best not to comment on them.

The D1 ran from 92/3 to 98/9. Excluding commercial vehicle (as the Disco didn't have that variant so we are comparing like with like) in this era the Patrol ran through the GQ, GQ II and the first of the GU. Extra's like leather, abs and air bags could be found. They all ran coils front and rear and could be had in petrol 4.2 up to 4.8 or diesel 2.8 up to 4.2. Turbo's were fitted stock to some diesels and they could be had in auto and manual. They came basically on a 31 inch tyre. The Toyota had the 80, 100 and 105 series wagons and pretty much were similiar in spec to the patrols, except it was also constant 4wd and so had a centre diff lock in the 80.

Of the two the toyota was always considered a much nicer car to drive on the road. The patrol was more of a truck for the bush.

They of course were much bigger than the D1 and so filled a different market segment. The D1 was small and better suited to urban and tight bush environments. The patrol and cruiser were well and trully far better suited to touring.

In stock form I think the d1 drove nicer but once you put bigger wheels on to keep up through the ruts that benefit started to disappear.

please continue...