Disco 1 200tdi vs 300tdi

Afternoon chaps and chapesses,
Unfortunately my beloved 300tdi Discovery might well be a write off after an old lady decided to drive into it yesterday, it was parked at the time and I wasn't in it. Most importantly the other driver is ok albeit a bit battered after rolling her car, however this does leave me looking for something new to drive.

So what I'm after is some information regarding the differences between a 1993 200 tdi Discovery and a 1996 300 tdi Discovery in engine performance, drivability and interior trim & equipment.

Any help in this would be most appreciated.

Engines are almost identical. The 300Tdi is just a cheaper to manufacture version of the 200Tdi. Same power, same torque, same rev range, same mpg.

Trim is slightly different, the 200 Series has the original Disco dash, which IMO is a much nicer place than the 300 Series. More open, more airy and just nicer.

200 Series Disco's use mostly classic Range Rover trim items, apart from the dash layout. Switch gear, mirrors, door handles, etc.

The larger 300 Series door mirrors are nicer. But if I'm honest the general feel of the switch gear is better in the 200.

Trim specs, suspect you'll find more 300's with better spec. Some 200's could be optioned without many extras.

200 uses the Lt-77 instead of the R380 gearbox. But these are essentially the same boxes anyhow. And the R380 doesn't really offer an advantages.


Having said that, all the changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary. So it's not drastic eitherway. But given the choice, I think the 200 is the nicer vehicle.

I would think it more sensible to get a 300.

All other things being, more or less, equal, spares availbility, and cost, are a whole load better for the 300.

As an example, if you want a replacement head for the 300, youre looking at about £100 used. Look up the price for a 200 head, used...

Sorry, but I think the spares thing is a load of tosh.

Heads are not exactly a service, item. If you need a 200 head for whatever reason, then I'm sure you can get them with hardly any more issue.

FFS - people manage to run cars from the 1950's or earlier, even from car makers that don't even exist anymore without major issue or dramas. Running a 1990's Discovery in the UK will not be an issue from a spares point of view.

Sure but, as i said, if evreything else is equal, why make life hard?

300tdi hands down, better engine one the whole, from start to end thought the car is more or less the same,

If you want a relatively "maintenece free" engine get the 300tdi, slightly nicer to drive as a daily, the R380 is miles better than the LT-77,

Other than whats been said already, comes down to price, you'll get a 300tdi cheaper than 200tdi any day, but prices are going up,

Trim wise, i prefer later disco, just feels nicer/

Spares,

Yes you can get spares for a 200tdi but you'll be paying over the odds for most things,

300tdi is a cake walk for most things, just dont ask a main dealer for piston rings (£75 per piston)

End of the day, drive both, decide on either, opinions are likes arseholes, everyones got one

Jonnyb1990 said:

300tdi hands down, better engine one the whole, from start to end thought the car is more or less the same,

If you want a relatively "maintenece free" engine get the 300tdi

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Care to elaborate on this? considering the engines are about 99% the same, apart from the cost cutting on the 300Tdi. The only real difference is the 200 uses Vee belts, while the 300 uses a Serp. Hardly a game changer.

Jonnyb1990 said:

, slightly nicer to drive as a daily, the R380 is miles better than the LT-77,

Click to expand...

Suspect you can't have sample many of either. Or maybe none.

Again, they are largely the same. Apart from reverse being in a different position, you are unlikely to be able to tell one from the other while driving. Assuming a good example of both.

Jonnyb1990 said:

Other than whats been said already, comes down to price, you'll get a 300tdi cheaper than 200tdi any day, but prices are going up,

Trim wise, i prefer later disco, just feels nicer/

Spares,

Yes you can get spares for a 200tdi but you'll be paying over the odds for most things,

300tdi is a cake walk for most things, just dont ask a main dealer for piston rings (£75 per piston)

End of the day, drive both, decide on either, opinions are likes arseholes, everyones got one

Click to expand...

300tdi models have a more "modern" dashboard layout - not drastically different from the TD5 really. Heating controls etc are more like those of a normal car.

200tdi models are a bit weirder in terms of dashboard... the radio is at an odd angle and in an odd place. The heating controls are sliders.

Also bear in mind a 1993 car vs a 1996 car will have had an extra 3 years to gain rust!!

300tdi engine was not just about price, but euro emissions requirements. Hence the EGR and later fly by wire throttle control.

fitting a standard stereo into a 200 can require force, digging down to trim soundproofing, or having a stereo that plain just doesn't fit, especially if opting for a pop-up/out screen type thing. 300 headlights are poor, 200 are like glowworms. 200 centre console may have a tray, or a removable bag/cubby at the back, 300 was only a cubby. Seat frames can be different on later 300s. 300s tend to come with more safety features by way of airbags and ABS. 300s came with lots more trim levels as time went on, ES GS XS, whereas 200s were mostly altered from the option list rather than differing base specs. 200s had 1970s style ashtrays in each door, 300s got them central. Neither model has clocks that work well by this age.

"Neither model has clocks that work well by this age." ?
My clock still displays the correct time ok.

Thanks for info. The reason I asked is there is a 200 tdi for sale near here but I think I'll try and find another 300 tdi as that is what I'm used to.
I might be able to get my old Disco back for spares so keeping with a 300 tdi would make sense.

And for the record the clock still worked

300bhp/ton said:

Care to elaborate on this? considering the engines are about 99% the same, apart from the cost cutting on the 300Tdi. The only real difference is the 200 uses Vee belts, while the 300 uses a Serp. Hardly a game changer.

Suspect you can't have sample many of either. Or maybe none.

Again, they are largely the same. Apart from reverse being in a different position, you are unlikely to be able to tell one from the other while driving. Assuming a good example of both.

Click to expand...

As I said, opinions are like arseholes, everyones got one and you have both,

Mud slinging done, if you think that both engines are the same get your head in an engine bay of both, if you cant see that the engines are clearly different then you squire need glasses.

Yes they share a limited amount of the same parts, thats a no brainer, why pay **** loads for new parts when the old ones still work fine,

"only real difference" come on, the turbo, the manifold, the water pump, the thermostat, the self adjusting aux belt, the list is a long one.

natdawson said:

Thanks for info. The reason I asked is there is a 200 tdi for sale near here but I think I'll try and find another 300 tdi as that is what I'm used to.
I might be able to get my old Disco back for spares so keeping with a 300 tdi would make sense.

And for the record the clock still worked

Click to expand...

Do what is best for you mate, some pref the older engines, some like newer stuff, as long as your happy with how it goes and makes you feel thats what counts

private penguin said:

200tdi models are a bit weirder in terms of dashboard... the radio is at an odd angle and in an odd place. The heating controls are sliders

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Also 200's have usually a doomed heater blower motor (I have 2 early / 200tdi D1's ('91&'93 with the '91 being driven & the '93 having a "semi-resto" or rebuild ), the older ones heater blower motor has just packed up & the newer ones still works - for now)

Some parts for the 200's are harder to find but that's body & trim mostly, there are lots of 200-300 crossover parts so

Another thing to consider is that '200 series D1's are starting o be a rarity, prices are climbing especially for 3-door models so an 'appreciating-classic' maybe?? (like the earlier RangeRovers that were everywhere free & cheap years ago but now £££££'s)

Rich.

Ps. If you have a D1 '200' then you have the interior choice of either 'Sonar' blue or MUD.......


Both of mine are MUD