S1 Disco TDi - very S L O W

**RRV80** · 22nd November 2006, 09:23 PM

Had an experience today with a discovery, now before i start i dont intent to bag anyone out on here that drives a TDi, well today i had my first experience with a a discovery, was a 1998 S1 TDi Auto, now being a diesel, i wasnt expecting it to be a fast car, no quite far from it, however what i was expecting was a notable amoutn of torque, but no, you right foot goes to the floor before it even decided to start moving, and when it does eventually progress in motion, all you hear is a whole lot of diesel engine and you dont seem to get anywhere, i can say that it was an absolute dog, - and the owner says he tows caravans, noe i can only imagine hoe slow it would be then. 114,000km on the clock with a full history with plenty of oil leaks, same as similar disco's i would imagine, so mechanically, you would think it was in reasonable condition, i was starting to get interested in the disco's (Td5's) but now i am losing interest again, am i right in saying that all TDi's are slow....are the Td5's any imporvment, i dont know, but i didnt even seem to like the way it drove, it just doesnt feel like the rangie does, i think i will be sticking to my Range Rover Classics in the future.

**Scouse** · 22nd November 2006, 09:30 PM

The standard Tdi auto is a slug off the line, especially when cold. Once they're warmed up, they're a lot better but you will still have to get used to watching the traffic lights to get a good start

.

The Td5 is completely different. The auto is more suited to this engine & it has a lot more poke down low in the rev range.
Drive a Td5 now that you've driven a Tdi & you'll be amazed.

**Michael2** · 22nd November 2006, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by RRV80

...but i didnt even seem to like the way it drove, it just doesnt feel like the rangie does, i think i will be sticking to my Range Rover Classics in the future.

The Disco is a plastic Range Rover, how many times do I have to say this.

Some mates & I went to test drive some Land Rovers one day, the Defender was GREAT, the Tdi auto Disco was s..l...o...w, as you describe. One of the guys was looking at upgrading his S1V8 Disco, but the test drive put him off the Tdi auto immediately. The other guy went and bought a Defender.

The TD5s go a lot better, and the Defenders go much better too, even in Tdi, probably due to a manual box and slightly lower gearing.

**Utemad** · 22nd November 2006, 09:33 PM

I recently bought a V8 D1. I test drove some Tdi D1s and they were slow and gutless in my opinion. One of the manual ones I drove I reckon that everyone in the right hand lane passed me and then everyone behind me pulled out and overtook me as I was crossing though the intersection after a stop light

Some people love them but I couldn't bring myself to drive one in traffic again. Maybe on the highway.............maybe.

**rangieman** · 22nd November 2006, 09:34 PM

Tdi manual,s go all right i reckon

a mate has a disco Tdi auto and it is a Slug he drove my Defender and loved it

**Blknight.aus** · 22nd November 2006, 09:35 PM

Doesnt sound right to me......

Edddo drives a tdi disco with the sludge box and he made an absolute mockary out of big red on the little jaunt we did as the first reccy for the weekend coming up... mind you he did sit right on the change point of my manual gear shift for most of the trip and I was carrying a bit more gear.

perhaps its not as well looked after as youve been lead to believe?

**loanrangie** · 22nd November 2006, 10:05 PM

Thats strange as i have gone from a modded V8 rangie to a tdi auto and have not been dissapointed, even dragged off a few diesel LC's. I have never had to floor it to get moving just gentle acceleration letting the torque determine the pedal position. Cant have been looked after if it had a lot of oil leaks, i dont have a single drip from mine. And an auto tdi craps all over a manual disco or fender.

**waynep** · 23rd November 2006, 08:37 AM

TDis are no rocket ship it's true. They are not for everyone. Mind you a couple of mates I go out with have normally aspirated Hi Luxes and Troopies - if you want s..l..o..w try one of those !!

I sometimes get frustrated with the lag off the line but there are ways you can fiddle with the injector pump. ( I haven't - yet ). Others put on 3" exhausts and upgrade intercoolers, turbos etc.

I found these things made a difference :
1. Ensuring injection pump timing is dead on.
2. Using an additive in the fuel (morey's or similar )
3. Use a foam air filter for better flow.

And at least there's the compensation of 9.5l/100km fuel economy !

**Norm Mueller** · 23rd November 2006, 08:52 AM

There is an art to driving a Tdi D1. When I've driven an auto I've been disappointed (but I can't stand an auto in ANY car). If you just thump the accelerator you'll get no joy. You've got to feed on throttle feeling how they go, then they go pretty well. I've had no problems keeping up with V8 D1s on the highway and beat them in sand. You can make them leap off the line with a bit of experience of what revs to use when you give them some clutch slip. I'm very happy with mine - way more go than a LC 4.2 (non-turbo) diesel, and a bit more than a Nissan 4.2.

**Ace** · 23rd November 2006, 09:02 AM

I agree there is an art to driving them, they arent just slam down the peddle and go like the V8. I find driving my manual TDi to be fine around the mountains around here, on some of the hills i need 4th to get up at 100 but most of the time just chug over the top at 90-95 to save fuel. I have no problems accellerating to pass slow traffic. Off road thats a different ball game, in low range i dont get any lag at all, immediately responsive on the throttle in all low range gears.

I find that flat to the floor to get up hills doesnt work, you need to feed the throttle on as said above, the least amount of throttle seems to yield the best results, just find the rev range and then use the throttle to sit in the sweet spot. I test drove and Auto and they were sluggish to get moving but i test drove it around Mt Panorama and it went fine once it was worm as Scouse said.

But as the others have said the TD5 is a different story, i would safely say a chipped TD5 would smoke a Series I V8, if it didnt there wouldnt be much in it.

Thread: S1 Disco TDi - very S L O W

Thread Tools

S1 Disco TDi - very S L O W

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions