52 plate td5 handling

This may sound a dull question but can you wise people cast some light. I've just test driven a td5 52 plate with 18" tyres fitted as standard and the handling seemed to be tracking the well worn groves in the tarmac which i didn't find too pleasing .Can you please tell me if this is a normal characteristic of these vehicles and tyres

Cheers

Yep tramlining is a feature of most large 4x4's especially in the inside lane of a motorway

Yep, i have a 52 plate with 18" wheels and it does tramline a bit but you soon get used to it. Also i think they still use a steering box and not a rack and pinion, steering boxes usually have a bit of play in them which doesnt help either. Once you get over the initial difference in the steering they actually handle very well for a large 4x4. The other thing i found strange initially was the rear air suspension as it reacts very differently to springs and sometimes the rear of the car feels a bit boaty if you go over dips or bumps that only affect one side of the car.overall i think it is a very good and comfortable ride and have always found mine to be a nice place to be on a journey!!

Does it have ACE = automatic cornering enhancement?

Find that out before you start worrying about it.

CHarlesY

Thanks for the replies folks

Yes it does have ACE

Cheers

Mine has ACE, and if I have the tyres at good pressures the car handles like a big Mini!

I have "followed" boy racers in their little tinny buzzer-cars around the bends, and none of them have the guts or skill to out-corner my Disco 2.

For a two-ton 4x4 it is really agile. It doesn't roll ... it just wheeechs round those corners!

CharlesY

I'll vouch for that, ACE is superb.
It was the thing that really sold the Discovery II to me.

Damn those sales people and their "Take this for a spin whilst yours is being serviced. See what you think"!

I have yet to find out what happens when my two-ton "Mini" finally lets go of the road on a wet bend .....

Probably best not to find out !

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

I have yet to find out what happens when my two-ton "Mini" finally lets go of the road on a wet bend .....

Probably best not to find out !

Click to expand...

Wet bends and roundabouts...

They pirouette quite nicely when they let go

Galen said:

Wet bends and roundabouts...

They pirouette quite nicely when they let go

Click to expand...

i doubt that - having last week seen one overcook a roundabout, slid for about 2 meters, found some grip (whilst going sideways) and then topple and complete it's 360 rotation on it's side

will take more than a bottle of t-cut to sort the damage out

driver was ok by the way

seanmoore2006 said:

i doubt that - having last week seen one overcook a roundabout, slid for about 2 meters, found some grip (whilst going sideways) and then topple and complete it's 360 rotation on it's side

will take more than a bottle of t-cut to sort the damage out

driver was ok by the way

Click to expand...

I've spun both my old TDI200 and my TD5 in the wet.
Bloody glad mine have never felt the need to find grip whilst going sideways though

Your not kidding about the handling Charles, driving down the mountain roads in to Millau in the summer, the father-in-law's Golf TDi couldn't live with the Disco round the twistes, and you don't even realise it's doing it.
Unbelievable handling for such a big motor, but he was gone when we hit the autoroute, those Golfs go like stink...

Rob

If you've never had one before,you don't realise how good the ACE system is.I have an 03 TD5 ES Auto with ACE and air suspension.I also have a 300TDI Auto.The difference in handling between the 2 is quite frightening.The TD5 with ACE goes around bends as you say like a big mini,the 300TDI like an elephant on roller skates.

Apparently, during development, LR engineers had to de-tune the ACE system as it was too good and gave a false sence of security...all I can say is that it provides tyre squeeling performance if you go hard into a corner.

However if you're gonna drive like this all day, sell the disco and get a subaru

battenberg said:

Apparently, during development, LR engineers had to de-tune the ACE system as it was too good and gave a false sence of security...all I can say is that it provides tyre squeeling performance if you go hard into a corner.

However if you're gonna drive like this all day, sell the disco and get a subaru

Click to expand...

I dunno .... when I go off the road to chase the sheep, I need a bit of clearance underneath and those great big tyres are just the job.

The traction control is scary .... my Disco 2 leaves a newer td5 Defender dead on the grass on the steep slopes. There's a special technique that Riggaz might not know about ... maybe shouldn't tell him .... but what the Hell?

Engage low range, choose a gear - second is usually a good bet. Push button on dash to raise rear end a couple of inches. Push button to energise hill descent control (just in case it all goes belly-up).

Point Disco at slope, and when you get close ram the GO pedal to the floor and keep it there till it happens.

Do not in any circumstances push the clutch pedal if it gets exciting, unless you actually stop dead.

Works for me!

Passengers are usually squealing about half way up.

Then I turn round and drive them down again and that's like driving off a cliff!

Good fun.

CharlesY

you're right about the Traction Control... find the bloke who thought that one up and give that guy a medal!