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Thread: New and Looking at TD5

  1. #1
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    New and Looking at TD5

    G'day disco lovers,

    I am a new kid on the block with another, what car should I buy question.

    I've had enough of living in the city in an apartment and am chucking it in to build a house in the country. I'm going to be commuting to work in town about 80ks each way and figure I need a new car. In my little dream world I've got this vision of me carting my pushy, firewood and all sorts of stuff in the back.

    After some research I've discovered Discovery. I've read reviews good and bad but just need a bit of help refining my choice. Hopefully someone here can fill in any missing pieces. I'm not as knowledgable as I'd like to be with cars, in fact I'm bloody hopleless.

    My Requirements are:
    * Fuel efficient
    * comfortable to drive on highway
    * Able to tow
    * good carrying capacity
    * around $8,000 to $13,000


    I spoke to Ray at Romsey Land Rover Service Centre and he was generous with his time and gave me what seemed like sound advice. As well as reading a lot of reviews I've also scanned through 47 pages of this forum.

    My conclusions so far are that I should be looking at a:
    * Discovery II
    * TD5
    * Automatic
    * ACE
    * Regularly serviced with log books
    * BMW engine

    At Land Rover Discovery - www.drive.com.au they say:
    "Our pick


    A 2000 Td5 with the new-generation turbo-diesel and seven seats is a thoroughly competent family transporter with real off-road credentials".

    I suppose my biggest question is, all things being equal, what year is better? Is it a matter of the later the better? Anything past year x is ok."
    Price wise there seemed to be a difference between 1999 and 2000.

    Brian

  2. #2
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    Brian

    The TD5 is not a BMW motor, what exactly it is someone here may be able to tell you but not a bimmer.

    For the money you mentioned, you would not get a good reliable TD5 IMHO.

    There is currently a ripper 87 Tdi model for 12k listed in the market section with low k's and lots of $ spend.

    they are very frugal on juice(10L/100) and if cared for very reliable and with very little electrics are the go for doing as you mentioned.

    Best of luck.

    These are just my thoughts and experiences.

  3. #3
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    TD5 is the last motor that LR made befor it was sold to BMW. It was an inhouse development, and is a really good motor apart from:
    o Oil can get into the loom and cause the ECU to do funny things
    o Early ones didn't have LocTite on the oil pump bolt, which was a disaster if the bolt came off

    The DIIs are everything your requirements ask for. If you are going to use it in anger off road, try and get one with a built in centre diff lock. For a couple of years they relied soley on the traction Control, but this is not nearly as good without the centre locking diff. Do a search here to find out the years (I have only a DI, so not sure on DIIs).

    HTH
    David

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by big guy View Post
    Brian

    The TD5 is not a BMW motor, what exactly it is someone here may be able to tell you but not a bimmer.

    For the money you mentioned, you would not get a good reliable TD5 IMHO.

    There is currently a ripper 87 Tdi model for 12k listed in the market section with low k's and lots of $ spend.
    Thanks Big Guy,

    Did you mean the '97? I just looked at the ad and it sounds pretty good even though it has a lot of features I may never take advantage of.

    I can't remember where I got the idea about the BMW engine and it's importance.

    Maybe I will have to scale back to the TDi. Sometimes things get away from me and before I know it I've said, "this one is a bit better and not much more", a few times and I've spent double the budget. Started toying around with the idea of a Freelander 2 days ago and I've already progressed to Discovery.

    Brian

  5. #5
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    Ditch the freelander idea quickly.

    No offence to currrent owners

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by spudboy View Post
    TD5 is the last motor that LR made befor it was sold to BMW. It was an inhouse development, and is a really good motor apart from:
    o Oil can get into the loom and cause the ECU to do funny things
    o Early ones didn't have LocTite on the oil pump bolt, which was a disaster if the bolt came off

    The DIIs are everything your requirements ask for. If you are going to use it in anger off road, try and get one with a built in centre diff lock. For a couple of years they relied soley on the traction Control, but this is not nearly as good without the centre locking diff. Do a search here to find out the years (I have only a DI, so not sure on DIIs).

