Defender to a Disco

[hcater]

I have searched for previous answers to this but they all seem pretty old and as a 300tdi is getting on a bit, hoped someone might be able to pass on some newer advice...

A couple of years ago I bought a beautiful P reg Defender 90 hard top 300tdi, it was in excellent condition with 104,000 miles on the clock. An idiot adolescent pulled out in front of me and it was unfortunately written off (his car came off a lot worse!) so I am finally looking to replace it. I would love another Defender but can't really afford a nice one and I'm not a gifted mechanic so need something that works. I am instead looking for a Disco, but have some questions.

• I would like a 300tdi (more oomph than a 200 and no so keen on the TD5), are these the same engines used for the Defender?
  
• Having read several articles, this engine seems to go on and on and on. What is high mileage for one of these as most Discos over 10 years have 110000-140000 miles and I'd like to know whether or not they are about to disintegrate.
  
• I would like a model pre 2000/1 to avoid the tax hike, what model is known to be the best? ( I am not doing any serious off roading!)
  
• Other than the usual stuff (rust, chassis condition etc), are there any major problems to look out for now these vehicles are getting on a bit?
  
• Is a budget of £1500 realistic to get a nice(ish) 300tdi Disco?
  

Any help would be gratefully received as I am getting withdrawal symptoms!

[ejparrott]

300TDi's are the same, but the power figures are almost identical to a 200.

[Disco1tdi]

I'd highlight body rust as your biggest concern/enemy. The chassis is relatively easy to patch. Rust, when it gets into the sills, then up into the A, B and C pillars, it's a pain in the backside to repair (and the boot floor and rear wheel arches).

There are various odds and sods to go wrong, like window regulators, door lock cams, and the alarm/central locking and window ECU's, but as so many vehicles are being broken these days, bits are cheap(ish).

[Stevie D]

Same engines as the defenders albeit with a few very mior tweeks like turbo lo0cation on the 200's. As mentioned above rust / rust & rust are the three things to look out for - take somebody with you that knows disco's or have a real googd read through the posts here before you part with your hard earned cash - it's often hard to find or in places hard to see, the biggest are boot floors, inner and outer sills, front and back inner wheel arches. Rear boot croosmember, in fact any of the body / chassis mounting points - there's ten of them. The rear end of the chassis sem to suffer from the main crossmember back so have a good look / hammer here too. Any seriuos rust here will be expensive to sort and render the truck an uneconomic repair if you can't do it yourself.

See if you can find either a sunroof free one or an import from the likes of Japan - these wo'nt have the as serious rust issues. Poverty spec ones won't have as many electrical gizmos to break.

Any mechanical issues are easily sorted.

I guess £1500 is realistic - althought early TD5's can be got for that sort of money too, however expect to pay potentially the same again sorting it if you get a lemon. Nice truck, better drive, but their own issues.

300tdi's stopped in around '98 so youl'll not have to worry about the big tax.

Have fun.

Steve

[Tetsu0san]

From an engine point of view I would recommend a 200Tdi rather than a 300Tdi. I suspect that I have had a couple of bad 300Tdi's before, but I have had a couple of 200Tdi engined cars (a Defender and a Disco) and it is a better engine all round. Not quite as easy to work on but something about a 200Tdi seems better to me.

Make sure that the diff lock and the hi/lo selector works. Even if it doesn't it is usually a very easy fix but it is a good bargaining point! Evidence of a cam belt change is always good, make sure there is not an excessive leak of oil/grease around the front swivels and if you can make sure that the water system is not pressurising.

Check to see if the engine is pushing smoke out of the oil filler cap (the problem on both of my 300Tdi's). If it is I would avoid it. Check all the gears for snatching and clunking too. On a 300Tdi they seem more likely to have selector issues, but probably the same on a 200Tdi.

But as Disco1tdi said, rust is probably the biggest issue. Body mounts, front wheel arches and where the battery sits are also an issue. Also try to avoid one with sunroofs if possible. They usually leak.

[Niamh]

We've got a 300TDi here at 220,000 and counting.

[disco_al]

someone say rust???

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=70746&hl=

97 on appear to suffer with rust more than earlier ones - mine's an R reg, and it's got more rot than my old 94 had

[Igol]

Oddly enough the sunroofs are about the only thing on mine not to go wrong......

Now why did I say that???

[nige90]

My 300tdi has 265k

[hcater]

someone say rust???

http://forums.lr4x4....wtopic=70746=

97 on appear to suffer with rust more than earlier ones - mine's an R reg, and it's got more rot than my old 94 had

I had previously been advised to buy the newest one I could afford because of rust but this has thrown some doubt on that! Is it a design flaw on the 97 and newer? I am certainly no welder!

[ejparrott]

I always thought it was the early ones, they provide a source of barely run-in 200's for Series' when the body falls off around them!

