Thread: New to Landrovers, a bit of advice please

OK
Series one has a timing belt - 300tdi motor
Series 2 has a timing chain TD5 motor.

If you go series 2 then make sure it has the center diff lock. You also want to look for post 2001. The series 2 started in 99.
TD5 engine is great, very good on fuel and lots of go. If you cook the engine then the head gasket will cost you $1500 to $4500 depending on how bad you hurt it. The electrics are not as scarey as people make out but the three amigo's seams comon.
Can't give a much detail on the tdi motors.

Although the Discovery 1 and Discovery 2 succeeded each other, and look very similar, they are quite different vehicles. Which is better depends a lot on your view of the world, and of course mainly on the past of the particular vehicle you are looking at.

The Discovery 1 is basically the same vehicle as the original Rangerover, with a new body. In other words, even when first released it was a twenty year old design (with improvements of course, including a new diesel engine). This means that they had relatively few problems, at least mechanically, and most parts are cheap (comparatively). On parts one thing to watch is that the early 200Tdi engine heads are now said to be unobtainable, so if thinking of one of these you would need to be very sure it has not been overheated.

The Discovery 2 was essentially the same vehicle designed from scratch, so that it does not have the advantage of sharing as many parts with a long production run, so parts are often expensive compared to the D1. Against this, the twenty-five years newer design means that it is perhaps more reliable, and certainly performs, rides and handles better, and is quieter and more refined (not that any were bad in these respects when new, but standards have changed).

But the major factor will be the condition of the particular vehicle, including a documented service history.

Hope this helps,

John

All I would say is if you get a Td5 don't get an early one. Go for 2001 or later. Personally, due to bad experience with a Td5 I'd go for a 300 Tdi but as John says it depends on your view of the world and there are plenty of reliable Td5s getting around.

Whats the reason begind going for a post 2001?

Originally Posted by Offroad_AJ

Whats the reason begind going for a post 2001?

Most issues seamed to be with the very early ones. There was a problem on a few with the oil pump bolt and the heads tended to more likely to let go. By now the early ones will have had these problems though.

Can't go too far wrong with an 'end of run' Disco 1. They were pretty sorted by then. Look for a 97 or 98 model. I prefer the diesel in a manual but lots of guys love their autos. Not real fast, but if you drive it like you stole it they still get up and go OK and you'll get about 10L/100 from it.

Mine's got rust forming in the Alpine windows and not sure how I'm going to fix it so probably off to the body shop for someone who knows what they are doing. This is pretty common, as is rust in the rear "door catch" area (the body side not the door side).

Just make sure you get one with FSH, and make sure the timing belt has been done at 80,000Km intervals.

HTH
David

Originally Posted by Offroad_AJ

If we do get a series 2 with all that fang dangled suspension, do the shocks cost much more than normal and does a suspension lift affect it?

Did they fit something fancy I never heard about?

Nothing fancy under there!

IMHO the series II has better road manners and comfort and the series I is better offroad but thats simply because of the better approach and departure angles in the series I its a smaller vehicle.