Should I buy a Disco 1?

Kevin Winter · Jul 27, 2013

Hi - I was a member a few years ago - I had a 110 Defender at the time, which I spent a small fortune imporving and repairing, only for it to be stolen and the insurers stitch me up. Sadly, I've had to drive a cheap but dull Focus for a few years o get some no claims built up and am looking at selling it and getting myself a new Landy.

Sadly, I just don't have the budget for a 'fender, and should perhaps buy something a little more sociable for the girlfriend. I've got a budget of £2000, plus or minus a little bit and suspect that the best fit is a Discovery 1?

So -

1 Is a disco 1 the right vehicle for that budget - I need something roomy, capable of a some gentle greenlaning and the odd heavier day at an off-road center? Would I be better off with a different vehicle? (I've gone Disco 1 rather than 2, as there seem to be less electronics involved, and I want to be able to do as much as possible on it myself. I have access to my parents garage etc, and decent tools, so I can do most simple home maintenance myself)

2 What modifications are worthwhile to make them a capable greenlane motor?

3 Any buying tips? I know that they are major rust buckets potentially - where should I be looking?

4 Dealer or private sale? I'm inclined toward dealers as I can get some sort of reasurance/guartantee, but is it worth the xtra money?

5 Any suggestions of somewhere near Slough to start shopping?

Lts of Qs there, so thanks in advance for anyone who has time to reply!

chezvegas · Jul 27, 2013

Kevin Winter said:
Hi - I was a member a few years ago - I had a 110 Defender at the time, which I spent a small fortune imporving and repairing, only for it to be stolen and the insurers stitch me up. Sadly, I've had to drive a cheap but dull Focus for a few years o get some no claims built up and am looking at selling it and getting myself a new Landy.

Sadly, I just don't have the budget for a 'fender, and should perhaps buy something a little more sociable for the girlfriend. I've got a budget of £2000, plus or minus a little bit and suspect that the best fit is a Discovery 1?

So -

1 Is a disco 1 the right vehicle for that budget - I need something roomy, capable of a some gentle greenlaning and the odd heavier day at an off-road center? Would I be better off with a different vehicle? (I've gone Disco 1 rather than 2, as there seem to be less electronics involved, and I want to be able to do as much as possible on it myself. I have access to my parents garage etc, and decent tools, so I can do most simple home maintenance myself)

2 What modifications are worthwhile to make them a capable greenlane motor?

3 Any buying tips? I know that they are major rust buckets potentially - where should I be looking?

4 Dealer or private sale? I'm inclined toward dealers as I can get some sort of reasurance/guartantee, but is it worth the xtra money?

5 Any suggestions of somewhere near Slough to start shopping?

Lts of Qs there, so thanks in advance for anyone who has time to reply!

To answer some points , I used to own a disco 1

1. disco 1 is 200 or 300 tdi, disco 2 is td5. Td5 has an ecu and other electrical bits but still not that complex. At the age you are buying most major faults should have been picked up.

2. Loads, lift kits , winches you name it you can get it.

3. As well as chassis rust they have chronic rust on inner wings, boot floor etc. when checking it over lift all the carpets as well

4. Any guarantee from a dealer won't be worth a huge amount. Go over it with a fine tooth comb. Remember it will be potentially 20 years old so don't expect mint condition.

5. No idea

They are great off road even as standard. Better on the motorway than a defender. Comfy to drive but for me it just wasn't the same so I went back to a defender

Have a search as someone might have done a buying guide

dannythedog · Jul 27, 2013

Just got rid of mine I can't complain about it about it apart from rust. The main places are the sills, boot floor, wheel arches and well basically everywhere if you are handy with a welder you can get a rough one and do it yourself. There are lots of threads on here so just have a search and that will tell all.

Danny

EwdMucker · Jul 27, 2013

Hi, I sold my R Reg Disco on ebay a couple of months ago, personally I'd go for a 3 Door 300Tdi. I have owned 2 now and they have both been cracking motors, loads of stuff can be done to modify them. They are capable of most things off road and relatively cheap to run. The 3 doors don't have the rotting rear arch issues like the 5 door ones. Both of the ones I owned didn't have sun roofs either so no issues with them leaking. I only sold mine because I had the chance of buying a cracking defender, I would happily buy another. Just check inner wings, sills, boot floor and usual chassis bits.
Hope you get sorted out, regards EwdMucker

SteveD · Jul 28, 2013

When I bought mine I looked for one that had minimal welding. The reason being that I know any Disco need welding but now I can make sure it's done properly. Before it's next MOT it will have both sills replaced with box section and at least one inner wing.

I'm still at the shakedown stage with mine, finding little niggles that I need to get sorted, current bee in my bonnet is the rev counter

, and I'm hoping to get these little jobs done before it starts breaking down. Biggest mistake so far was tyres/wheels. The ones I got just rubbed slightly on the rear so I have had to fit Flatdog arches which is OK but it does mean I could have gone a bit bigger on the tyres. Oh well, they'll need replacing one day.

I guess what I'm saying is don't blow all your budget buying it, keep some back for things you will have to change/fix to get it the way you want it. In my head I had a budget of about £2000-£2500, I paid £850 for the Disco but in the first month I have bought wheel and tyres, arches, steering and diff guards, snorkel, wading kit for a total of about another £950. I suppose I could have found one that was as I wanted but where's the fun in that

scottant · Jul 28, 2013

Discoverys are perfectly capable, and you can get thousands of things to modify it for off-road. If you are after something easy to drive too then again it will suit nicely. I went for a later modeal with a 300tdi. I did wait a little longer to get an ES model so it has all the gadgets and i was lucky enough for them to all work!
Your £1000-£2000 budget sounds spot on and you should be able to pick up quite a nice one for that. Mine was 1400 and is spot on with 2 tiny holes in the rear arches. They will all do that!
Ebay usually has loads on too, some are wrecked but you should find some good ones there

Jay reKx · Jul 28, 2013

yes.

I prefer 200tdi D1 over any of the multitude of 300 D1s I've driven. imo the 200 is a better motor, a little simpler, a little less electric witchcraft to go wrong, and slightly less refined, which I like. also prefer the LT77 to the R380, but thats just me.

Chris W · Jul 28, 2013

Jay reKx said:
yes.

I prefer 200tdi D1 over any of the multitude of 300 D1s I've driven. imo the 200 is a better motor, a little simpler, a little less electric witchcraft to go wrong, and slightly less refined, which I like. also prefer the LT77 to the R380, but thats just me.

fair comment, but what about a 200 / 300 hybrid, fuel pump and timing from 200 tdi on a 300 tdi ..... with a garret turbo

DiscoPol · Jul 28, 2013

yes. simples

oh and buy a welder

Kevin Winter · Jul 29, 2013

Cheers for all the advice folks. Looks like I've actually managed to get my research about discos about right. Will drop the budget back to £1500-£1800, with £700 or so left over for sorting it out and tweaking it a little for greenlaning.
I've also got a little savings account for running repairs. Will get off shopping today...

Should I buy a Disco 1?

Kevin Winter

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chezvegas

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dannythedog

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EwdMucker

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SteveD

Senile Member

scottant

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Jay reKx

Active Member

Chris W

Well-Known Member

DiscoPol

Well-Known Member

Kevin Winter

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