EdF Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 My wife is nagging me to get an auto Disco TD5 to replace my 90. She's had several left leg injuries and would prefer an auto but could manage a manual. We're after a cheapish one to use as a tug mainly. In the past we've had test drives in three auto Disco's and we were under impressed. One dropped down two notches to get over a long hill my 90 sails up in 5th. Will the auto 'box react badly to a remap? One of the trailers we pull is about 2 tonnes loaded and we'd get nowhere fast in a standard auto Disco. What do owners think? Should I go for a manual instead..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacredDog Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 My wife is nagging me to get an auto Disco TD5 to replace my 90. She's had several left leg injuries and would prefer an auto but could manage a manual. We're after a cheapish one to use as a tug mainly. In the past we've had test drives in three auto Disco's and we were under impressed. One dropped down two notches to get over a long hill my 90 sails up in 5th. Will the auto 'box react badly to a remap? One of the trailers we pull is about 2 tonnes loaded and we'd get nowhere fast in a standard auto Disco. What do owners think? Should I go for a manual instead..? Sorry I don't know much about Disco's or Diesel's but it sounds to me from what I have heard that the Disco's are overgeared for comfortable towing of any great weight and are a lot heavier than a 90 to start with. You would probably find that a lower geared Transfer Box would work well for towing in a Disco, something like a 1.410 as fitted to a 110 Defender. Perhaps you could persuade someone with a 110 to swap with you as I used to find my old 110 would scream a bit in 5th (but that was a V8, don't know if a TD5 would be the same) at Motorway speeds. The other alternative if you are talking about a Disco 2 is to fit a Compushift (see here: http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/category_24.html ) gearbox controller that you can set up to work the Auto to your liking and even have some degree of manual control. Although if it were me I would stick with a Defender and get the Gearbox changed to an Auto, that's what I plan to do when I have the Time/Facilities and/or Money. Colin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 One of my friends had a Discovery TD5 automatic for a little while. It coped well with a loaded car trailer and I was impressed with its overall towing performance, but it behaved a little strangely: One thing that stood out a mile as being unusual behaviour compared with other towing vehicles was that it took every given opportunity to change up a gear and seemed obsessed with being in a high gear wherever possible. As soon as you came off the throttle slightly it changed up. I quite liked it, but my friend found it annoying, so I suppose it depends on personal preference. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacredDog Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 One of my friends had a Discovery TD5 automatic for a little while. It coped well with a loaded car trailer and I was impressed with its overall towing performance, but it behaved a little strangely:One thing that stood out a mile as being unusual behaviour compared with other towing vehicles was that it took every given opportunity to change up a gear and seemed obsessed with being in a high gear wherever possible. As soon as you came off the throttle slightly it changed up. I quite liked it, but my friend found it annoying, so I suppose it depends on personal preference. Mike I think that is normal behaviour for the ZF4 box, our old RRC would do that, the only way around it was to use the lower gears with the Shifter to force it to hold the lower gear. The most annoying was if you forgot to drop the shifter down to the gear you were in as you approached the top of a hill it would change up and you would have to absolutely floor it to get it to change down to crest the hill. Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I had a 1991 Vogue SE, but this TD5 automatic behaviour was far more pronounced by comparison - almost comically so. I know the gear change points are different between ZFs for diesels and petrol V8s, but I wonder if they made further changes specifically for the TD5, when compared with the Tdi automatics. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyredfitter Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 My wife is nagging me to get an auto Disco TD5 to replace my 90. She's had several left leg injuries and would prefer an auto but could manage a manual. We're after a cheapish one to use as a tug mainly. In the past we've had test drives in three auto Disco's and we were under impressed. One dropped down two notches to get over a long hill my 90 sails up in 5th. Will the auto 'box react badly to a remap? One of the trailers we pull is about 2 tonnes loaded and we'd get nowhere fast in a standard auto Disco. What do owners think? Should I go for a manual instead..? I have a 2002 auto and i had the autologic flash upgrade it makes it great for towing my twin axle caravan,when you accelerate now in top gear it will pull hard without dropping down a gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyredfitter Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I have a 2002 auto with a autologic upgrade it pulls my twin axle caravan no problem lot more torque as well so it doesnt kick down as much when i accelarate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young bobtail Rhys Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 We have a 2003 TD5 auto disco and has been re mapped, de catted and erg removed. Goes very well, much better than before, infact a huge difference. And we tow my rangie with it on a 14ft ifor williams, no trouble..... apart from it drinks a little more fuel, goes down to 17 or 18mpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 How many MPG can you get from a standard automatic TD5 under average use? