Thread: To buy, P38 or Discovery 1?

Originally Posted by ariddell

Not in any huge rush so feel free to drop me some more details rovercare and will keep it in mind.

Within Disco 1s the later shape would definately be preferable with the later style dash etc and the 3.9. Leather would be a nice bonus if possible, although was this only available on the ES? Preferance would probably also be for an auto but again i'm not adverse to making the left leg do some work if need be.

My 97 SE7 has leather seats.
I don't know if they were standard or fitted as an extra.

Both the Lucus and 14CUX units used on the disco are dumb EFI units, they merely control fuel, the P38 controls timing via knock sensors, which is far superior in terms of economy

I've had little to do with D2's but would assume its the same Bosch EFI as used on later P38's

Yes D2s use the Thor engine as per P38 4.0 and is allegedly more economical than the 3.9 V8 in the D1.

There are 2 engines used in D2 as far as I know - a low compression and a high compression. I can't say what the differences are for sure but having driven a HC engine it appears more responsive and it might be more fuel -efficient. Don't quote me, but the later D2s from abt 2001 had the HC. I drove a 2001 for sale, it definitely had the HC engine, maybe retro-fitted, I don't know.

If interested in D1 v D2 V8 economy do a search, there are plenty of threads abt it.

But the definition of 'economical' is hard to nail down in a V8. I average 25L/100km when I only do inter-suburb runs, <5km, which is not esp good for an engine or economy, but then I have regularly seen 13.0-13.5L/100km in my previous D2 auto on a highway run.

If you want something more modern than D1 but without the cost of maintenance of a P38, prices of D2 V8s have fallen, with <$10k not out of the question at auction. Two D2 V8 manuals were at Pickles Sydney recently for a fixed price of $10.5k each. They both went back into an auction, don't know what they sold for but I bet it wasn't $10.5k...