slamfire Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Hi all. thinking of buying a 1995 discovery 300 tdi diesel 5 door. Defender man myself so do not know a lot about the discovery. Any opinions would be welcome. Its manual. thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavdalf Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Hi all. thinking of buying a 1995 discovery 300 tdi diesel 5 door. Defender man myself so do not know a lot about the discovery. Any opinions would be welcome. Its manual. thanx I bought my 1st Land-Rover 6 months ago, intending to use it as a 'play day' thing. I've used it every day since, and now have a perfectly good Saab that hasn't been off the drive for 6 months Mine's a little younger than yours, 1998 300 tdi 5 door xs, but from what little knowledge of the histories that I have I don't think you'll be much less happy than I am. As a 'Defender man' you'll be particularly impressed with the Discovery's ability to transport your whole body (right elbow included) inside the car! Happy driving Gav 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Hi, I've had a 1995 TDi300 and 2001 TD5 both from new and my current TDi300 I bought used earlier this year, needless to say I think they are great vehicles! I guess it depends on what your after; a project to restore, a reliable daily commuter or an old hack to take off road ? Let us have some more background info on what your looking for and I'm sure we can give you a balanced and un-biased appraisal Cheers for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angusb Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Check for rust on the boot floor, sills, inner wings and rear crossmember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Are they good compared to what? and by what measure? They are great to drive They are very comfortable They have plenty of room The non autos seem to be more reliable as the autos have extra electronics (autos also have extra power) They're fairly easy to work on. They're quite capable off road Bits are fairly cheap for them and plenty being broken for 2nd hand parts They're great for towing They rot faster than most other cars It's 13 years old so things are going to be falling apart/off They require quite a bit of maintenance to keep them going so you need to be prepared to diy and have the time, else they get uneconomical with garage prices They're not fantastic on fuel due to size/weight From what I've seen on that age before parting with any cash check the following: Open the back doors and look at the rear wheel arch - generally they're either rusty, rusted right through or repaired. Lift the boot carpet and check the boot floor Check the Sills from underneath Have a poke of the inner wings, passenger side tends to be worst due to more muck at that side of the road Check the drivers and passengers footwell carpets to see if they are damp if they are then it's like likely to be rotten underneath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 I'll second all the excellent points raised on what to check for. If you don't want to get involved in body restoration you might want to consider an import ? Mine was UK registered then shipped out to the far east for the first 8 years of it's life, before coming home to UK. As a result there is absolutley no rust on her, I've been right over the vehicle, lifting carpets and trim etc checking all the usual suspect areas and all I've found is clean shiny painted metal - it's amazing! It's relatively low mileage for the age with 44k on the clock, so I guess that also helps. Good luck and let us now how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teabag Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 As we are talking D1's here, there are no electronics involved with the auto gearbox, unlike the D2's. The benefit of an auto is that the engine 'should' have had a less stressfull life, although performance will be better with a manual as the diesel auto's are a bit sluggish, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q-rover Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 And of course whilst you were looking for rust, you did some rustproofing along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinny Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 ive got a 95 300tdi discovery 3 door 11200 miles on the clock ive had it for just over 2 years never been a problem except for silly things i put a new alternator and starter motor about 18 months ago regular oil changes 5000m never let me down except when the sediment filter filled with a egg yolk substance but this was partly my fault not regular cleaned it has no electric windows not fly by wire easy to work on not fast but i like driving it can get my 2 german shepherds in the back no prob does what i want i dont think youll be disapointed chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohlins Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Mine has 285,000kms on it and is a 1995 model. mine came back to France after the 1st owner bought it new in Saudi Arabia,with me being the 2nd owner. It gets oil changed with fuel/oil filters every 5000kms and I can report that it uses no significant amount of oil in between changes...a good durable engine..and above all ...simple ...the floor is rusty though and will need replaced within the next couple of years...easy as its not too far gone at all... In no particular order... If it has air con don`t forget to test to see if it works fully. Check the rear side window seals as well as the alpine light seals...for leaks...this leads onto the floor rotting......again...cills and suchlike. Check floor wells also as damp gets trapped under the carpets... Front seat bases have a tendency to snap the rubber webbing supports allowing you to sit on the metal framework base of the seat Its normal for a puff of black smoke to appear on start up but any other colour will mean problems. If the speedo is true your will be OK no doubt. Sometimes the rev counter will behave erratically...usually just a clean of the sender switch at the gearbox needing wiggled/cleaned...so don`t be alarmed if you see this Check the oil cooler pipes have no leaks as they are press fit crimped at the joints.... Check for leaks at the power steering hoses...usually just the hoses needing tightened at the hose clip...and/or the unions at the pump. Check there are no cracks in the plastic plugs at the thermostat and top of radiator Check rear donut bushing on propshat is not dozed too much and that both diff oil seals are not leaking too much if any... If buying..after,check axle breather pipes for blockages....a give the intercooler a good flush out.. Check the front swivel balls for pitting and chrone peeling off...if leaking EP90 oil you`ll probably get away with putting in,read replacing,with one shot grease to stop any leaks. Normal too for a slight resistance going from 1st into 2nd geat...after that the g/box should be OK at those miles...esp after warming up...it now takes MTF 94 oil rather than ATF... Check for rear crankshaft oil seal weeps,manifesting itself by oil drips out of the flywheel housing. Front windows tend to write off the regulators...an easy and cheap enough fix to put right...don`t be put of if they are ropey... if it has an EGR system still working might be worth checking to see if theres lots of oil about the various pipes etc...not