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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5842

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
Disco 2 TD5 vs TD5 110
Currently have a 1999 TD5 110 SW. Part of me fancied a Disco 3, but have decided not yet.
Disco 2 on the other hand looks like suitable option.

With the Disco 2 being the same engine as a TD5 110 - how do they compare i.e every day driving, towing, mpg etc?
Towing capacity still the same 3500kg?
Maintenance wise, oils filters etc the same I guess?

Disco 2 being a bit more advanced and having TC/ABS/ACE/Air suspension/Aircon/but no centre difflock ?

What about load carrying, the 110 having a bigger boot if you like whereas the Disco 2 a full width door, with the rear seats I could reach from the bumper (unlike the 110) so I assume less carrying space?

Are the chassis's the same quality of metal and the rear x-member is this a mud trap like the 110 and likely to rust as fast??

Choices in gearbox being Manual or Auto TD5 ? no flappy paddle, launch control etc.. Smile

Just ideas swimming around my brain at the mo. I know I would have more chance of the Mrs driving it that the 110 (Not sure if good or bad) 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #488655 4th Jan 2016 9:54pm
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miker



Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1762

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Rioja Red
Disco 2 has the same powert, but more aerodynamic. Thus faster & better mpg. It is a nicer place to sit as well, more space and more comfy.

Still tows 3500kg. Engine maintenance pretty similar.

Difflock is a funny one. Some have the whole lot, some have the gubbins but no lever, some have none of it.

They rot out in different ways to a defender, body mounts and boot floors are a big one.

Not owned one, but considered buying one for a while (then bought the 110, which is what my heart wanted all along!)
Post #488660 4th Jan 2016 10:00pm
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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5842

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
Thanks
I was aware of the boot floors, certainly on the older discos (200/300tdi)
Odd how some have difflock, others only parts of.

I always wanted a Defender, and got one about 5 years ago. But have an itch for a change, but cant make up my mind, if its a a good move or not. 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #488664 4th Jan 2016 10:12pm
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miker



Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1762

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Rioja Red
Given the forum we're on, don't do it, it's a terrible idea!!!

However, as a passenger I have spent many many hours in a disco 1 and a td5 defender 110. I know which one is quieter and comfier, and it's not the defender! I still bought one, though I think that says more about me than the car.
Post #488666 4th Jan 2016 10:14pm
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DAZ110



Member Since: 06 Dec 2007
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 2035

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Barolo Black
excossack,

I've got an auto Discovery 2 and it's certainly quieter and more comfortable than a Defender. Discovery 1 suffers from rotten body and Discovery 2 suffers from rotten chassis so be careful what you buy if you go for one.

Look on the d2boys forum and you will see all the common problems they suffer from.
Post #488684 4th Jan 2016 11:00pm
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mrdelmonti



Member Since: 08 Sep 2015
Location: South Northants
Posts: 35

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Portofino Red
It really does depend what you want from it, but you will get better economy and they are much quieter and comfier however they don't pull away when towing heavy weights quite as a well due to the higher ratio transfer box.

As has been said you really need to get on d2boysclub and have a good read about the common problems and fixes.

I've had both now and tbh I prefer my 110 but then I'm a masochist, I used to drive my Series 3 about 15k miles a year!
Post #488732 5th Jan 2016 7:47am
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o4dn



Member Since: 08 Jan 2010
Location: South West
Posts: 538

France 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Alaska White
While it's the same engine in both, the TD5 in the Disco 2 is tuned to be more powerful than the Defender, 136BHP for the Disco vs. 122BHP in the Defender if I remember correctly.
Post #488747 5th Jan 2016 8:57am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17327

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
The Disco2 Td5 tune is indeed slightly more powerful than the Defender.

As other have said, it is a much more "civilised" vehicle than the Defender, though not without its own problems. I have a 2002 Td5 Disco with manual transmission in GS spec, 5 seater, which has now done over 200,000 miles with few problems and still makes me smile when I drive it (perhaps not quite as big a smile as my Puma Defender gives me, but still pretty big).

