 | Home > Off Topic > Buying a discovery 2… would love some advice … |
 
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| Chicken Drumstick Member Since: 17 Aug 2020 Location: Near MK Posts: 721  
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Price is very hard to call on these. They are sort of at the bottom of their depreciation curve, but starting to gain interest. Meaning prices are frankly all over the show and it will come down to individual vehicles, sellers and region.
The D2 is a good vehicle, but like always I'd buy on condition more than anything. Td5's are the most common, so probably the cheapest and likely to have, as a rule been driven further than V8's. V8's more pricey to fuel, so more likely to be better spec, sometimes better cared for and lower mileage. But all this can add a premium when buying. Seats 6 & 7 are inward facing and not all that comfy. Ok for short journeys and better for children than adults. ACE is brilliant. It really does stop the vehicle leaning, but it can be leaky and had lack of servicing. But well worth trying to get one with it working. It is transformational on how the vehicle drives. Rear air suspension is a great idea if you are towing or loading the vehicle up, as it will automatically keep the vehicle level. But obviously comes with added complexity and maintenance. Most D2's do not have a centre diff lock, only really matters if you plan to off road, although even without they are still capable machines. Over the production it did vary on if the diff lock was present and/or usable. But might be a consideration depending on your intended usage. Without diff lock the D2 100% relies on the TCS when off road and would be useless if the TCS wasn't working, so check for the 3 Amigos..... As to which engine. The V8 is more powerful, more refined and generally nicer. Although being an NA petrol engine you will need to welly it a little more to make it go. But it should out perform the diesel on all metrics bar mpg. Auto and manual available, although I'd guess more V8 autos than manual ones about. Budget for 15-18mpg. The manual in theory should have better mpg potential, but will depend on how you drive it. They might see 20-22mpg on a run, just don't bank on that being your overall average. Td5 is a very nice diesel engine IMO. But it is still less refined than the V8. But being turbo charged it has more low end torque, so you may not need to drive the Td5 as hard as a V8. You can also remap the Td5 for extra umph for not a lot of money. The manual goes better than the auto IMO. The Td5 auto always seems a little more wheezy, but it isn't too bad. MPG with the auto might surprise you on not being hugely different to the V8. As a family we've had a few Td5 Disco's. One was very slow, never smoked but extremely economical. Would happily do 33mpg on a run (or maybe more). Another one went much better (100% stock). But would never do over 26-28mpg. Both manuals. Autos likely to be more in the 19-21mpg range with middish 20's on a run. |
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18th Jul 2023 10:58am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17372 
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I've owned a TD5 Disco2 from new, it's done over 200k miles and I honestly love it, it is possibly the overall best multipurpose vehicle that has ever been built in the UK, and is the optimum blend of technology and functionality. There is nothing that a moderately competent owner cannot fix or overhaul, and in good order it is a really good driving experience. It will go anywhere and tow anything too (I've towed a 140 ton railway locomotive with mine).
