defender 110, Disco 2 or Disco 3 which one?

fozziediscovery · Mar 24, 2015

Hi all, if you had up to £11000 to spend on a Landy, which out of the three would you get?

My head tells me td5 Disco 2 as they are a better all round vehicle for 2 adults and 2 children for road use and not far off what a Defender could tackle. I could also get a top spec, low ish mileage with money to spare.

My heart tells me I should get a defender 110 as I wont lose that much money if at all if I buy the right one. is more capable off road, but not as good as the discovery on road . The 300TDi might be the better bet as you don't seem to get stung as bad with the bloody car tax.

The devil in me said I should get a tdv6 Disco 3, registered before 23rd March 2006 (car tax again). Find one that has full service history and has had the belts changed and the auto box flushed possibly electronic parking brake module also done and I should be okay.

I will hopefully go travelling through france, spain etc with the family, and morocco one day with the lads towing a trailer with off road bikes and gear etc.

Fuel consumption wise, I don't think there is a lot in it.

What do you reckon?

Fozzie.

MJI · Mar 25, 2015

D3 will be the nicest but is a risk on reliability

D2 very late TD5 will all the toys and enough left over for a brand new galvanised chassis, if auto Ashcroft upgrade. Remap VNT ect

110 a nice TD5

fozziediscovery · Mar 25, 2015

Cheers, MJI I appreciate your thoughts.

Anybody else, I value the comments.

Fozzie.

Vincemcdonald · Mar 25, 2015

In my humble opinion, not the tractor, certainly not the computer on wheels, go for the best D2 and put it on coil springs all round.

duane0001 · Mar 25, 2015

2.4 Puma Defender all the way
I have one and never looked back

MJI · Mar 26, 2015

Vincemcdonald said:
In my humble opinion, not the tractor, certainly not the computer on wheels, go for the best D2 and put it on coil springs all round.

Nothing wrong with air suspension

This chap could afford all new parts

MJI · Mar 26, 2015

duane0001 said:
2.4 Puma Defender all the way
I have one and never looked back

I have driven a Puma engined Defender, then straight after my TD5 Discovery

There is a world of difference between them.

The TD5 is a much nicer engine.

Yoyodyne · Mar 26, 2015

An old Disco is less likely to get nicked. Check out insurance costs.

wattfield · Mar 26, 2015

I prefer the Defender myself, I've had three and one Discovery, but if I was taking kids on holiday I'd go for the Disco.

bobupndown · Mar 27, 2015

A question I ask myself regularly.

So for what its worth, I have a D2 which I have owned since it was 3 years old with 33K miles, its now 11 years old with 132K miles, It is a fantastic family car and thats why Ive owned it twice as long as any previous car. It carries everything, tows anything (1800kg twin axle caravan all over UK, Ireland and France) goes anywhere and still looks very upmarket, its a late model Landmark, full leather, twin sunroof all the toys. Fairly easy to work on as a DIY basis. Much as i love it its getting on a bit and I wonder about what to eventually replace it with:-

Defender 110 Td5 or Tdci? Wife doesnt like "farmers" cars so thats the biggest hurdle. Apart from that more cramped, less comfort, wore fuel economy, corrosion of fittings makes them look scruffy at a fairly young age although Im a bit of a perfectionist about car cleaning so I reckon I could keep on top of that. Keep their value well and even more likely to do so now production is ending. Id really like one!

D3, More refined, powerful and even more upmarket. But more complex, reputation for expensive breakdowns (maybe unfounded?) High tax bracket except the pre March 06 models. Less DIY friendly?

All 3 would do the job for you well, I suppose its personal preference and budget which will decide.

honolulujoe · Mar 27, 2015

sorely regret selling my 110 years ago awesome machines, mine had a full external cage and rack, 6 of us went on holiday one year with the very back full of luggage and some on top. but they aren't that comfortable for long distance driving as the disco would be, I would feel better with the kids in a disco too.

MJI · Mar 27, 2015

bobupndown said:
A question I ask myself regularly.

So for what its worth, I have a D2 which I have owned since it was 3 years old with 33K miles, its now 11 years old with 132K miles, It is a fantastic family car and thats why Ive owned it twice as long as any previous car. It carries everything, tows anything (1800kg twin axle caravan all over UK, Ireland and France) goes anywhere and still looks very upmarket, its a late model Landmark, full leather, twin sunroof all the toys. Fairly easy to work on as a DIY basis. Much as i love it its getting on a bit and I wonder about what to eventually replace it with:-

Defender 110 Td5 or Tdci? Wife doesnt like "farmers" cars so thats the biggest hurdle. Apart from that more cramped, less comfort, wore fuel economy, corrosion of fittings makes them look scruffy at a fairly young age although Im a bit of a perfectionist about car cleaning so I reckon I could keep on top of that. Keep their value well and even more likely to do so now production is ending. Id really like one!

