ECU Swap for s11 v8 disco?

Can anyone help? Our S11 V8 Disco needs a new engine management ecu and we have found a second hand one from a breaker but I have been warned that these ecu's are coded to the vehicle making the ecu useless to any other landrover. I know if you buy a new one you have to get them coded for your car. Basically, I wonder if I should go for a new one or a second hand one? I recon the coding is for the imobilisation only and may allow the vehicle to run as normal with no alarm settings if it was just plugged in. Has anyone swaped an ecu in there disco and did it work???
THANKS, G.

They are indeed programmed with the cars vin,but it is perfectly acceptable to fit a s/h Ecu and create a new link to re-mobilise it.This has to be done on Testbook or similar.Those Bosch ECU's are very reliable - are you absolutely sure it has failed ?

As far as we can tell it must be a fault with the ecu. When on the test book it comes back as no signal from o2 sensors. We have replaced the o2 sensors twice. Re wired from the ecu to o2 sensors. Then but the origonal wires back because it made no diffrence. The o2 sensors have been tested now and they work fine. The car runs bad on petrol and gas. The garage thats doing the work is now convinced its the ecu to blame. I hope it is the ecu cos we dont know where else to turn now! Thanks, G.

Unusual,but it sounds like you are on the right track.Does your garage have a similar car you can borrow an ecu to try ? If they dont they could try Allcar Electronics,they are in Derbyshire UK ph 01773 836485. They are pretty much a trade only company - they have had a fair few problems with private individuals asking for things that they dont have enough knowledge/kit to deal with.
They operate a test hire service for ECU's,with an option to buy if it fixes the car.They are very good but like I say it might be a good idea to get your garage to contact them.