Old Disco, is there an alternative?

[whisper]

Loved the pick up bit on the back, just throw all your kit in there and off you go, not sure it would be the same here with all the wet weather and all that

[beerbelly]

Originally Posted by andyjcox1

Beamish kin, all reports I have now just read are saying its rubbish. Shame as I like the look. I really don't like the styling of the Japanese
cars but seems I may have to sensible for now until I can afford my monster truck

trouble with the internet is you only hear the horror story's no one ever posts about how nothings gone wrong with there car ect I have owned my freelander td4 for coming up two years now and over around 20k miles I have had to fit a clutch master cyl (easy diy)then had a full clutch fitted this was in the first month and I suspect why the po sold it .it has never missed a beat since and nothing has stopped working .my sister has an older freelander with the rover diesel engine she paid £900 for it 5 years ago and has put 60k on it and hasn't even serviced it done nothing but put diesel in never missed a beat
also to consider is the cost of road tax some of the jap 4x4 are in the heavy tax bands

[Ovey]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

What was rated at 1100kg? If it was the trailer then that's fine since the trailer will weigh more than 120kg itself and the axles will be designed to cope with that total weight. If it was the axles...then change them for stronger ones

It was the trailers plated maximum total weight (GVW) of 1100kg (which includes the weight of the trailer). The total weight was 1220kg, so 120kg over.

By the time I've paid for an uprated tow hitch, uprated axles, uprated wheels/tyres, mooring fees while the boat is in the water (for more than a couple of weeks due to time I have available to do the changes), I've gone for the easier (and quicker) option of a new trailer with a much higher capacity which will allow me to take camping ger, etc. in the boat too.

So although I appreciate what you're saying, it was just an all-round better option for me to change the trailer.

[Rokraider]

If you are considering launching from a beach where there might be soft sand etc, or a steep slippery slipway, anything that doesn't have a transfer case with low range will be of no use to you, I did a back to back test for Autocar a few years ago on 9 4x4s, using our local sandpit to put them through their paces. The Freelander spat its clutch out after its first attempt at some wet sand. Rav 4 did ok, the Lexus couldn't even get to the tricky bit and kept grounding out and getting stuck. Realistically none of the Soft Roaders are designed to do anything other than on road with the odd excursion onto very light off road or icy conditions. When you throw a trailer into the mix, they really are not designed with that sort of use in mind.
A lot of them use the same Borg Warner rear diff design with a viscose coupling on the nose of the diff. These are pretty fragile and wont take any abuse. at all.
The Rav, Suzuki and Nissan would probably feature in my top 3 if I had to go that route. For more money the Skoda Yeti is probably the best one out there at the moment, very solidly built and drives nicely. We put a helicopter landing pad on one for Skoda, it didn't need any re enforcing, very well built.

[Landlockedpirate]

Originally Posted by Rokraider

If you are considering launching from a beach where there might be soft sand etc, or a steep slippery slipway, anything that doesn't have a transfer case with low range will be of no use to you, I did a back to back test for Autocar a few years ago on 9 4x4s, using our local sandpit to put them through their paces. The Freelander spat its clutch out after its first attempt at some wet sand. Rav 4 did ok, the Lexus couldn't even get to the tricky bit and kept grounding out and getting stuck. Realistically none of the Soft Roaders are designed to do anything other than on road with the odd excursion onto very light off road or icy conditions. When you throw a trailer into the mix, they really are not designed with that sort of use in mind.
A lot of them use the same Borg Warner rear diff design with a viscose coupling on the nose of the diff. These are pretty fragile and wont take any abuse. at all.
The Rav, Suzuki and Nissan would probably feature in my top 3 if I had to go that route. For more money the Skoda Yeti is probably the best one out there at the moment, very solidly built and drives nicely. We put a helicopter landing pad on one for Skoda, it didn't need any re enforcing, very well built.

Cant argue about the Lexus, the worst tow car I have ever owned, still cant work out why I even bought it .