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacredDog Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 We have a 2003 TD5 auto disco and has been re mapped, de catted and erg removed. Goes very well, much better than before, infact a huge difference. And we tow my rangie with it on a 14ft ifor williams, no trouble..... apart from it drinks a little more fuel, goes down to 17 or 18mpg Blimey, that's into V8 territory that's the sort of mileage I was getting towing a Rangie on the back of my 130 (which was also fully laden) and the Rangie towing a 110, all V8's. I couldn't afford that with the cost of Diesel compared to LPG. Colin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young bobtail Rhys Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Normal auto, around 22mpg. Remapped, around 25mpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92.9 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Okay, thanks. 22mpg isn't great. Doesn't surprise me though! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobo Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 is that 22 MPG whilst towing or general bobing about ? >, mine does about 30, 150-160 miles to 30 quids worth, a bit less if I only use it on 1 or 2 miles journeys, good bit more on a run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Drumstick Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Not sure how your budget stands, but the D3 TDV6's are cheaper and cheaper at the mo. The 6 speed auto in them is miles better as is the 2.7. If it is in scope it might be worth looking at the 5 door Wrangler, 116" wheelbase (as much space as a 110) with a 2.8 CRD motor and an auto. They go very well and offer a mix of old school Defender abilities and feel with some more modern D3 like attributes in terms of spec and daily use. Also rated at towing 3500kg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdF Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 It seems the 'notification of replies' didn't work (again!). Many thanks for all the useful gen, guys.. Just had a bit of a nightmare.. About to fly south this morning to look at a long-since repaired Cat.D Disco auto and about to go through departures when I discover, talking to the owner that he has no inspection report covering the repair. He bought it after it was repaired.. No-one would insure it without the report, so we came home. £140 flights down the drain.. The guy just didn't know.., I only found out at the last minute.. You live & learn! After reading the above, I think a manual would be a better bet, with a clutch servo (and re-map) for the lady of the manor.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran666 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Have a TD5 auto with a powerchip installed when I bought it 2 years ago and it was doing around 22-23 mpg . After a full service and removal of EGR getting around 27-28 mpg. Have even managed 34.6 mpg on a run to holland last year ( Fully loaded boot / 3 bikes on rack etc). On the towing front over a full tank last month and with the trailer on the whole time ( up to 3 T sand / gravel ) managed 24.7 mpg so really rather pleased with that. I had a Defender 90 300 TDI for 6 years previously and I found the Discovery better up the hills where I live with the loads mentioned. As in most of these cases it really depends how heavy your boots are with the mpg. But I am well impressed with the Discovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobo Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 i dont know who you have been talking to, but you don't need an inspection on a cat d, cars have been cat d for things as minor as having the sound system stolen. or being keyed its cat C that requires a VIC inspection I know this coz i have one,( CAT D) its not recorded on the log book, as a cat C is and you wouldn't know ,unless you did a HPI check or the vendor told you. the insurance dont load it to any extent, if at all, if you wanted to have it checked your self its 36 quid, get the vendor to have it done if its a big issue for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdF Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 ARRGGGHHHH!! !! !! (sob....) My insurer, NFU, told me, although it was a girl in a branch office who may not have known for sure, BUT as a check I also called Direct Line on their national number and the guy I spoke to phoned thier claims department, and they came back to him with the fact that they would need to see the inspection report.. So, perhaps it depends what the damage was? I simply don't know.. The owner said that it was damage to a front corner, but knew no more than that.. Thanks for your message.. I just told my wife and I asked her if she was still interested in it. She replied that after yesterday she'd lost the will to live, let alone be interested in a motor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdF Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Following your post, Jobo, I phoned the NFU national number and got a different story from their underwriting team!! It seems they would want a vehicle ID check - the guy didn't know what that was, but I assume it's a check that the chassis number matches the V5 (logbook) and a valid MoT cert. Why they want them, I can't imagine. Do they assume it may be a 'cut and shut' job because it's had a minor repair? So, I think wrong information coast me two flights and the opportunity to buy the Disco. I'll be writing to the branch office manager as it's sodding annoying. However, Direct Line said the same thing initially.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobo Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 one of the many scams around is to buy a cat d, claim to have repaired it and then have it stolen and claim the full value of the insurance. or indeed nick another one and plate it up thats the problem with call cnt they employ people with no understanding of the implications of what they are saying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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