[disco_al]

i was told (by a fairly reliable source) that when Land Rover were taken over, they wanted to save as much money as possible and so cut back on the quality of the steel and also skimped on the "rust protection"

if you do go to look at any late ones (or any 300's for that matter) reach up inside the gap behind the rear mudflap brackets (between the inner rear quarter and outer rear quarters) if it's crunchy then walk away, as those panels hold the seat belt mounts for the rear belts and dickie seats.

a better bet for a late one is to try and find a jap import - very little rust to worry about, so can be properly protected before it takes hold - although they do command a bit of a price premium

[JeffR]

i was told (by a fairly reliable source) that when Land Rover were taken over, they wanted to save as much money as possible and so cut back on the quality of the steel and also skimped on the "rust protection"

if you do go to look at any late ones (or any 300's for that matter) reach up inside the gap behind the rear mudflap brackets (between the inner rear quarter and outer rear quarters) if it's crunchy then walk away, as those panels hold the seat belt mounts for the rear belts and dickie seats.

a better bet for a late one is to try and find a jap import - very little rust to worry about, so can be properly protected before it takes hold - although they do command a bit of a price premium

Being about 2/3rds the way through a rebuild, the "rust proofing" applied (NOT) at the factory is shocking in it's application. The build quality on my 1993 200 beggars belief, panels left in primer, not welded and enough factory fitted sealer to fill a bucket.

[Stevie D]

Wrong part of the country - and he doesn't state why it's a cat C but here you go http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-300-TDI-AUTOMATIC-1995-5-SEATER-IMPORT-/150964763630?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2326337bee

[disco_al]

if you look at the pic from the rh side, the bonnet is kicked up slightly, and the n/s of the front bumper is pushed back slightly - looks like a low speed frontal impact at some point

[muddy]

300 auto on 225k and 300 manual at 136k and a 300 defender at 150k all tun well apart from a head gasket problem on the 225 but that was due to all the water escaping from somewhere else.

300s have a nicer interior IMHO but you.will do well to find a.rust free example I think.

Will.

[dirtyninety]

I cut up a perfect '93 disco last year, absolutely no rust at all. Shame really!

I believe when the 300tdi engine came out, LR saved money on skimping on the chassis paint, they certainly did on TD5 discoverys!

Ive found most 200tdi discoverys are in much better condition than most 300 discoverys ive seen and worked on.

[Nigelw]

With the youngest of the 300Tdi now turning 15yrs old there will be very few that do not have or need welding, much of it comes down to whether or not the previous owners loved them, two years ago I was under a 1993 200Tdi and there was not a spec of rust anywhere on it, it had been rust proofed by Before and After from almost new, 20 yrs old almost, but when I broke my V8 from 1998 it had rot through out the inner wings, floors, sills and along the sides of the boot floor, all areas common to rot out, chassis is mint though, still got that for a future project......

Buy the best one you can, look at as many as you can too, if it is not as perfect as you want walk away, save some more and see a few more until you find what you are looking for, with so many out there it really is a buyers market!!!

[Simon_CSK]

I believe when the 300tdi engine came out, LR saved money on skimping on the chassis paint, they certainly did on TD5 discoverys!

Certainly did on mine it nearly blew away doing 50 down the motorway Though if you can get a TD5 with a good chassis I would encoure it. I am in the process of putting a new chassis on mice because the boys and everything else is really sound.

[hcater]

Thank you so much for all this, took me so long to find the right Defender I'm dreading going through it all again!

I like to think I could be able to do a bit of work eventually on my new Disco, I did the odd bit and piece with the Defender and presumably my Disco will need welding (fingers crossed not straight away!), is it relatively easy to learn how? I have a friend who was very much into his off-roading and rebuilt/restored many a Disco but did set his last one on fire when welding :-( Is it possible to learn how to or absolutely best left to a pro? I get laughed at usually because I'm a girl but am quick to learn and love DIY so see no reason why I shouldn't learn.

[disco_al]

best bet if you are considering learning to weld is either find someone who is already proficient, and get them to teach you, or go along to your local tech college and see if they do a night school course. there is a good thread on here somewhere about the best welders to get as well.

good luck with your search, and as has been said, look at plenty, check all the areas that are common for rot, and enjoy

[JeffR]

Thank you so much for all this, took me so long to find the right Defender I'm dreading going through it all again!

I like to think I could be able to do a bit of work eventually on my new Disco, I did the odd bit and piece with the Defender and presumably my Disco will need welding (fingers crossed not straight away!), is it relatively easy to learn how? I have a friend who was very much into his off-roading and rebuilt/restored many a Disco but did set his last one on fire when welding :-( Is it possible to learn how to or absolutely best left to a pro? I get laughed at usually because I'm a girl but am quick to learn and love DIY so see no reason why I shouldn't learn.

It may benefit you to look at the local adult education colleges and do a basic welding course, don't cost too much, but by God it saves time.

[Nigelw]

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Second that!!!

I learnt to welda long time ago when an apprentice on the farm but it is more practice than anything else, the more you do the better you get.

Like I said earlier in the thread, see as many as you can before you commit to any of them, if they need too much walk away.

I bought my rust bucket knowing it needed rewiring a new interior and a lot of welding but then again for the amount of money being able to weld has saved me it was no big deal and in fact from my point of view it is better as I know it has all been done to a high standard and that it won't need doing for the next MOT, but again, just my way and one of the few ways for me to cheaply get back in the seat of a Discovery.

Good luck with the search.