    HTH
    David
    Just got through 24 pages of the "300tdi-vs-td5" thread http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/48451-300tdi-vs-td5-24.html and I'm leaning towards the TD5 at the moment. If I can get a good 'un at the right price I'm in the club.

    I can't get a Freelander now anyway. I'd have to change my user name and that might not be possible.

  7. #7
    slug_burner is offline TopicToaster Gold Subscriber
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    Freeby Brian,

    It is all possible, we have moderators that can change your username however I'm of the same opinion as big guy, stick with the Disco idea and username.

    I love my DII more for the creature comforts as well as the ABS/TC. I don't know how you will go with the budget as the diesels hold their value well. I am sure that a V8 DII would be available for that money however you would have to put it on Gas. Some will say that fuel is one of the cheaper components of vehicle ownership however I don't like being reminded of how thirsty a petrol V8 pushing over two tonne can be every couple of hundred km.

    The TDi although not as powerful will reward you with economy and range.

    Disco's (pre D3) are not real generous on volume in as far as carrying capacity is concerned, maybe that is just my opinion as the Defender is a vehicle I would say has generous carrying capacity by any measure. Some of the niceties are what you give up with the Defender though. Life's a compromise.

    Take some for a test drive and see for yourself.

    Good luck

  8. #8
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    Hi Brian.
    The TD5 D2 would be great and there are more and more coming up in your price range just need to be quick. Just check the forum for common faults ie oil in ECU loom and get one that has most of the upgrades done already. The models without the CDL are 01 and 02 but I would get a list of the serial numbers of models with it in (here on the forum somewhere). The pre 01 models have the CDL in the transfer case but not the lever to activate it. Either way they are a great car so good luck and enjoy.
    cheers JP

  9. #9
    disco5254 Guest

    Discodriver5254

    Hello Brian,

    I have had a 95 TDI and got an 03 TD5 - if you are going for a TD5, go for one post 2003 as BMW owned LR during this time and there were some great enhancements. The TD5 auto with CDL is a great machine, giving comfort and grunt off road.

    Evidentally there is a problem after 120K Km where coolant drops out when head gaskets go and it costs for a top overhaul, suggest you look for one that has had this work done.

    While they are being advertised in WA for $25,000, I have seen them sell for as little as $8000 as a trade in so there are private sellers trying to beat this scenario.

    Good luck and happy days!!!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by disco5254 View Post
    Hello Brian,

    I have had a 95 TDI and got an 03 TD5 - if you are going for a TD5, go for one post 2003 as BMW owned LR during this time and there were some great enhancements. The TD5 auto with CDL is a great machine, giving comfort and grunt off road.

    Evidentally there is a problem after 120K Km where coolant drops out when head gaskets go and it costs for a top overhaul, suggest you look for one that has had this work done.

    While they are being advertised in WA for $25,000, I have seen them sell for as little as $8000 as a trade in so there are private sellers trying to beat this scenario.

    Good luck and happy days!!!

    • BMW sold Land Rover to Ford in mid 2000
    • Plenty of TD5's have gone well past 120,000 without head gasket issues - but yes obviously if the head gasket goes you may well loose coolant. (early models had plastic head dowels that certainly increase the likelihood of head gasket issues.)
    • $8,000 TD5 Disco II - sounds to me like a Disco II worth steering well clear of ( even if the pricing is trade)

    That said.... as disco5254 said.. The TD5 auto with CDL is a great machine.

    Look for one with a good service history from someone that actually knows Land Rover (not just the local garage) and you should be on a winner..

    Good luck with it..

    Mark
    Mark

    Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most

    2015 TDV6 D4.... the latest project... Llams, Traxide, Icom 455, Tuffant Kimberleys and Mofos.... so far.
    2012 SDV6 SE D4 with some stuff... gone...
    2003 D2a TD5...gone...
    2000 D2 V8...gone...
    https://bymark.photography


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