Buying a disco td5

Hi all been a while, wanting a little guidance I'm currently looking at buying a disco td5 I use to own a 300tdi and regretted getting rid and now wanting and needing a disco again I'm looking more at the td5's!! Never worked on one no some problems they have but not much, a lot I've looks at are high mileage ie 150,000miles some around the 120,000 miles mark are these td5's as reliable as the 300 with this sort of mileage? Wanting a td5 as more refined and more tuneable yes I will be doing loads of offroading and will also be my daily just like my old 300 was! So on the td5's what does go wrong? Is it worth me buying one with 150,000miles or should I go back to the 300tdi,

This thread might help:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/engine-reliability-question-234158.html

Diff.

I'd be more worried about the state of the rear end of the chassis than the oily bits TBH,most of them are reasonably easily overcome but a knackered chassis is a big expense to fix

HenryD said:

I'd be more worried about the state of the rear end of the chassis than the oily bits TBH,most of them are reasonably easily overcome but a knackered chassis is a big expense to fix

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Yes I agree . Just check everything electric works .

Just sold mine with 175000 on the clock & didn't miss a beat. Like the guys above said, just the usual with the discos check for rust. I absolutely loved my Td5 to death. They are pretty easy to work on too. As for electrics that's the way motors are today, so were just going to have to get used to it.

Thanks guys just been to see a 1999 v reg with 116000miles on the clock looks clean for its age been converted to springs on the back so that tells me it's been used for towing plus hay in the back pockets in the boot lol, solid underneath just flakey in places. One question I do have is the abs light is on along with tc light srs light and back supension light? Is this because its been converted to springs? The guy insures me the problem will be sorted and the lights will not be on plus full 12months mot put on the disco all for £2100.

The lights that should be showing are abs,tc and hdc together(they shouldn't be showing but if one is then normally tother two are as well)if air suspension light is on its probably because no one has told the ECU that it's been changed to coils.

The light you say is the rear suspension light
Will be the decent control light if the other two are on that will be on as well
There's a couple of main Reasons they come on like a sensor or valve body
Common fault

The THREE AMIGOS (traction control, abs and hill descent control).

How do you know it's been converted for towing just by having springs on the rear? I would have thought that air suspension is superior in that area due to it being self-levelling? Does it in fact have a tow bar? That would be the ultimate clue! (sorry, couldn't resist)

Mine's got a spring conversion on it too, but no tow bar.

Diff.

If it has 7 seats and converted to springs check with your insurance company - not convinced it's legal.

If it's a 7 seater it'll have air suspension, if it's a 5 seater it'll have coil spring suspension. As has been pointed out, coils on a 7 seater might compromise your insurance. If it has been converted then remove the 2 seats in the back to make it a 5 seater, don't forget to advise your insurer of what's been done.

Nigel-S said:

If it's a 7 seater it'll have air suspension, if it's a 5 seater it'll have coil spring suspension. As has been pointed out, coils on a 7 seater might compromise your insurance. If it has been converted then remove the 2 seats in the back to make it a 5 seater, don't forget to advise your insurer of what's been done.

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Some of the 5 seaters have air as well,it was an option on them.but as said all 7 seaters had standard air.

Insurance aside, I have a td5 disco on 180,000 miles it is used for mainly green laneing and off roading. The lights are on as said: if the air suspension is removed (best idea) and the ecu wasn't told, so that's a relatively easy fix. As for problems with the engine all I've encountered by using it off road is the usual landrover tendency to leak oil when it wants too. Check rear chassis and usual disco places, the only other thing I'd advise is if your going to go off road a lot and thought a lot of water I'd consider relocating the ecu to the inside and just be careful of too much water on the electrics

DIFFLOCK66 said:

The THREE AMIGOS (traction control, abs and hill descent control).

How do you know it's been converted for towing just by having springs on the rear? I would have thought that air suspension is superior in that area due to it being self-levelling? Does it in fact have a tow bar? That would be the ultimate clue! (sorry, couldn't resist)

Mine's got a spring conversion on it too, but no tow bar.

Diff.

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I have just done the SVS (Shuttle Valve Switch) modification today so I am convinced I have eliminated the little mexican devils

be aware that of the possibility of water from the sunroofs or water in the headliner from the nearside A post to the roof joint leaking
These I have fixed after many a happy and frustrating few hours

and if you go for a face lift D2 watch out for some scrot nicking the headlights that are around £300 (quite ironic I got mine from Paddock) to replace plus all the bits of extras like trim

dange