Advice on S1 Disco, do I buy this one?

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

Iain C

New Member
Posts
28
I'm looking to rejoin the Land Rover fold with an S1 Disco after selling my ex RAF S3 109 a few years ago.

I want a Disco as a second car and for towing duties, and fun off roading so I'm not after a tip top vehicle, just something fairly reliable. I'm also happy to do some DIY work on it.

I've looked at one that a local mechanic I know took as part exchange and he is currently running himself. It does need some welding which he will do (boot floor is nasty and there is some light welding on inner wings required) but it's the other bits I'm not too sure about, are they easy fixes or not? This is what I found after a thorough examination...

NSF swivel a bit corroded on full lock, how much is a swivel?
NSR anti roll bar balljoint has failed totally, ARB is not doing anything, just needs a balljoint
Aft front prop UJ, presumably a simple job as per S3 landy
Bit of rad fin corrosion, was fine today, not sure about summer on motorway though!
PAS off the dipstick, some evidence of leakage around pipes
Slightly baulky into 2nd if you take your time, crunchy if you rush it
Gearstick neutral position is in the 1-2 plane, not 3-4, spring broken somewhere?
Rear discs are shiny-ish, although not as shiny as the front, not sure if the back brakes are being lazy (I understand tehre can be a problem here)
ABS, I don't even know if it's fitted, I could not get the brakes to lock (hhowever it was a dry road) but there was no "pulse" underfoot. When did they get fitted?

It's a 200TDi on an M plate, facelift model with the bigger headlights and better interior. MOT until May...should I look at taking it on if the welding is done or could it get REALLY expensive?


Many thanks in advance for your advice!
 
I'm looking to rejoin the Land Rover fold with an S1 Disco after selling my ex RAF S3 109 a few years ago.

I want a Disco as a second car and for towing duties, and fun off roading so I'm not after a tip top vehicle, just something fairly reliable. I'm also happy to do some DIY work on it.

I've looked at one that a local mechanic I know took as part exchange and he is currently running himself. It does need some welding which he will do (boot floor is nasty and there is some light welding on inner wings required) but it's the other bits I'm not too sure about, are they easy fixes or not? This is what I found after a thorough examination...

NSF swivel a bit corroded on full lock, how much is a swivel?
NSR anti roll bar balljoint has failed totally, ARB is not doing anything, just needs a balljoint
Aft front prop UJ, presumably a simple job as per S3 landy
Bit of rad fin corrosion, was fine today, not sure about summer on motorway though!
PAS off the dipstick, some evidence of leakage around pipes
Slightly baulky into 2nd if you take your time, crunchy if you rush it
Gearstick neutral position is in the 1-2 plane, not 3-4, spring broken somewhere?
Rear discs are shiny-ish, although not as shiny as the front, not sure if the back brakes are being lazy (I understand tehre can be a problem here)
ABS, I don't even know if it's fitted, I could not get the brakes to lock (hhowever it was a dry road) but there was no "pulse" underfoot. When did they get fitted?

It's a 200TDi on an M plate, facelift model with the bigger headlights and better interior. MOT until May...should I look at taking it on if the welding is done or could it get REALLY expensive?


Many thanks in advance for your advice!

Depepnds on the price
Do you know what gearbox and milage it has got.

If the reverse is by the 1st its the lt77 if not r380

If the later you engine and gearbox would be the best combination you can get.

As for the others if you could do them, It sounds that it may be a lt77 for the crunching on second cos mine does it. I been told that the sycro is in three parts you can get this done and choose the 1 part I beleive which will stop the crunching in second gear.

Depends on how much you get it but i reckon youd spend about 600 to get it about right.
 
Thanks for the advice...I honestly cannot remember where reverse was! Is the R380 later than the LT77 then, and we are talking the later the better?

Do you happen to know if the 1-2 neutral plane is a big problem? The gearstick gaiter has been off, and it just looks like a short gearstick dissappearing into a ball in the top of the gearstick. Certainly does not look as obvious as my old series 3!
 
Thanks yella. It's certainly a facelift, big lights, nicer dashboard and steering wheel etc, the rounded five spoke alloys etc. So that will make it a 300 then? Does that mean it has the better gearbox, any idea if the gearbox fixes are easy?

I'd also heard that in many ways the 200 is a tougher engine than the 300, any ideas? What's the difference between the two?
 
Well, thanks for the advice all. Yes it was a grand, so I think I've bagged myself a bargain, just bought it tonight after looking at two others. The grand includes a new complete boot floor being welded in, I can sort the other niggly bits myself (pleasantly surprised at the cost of the parts from Craddocks) and if I want to sort the synchro problem then I can do that in the summer.

Pictures to follow!
 
Well, finally got her this weekend, spent most of it doing various jobs like the gearbox bias plate spring and changing the front prop UJs and ARB balljoint. However she drives really, really well, and the gearbox into 2nd is just fine as long as you don't cane it in first and then rush the change.

It actually worked out at £1300 as I got both floor side panels replaced as well, instead of just the centre section. However as you can probably tell from the photos I am chuffed to bits with her!

Looks nice and clean following a big wash, now just have to get it dirty!!!

1002083qb4.jpg


Thanks for all the buying advice and it's nice to be aboard!
 
Back
Top