Wanted:: Advice for first time Disco buyer

> I had the gearbox problem (it was replaced at 154k with the clutch).

Must have made for interesting gear changes! )
TonyB

>
> I had a three door DON'T - make sure it's a 5 door!

The 200 Tdi seven seater is a pain - you have to remove the rear load space
seat to change a brake bulb! Not difficult, just a pain.
Did they move the light cluster on the 300 to alleviate this problem?
TonyB

On or around Mon, 28 Nov 2005 20:02:03 +0000 (UTC), "TonyB"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>> >
>> Again, very useful, thanks you!
>> cheers
>
>Gary,
>You may like to know the difference between the 200 and 300 in general
>terms. The 300 has bigger headlamps than the 200 ( although it is possible
>to do a conversion from 200 to 300 only a few people have done it.) I
>suspect your N reg is a 300 though.

and engine-wise... look at the front of the engine. The 200 type has
conventional V belts driving things, the 300 has a flat multi-V serpentine
belt running round everything including an auto-tensioner.

My Dad got one of the first of the 300tdi Discoverys. L reg this was fitted
with the R380.
Then I got it.
Now my brother has got it.
Never Broke down.
Allways had a problem with the rear lights in the bumper.
Abit of a problem with the gearbox involving a main dealer putting in the
wrong oil in it
I found this out later when I had it mended by someone with a clue.
I do miss it, but I had it all weekend, because I didn't want to empty the
stuff out of my defender.

Regards JJ






"Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Austin Shackles wrote:
>> On or around Sun, 27 Nov 2005 22:16:04 -0000, "Huw"
>> <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>
>>> "Gary Grainger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>> Hi,
>>>> I'm seriously considering buying a N or M reg. Discovery. I've
>>>> never owned a Land Rover before, and I don't have any mechanical
>>>> skills or knowledge. I'd like to know what to look for (that a
>>>> novice can find) when looking at a Discovery.
>>>> Thanks in advance
>>>> G
>>>
>>> Apart from rot and general mechanical condition, check for peeling
>>> dash as this age was the peak of the problem, just after they
>>> introduced the modified and retrograde dash design. Also check for
>>> the dreaded gearbox output shaft spline wear. Also you may have a
>>> choice at N registration late '95 when they changed the gearbox
>>> model. At around this time they had poor hygiene at the machining
>>> stage and some boxes had much swarf left inside to the detriment of
>>> life. These should have failed at a low mileage but you never know.
>>> If everything works as it should then all should be OK so be aware
>>> but don't worry about it..
>>> The newer gearbox will have reverse opposite 5th while the perfectly
>>> good older model had reverse on a dog leg to the left of 1st.
>>
>> overall, I found the LT77 just as good as the R380 - and early R380s
>> still have the output shaft problem, AIUI - and in fact I prefer the
>> feel of the LT77. The R380 gearshift isn't *quite* as good IMHO,
>> although the box is slightly quieter, and has synchro on reverse...
>>
>>
>> the R380 comes in along with the 300 engine in late 94/early 95,
>> ISTR. There are "200" type L regs and a few "300" type, I think -
>> certainly by M reg they're 300 type.
>
> There was quite a bit of overlap with 300tdi fitted with LT77 etc. Also
> there were stocks of these vehicles at central points and at dealers which
> explains a late N reg '96 that I know of that had the LT77 which failed
> and was replaced under warranty with an R380.
>
> Huw.
>