I completely agree with all that Mr Drumstick has said above, but would add the following comments in support. Firstly, the ACE is great, it is very reliable, but most Disco2s are now at an age when corrosion of the hard pipes is becoming an issue. The hard pipes are shockingly expensive and only available as pattern parts (over £1k for a full set) and also something of a pain to fit due to the originals having been fitted before the body was mounted on the chassis. They also corrode into the ACE valve block under the driver's floor and it is consequently sometimes necessary to replace this at the same time, another £1k part. For this reason, if I was assessing two generally similar vehicles the condition of the ACE pipework would definitely factor into my decision. Is ACE worth having (bearing in mind that the Internet is full of people saying remove it and fit solid ARBs)? Yes, absolutely and definitely! Only a Luddite would remove the system, it is brilliant. On a keeper it is also well worth repiping when the need arises, especially if you can DIY (it isn't hard, it just isn't pleasant). Secondly air suspension, when it works it is great, but the Disco2 version was quite earlier and really wasn't very reliable. The benefits over coils at the back are few, and (in contrast to the ACE) personally I don't think it is worth having. I believe that all 7-seaters had air suspension but only certain versions of the five seater did (my own GS 5-seat doesn't, I specifically didn't want it), so you may not have much choice if you want seven seats. Many vehicles now have been converted to coils from air. Another couple of common problems now are sagging headliners (easy enough to reupholster but quite a big job - it is hard to get the headliner shell out of the body) and excessive water inside the vehicle, which is usually coming from the sunroof drains or leaks round the Alpine light windows. Both easy enough to sort out (especially while you have the headliner out for re-upholstering). Other than that there are just the usual niggles that you expect on a Solihull product of that period. Overall the Disco2 is one of the all-time great vehicles, and I think the time is still to come when it is appreciated for what it is. I'm also hoping that after all the hoons have destroyed most of the current stock of vehicles those which survive in good original condition will start to appreciate. |
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18th Jul 2023 11:56am |
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| Lodelaner Member Since: 04 Feb 2010 Location: Lambourn Posts: 632 
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10 years ago I had a D2, loved it and had the itch to get another before it was too late - so I picked up a D2 a couple of years ago after a long and exhaustive search. I saw many cars that were worn out, interiors were knackered, load bays were used as vans and scratched to b*ggery,
So I decided to look for something clean and well cared for. I found a 1 owner from new, 2004 run-out 'Landmark' td5 auto in Epsom Green with Alpaca leather interior and 88k miles on it with fully documented service history and encouraging signs like 4 matching Michelin tyres. It helped that the original owner was an LR tech who worked at the supplying dealer! I don't take it green laning so figured a non-difflock version was less likely to have limited use off road. I'm not a fan of tinted glass so was pleased that the previous owner had kept it stock. I wasn't interested in V8 as I have on in my 90, but to be fair at this age a D3 V8 has either been rebuilt or hasn't blown up yet. I think the td5 is a great engine. Lots of good info I'd agree with above. To add I would say apart from the usual Land Rover things that you mention like rear chassis corrosion, wandering steering, clunks and general leaking there are some more specific things to be wary of. Auto is actually quite nice, not sophisticated compared with modern stuff, but because its electronically controlled the changes are smoother than D1/RRC ZF autos. Fuel consumption is 27 overall, yes, no words of a lie, but I do very little stop-start stuff. If it's an auto - they suffer from a faulty XY electronic switch on the side of the gearbox and I've had this changed as a result. Symptoms are flashing M and S green light son the dash, also lumpy gear changes and not changing up properly under full throttle. New ones are £700, recon ones are £60 ish. If you go for auto check when/if it's been replaced. Three amigos - a well documented issue with wheel faulty/worn speed sensors, shuttle valve, abs module. The leaking sunroofs wreck the headliner and smell. If someone has masticked them up I'd walk away, the drain tube fix is a faff, but sorts the problem properly. My sunroofs open, drain and don't leak. I'd avoid ACE. You can tell if it's got it because the PAS fluid reservoir has 2 filler caps. When new I'm sure it was great, on a 20 year old car its got some rare and expensive pipe work to repair - and they will need doing. I like air suspension. It adds to the ride quality and when fully loaded 7 up as the pub taxi it needs it. All 7 seaters all have rear airbag suspension because the back row passengers sit far back, as does a tow ball - so its there for a reason. As a service item airbags last about 5 years, check it