WESTENDER Posted October 29, 2007 Posted October 29, 2007 Hello everyone this is my first post on the site though i have been viewing for some months, i would appreciate some thoughts and guidance. Hopefully i will have £3000 to spend on a Disco in the very near future, could anyone, everyone give me your thoughts on what to look for, what should i get for that money and is there a good dealer in South Wales [valleys]? thanks Quote
sotal Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 Are you after diesel or petrol? Manual or Auto Check out autotrader for prices and what you should get, also check out wisebuyers.co.uk for valuations. £3000 should get you a very good condition 300tdi, try and get an ES if possible as you get full leather, twin electric sunroofs etc. There is plenty about at the moment so you should be able to haggle. I don't think you'll quite get a td5 for that money. Check out the boot floor before purchase (lift carpet and rubber mat) Quote
sotal Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 RUST everywhere. Yes it must have rust, if the rust is missing then it's not genuine Quote
woff Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 Check out Ebay before to see what you could get for your money. Quote
geoffbeaumont Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 What are you planning on using it for? If you're planning on using it for laning/off-roading then is that the budget just for the base vehicle or for prepping it too? Makes a big difference - if you're going to use it only on the road, then spend the money on a nicy tidy truck with the trim/toys you like. If you're going laning it's a waste of money buying something with nice shiny paintwork since it's going to get scratched and knocked about anyway. If it's a full blown off roader you're likely going to wreck the interior and will be better off with a minimum of electric toys too. Quote
Billy Whizz Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 RUST everywhere. check for holes in the inner wings under bonnet and rear seat belt mounts by rear arches Quote
61a Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 I was in similar position to you about 18 months ago. Test drive as many as you can locally just to give yourself an idea of what you can get for your money. As already suggested check out the normal rust areas but also pay attention to the window rubbers . Almost everyone I found had perished rubbers which lead to major repairs in the future. I eventually found a very tidy 1996 300tdi 3 door with 127,000 miles and a very comprehensive service record for £2500. The way I looked at it was fewer doors and no sunroofs equalled less leaks ! Happy hunting Jules Quote
IainDB Posted October 30, 2007 Posted October 30, 2007 I always like to take a small hammer and tap gently around chassis floors etc etc.. You know if it's real or not straight away or a magnet can have a similar effect. Found one whilst I was looking that a been bodged over with a kinda paper mache!!! Quote
WESTENDER Posted November 3, 2007 Author Posted November 3, 2007 I always like to take a small hammer and tap gently around chassis floors etc etc.. You know if it's real or not straight away or a magnet can have a similar effect. Found one whilst I was looking that a been bodged over with a kinda paper mache!!! Quote
WESTENDER Posted November 3, 2007 Author Posted November 3, 2007 Thanks to everyone for their input; when i find a suitable vehicle i would like to ask some more questions Quote
freeagent Posted November 3, 2007 Posted November 3, 2007 If you can live with a 3-door they are generally cheaper.. I'd look for a 3-door, 300Tdi manual base-model from about 1996-97... £3k will find you a tidy one with some service history.. If you go for the base model you still get remote central locking, lecky windows and mirrors, plus theres less to go wrong.. There are plenty of family owned and loved disco's out there that have hardly ever seen mud... Quote
disco tony Posted November 3, 2007 Posted November 3, 2007 Check also rear axle trailing arm and shock mounts, I've had to change mine and stu666 also had to change his due to rust. Quote
Jason2 Posted November 5, 2007 Posted November 5, 2007 Take your time, look for service history,when was cam belt last changed,how many owners, look for signs of off roading (lumps of earth stuck underneath,paint worn off bottom of diffs etc.....) leaking front swivels, coolant leaks, engine,gearbox,transfer,diff leaks not uncommon & not a problem as long as there only a drip & oil's been put back in. Happy Hunting Jason Quote
shildonian Posted November 20, 2007 Posted November 20, 2007 i,ve recently puchased a m reg 300 tdi es (2 grand) after 1 week clutch arm snapped £300 quid while it was in bits replaced front pipe because it was split 25 quid,week 2 alternator light came on 2nd hand one 30 quid now to finish my unlucky 3 some nice tranny drivers just took my wing mirror off thats my next spare part hunt so my opinion for what its worth keep a little pot of cash spare after youve bought one for those little extras but apart from that there gggggrrrreat fun good luck shildonian Quote
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