Disco 1 300 TDI Dual Mass Flywheel?

Forgive me if this has been covered, but I can't find anything that states whether the 300 TDI has a DMF or SMF. I'm strongly considering buying one. I currently drive a Subaru Outback 2.5 Petrol. I was going to sell it for a small van and convert it to sleep in. I've done it before on a Citroen Nemo, wonderfully fun in the Highlands in mid winter, even though it was tiny!

Budget is around £1500 - £2000. After some searching around a fair bit, I keep hitting the inevitable dilemma of modern high mileage diesels. DMF failures (among other expensive parts such as injectors and turbos on the way out). I also didn't like the idea of sacrificing the Subaru's brilliant ability to go almost anywhere. Car camping always involved some form of rough snow covered single track in the highlands or boulder covered fire road in Kielder.

I thought the big tall 4x4's would be too expensive to run and insure, but I was pleasantly surprised by the Discovery. I don't like the look of the TD5 (too much electronically to go wrong and out of my price range for a half decent one). I like the idea of a simple to work on, cheap on parts car that's comfy on long trips and can be converted into a half decent sleeper. As long as I can return over 30MPG on long trips, I'm fine with economy. The Outback returns about 37 on big trips.

So, do 300 TDI's have DMF's? What about over similarly ludicrously expensive things that go wrong? (Not counting rust).

Tdi's have SMF, TD5 onwards have DMF I believe.

As you say, rust is the main issue with D1's, all the normal places, boot, inner arches etc but where it often kills them and is difficult to spot is the top of the pillars can rust out from the inside due to spectacularly bad sunroof drain design.

blue beasty said:

Tdi's have SMF, TD5 onwards have DMF I believe.

As you say, rust is the main issue with D1's, all the normal places, boot, inner arches etc but where it often kills them and is difficult to spot is the top of the pillars can rust out from the inside due to spectacularly bad sunroof drain design.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! Looks like a similar job to searching for a K11 Micra then. I got one as an economy measure and swear I saw every one in the North to find a rust free one, especially with a sunroof (drains to the sills and rots them).

So what should I expect to pay for a rust free 300? There are a couple of clean looking ES trims on the normal for sale sites at the moment. A/C and Cruise are pretty important for Europe trips and leather would be good as we have two dogs, but could live with just A/C. This caught my eye, but I'm willing to bet most are rotten.

Funny how they says "long MOT" when it runs out in 4 days!
Had a fair bit of welding then was off the road for a year.
Well if its cheap ok, but that seems a bit much
Mark

markomate2 said:

Funny how they says "long MOT" when it runs out in 4 days!
Had a fair bit of welding then was off the road for a year.
Well if its cheap ok, but that seems a bit much
Mark

Click to expand...

Not sure that link works, are you looking at the silver R434 EMB one? Found the website link, auto trader links are weird. Clicky.

Yes thats it
Go to MOT history check https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/
Mark

Ah thank you, honestly never knew you could do that for free. Gutted I've paid for history checks before now...

I was given a heads up by someone on here! its just MOT stuff but its useful for knowing whats been done, also if the same advisories keep coming up its a bad flag, along with lots of advisories for low tyre treads.
If someone allows their tyres to run to just legal, its a flag, in my book anyway!
I think it wont be long before DVLA pick up on the fact that some on line companies are charging for the same info, bit like they used to do with ASKMID before a robot catcher was added.
Mark

I'm looking back at my previous cars now. Shows the dealer of my Subaru did try to put it through an MOT the day before I bought it, failed on an exhaust leak (which I had guessed anyway) but tried to tell me they must have forgotten. Jammy sods. On the plus side, the Nemo I traded in at a very good price subsequently failed two days after on it's steering rack being really bad. Karma.

Yep, firm believer in Karma!
Ive got addicted to the MOT history check though!
Its pretty common for dealers to MOT a car just prior to a sale.
Mark

Oh lordy, it's not fun looking at Disco's in my price range. Not seen one that hasn't had severe corrosion at some point.

As Blue Beasty pointed out, rust is going to be the biggest "issue".
But its not the end of the world, anything is repairable, just go in eyes open.
Allow for a repair budget, engine repairs can be more expensive so make sure you check everything!
If you really want to take a punt, look at Copart for a CatD one, they are now being written off for very minor damage, Cat D will not affect your insurance premium, but you must tell them obviously!
Heres some http://www.copart.co.uk/uk/search?M...ype=U&titletype=X&titletype=D&model=DISCOVERY
Mark

So if rust is inevitable, is there even any point looking for one that's rust free, or is it more a matter of looking for one that's been repaired already to a good standard? There's actually more TD5's with clean MOT history for just under £2k, I just don't trust all the gizmos not to horrendously wrong.

Your unlikely to find an un-repaired rust free one. Unless its lived in a dry country and been imported, and its RHD!
If its been properly repaired, and to get further MOTs it should have! Then its worth a look.
Its also worth saying a car can rust a LOT between MOT,s, no advisories can turn into multiple failures.
Plenty of info on here about repairing rust damage. Personally Id prefer a slightly rusty un-repaired one that I could repair/have repaired myself.
I like D2 TD5,s (slight bias of course!) Dont let the gizmos worry you, everything is fixable!
Copart have a TD5 with minor front damage thats at £650, airbags ok, prob get to £1500 max.
Mark

Call me old fashioned, but they still scare me. ACE, DMF, Air, just seems like a recipe for expensive repairs at my budget. I've never driven a cheap high miles TD car with a DMF that didn't feel like it's DMF was on the verge, it's half the reason people seem to get rid of them.

As much as I'd prefer one that's been used to drop the kids off at school and had an easy life, some of the more passionate owner ones seem to have a decent history. This for example.

That one seems to tick a lot of boxes! Worth a look!

Import

Whats wrong with imports?
On a newer one id be nervous as it makes history difficult to verify but this ones old enough that it should make any difference
Mark

I think I'd prefer an import, at least if it came from Japan or somewhere they don't use salt.