Dilemma

I have read, re-read and read again the inherant faults of owning a Disco and...er, I want one. I know everyone has individual opinions but I'd like to know preferences. My pocket money will get me a late 300TDi or an early TD5. What is each individuals preference.

what do you want?

Off road toy, workhorse or school run?

TDi every time - provided you can find a rust free one.

battenberg said:

what do you want?

Off road toy, workhorse or school run?

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Fair point. Everyday car but I do a lot of sea fishing so would use it for that too. It's never going to be up to it's axles in crap but would be going down some tracks and wobbling about in muddy fields that run of the mill cars won't tackle.

Do you "like" to service your own cars?

Yes 300Tdi
No TD5

TD5 is an excellent long distance cruiser, smooth engine, bigger load space
300 easy to work on cheaper parts less electrickery

neither chassis will like salt water on a slipway!

No worries about the slip way, this will be instead of a boat

As for working on them, I have done quite a lot on my mates TDi and V8 and found them easy. I'm not overly excited about the differences of the TD5 over the TDi but having never set foot, or arse in one so I can't really compare. I'm not bad with a mig either. I have seen a couple I like, a 96(p) TDi with 88k for £2900 for instance. It has to be an auto too, the wife is in charge you see.

£4000 will buy a mid-age TD5 (2002 ish). Get a good one, and you'll be fine. You can do a lot of TD5 servicing yourself, but would probably need to get a "tame" independant to do the things you can't do and stamp the book...

South Devon Fishing said:

No worries about the slip way, this will be instead of a boat

As for working on them, I have done quite a lot on my mates TDi and V8 and found them easy. I'm not overly excited about the differences of the TD5 over the TDi but having never set foot, or arse in one so I can't really compare. I'm not bad with a mig either. I have seen a couple I like, a 96(p) TDi with 88k for £2900 for instance. It has to be an auto too, the wife is in charge you see.

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That's an ENORMOUS amount of money to pay for any 12 year old Disco TDi300 !!! Should be more like £1500.

If you've got 3-4 grand to spend my recomendation would be TD5. It is likely to have a lot less rust on it, partially because they designed out some of the rust traps and partially because it will be 3-4 yrs newer.

The autos drive very well, but the question that is running through my mind is - are you SURE that you have a need for a vehicle which is loads more complicated, permanent 4 wheel drive transmission-wise, than a std family estate car?

They do require a lot more regular looking after irrespective of what the service schedule says.

I reckon your best bet is to go and drive a few and see how you get on - they will be slow by comparison to an ordinary car, heavy and unwieldy feeling as well. You need to drive a few and perhaps get your wife to drive them as well. There's nothing worse than buying car your partner doesn't like - tell me how I know !!!!!!!!!!!

thebiglad said:

There's nothing worse than buying car your partner doesn't like!

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I'ts a positive must if you ask me!

If I had let my wife drive the Disco before I bought it I wouldnt have discovered the err pleasures of Disco 1 ownership.

You know the lying on your back feeling every sunday fixing something that broke / fell off in the week :rofl:

Still its been a great excuse to increase my tool colletion

thebiglad said:

You need to drive a few and perhaps get your wife to drive them as well.

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Sorry for the delay in replying, had to clear up where the world just dropped out of my arse when I thought the wife had seen this post!

I have to say, I've given it a lot of thought and consideration. We have only covered 6000 miles odd since May 07 and our current heap of tripe is pulling off no more than 18mpg. I kind of like the challenge of a weekly rebuild and have found L/R parts to be about 20% of the cost of our current Vauxhall parts. In a really crap manner I kind of equated it'd come out about the same in the end... Probably.

The potential of someone actually getting £2900 out of me, well, the wife, for a 96 disco is not great. I'm not rushing out to buy the first I see as I have plenty of T&T left to waste on the current heap. I'm scanning the trader for what's about and seeing a strong variation in values so will definately shop about, lots.

This is going to be a hard job just getting the right Disco/financial drain so I want to get the right one first time lol. And once I've done that I will sort out world peace and make all women nymphomaniacs. One step at a time though

A TD5 with a good set of AT tyres like General Grabber or BFG's would be a great car (is a great car!).

very capable of both being an every day car/outside lane cruise controler or going across the fields and tracks to your fishing spots or greenlaning

Budget £400 odd quid for an engine management re-map and you've got yourself a wolf in sheeps clothing!

battenberg said:

Budget £400 odd quid for an engine management re-map and you've got yourself a wolf in sheeps clothing!

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LOL. Have you ever been to Torbay? You'd do well to get to 30 round here. Bloody tourists and wombles everwhere dithering about. One of the reasons for an auto, to save having a massive clutch leg.

Hi, when buying your better to look for condition rather than go for age as a newer one could of sat in a lot for ages or had a hard life.

good luck with your search.

stu2985 said:

Still its been a great excuse to increase my tool colletion

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Heheheheh ... Mine has now come the opinion that new tools are to be bought as necessary (I decide what's necessary) and are part of the normal running costs ...

Looking at welding equipment at the mo'.

So I get to increase my tool collection, get a fun car and have an opportunity to spend hung over sundays under a disco... I can't see the fault with any of that.

South Devon Fishing said:

So I get to increase my tool collection, get a fun car and have an opportunity to spend hung over sundays under a disco... I can't see the fault with any of that.

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bankruptcy?:bolt:

South Devon Fishing said:

So I get to increase my tool collection, get a fun car and have an opportunity to spend hung over sundays under a disco... I can't see the fault with any of that.

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Trouble is, it's like a disease .. and isn;t as easy to cure ...

I've had both a TD5 and Tdi300 from new and currently run a 97 TDi300 I bought earlier this year. To be honest in terms of driving there's not a great deal of difference, but the TD5 has the edge.

However going for a late TDi300 would be better than an early TD5, because the early TD5 had their faults (mine certainly did!)

I would go for a TDi300 on your budget and if you can get an import you want have a rust issue. They are amazingly rust free.

Basically you get what you pay for, so go on condition.

Regards

DiscoTDi said:

if you can get an import you want have a rust issue.

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Funny you should mention that. I'm going to have a look about for insurance quotes when I can get some details for an import as a while ago I was thinking about an import vehicle but was quickly put off by the hyped insurance premiums.