a problem to disconnect once bought...even going to the length of routing the crankcase breather up and over the fuel filter,after plugging the air intake hole Check rear wheel arches for alloy corrosion.....and when rear doors are open..check the wheelarch that you can see from above and where it joins the rear pillar for rust there at the joint... Check that air filter has been seated properly...4 clips and lift the housing up and away to inspect... check all the various suspension bushings etc for wear and tear... and the exhaust for rust/holes...you know,the normal stuff...inc. timing belt guff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drkwack Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi, I recently got shut (sold) my D90 200tdi, now on my 3rd (90 inbetween 2nd-3rd) disco , reason for selling the 90 grand kids like off roading I'm getting old and like my comfort, the disco used properly is nearly as capable off road as 90 apart from depart(rear over hang) angle.only real problem they RUST quicker than the price of fuel rises, but guys on here will give tips on repairs, go for it but as above give it a good dose of looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 As we are talking D1's here, there are no electronics involved with the auto gearbox, unlike the D2's. The benefit of an auto is that the engine 'should' have had a less stressfull life, although performance will be better with a manual as the diesel auto's are a bit sluggish, Errr not quite mate! To start with the EDC (Electronic Diesel Control) by the nature of it's name does involve electronics. This is more to do with the engine but is tied into the gearbox. This was only on Auto's from 1995 onwards. Secondly you say the Auto's are a bit sluggish. Where did you get that from??? The 300tdi Auto's with EDC have more power than the manual ones and I can tell you they are much nippier than a standard 300tdi. You got it the wrong way round! Performance is noticably better with the Auto!! Admitidly the old 300tdi Auto's before the EDC may have been sluggish but I wouldn't know as I've never been in one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 And of course whilst you were looking for rust, you did some rustproofingalong the way. <cough, cough , errr yes....> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s11aun Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 as for fuel consumption i recently sold my 1995 300tdi and replaced it with my current td5 but the fuel consumption was brilliant driving around town 28 mpg was easily managed and 34mpg on a run and i ain't no lightweight on the throttle either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe sharpe Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 as for fuel consumption i recently sold my 1995 300tdi and replaced it with my current td5 but the fuel consumption was brilliant driving around town 28 mpg was easily managed and 34mpg on a run and i ain't no lightweight on the throttle either. sorry to hijack the post but is manual or auto a better buy???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 I'd vote for manual. Better fuel consumption, you can drive away when cold. Some autos struggle when they are cold - some people I know can't even get up their driveway with an auto. Despite what sotal has said, I'd also say that if you try the same engine on an auto and a manual gearbox, the manual will go better. There can be a large difference in performance between engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 sorry to hijack the post but is manual or auto a better buy???? Better for what? There is 3 to compare really: 300tdi Manual 300tdi Auto non-EDC 300tdi Auto EDC The one with the most bhp as standard is the Auto EDC, If you are into drag racing other standard Discos then the Auto EDC WILL win. If you want one for off-roading then a lot of people are now favouring the Auto If you want one for ease of driving then go for an auto. Personally though given the choice I would go for the 300tdi Manual, this is due to better MPG, I'm not bothered about the extra speed/power of the Auto edc. The manual is also more reliable - the electronics on the edc are dodgy at best. You could be lucky with an EDC but personally I'd rather not take the risk (again!) If you are bothered about the manual not being as powerful then a few tweaks can be made to the pump to get the power similar at only the expense of MPG. Despite what sotal has said, I'd also say that if you try the same engine on an auto and a manual gearbox, the manual will go better. There can be a large difference in performance between engines. As James says give it ago - I've driven several if both are standard you will find an Auto with EDC is noticably quicker. James is correct though that there is a difference between engines, I have driven a Td5 Manual which didn't/doesn't go as well as the 300tdi Auto EDC did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s11aun Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 like as been said for the better fuel consumption go for the manual because the difference in mpg between manual and auto is normally the auto does between 3-5 mpg less than a manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe sharpe Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 like as been said for the better fuel consumption go for the manual because the difference in mpg between manual and auto is normally the auto does between 3-5 mpg less than a manual. thanks for that i will stick with my 200tdi manual for now just need a caravan for summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimKlaus Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 I have just completely restored a '95 Disco automatic with a retrofit 300 TDI. Total investment including purchase roughly $17K USD. Delightful 4X4 envy of all here in the Colorado mountains (USA). A little sluggish on streets, but will climb a tree off road! Cost $11K and mech renovation about $6K USD. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teabag Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 On 12/9/2008 at 9:41 PM, sotal said: Errr not quite mate! To start with the EDC (Electronic Diesel Control) by the nature of it's name does involve electronics. This is more to do with the engine but is tied into the gearbox. This was only on Auto's from 1995 onwards. Secondly you say the Auto's are a bit sluggish. Where did you get that from??? The 300tdi Auto's with EDC have more power than the manual ones and I can tell you they are much nippier than a standard 300tdi. You got it the wrong way round! Performance is noticably better with the Auto!! Admitidly the old 300tdi Auto's before the EDC may have been sluggish but I wouldn't know as I've never been in one. 1. Theres no electrical link from the edc system to the auto gearbox 2. Brand new D1 diesels on a test drive so I purchased a petrol engine disco. 3. The 1996MY diesel D1 was given an engine power increase (edc) to compensate for the loss through the auto gearbox, due to poor performance feedback from owners of the 1995MY autos... So Tdi manual 91mph auto 90mph, also similar with acceleration 0.3 seconds faster 0-60 for the Tdi auto, therefore manual and edc auto D1 are very similar in performance. Both in my opinion are sluggish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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