goes up and down - but if the bags need changing it's an easy job to do and not expensive to get decent Dunlop replacements. Note the rear seats face forward, not sideways like the D1. The fuel pressure regulator on the back/drivers side of the Td5 engine can catastrophically fail - and pour fuel over the road. I watched my fuel gauge dropping and wondered where the smell of diesel was coming from. At 20 years mine needed a set of brake pipes, but again a service item like suspension airbags, water pump etc. Cosmetcially the wheel are eyebrows break down from UV light and get crumbly/rough like sandpaper. Remedies are to remove and polish the bodywork, or replace. They glue on with double sided foam tape. After all they were only needed on cars with the 18" wheels and the D2 looks ok with or without them. Also the handbrake and gear lever gaiters delaminate and look rubbish, but are a straightforward job to replace. It's cost a few quid to keep on top of maintenance, but I'm now on top of it and I love everything about it. It's on the cusp of getting a bit rare territory now so many have been scrapped. It feels like a proper Land Rover and I can diagnose and fix it! There's plenty of used parts from reputable recyclers as well. I retrofitted cruise control - very much plug and play and a couple of Genuine accessory large cup holders either side of the transmission tunnel. In the past 2 years its driven 14k miles, used as our main holiday car for us two and the dog, been to the Lake District twice, Yorkshire Dales 5 or 6 times, Pembrokeshire, Cornwall and more I've forgotten. Through snow, flood, heatwave etc. Ref price - I bought best of market at the top of the market post-Covid - but it's all relative. I've seen one or two in similar nick, but 6-8k is not unreasonable for similar. I've not seen anything for less than 3k that wasn't going to cost a couple of grand to put right to use reliably for what I wanted. Hope that helps - just a brain dump! And a picture dump... there's more in my gallery.  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge JB @Lodelaner Instagram Youtube greenlaning and other LR related content |
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18th Jul 2023 12:16pm |
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| edward Member Since: 08 Jan 2023 Location: Lincs Posts: 151
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Thankyou all for such detailed thoughts. Incredibly helpful and gives me some key pointers to look at.
Many many thanks Ed. |
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18th Jul 2023 1:21pm |
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| MarkBrown Member Since: 03 Oct 2022 Location: Mid Wales Posts: 460  
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I had a V8 D2. I absolutely loved it, really nice driving position, comfy seats, good visibility and we even slept in the back. It did around 18mpg, mine was the 4l automatic.
But it was purchased as a spares or repairs for me to cannibalise for parts to use in my 110 build, so I only drove it for a thousand miles to get a feel for the gearbox, engine and transmission ( it did have a long MOT ) unfortunately it overheated, so that was the end for the engine, which didn't matter. The back end of the chassis was quite rusty and would have needed some repairs to keep it on the road. My friend had a nice TD5, which he put a galvanized chassis onto, but sold it a couple of years later without me knowing, unfortunately. I'd have bought it off him for myself! The only fault he had was with cheap pattern wheel bearings which didn't last and caused faults with the abs sensor. Overall 10/10 for practicality and overall usefulness, particularly with a new chassis. |
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18th Jul 2023 1:26pm |
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| Moo Member Since: 01 Oct 2021 Location: UK Posts: 1368 
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Gat a decent D4. Leagues ahead of D2.
https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/sale-discov...05075.html Eiger Grey MY23 D250 SE with bits. Known as Noddy. |
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18th Jul 2023 1:46pm |
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| Lodelaner Member Since: 04 Feb 2010 Location: Lambourn Posts: 632
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D4 - great cars. My last one we called Pelicans, you should have seen the bills... JB
@Lodelaner Instagram Youtube greenlaning and other LR related content |
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18th Jul 2023 2:46pm |
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| BrickBox Member Since: 05 Oct 2021 Location: Wales Posts: 818 
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I also spotted that and thought it’s an absolute bargain in the current market. 2008 2.4 110 Utility Station Wagon XS. |
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18th Jul 2023 2:57pm |
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| NickMc Member Since: 01 Oct 2014 Location: Norn Iron Posts: 1624  
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I’ve had I don’t know how many D2’s maybe 20? When we used to sell and trade them in, they’re a great vehicle and easy to fix like Blackwolf says, the ACE likewise is a good system.
