Anyone had experience of a Discovery??

[WorcsWuss]

I hammer the crap out of my Disco off road, either round the shoot, through the woods, often hauling a trailer, and it stands up as well as anything else, better even than some of the later shiny oriental offerings. I still reckon pound for pound a Disco is the best value multi purpose vehicle you can buy, far better value than a Defender, more comfortable, more useable space than a 90, better off road than a 110, faster, more economical. The question is... why buy an old Defender when you could have a Disco for half the price and do twice as much...?!

[rovers90]

I hammer the crap out of my Disco off road, either round the shoot, through the woods, often hauling a trailer, and it stands up as well as anything else, better even than some of the later shiny oriental offerings. I still reckon pound for pound a Disco is the best value multi purpose vehicle you can buy, far better value than a Defender, more comfortable, more useable space than a 90, better off road than a 110, faster, more economical. The question is... why buy an old Defender when you could have a Disco for half the price and do twice as much...?!

 

I remember an article in one of the Land Rover mags a number of years ago entitled:"Discovery Commercial........the thinking mans Defender" and always thought that was very true for the reasons you have mentioned above.

 

But we would all still have a Defender stashed somewhere in the garage/barn/yard wouldnt we?

[Minotaur]

I hammer the crap out of my Disco off road, either round the shoot, through the woods, often hauling a trailer, and it stands up as well as anything else, better even than some of the later shiny oriental offerings. I still reckon pound for pound a Disco is the best value multi purpose vehicle you can buy, far better value than a Defender, more comfortable, more useable space than a 90, better off road than a 110, faster, more economical. The question is... why buy an old Defender when you could have a Disco for half the price and do twice as much...?!

 

 

I have driven and owned lots of LR's, Toyota's and other 4x4, I'd personally opt for a Toyota 78/79 series Cruiser for work and an 80 or 100 series for leisure and overlanding, but I couldn't agree more with the above.

Without doubt a Disco can do all the above and more

 

Quote AL Baker:

"Ok for arb work if you don't need to go off road"

 

Al, are you kidding? A Disco has to be one of the most capable 4x4's around on or off-road.

[Jack]

I think when talking about discos you have to distinguish which one you’re on about, 1 and 2's are capable work horses, 3 and 4's.....useless and pointless.

[gensetsteve]

I second that. it's a good car for school runs. Ok for arb work if you don't need to go off road.

 

discovery and defender virtually the same running gear. I have owned both the discovery has more comfortable seats and the doors fit and the heater works.

[WorcsWuss]

I remember an article in one of the Land Rover mags a number of years ago entitled:"Discovery Commercial........the thinking mans Defender" and always thought that was very true for the reasons you have mentioned above.

 

But we would all still have a Defender stashed somewhere in the garage/barn/yard wouldnt we?

 

Ha, not just one!!

 

I think when talking about discos you have to distinguish which one you’re on about, 1 and 2's are capable work horses, 3 and 4's.....useless and pointless.

 

3 & 4 are still very good, their biggest handicap is weight. On standard tyres, slick surfaces & a bit of an incline and they're about as effective as a Williams FW on the Network Q. But dress them in the right boots and their driveline and suspension systems make them virtually unstoppable when it comes to negotiating awkward or rough stuff.

That said, for what most of us need, ie something to pull across a soggy patch, there are better vehicles out there. Freelander 1 is best in reality! Or Suzuki Jimny!

 

I personally have no real experience of Toyotas apart from a bit of towing with a mid 90's 4.2 LC which I really liked, and a childhood obsession with the Hi Lux & 50/78/79 LC's which, along with Patrol's seemed to be everywhere in the late 80's in Tenerife! I do think they're the king of the oriental stuff, but apart from maybe for belting across the outback I don't think I could go for one over a Land Rover.

[gensetsteve]

Ha, not just one!!

 

 

 

3 & 4 are still very good, their biggest handicap is weight. On standard tyres, slick surfaces & a bit of an incline and they're about as effective as a Williams FW on the Network Q. But dress them in the right boots and their driveline and suspension systems make them virtually unstoppable when it comes to negotiating awkward or rough stuff.

That said, for what most of us need, ie something to pull across a soggy patch, there are better vehicles out there. Freelander 1 is best in reality! Or Suzuki Jimny!

 

I personally have no real experience of Toyotas apart from a bit of towing with a mid 90's 4.2 LC which I really liked, and a childhood obsession with the Hi Lux & 50/78/79 LC's which, along with Patrol's seemed to be everywhere in the late 80's in Tenerife! I do think they're the king of the oriental stuff, but apart from maybe for belting across the outback I don't think I could go for one over a Land Rover.

 

Can u get proper tyres for the d4 . We need to move on from our d2 van. But I think for pulling heavy trailers out of muddy fields u cant beat a bit of speed and a centre diff lock. Our D1 was better at this than the current d2. The electronic toys are good solo but different game with trailer.

[WorcsWuss]

My friend has the new General AT's on his GS which I think are 20" and they're brilliant for a dual purpose vehicle... but for serious off road work I'd hunt for a set of D3 alloys or even steels and stick some KM2's on instead....

[gensetsteve]

I think I have km2s on the hilux tipper. Goes through everything, very quiet, done 12k still look new, grips well in wet. Only down side increases fuel consumption. Otherwise I would put new ones on our d2 van. Because we climb out of mud then drive to scotland some times I think bfg at will be going on this week.

[WorcsWuss]

I think I have km2s on the hilux tipper. Goes through everything, very quiet, done 12k still look new, grips well in wet. Only down side increases fuel consumption. Otherwise I would put new ones on our d2 van. Because we climb out of mud then drive to scotland some times I think bfg at will be going on this week.

 

Another great tyre, had those on a RR Classic many years ago, with the air suspension that was a brilliant combination... if I could find that car again I'd buy it back in an instant!