Disco 1 Buying guide?

First, I'm new and on mobile, so.apologies if I've missed a good guide, but I couldn't see one after searching.

I'm looking for a non-rotten manual gearbox 300tdi Discovery.

How much is the going rate, as prices are all over the place? I've got cash waiting, just need to find the right one.

Anything specifically I should be looking for?

Chaz.

Rusty sills, rusty rear floor, rusty inner wings,
Rusty............!!! you name it. They are all V old now.
Falling/sagging head linings.
Leaky sunroofs.
I'd buy a Jap import if I could find one.
As for engines, gearboxes, transmissions. no real problem areas, they were tough things. But do the usual checks.
Oh and swivels, they get rusty.
oops did i mention rust?

Sgt_Slow said:

First, I'm new and on mobile, so.apologies if I've missed a good guide, but I couldn't see one after searching.

I'm looking for a non-rotten manual gearbox 300tdi Discovery.

How much is the going rate, as prices are all over the place? I've got cash waiting, just need to find the right one.

Anything specifically I should be looking for?

Chaz.

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If your looking for a “non-rotten” disco 1 then you won’t be interested in rust or aluminium body corrosion, some even have interior water leaks.

So, if you pass on all that in your search, look for the top of the range model, that will be an ES 1996-1997-1998 model year, the last two are best, also with the lowest number of previous owners as possible, plus any service and repair history maybe of interest to you and of course a below average mileage, even so there maybe a bit of interior tidying up require.
Check that every thing works obviously, central diff lock may not because the vehicle hasn’t been in the slippery stuff off-road.
The bottom line is, if your in a hurry then pass the D1 & 2 as most have issues… thats why their forums exist… and start looking at a D3 or D4.

just add. The LROi magazine had a buyer guide in their mag.

AFAIK, the Jap re-import ones are only auto... Also pretty sure that they all had a sunroof or two, which makes things worse due the appalling drain installation ... Ask me how I know

D1's rot for fun, sadly, and the 3 door ones are worse, which is shame because they are a better vehicle IMO - you can ask me how I know that too ...

So, as post 2 .... Sadly, it's not really a question of "is it rotten", but "where is it rotten"... unless you are incredibly fortunate and find a low mileage dry stored example - they do exist - but they will command a significant sum now - I remember an ex portugal dry stored D1 being for sale for £18K a few years ago... It was probably worth it too

Is restoring one an option ?

My one is pretty rust free, after spending most of its life, stored. And low miles, but not for sale.
18k, really? That's incredible.

Well as most discovery buyers want a 'rust free' car its a tight market, you can get reasonable D2's and a least just about all the bits are for sale, from a part chassis to a full chassis, swivels ball joint, prop-shafts, you get my point, even if you bought a cheap as chips D2, it can be repaired to a good standard it just takes time, or pay more an you can put off the repairs for a bit, that could be weeks , months, not sure on years

If you get a 1998 Anniversary model, you get almost all of the comfort of an ES without the PITA sunroofs, (you'd still get aircon) or the electrical stuff like electric seats which can go wrong.
If you go for a D2, they are a lot more trouble electrically and mechanically, and the chassis rot. One of the first tools you'll need to buy will be a diagnostic tool.
I have one of each so I know that I prefer my D1 Anniversary despite the fact it needs the sills welding and new swivels.
As for D3/4 I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole as the electrical complications are myriad. I know many independent LR specialists who won't touch anything after a D2. So if you are wanting a D1 for the lack of complication I am completely with you on that. I'd get rid of my D2 tomorrow if it wasn't for the fact that my wife can't drive a manual any more. Despite the fact that I have fixed most of the many common problems.
A mate of mine bought a D3 recently, he loved it but was so scared of it going wrong that he got rid of it. and he is no amateur having built a jeep from a RR and having used a D1 commercial in anger doing MSA recovery for years.
If the diff lock doesn't seem to work it will probably just be seized due to lack of use. Not difficult to take the central console out, drill out the pop welds, take the mechanism off, put it in a vice and free it off, grease it up properly and put it back in.
The biggest pain in this job is putting new pop rivets in, but you don't have to do that, you could use self tappers or anything else that takes your fancy.
As for all the "does it have a service history, low mileage, blah de blah" too obvious to need stating really, I am sure you don't need telling that!
By the way, the D3/4 is so awful it has its own website(s)! http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/ is one
So don't be scared of the mechanicals, just have a good poke around with a screwdriver where there is any doubt as to condition of the bodywork. Chassis CAN rust on them as they can on any vehicle, especially the rear cross member.
Best of luck.

Disco1BFG said:

AFAIK, the Jap re-import ones are only auto..

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Didn't know that. Really?
I'd still get one and be prepared to change it to manual.
Did they also have the EDC cr@p that the later auto D1s have?
I'd change that too!

Stanleysteamer said:

I'd still get one and be prepared to change it to manual.