My better half has owned CR-V (05), Xtrail (04)and Suzuki (06). Suzuki had low range box and was much better on the slipway, CR-V was nicest on road but Xtrail probably wins for all round compromise in the real world. No low range on the Xtrail, but it does have some kind of mild diff lock which does help when it gets slippy.

[andyjcox1]

Beer belly, it is refreshing to hear that not every one of the land rovers will fall apart, that was what I was hoping to hear but there is no denying there are more bad reviews about them than most other cars which is a real shame.

While I usually do overkill on most things I do, my next tow vehicle will never see off roading seriously, and the slipways will always be concrete so I guess (and I really hate to even think the following) I will have to follow the sensible path and go Japanese.

I was set on an l200 until I sat in one and just didn't like it. Why is it every car I have wanted has disappointed, begining to think I should have kept my Vw transporter.

Will go and try the rav 4 and Nissan and see if any speak to me.

Thanks for all the advice, beginning to also wonder if I just stick the rib on the dry stack and don't replace the car!

[andyjcox1]

Looks like I have found a nice Toyota rav4 2.0 petrol, hoping it will be up to the job of launch and recovery on a nice concrete slipway.

[kerny]

Originally Posted by andyjcox1

I will have to follow the sensible path and go Japanese.


Will go and try the rav 4 and Nissan !

That's the one

[Jeff Hutcheon]

Boring!! Lol

[rocknrolla]

Daihatsu fourtrack but the one with electric 4 high switch and diff lock in the cab not on the hubs pissa of a mota u can get a gem f 3k

[The Black Pig]

The Toyota land cruiser is very robust and low maintenance, friends of mine swear by them not at them, they laugh at me and all the landrover forums I use to keep it on the road and sourest all the parts needed

I own a series three lightweight landrover and unless you are keen on them and are quite handy this is not the vehicle for you

[A1an]

You know what they say.....

You can go anywhere in a Landrover but a Toyota will get you home!

Joking aside, The LR Defender is the best in the market at what it does, great off road, great tow vehicle and easily repaired should it break down, you can even hose out the inside. Just a shame they are still a bit pre war, leak almost every fluid in them, noisy, clunky and basic but its these little idiosyncrasies that make them likeable. You don't buy them to sit on the motorway at 70 in any sort of comfort. It doesn't try to be something it's not. It's a workhorse and bloody good at it.

I haven't had much to do with the Disco but I've heard owners say they wouldn't buy anything else and I've heard others say they wouldn't touch another.

Being 6' 4" and 17st il stick with my Hilux.

Just turned 40k and been through its first MOT and all I've ever done to it is fill it with diesel. Still on original discs and pads. Oh, and a set of BFG's.

[Searider]

XC70?

Volvo XC70 2.4 D5 SE 5dr Geartronic [185] Diesel Estate

We had one of these and it towed my Scorpion with no problems.

Got to be more comfy than an old 4X4.

Sold a rusty Disco (with leaking sunroofs) for our one!

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by A1an

Joking aside, The LR Defender is the best in the market at what it does, great off road, great tow vehicle and easily repaired should it break down, you can even hose out the inside. Just a shame they are still a bit pre war, leak almost every fluid in them, noisy, clunky and basic but its these little idiosyncrasies that make them likeable. You don't buy them to sit on the motorway at 70 in any sort of comfort. It doesn't try to be something it's not. It's a workhorse and bloody good at it.

I haven't had much to do with the Disco but I've heard owners say they wouldn't buy anything else and I've heard others say they wouldn't touch another.

Amen, except for the leaks (which usually reflect poor maintenance or bad driving) - mine leaks nothing in or out and neither have any of the others had major issues. I'm on my third Discovery (with no sunroofs!) and fourth Defender and I've had a Freelander Td4 along the way. The only regret is the Freelander. Love the old D2, now 12 years old and the only major issue was a new diff repaired under warranty. I keep thinking I should sell it then deciding not to - it's a V8 so 'fully depreciated' .... could spend £30k on something new but that buys a hell of a lot of petrol.

