D2 early or facelift?

Having tried various Land Rovers over the years I have decided to go back to a TD5 but wondered what best model to go for would be? There's loads about at the moment and prices have steadily fallen - I think - quite sharply (no doubt sacrificed due to fuel costs).

I recently test drove a 52 plate facelift ES but this seemed a very harsh ride compared to my previous W reg TD5 S and it felt very skittish over bumps.


I am sure that I read somewhere that the facelift had had over 700 improvements / changes made to it and was a significantly better vehicle but of course most of these are probably minor or cosmetic!

Is there anything else to consider when choosing between early and facelift models now I can choose from either?

(Car will be short range commuter, family bus and dog/ fishing / gun transport so nothing more than mild off road)

I always am in two minds with landrovers, do I buy an older one and hope all the major issues are worked out or a newer one with less miles and see how it goes.

I a 99 gs, converted to coils and ace crudely deactivated, never again. I would not have one that has parts removed like that. This 03 plate I have now is far better, well so far it is. Engine is smoother, ride is better. Interior is better etc etc. that may be just down to these particular cars but I would plump for the facelift as they look better too

It was 700 improvements that the D2 had over the D1.
You can't compare ride quality between different models 8 years or more on and with a high mileage and unknow history/use. There would be no " skittish over bumps" when the disco left the showroom.

Later and newer is always a good thing. But these days Disco 2's are at least 9 years old anyway, so condition would tend to come into it more than age. I have had both and did find the facelift one more reliable, but that's only one example of each. Given a choice, facelift is the way to go.

There's a few pitfalls, all can be overcome but rear chassis rot is the one to avoid whatever the age...

Just to put my two penny worth in I have had a td5 2000 year for the last 6 years most of the time I have been very happy with it.
The only real problem is that over the last few years it seems to have developed a very harsh ride and very skittish over bumps and tramlineing on motorways.
Over the last few weeks I decided to try and find out why I have checked all bushes and replaced any that was the least bit suspect put still no joy.
As a last resort this week I had new tyres put on. I was running on Pirelli scorpions 18 inch o joy I am now back to a disco that is nice to drive all the harshness as gone so has the skittish over bumps have not had it on motorways yet but am hopeful.
The tyres I had put on were general grabbers a t logic tells me that it should not be as good on road as the Pirellis but I had them anyway as I pull a big caravan and also I have a small boat that sometimes means going onto sand.
By the way all the reports I have read says that the general tyres are more noisy I have found no difference up to 70 hope this helps.:car:

I have a 2004 td5 es premium that I have had 6 years I cannot see me changing it as I'm still happy with it

Thanks for replies. The later D2 I drove must have been faulty as it was a real handful trying to keep it tracked straight over uneven roads and not at all like I remember my older TD5 drove. As you say, overall condition and history probably most important factor but its good to know there's not masses of difference between the two.

As pedros mentioned, the ONLY thing I,d be looking at with the D2 now is chassis condition.

I,ve seen some lovely condition ones, with VERY bad chassis corrosion, which will very soon put them off the road.

Whereabouts are you ?. I know of a very clean GS, rot free chassis, facelift near me. Its done 75k and is up for £4500.00.

Thanks, but not quite ready to buy yet - just making sure that when I am ready later this summer I get the right type.

Im now on the hunt myself as i have 'freed up' the funds i needed.

I asked the question regarding pointers and buying tips and the rear chassis corrosion issue came up.

Could anyone clarify this a bit more for me? I had a brief look around one the other day and had a look underneath the back and the chassis was pretty rusty but looked solid to the eye. Any particular areas i should be jabbing a screwdriver?

Also there was a pipe hanging down on the rear axle by the offside wheel - any idea what this is? Axle breather?

Having been D2 searching recently for quite some time I can perhaps offer a few thoughts. I started looking within a budget of up to 10K and therefore visited and test drove about 5 D2's, all facelift models with values between 7.5k - 10k. I had a very good poke around with 4 of them, 1 was private sale so I was a bit less critical. All of them had one issue or another, the biggest issue was heavy corrosion on the rear chassis.. one of them had a set of quite impressive rust holes. This was on a 'Landmark'. One had some real nasty black smoke.

Out of curiosity I started looking at older ones for less money. The one I eventually bought was just shy of 4K in very good general condition for it's age (2001). No extensive rust aside from a bit of surface rust in places on the chassis. I came to the conclusion I would rather buy a cheaper 'good condition' D2 and then spend some money getting it fully serviced (and I mean fully.. all haynes manual service tasks done to the end of the chapter) and the chassis treated with waxoyl or dinitrol to prevent it going the way of the ones I had seen. I also spent about £550 getting four new General Grabber AT tyres.

Therefore, following what I have done.. I would say set your budget and buy a D2 well below that budget so that you can spend a bit getting it up to standard. Rather than maxing out and having no more money to afford to do it up a bit.

All D2's I have come across, no matter how described by dealers, are showing their age.

I've run a billy bob basic spec year 2000 TD5 S for 16 months now and can't fault it other than I have to keep replacing watts linkage bushes on the rear axle.
I'm wondering if the rear coil springs are getting tired and the linkage is bottoming out more and that is the cause so I shall fit a pair of springs soon to see if that cures it.
It could do with a bloody good clean underneath and a waxoyl for next winter or I fear the rust will take hold on the rear of the chassis yet for the age it's bloody sound underneath.
It flew through its MOT last week with just a pair of bushes needing replacing to pass.
It's had an EGR bypass, a heavy duty front bumper/steering guard fitted as I broke the original off road, a radiator and also had to replace the drop arm ball joint which unfortunately is not replaceable on its own on a D2 - the whole steering arm has to be replaced as its a sealed unit.
I run it on the new style Grabber AT tyres (265/70 16) and am very pleased with them, they're a great all rounder.
Overall I'm happy with it, particularly on a run when it easily gets 34/35 mpg.
I'd like a newer one and will most likely be looking for an 03/04 plate commercial version to replace it.

robtd said:

Im now on the hunt myself as i have 'freed up' the funds i needed.

I asked the question regarding pointers and buying tips and the rear chassis corrosion issue came up.

Could anyone clarify this a bit more for me? I had a brief look around one the other day and had a look underneath the back and the chassis was pretty rusty but looked solid to the eye. Any particular areas i should be jabbing a screwdriver?

Also there was a pipe hanging down on the rear axle by the offside wheel - any idea what this is? Axle breather?

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The place they rust worst is the offside rear of the chassis adjacent to the fuel tank and where the lower towbar mount is, if you can poke a screwdriver in here walk away

Definitely makes sense to budget for servicing etc and there are so many mods and little improvements to choose to do to a stock vehicle.

My old D2 was a low miles horse box tow vehicle - had more moss than rust and was solid underneath but I still managed to find loads of things to do to it.

Thanks Boomer

Off to look at another today!

robtd said:

Thanks Boomer

Off to look at another today!

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No problem, there's plenty of choice out there so be choosy, don't rush

Iv put a deposit down!

Hopefully collecting Monday so ill get some pics up in the introduce yourself section then.

robtd said:

Iv put a deposit down!

Hopefully collecting Monday so ill get some pics up in the introduce yourself section then.

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C'mon, what age/spec etc

BOOMER said:

C'mon, what age/spec etc

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Its an '04 Persuit. Black. 116k. 2 sets of wheels (one with winters on). Drives really well and does everything i think it should. Rear chassis looked good - i had a good poke around following your advice . £6k

Congrats on your new purchase Rob, now get it home and give it a thorough service - then you'll know EXACTLY what condition she's in.


Dave