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Why ? nowt wrong the auto, provided the injun is tuned and has a FWIC....

Stanleysteamer said:

Did they also have the EDC cr@p that the later auto D1s have?

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Yep, and a myriad of other such sh*t, like shift interlocks .... Best place for all that carp is in the bin ... EDC is easy to get shut of - all the extra carp is controlled from the MFU, and not quite as easy to get rid of ( you can ask me how I know that anorl ) ... and of course, anything post 31/12/1997, it is potentially an SVA issue if you remove it ..... - though I have heard that the rules for imported vehicles ( even re-imported ones !!) are different ... for example, I've been told the RFL is a flat rate, but it's not relevant to me ... I'm going older should the need arise

Stanleysteamer, well I know where to come "just down the road from me", if I want to borrow a diagnostic tool.but having said that I have never put on eon mine D2, also I had no major problem for years they all seam to come in the last 4 years, rot in the chassis, headliner , roof leaks, ball joints still all done now, anyway Stanleysteamer how bad are you sills?

have you looked at

https://froggatts.co.uk/parts-category/land-rover-discovery-1-parts/sills-land-rover-discovery-1/

I really don't understand why people don't like EDC, mines been fantastic.

Oh no, I hope I'm not going to regret saying that.

frostythor said:

Stanleysteamer, well I know where to come "just down the road from me", if I want to borrow a diagnostic tool.but having said that I have never put on eon mine D2, also I had no major problem for years they all seam to come in the last 4 years, rot in the chassis, headliner , roof leaks, ball joints still all done now, anyway Stanleysteamer how bad are you sills?

have you looked at

https://froggatts.co.uk/parts-category/land-rover-discovery-1-parts/sills-land-rover-discovery-1/

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Hi
I am in Ferndown when we are in the UK, but we are in Frogland for the next 5 1/2 months.
I bought a repair kit for the offside sill ages ago but before I had time to fit it I had a meningioma and had to stop driving for a while. We still needed a towing vehicle so bought a TD5 auto as the wife cannot drive a manual now, (paralysed left foot).
Although I was back driving within 6 months we stuck with the TD5 and are still driving it. So I don't know how bad the other sill has got! Life has simply been too busy to look at sorting out the other two Discos while we have one that runs, although I have had to do a lot more work on it than I ever needed to do on the Anniversary.
Of course you are welcome to come and plug in the diagnostic if/when we are in residence!
Kinda surprised you haven't needed it yet! Wot, no 3 amigos?

DiscoRay said:

I really don't understand why people don't like EDC, mines been fantastic.

Oh no, I hope I'm not going to regret saying that.

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I'm more than happy with edc on my "good' Disco but the fear is if something goes wrong with it, no one seems to be able to understand the electronics. Therefore everyone dumps that more efficient system and reverts to a manual pump and injectors.

DiscoRay said:

I really don't understand why people don't like EDC, mines been fantastic.

Oh no, I hope I'm not going to regret saying that.

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EDC was a great - a stop gap before common rail, and increased efficiency to boot - good all round, providing there is parts availability .... which, sadly, there isn't any more - specifically #4 injector is NLA, cannot be repaired, and five years ago making one was well over £1K ... - which easily covered a mechanical FIP, the FWIC, and tuning it well beyond the 122Hp of EDC = a complete no brainer

Thus, IME, when #4 failed, and at that time the MIL light was an MOT failure, and also a fine if you were pulled up, the only option was to remove it... the MIL fine & MOT requirement don't exist any more for that age of vehicle, but the parts supply issues still kill it stone dead..

Kenbo said:

Therefore everyone dumps that more efficient system and reverts to a manual pump and injectors

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I can assure you that the mechanical system can be tuned to be significantly more efficient than EDC with the fairly critical proviso that an EGT gauge is both fitted and used/watched/monitored ... the CH will anneal at 720C, at which point, it is no longer a CH ! ... one can only imagine the knock on effects of same ... in fact an acquaintance of mine found out the hard way - not believing that the annealing temp is a single point - he seemed to think he could go over it for short periods - he was somewhat mistaken

So does my 94 have EDC?

Firebobby1 said:

So does my 94 have EDC?

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I don't think it does, I believe I'm right in saying it was 96 to 98 autos.

DiscoRay said:

I don't think it does, I believe I'm right in saying it was 96 to 98 autos.

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So that's good then ?

Firebobby1 said:

So that's good then ?

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I guess that's a matter of opinion, mines EDC and I'm very happy with it but not everyone would agree with me, I have a spare pump sitting in the shed incase its ever needed and a No4 injector that I acquired for a sensible price plus another full set of injectors so hopefully I should be ok.

Firebobby1 said:

So does my 94 have EDC?

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Almost certainly not. If it is a manual, then definitely not. An EDC auto will have the "check engine" light in the cluster - but the bulb might have been removed! - post a picture of your FIP, and I will tell you for definite !