The main things that spring to mind to be aware of are (in no particular order):

- Clutch judder (common to all Td5s due to the awful Dual Mass Flywheel)

- 7 seat versions had air suspension at the rear, 5 seaters had coils (there may be a few exceptions to this rule). The air suspension is wonderful when it works but can give problems, mainly due to sundry leaks appearing, on older vehicles. The coil suspension at the rear is more durable. The air suspension can be replaced with coils easily if you wish, or you can service the air suspension properly and make it work well again without too much expense or hassle if it is malfunctioning.

- ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement). All Disco2s (except a few ultra-poverty-spec vehicles) have ACE, the hydraulically-activated anti-roll bar system, and it is a very good system. On older vehicles corrosion on the hydraulic pipework can cause leaks (and the system uses PAS fluid which is highly flammable, so be aware). Repairs can be expensive (the pipes are pricey) and some people replace the ACE ARBs with normal ones, which is easy enough to do. However, in my opinion by doing this you are disabling one of the really great features of the Disco2, and it is preferable to sort the pipework out and have years of trouble-free operation. The really expensive component is the ACE Valve Block which is bolted to the chassis rail underneath the driver's feet, and new these are eye-watering, however it is now possible to get S/H take-off units for a modest price (they're actually pretty reliable, the problems are likely to arise from corrosion of the pipes where they enter the (alloy) valve block body).

- Chassis - the Disco2 chassis is famous for rotting from a point just in front of the rear axle all the way to the cross-member. Check this area carefully. It can be repaired of course, but access with the body on isn't great, the fuel tanks is nearby, there is ACE pipework in the area, all of which can push the cost of repairs up. It is less trouble to buy a good one, or at least if repairs are likely it is a lever to push the price down. It is, incidentally, now possible to get galvanised replacement chassis for Disco2s.

- Sunroofs - these are famous for water ingress, usually due to the drain tubes getting block, or due to the plastic spigot in the sunroof frame to which the drain tube attaches breaking, Repairable but a pain.

- Headlining - the Disco2 suffers from the classic sagging headlining problem. There is a foam layer sandwiched between the facing fabric and the fibreglass headlining shell, which breaks down with age, allowing the fabric to hang down. It is repairable, but all decent repairs involve removing the headlining which is awkward because it is huge and wider than the door opening!

- Window seals - it is not unknown for pretty well any of the window seals to leak with age, but this is usually easy enough to sort out. There are rubber filler strips just behind the edges of the rear side windows and the alpine windows which break down with age and cause black crud to run down the paintwork, but these don't affect the integrity of the seal - they're just cosmetic.

- Electronic systems - generally very reliable albeit more complex than the Td5 (or indeed any) Defender. The Disco2 is prone to the "3 Amigos", i.e. the TC, ABS, and HDC lights coming on and staying on, which usually indicates a fault with one of the wheel speed sensors. Not difficult to sort out. There is/was an issue with the wiring to the FOS sensor due to a connector under the wheel-arch, and if this has been replaced it will be wired all the way back to the BCU under the glovebox with a continuous cable.

- Rear side doors - the black frame that hold the glass on (all) the doors is prone to rust, especially for some reason the rear side doors. Not difficult to deal with provided it is not too bad, and replacement S/H parts are now easy to obtain.

- Rear door - the hinges are prone to wear with age and mileage, resulting in the door dropping (not helped by the spare wheel being on the door).

- Mouldy damp smells from the heater - there is a pollen filter in the heater intake duct (this is not the foam filter that runs the width of the car along the scuttle, which most people think is the pollen filter, it is a second finer filter at the inlet to the heater box) which tends to decompose and remain damp on high mileage vehicles. When this happens, there is a risk of a musty smell from the heater. This filter is not listed on any LR parts lists that I have seen and its existence seems generally to be denied by LR, but there is definitely one on my car! It is not easily accessible, and I don't yet have a solution (probably to take the heater box out and remove the filter completely, or get a new piece of foam and cut it to fit. Certainly a job for the summer rather than now, though)

- You will also find that there is less room around the engine under the bonnet than on the Td5 Defender, since the engine bay is shorter and there is more gubbins in there. You can expect the usual Td5 'features' that you have with a Defender (such as the fuel pressure regulator leaking) on a Disco.

