TC is an advanage but an 01 isn't going to have a factory CDL so you're going to be reliant on it alot more. You can also run larger tyres without having to cut guards, but comparing 2 in bog standard form not sure there would be that huge a diff offroad.
One thing is a lot of D1 due to cheaper purchase price also may have diff locks, detroit lockers or true tracks fitted so do these trump traction control?
Yeah my parents owned 3 D1's through the years, but was never really taken on trough rutted out tracks. I bought the D2 I have now off my parents, and I must say the traction control does make a difference when combined with the CDL. Im wondering if there might be some other reason why a D2 might be better offroad than a D1, the suspension is different. The d2 tends to lift more wheels compared to a D1, but that might just be my stock suspension.
Cheers
Hendrik
I've got a D1 (5spd 300TDi)for the wife I have a D90(3.9T Isuzu 5spd) and I'm currently baby sitting a mates D2(01 model 5spd TD5)
My view......
I love my D90 it's fantastic off road, towes great. Not too crash hot over around 95km/h, handling .
The wifes D1 is fantastic on the open road, its a little weighty off road (you know your driving a family car), very easy to work on the engine (this is exactly why I bought it, no electrics), good fuel economy on the open road. Definatly a step up from the defender I really like to drive it, I find myself coming up with reasons why I need to take her car out for jobs and such. Biggest gripe though is a bit dowy on acceleration though not good around town. I would love to get a bigger intercooler and a VNT turbo, but hay...it's the wifes car.
The D2, fantastic engine. I advoided this engine option like the plauge when I was searching for a disco for the wife (they are very famous for their problems). But I'm eating my words at the moment, I have even put the baby seat into it so I can drive it more often!!!
The overall finish of the vehicle is a little more finished than the D1, Looks just that little bit more smoother too (Both the Discos are the crappy green so it's not just the change of colour that is making it look good).
However .......there is something that is just not quite right. I really can't put my finger on what it is that I don't like about the D2. I'm thinking that it's the suspension, the D1 is lifted 2" and the D2 is stock, it kinda dosen't feel like a landrover, not really sure.
I'm also not sold on the climate control either. You can't just turn the aircon off and leave the fan on WTF. I think though if I let my wife drive this vehicle I'd be out shopping for an upgrade
Fuel economy is great, better than the wifes D1
There is also alot of room for modification with the TD5 where as the 300TDi has a farely limited modification list(unless you spend the real big bucks ie 2.8stroker). I think if you kept ontop of the oil in the harness issue these would be a really reliable vehicle
At the end of the day, if there was a D1 and D2 and both were in good nic I'd definatly go for the D2.
Hope this helps
Hi Hendrik,
Primarily due to the ETC. This makes a huge HUGE HUGE difference offroad. Unless you are modifying beyond regular 2" lift type stuff, the D1 doesn't articulate better than the D2 either. The D1 flexs better than the D2 at the rear, the D2 flexs better than the D1 at the front. Outright articulation seems to be very very close and the differences seem to be in engine weight and sway bars/no swaybars and ACE. The one spot that the D1 has an advantage offroad is the departure angle. AFAIK the Discovery produced with the most articulation from the factory is the TD5 with ACE - I don't recall if it was with coils or SLS though. Such fine differences in travel is moot in the big stuff when they both lifts wheels anyway when things like traction aids and weight bias create the drive anyway.
Cheers
Slunnie
~ Discovery II Td5 ~ Discovery 3dr V8 ~ Series IIa 6cyl ute ~ Series II V8 ute ~
As you said it was going to be your daily driver with a little 4bing I would definately go the D2 as there is no comparision in comfort. However if you wre going to get more serious off road then the D1 as that model D2 will not have a CDL and will be less capable, added to that is the fact that the more you go off road the more likley the electronic gremlins of the D2 will appear and as a daily driver this can be a pain in the back side. That said you could spend the extra money and have all the know gremlins address when you buy the D2 and you have the best of both worlds. Just depends on how much you want to spend. For what its worth we have one of each (but the D2 has a CDL) and they are both great cars so good luck - cheers JP
98 300 Tdi...Hands down for all previously mentioned reasons!
I was in the same boat but went with the 300 also a D1 will be cheaper so more money for diesel and parts etc![]()
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