There’s a good video on YouTube showing just how unproficient the haldex coupling crvs are and there’s a great thread on here detailing their reliability .

Op never really clarified what he wanted it for but I’d expect suggestions to at least be of equal ability.

Oh and the defender and the series 1 share little not even a name. The defender has more parts share with a range rover. The series 1.

Man buys 50/60 year old car and decides it’s crap isn’t really relevent to wether to buy a disco…. Him Having had an S1 and S2 I’m not surprised he bought a land cruiser. Hell a John deere tractor would have been a better vehicle. Technology has moved on .

When your 4*4 isn’t a 4*4 … When it’s fitted with a badly programmed centre differential apparently.

There was one on an early CRV which was the one I wanted of it trying to go up a snowy incline on winter tires showing clearly only front wheels spinning.

In all if I had to chose a 4×4 in place of a disco or a land cruiser it would be the decidedly loves to rot shogun not a CRV.

As for the mk1 Freelander – no one Denys they are shite – but again not a part share vehicle with the disco the op is looking at.

Man buys 50/60 year old car and decides it’s crap

Now you’re being silly. He’s restored them all and drives them for pleasure, and has a great classic car hobby. He also had a discovery for family duties. And it was crap.

If somebody offered me a Disco, I’d politely decline and look elsewhere. Our Modern Land Rover experience has frankly been dire. Our CRV experience has been excellent. Other 4×4 options are available. Ones where spare engines aren’t a necessary but rare commodity. One where electrics make French cars look reliable. Ones where crash tests reveal them to be death traps. I really would buy something else for reliable robust transport.

Again with the 20 year old technology .

That is not the disco the op is looking at.

Your right I don’t deny there are better options than an aging disco 3 or 4 . But it’s not a CRV.

Again with the 20 year old technology .

Just 20?

That’s a disco 1 (1989ish-1998ish), which is essentially a range rover classic (1970-1996ish) with different exterior panels. It’s a live axle body-on frame job, rather than the disco 3’s independent suspension, monocoque on frame (yep, it’s got a monocoque AND a chassis, no wonder it’s 700kg heavier than the disco 1!) Totally, totally different beast.

To the OP: The D3’s are absolute tanks – one of the reasons why they are so good at towing, and why they like to eat brakes and suspension components almost as fast as they drink fuel. Nice places to be, I wouldn’t want to pay to run one though.

Only the latest model has no separate chassis. Which was the principal issue with that crash testing. And yes there are plenty of other options. Mostly Japanese 😉

Only the latest model has no separate chassis. Which was the principal issue with that crash testing. And yes there are plenty of other options. Mostly Japanese

D3 and D4 had a separate chassis, but they also had a monocoque. They won’t behave like the D1 in the video above in a crash. I’m by no means a D3 fan, but if I was going to have a crash in a 15 year old car, I can’t really think of anything else I’d rather be in.

This is somewhat derailing the thread though, soz OP.

Only the latest model has no separate chassis. Which was the principal issue with that crash testing

Really ? The ops disco in question got the same occupant ncap rating as a CRV of the same age.

And the dosco has working 4wd and a +2t tow capacity.

The D1 basically does a clown car impression in crashes….when you see how it’s bolted together you’d not be surprised. It has no crumple zone save for the weakened chassis leg behind the front spring mount giving about an inch

I was thinking of buying one some time ago when the wife saw me browsing with intent on the web and remarked that she couldn’t understand my interest as “there was nothing wrong with the size of my cock!”.Relieved,I bought a cheaper,more reliable vehicle.

There is still nothing better for towing than a landrover. Ask any farmer.

I’d wager that a massey ferguson is better for towing.
Btw, nearly all the farmers i know use Mitsubishis or toyotas.
The ones who don’t are only farmers in the sense that they own (several) farms.
Land rovers are for people who enjoy fixing land rovers.
Superb vehicle’s when they are working though.

Btw, nearly all the farmers i know use Mitsubishis or toyotas.

Izuzu rodeos round here.

The odd jap 4×4, more Toyota saloons, vw passats and tractors round our place. I think they work on the principle that if they’re going into the field use something appropriate like a tractor. Nobody seems to use LRs of any hue.

Nobody seems to use LRs of any hue.

Brother in law is a farmer, he always has Land Rovers. Currently has a Disco 3 (workhorse) and a Disco 4 (posh one). We compare breakdown stories and bills every Christmas. Farm in the village is all Defenders/Discos too.

BIL got a Touareg for a while as their ‘smart’ car, wasn’t the same he said, swapped it back for another Disco. There does seem to be something about them and people put up with the bills.

What is noticeable is you never see any current Land Rover product on a farm. They’ve left that market now.

Farmers are more concerned about how cheap they are.

Land Rovers since they became fashionable are not cheap.

Used taxdodge japanese pickups are cheap.

Why would you want a farm truck anyway?

Estate cars make far more sense for most people, unless you want to lord it up.

Recently swapped my 02 Land Cruiser with 120k for an 08 Disco3 on 167k. I wish I didn’t need to bit I needed 7 seats, 4×4 and to tow 3.5t (land cruiser would only pull 2.8t legally). The disco is lovely to drive, towed a tiny house to Scotland last week and it was ace. This week it decided to throw it’s aux drive belt, so it’s off the road…. Parts on order were cheap enough but just praying I’m not struck with all the issues detailed above!

Loved my 57 Plate HSE, nicest car i’ve ever had but the costs got me down eventually.
Suspension Compressor £700
Handbrake module £700
ERG valves £300
Etc etc.