Overall I am a big fan of the Td5 Disco 2 and sincerely believe that history will record it as one of the all-time great multi-purpose vehicles. Over the years, mine has been a perfect motorway cruiser, it has done many, fairly extreme, off-road expeditions, it has towed regularly, usually a full 3.5 tonnes and without any problems (and once moved a 140-tonne dead diesel locomotive!). It has never (yet) let me down on a journey, which sadly, cannot be said of my Puma Defender.


(Editted to correct a rather embarrassing number of typos! Embarassed )


Last edited by blackwolf on 5th Jan 2016 12:56pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #488757 5th Jan 2016 9:36am
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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5842

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
Thanks for the detailed replay BW - certainly good info. 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #488786 5th Jan 2016 11:54am
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fathaggis



Member Since: 31 May 2015
Location: taynuilt
Posts: 385

Scotland 
having a good read thnaks Thumbs Up im falling for the disco 3 .well the wife is falling for one . who needs quite and comfort( im going deaf after my time playing soldiers )

i have heard no rust problems with disco 3 . or am i walking into a minefield
sorry for butting in on your thread mate Rolling Eyes
Post #488798 5th Jan 2016 12:36pm
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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5842

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
No worries Fathaggis. I did consider a D3 but jobs like body off to do certain job don't appeal, but Power wise and comfort Smile

If I decide to sell the 110 then I think (for me) a Disco2 sits quite nice and as BW mentioned about "all-time great multi-purpose vehicles" I would tend to agree.

Just a bit less space in the boot as compared to a 110

Same amount of bolt on goodies available, for me it would need:
Roof rack
Winch bumper
2nd battery
Room for radios x 4
Additional switches
Rear strobes 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #488804 5th Jan 2016 12:55pm
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Rosco



Member Since: 03 Dec 2010
Location: Burntwood
Posts: 1833

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Montalcino Red
Just to echo what Blackwolf said.

I bought one as a trade car from a local dealer on a bit of a whim. It was cheap, but solid with 167k on it. It needed some work, and mainly a good clean, but nothing that cost the earth to sort. Whilst I didn't keep it long (as the urge to get another defender was to great), I do find myself trawling ebay in the wee hours looking for another. Whistle 2007 - Stornoway Grey 90 XS SW - Gone
2002 - Black Discovery II - Gone
2014 - Montalcino Red 110 XS SW
Post #488821 5th Jan 2016 1:24pm
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Projectblue



Member Since: 22 Nov 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 1096

England 
Had a Defender - went to a Disco 2 TD5 Auto.

Went back to a Defender.

Got a Disco 3.

Went back to a Defender.

In short, whilst the Disco's are comfy - they just aren't a Defender. I won't say as good, because they are in many ways better. But for me I have always found them wanting against a Defender.

Be aware that the TD5 auto on a Disco 2 is slow and dull. You have to kick it along or get it mapped. Either way it drinks fuel Thumbs Up New project and it's green: www.projectoverland.info
Post #489065 6th Jan 2016 12:03am
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JWL



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Hereford
Posts: 3443

England 2002 Defender 110 Td5 SW Coniston Green
Pretty much the same as Projectblue, I had a V8 D1 that went down the road for a 200tdi 90. The wife wanted another Disco so we got a D2, when she tired of that she went for a Cooper S and I had the D2 for my everyday motor but that went down the road for my current Td5 110. There's no way I'd go back to a Discovery, if it's comfort you want then put some better seats in your Defender. It doesn't take a lot to make a Defender quieter and comfier, you'll never get a luxury motor but you'll never get another motor with more character.
Post #489067 6th Jan 2016 12:14am
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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5842

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
You are right about the character. The Disco has some, but not as much as the Defender.
At least they standout (well for now) from the other Euro boxes in the car park.


Maybe what I really need in my life is a newer 24.tdci Puma 110 USW...... 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #489583 7th Jan 2016 1:14pm
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