Thread: good idea or am I crazy????

Originally Posted by JohnF

My daily driver is a 95 Disco 300TDI manual. But my daily drive, 75km does include fun windy mountain roads

I love that Land Rover.

Did in our head gasket, but that would have been avoided if we repaced plastic plugs on Radiator, thermostat housing with $2.40 brass ones.

Do fit a low water alarm, about $150, and save the headache.

300TDI mtors need rebuild at about 350,000km, so take that into account when buying yours.

A 4BD1 would be better.

This would have to be your idea to rebuild at 350 ks , I wouldnt say that was a fact , No offence but all you guys with quotes that are out there are not doing the name any favours ,Just imagine you were young and bought a auto Tdi to drag your mates commy off at the lights you would end up the lauging stock of all your mates realy come on And then your mates v6 commy is well past the 350 k mark but you have to rebuild yours because some one said on a forum that you have to rebuild the motor at 350ks
This has realy turned out to be the interweb at its best

Originally Posted by Tank

How many times have I read posts on here about 300TDi Manual box owners whinging about poor performance off the mark especially on hills and when towing, not being able to get enough revs off the mark to have the turbo spin up and produce some useful power. An auto box eliminates that problem, I have even heard of, manuals using low range to take off when they have a load at traffic lights or boat ramps, (pussies LOL), I towed a 2 tonne+ Disco2 a mile or so up one of the steepest tracks around here (Mongamulla FT) over a dozen Eco drains or more from a standing start on the slope, not one 300TDi Manual would have even got off the mark, Autos rule, Regards Frank.

Are you sure ive driven auto Tdi,s that needed low range to take off on a incline where a manual would , But then again if i and others belived what was said on the interweb the motor had probaly done 350ks so needed a rebuild

Originally Posted by rangieman

Are you sure ive driven auto Tdi,s that needed low range to take off on a incline where a manual would , But then again if i and others belived what was said on the interweb the motor had probaly done 350ks so needed a rebuild

When i bought my 94 Disco 300TDi Auto a few years back it had 380,000klms on it. The speedo works sometimes but the odometer hasn't worked since I've owned it so it must be getting on towards(or past) 500,000klms. I am on my third head gasket but the bores and rings are OK, no bearing knock (knock on wood), it would be the perfect engine if it had a cast iron head and I agree it's a myth 350,000klm, phhtt, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

When i bought my 94 Disco 300TDi Auto a few years back it had 380,000klms on it. The speedo works sometimes but the odometer hasn't worked since I've owned it so it must be getting on towards(or past) 500,000klms. I am on my third head gasket but the bores and rings are OK, no bearing knock (knock on wood), it would be the perfect engine if it had a cast iron head and I agree it's a myth 350,000klm, phhtt, Regards Frank.

Quote: "Are you sure ive driven auto Tdi,s that needed low range to take off on a incline where a manual would"

I am sure, a manual/clutch setup actually loses torque at take off, esp. under load through slip and heat, an Auto actually increases Torque at take off and allows the engine to spool up the turbo. Never seen a situation where a manual box and clutch could outperform an auto off the mark, esp. under load, Regards Frank.

so would I be fair to say, manual or auto is a personal choice, good and bad in both, keep 300tdi as cool as possible and whilst changing the head gasket is not on everyones list its not a bad thing to do every 200 000 if I'm so inclined.

I asked this question to get peoples opinions, didn't expect complete agreement, and one mans dog slow is anothers perfectly fine, so thank you all, there is an old Rangie for sale, the Prado will be next, then the hunt for a good Disco begins, if I get a million km one I won't ever need another car!

Finally Rangie,
Agree with Tank, I've had my 300Tdi auto off road a few times now, its been really good, performs really well. On occasion has left others for dead.

Originally Posted by finallyrangie

so would I be fair to say, manual or auto is a personal choice, good and bad in both, keep 300tdi as cool as possible and whilst changing the head gasket is not on everyones list its not a bad thing to do every 200 000 if I'm so inclined.

I asked this question to get peoples opinions, didn't expect complete agreement, and one mans dog slow is anothers perfectly fine, so thank you all, there is an old Rangie for sale, the Prado will be next, then the hunt for a good Disco begins, if I get a million km one I won't ever need another car!

I think you've summed it up nicely.

I agree that manual v auto is a totally personal choice based on needs versus preference , in my REAL WORLD experience (not lab/googled statistics) is that an auto is a better proposition for battling daily traffic .
Hopefully you 'll find a good vehicle whatever tranny it may have .