They are getting a bit long in the tooth and suffer badly from rust though now. I would look at a Japanese import (are they available td5 though?) or one that someone else has spent the money on fitting a galvanised chassis to. The air suspension is great and not complicated if towing, otherwise springs are grand job. Everyone has mentioned the bad points already, take a good look at the back end of the chassis, I don’t think they’re worth repairing if they’ve already started to go the rest won’t be far behind. Inner wings are starting to get soft in them too. The front seats are a bad wear point, although you can get bits for them now. Buy one without sunroofs if you can. I agree a bit though with the above- I’ve switched over to D3 and D4’s now- they’re a hell of a lot of vehicle for the money and in a different class from the D2 If I didn’t work on them for a living I wouldn’t own one though- I’d be even more broke  nearly at the price you buy one with mot and bin it when it gets too much to fix and buy another, my last one I bought for very little needing some work and have done 30k in it towing a big 16ft ifor all over and all sorts, with 240k on it I’ve put tyres, front arms and two wheel bearings, a key fob few services and pads in it which wouldn’t be worth it if not DIY. Thinking about. TDV8 L322 again though now. |
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18th Jul 2023 3:23pm |
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| Chicken Drumstick Member Since: 17 Aug 2020 Location: Near MK Posts: 721
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I really like the D3, the D4 is a bit blingy looking IMO, but dynamically better in several areas than the D3. However, I'd have thought a similar condition D4 would cost more than a D2 currently. And there is no denying the D4 is another level of complexity. Not saying they would be instantly harder to work on or less reliable, although you'd probably want some different tools in your toolbox if working on them yourself. But you could easily spend a fortune getting someone else to work on them. But it really comes down to what you/the op wants from a vehicle. The D4 while extremely capable off road, drives more like a big estate car than a 4x4. Very different sense of occasion and the D4 will feel very wallowy compared to an ACE equipped D2. Sadly the D3/4 didn't get the next generation of ACE, it was only offered on the L320 Range Rover Sport and then only as an option unless you bought a quick one. But the D3/4 is a highly practical vehicle and capable at most things. Of course, not ignoring the fact there are lots of high mileage D3/4's about. Buying a diesel one does come with the HUGE risk of a snapped crankshaft and a knackered engine as a potential in its future. |
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18th Jul 2023 3:56pm |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665 
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Just a wee spanner regards ACE. On an air-sprung vehicle, ACE is more beneficial. On a coil sprung (which I had) the ACE plays less of a roll (no pun intended
 ) Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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18th Jul 2023 4:05pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17372
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ACE makes a big difference to coils as well as air, I wouldn't buy a Disco2 without it. Are you sure yours was working?
I personally wouldn't buy a 3 or 4 because (a) much harder to work on, (b) independent suspension, (c) absurd kerb weight (on D3 at any rate) limits useful payload, and (d) to my eye they are ugly as sin. To me the D3 marks the point where the rot set into the brand. Don't get me started on the Sport (=Freelander 3) and D5..... I know all the above have a staunch following and their supporters, but they're not for me. |
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18th Jul 2023 4:47pm |
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| Mike c Member Since: 11 Aug 2017 Location: Maldon, Essex Posts: 928  
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My D2 was great and I still miss it sometimes, I still ended up back with a Defender though due to its simplicity in comparison and generally prefer the drive characteristics.
Corrosion is now a problem with the D2 body and adds concerns for long term ownership along with all the other electronic and mechanical bits already mentioned however a good one if cared for could last well. Not interested in D3/4 and wouldn't ever consider one for reasons blackwolf points out above, another D2 though maybe... but would still want a Defender too!!  2004 Defender 90 Td5 CSW
2002 Discovery 2 td5 GS (gone) 1994 Defender 90 300Tdi CSW (gone) Last edited by Mike c on 18th Jul 2023 5:48pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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18th Jul 2023 4:58pm |
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| Chicken Drumstick Member Since: 17 Aug 2020 Location: Near MK Posts: 721
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I suspect physics would disagree. The EAS and ACE are not linked as far as I know and apart from the spring rate, the EAS offers no additional anti roll benefits. |
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18th Jul 2023 5:11pm |
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