I have a late export spec Tdi Defender I bought in 2007 just before they stopped making them, and I wouldn't swap it for anything else as a workhorse for towing, winching, carrying 4.8 metre lengths of timber on the roof or off-road work, but neither do I want to drive it every day which is why it only has 25,000 miles in seven years and why I've got a Ranger crewcab as a pickup and general disposable runabout. The Ranger is not bad at towing - it is stable, but I find the ride 'odd' with the boat on the back, the mixture of hard leaf springs on the back and much softer independent suspension on the front gives a strange ride over bigger bumps. The other thing with pickups is that if the back is empty, the ability to haul stuff up a steep beach is considerably less than a passenger vehicle as there's not that much weight on the back wheels.

[Ovey]

My 2005 Disco 3 has a sunroof which leaked when I first got it - but I cleared the drains and it hasn't leaked since. I've had other cars with leaking sunroofs due to blocked drains, so it's not just a LR thing.

I have had it for just over 6 months and run it daily to/from work as well as family journeys, it's got 170K miles on it and it's just gone in today for new brake pads. Other than that it has only had one problem, which was a common D3/D4 problem of the rear tailgate not opening due to an actuator failing. (Easily replaced without being fleeced by a dealer).

I'll happily get another Disco (so far!) when this one ends its time!

[A1an]

Originally Posted by BogMonster

Amen, except for the leaks (which usually reflect poor maintenance or bad driving) - mine leaks nothing in or out and neither have any of the others had major issues. I'm on my third Discovery (with no sunroofs!) and fourth Defender and I've had a Freelander Td4 along the way. The only regret is the Freelander. Love the old D2, now 12 years old and the only major issue was a new diff repaired under warranty. I keep thinking I should sell it then deciding not to - it's a V8 so 'fully depreciated' .... could spend £30k on something new but that buys a hell of a lot of petrol.

I have a late export spec Tdi Defender I bought in 2007 just before they stopped making them, and I wouldn't swap it for anything else as a workhorse for towing, winching, carrying 4.8 metre lengths of timber on the roof or off-road work, but neither do I want to drive it every day which is why it only has 25,000 miles in seven years and why I've got a Ranger crewcab as a pickup and general disposable runabout. The Ranger is not bad at towing - it is stable, but I find the ride 'odd' with the boat on the back, the mixture of hard leaf springs on the back and much softer independent suspension on the front gives a strange ride over bigger bumps. The other thing with pickups is that if the back is empty, the ability to haul stuff up a steep beach is considerably less than a passenger vehicle as there's not that much weight on the back wheels.

You know what they say...

If there's no oil UNDER it then there's no oil IN it!

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by A1an

You know what they say...

If there's no oil UNDER it then there's no oil IN it!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwnnn

[A1an]

Past your bedtime?

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by A1an

You know what they say...

If there's no oil UNDER it then there's no oil IN it!

Been going for a feckin long time with no oil then

[roohairy]

You can get a good disco for less than 3K. There are still good 300TDI's out there, look for a japanese import. My last two tow vehicles have been japanese spec TDI auto's, love them. Previous one was a 1995,bought in 2005 for £2650 had it till 2013. Excluding routine filters etc. I had to buy a used set of steel wheels as the alloys were leaking too much, and £50 in welding for one MOT - That's it. Not bad in nearly 5 years of ownership. And yes it went bang in a big way, but at over 250,000 miles mostly towing.
Current one is same spec but 1996, NO RUST and £2200 at 110k miles. Clean pass through the MOT after a year (I had to fit new shock absorbers though) so total repair cost in a year is £32. I expect to kep this one till it dies, looking for at least 5 years or another 100k whichever comes first. Fuel consumption is not great, but if you're towing 3.5 tonnes it won't be will it!
If you pick the right vehicle Discos can be great and cheap vehicles.
I would avoid the later electronic engine if you can though, I've had a few gremlins (pouring black smoke, thought the turbo had seized - turn it off and restart, back to normal. Done that a couple of times) but the electronic controlled fuel pump (tweaked by previous owner) gives a big increase in power.