D3, More refined, powerful and even more upmarket. But more complex, reputation for expensive breakdowns (maybe unfounded?) High tax bracket except the pre March 06 models. Less DIY friendly?

All 3 would do the job for you well, I suppose its personal preference and budget which will decide.

I drove a TDCi Defender then straight after my TD5 Discovery late last year.

If you like the TD5 you will not like the TDCi.

Look at Discovery 4s, they are supposed to have solved the reliability issues.

fozziediscovery · Mar 27, 2015

Thanks for the replies. I sat in my friends Defender and straight away I felt cramped with my shoulder pressed up again the door and my calf rubbing on the handbrake. Like you say over long distances I wouldn't feel comfortable at the end of it.

I love my two disco 1's (300tdi and V8) which would go to make room for my new disco. The TD5's are easier to work on and less expensive but I think in time the cost to fix and service D3's will come down as more garages are able to work on them, more companies will start to produce parts for them etc.

Ill have a look but D4's are way out of my budget and ill try and get one from 2005 or early 2006 so I don't get stung for the dearer tax.

Talking of which, why went engines become obsolete due to stricter emissions do you end up paying more of the bloody tax for a newer car.

I do like the look of this one though,
fleabay item number 161647251684
seems to have had the common faults fixed.
Fozzie.

200tdi ayre · Mar 27, 2015

D3 is the most comfortable by far

Ive been repairing D2's all week this week all sorts of problems and jobs.

I regularly work on 1 D3 but I think its abit of a lemon.

The electronics on a D3 aren't that bad TBH and most of the parts are the same price as D2 parts

The handbrakes aren't a problem if they'rre maintained often, cleaned out and adjusted Every 6 months gives no problems on any of the vehicles I look after.

I wouldn't but a 110 unless it was for a 100% work vehicle.

D2 or D3 are just as good work horses as a 110 but much more comfortable, much quieter.

Ive driven to germany and back in My d2 absolutely lovely to drive, would have been pain in a 110

Overall if I had 11k to spend it would be a D3 or RR 322

captainbeaky · Mar 27, 2015

For me, a 110 or D2.
The D3 have a rediculous amount of electronic stuff waiting to go wrong.
( let's face it, LR are not renowned for their fabulously reliable electronics).

200tdi ayre · Mar 27, 2015

captainbeaky said:
For me, a 110 or D2.
The D3 have a rediculous amount of electronic stuff waiting to go wrong.
( let's face it, LR are not renowned for their fabulously reliable electronics).

Ive never had a problem with D3 electronics.

Bushes, handbrakes, wheel bearings. But not computers.

MJI · Mar 27, 2015

Beware of L322s the BMW V8 is getting hard to find parts for and the BMW Diesel has a chocolate gearbox. Later ones seem a LOT better.

A shed L322 is a similar price to a very nice D2, or a very early D3

steveyorks · Mar 27, 2015

I think budget here is an issue. You wont need or want to spend £11k on a disco 2 but you would need it for a disco 3. If you are contemplating either because either will do then do you need to spend 11k after all? Think of that depreciation when you have 11k ties up in a car! A 110 makes the most sense depreciation wise and your budget would get you a good td5 with some cash for remap etc but can you live with the poor heater, water leaks and cramped driving position? I loved my defender but it was hard work with the kids.

fozziediscovery · Mar 27, 2015

I could probably cope with the cramped driving positions with the 110 just like thousands of happy owners but I don't think the rest of the family would truly appreciate it. Also so many seem to be getting pinched, I would worry every time I left it parked up.
A decent limited or special edition disco 2 only seem to come with an automatic box and you have to pay around £7000 for one. And for this money I can start buying a d3.
Fozzie.

LiftedDisco · Mar 27, 2015

D3 all the way...

Yes, there may be a bit more complexity but the knowledge on how to deal with the vagaries of these is gradually becoming more and more widely understood - get yourself some decent diagnostics kit and Bob's yer Uncle...

Good luck..

defender 110, Disco 2 or Disco 3 which one?

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