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DJRichard
Member Since: 08 Aug 2006
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 2
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| Ultra cheap Disco advice needed for complete noob |
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Hi, first post as Ive just found the site while looking for reviews on the old Discovery.
I'll start by stating that I know absolutely nothing about 4X4s and Ive only become interested in obtaining one since taking up kayaking and being unable to take my daily use Seat Ibiza anywhere off road due to it being lowered.
I would like a vehicle which would be able to transport 3 or 4 people in relative comfort, can take 3 kayaks on the roof, which is capable of going off road, along beaches up steep banks and along difficult terrain which would enable me to have good access to remote kayaking areas in the west coast of Scotland.
Im looking for an extremely cheap vehicle as I would only use it every other weekend and never through the week. I would like to insure it third party F&t only and would need to have a diesel engined due to financial constraints.
Ive been looking on ebay, autotrader, pistonheads etc to check out whats available. I was surprised to see 1993 (roughly) Discos going for £1k and thereabouts. I got excited and checked out insurance quotes and Id get insured for around £350. After reading a bit more Im a little concerned about reliability as people have been talking about awful reliability which is the exact opposite impression I had of what a Land Rover was all about.
I dont expect to get much for £1000 but what exactly should I be expecting? Would it be reasonably reliable? I kind of have a vision of a cheap Disco sitting in someones drive and the owner simply wanting rid of it when there is not really that much wrong with it, I then pick up a cheap and very capable off roader which will allow me to have great fun camping etc and kayaking with minimal outlay. What an imagination!
I see that a lot of people on here have very expensive Discos and spend quite a bit of money on them, so I hope its ok to ask about such questions with such a blatantly limited budget.
Perhaps my hopes are too high for my budget, perhaps some of you can advise me of what I should be looking out for and offer some suggestions.
Thanks
Richard
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 9th Aug 2006 12:09 am |
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dylansdad
Member Since: 04 Apr 2006
Location: Solihull
Posts: 745
  
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hey dont appologise.... same dreams have been going through my head lately..... maybe sell my D3 spend £1K on a nice reliable D2 and spend the remainder on some travelling  ................then I wake up 
PS Im sure one of the experts will be able to help far more than my flippant sense of humour 
PPS I think maybe an option would be a really old defender, you wouldnt need road tax if pre 1980? (I think) and insurance would be mega cheap if you went to a vintage car insurance specialist. .. ... .. now this is where my suggestion gets disproven by someone far more qualified on such matters. 2004 TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
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| 9th Aug 2006 12:13 am |
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d3matt
Member Since: 03 Aug 2005
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1485
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How about getting an Izuzu Trooper? They're robust and built to last. A little agricultural than other Japanese 4x4s, but no more than a LR. You probably get a little more for money compared to an old Disco and I'm sure it would be more reliable.
If you look at Mitsubishi Shogans, don't consider an import model (normally badged Pajero). A neighbour had one and too much is different to the UK spec cars and he had a nightmare getting bits for the engine.
If you're looking at spending only £1,000, then you're not going to get much for that. Most old 4x4 (even crap ones) go for much more. A Vauxhall Frontera could be an option. They will be more comfortable than most others at this price and although they had a bad name for reliability, against others at this price I would of thought they are a pretty good option.
Another option could be a Toyota Surf, especially if they are as robust as a Hi-Lux....but I don't know much about these. Matt
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| 9th Aug 2006 12:21 am |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26714
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If you only have £1000 to spend on a Disco, then you cannot expect much more than one that barely runs! AVOID!
Better get a good Series 3 Land Rover. A grand will get you a reasonable one, it will have no frills, but will be easy to fix when it breaks (and it will).
You need to look carefully, but take your time and do your homework and you should get what you want.
£1000is not going to get you very much, so be prepared to get your spanners out and DIY
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| 9th Aug 2006 12:32 am |
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KL
Member Since: 16 Jun 2005
Location: Gilling, nr York
Posts: 713
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dylansdad wrote:
PPS I think maybe an option would be a really old defender, you wouldnt need road tax if pre 1980? (I think) and insurance would be mega cheap if you went to a vintage car insurance specialist. .. ... .. now this is where my suggestion gets disproven by someone far more qualified on such matters.
[Anorak mode on] Defenders were built from 1983. Previously there were Series 3 LRs. Main difference - S3 leaf sprung, 90 / 110 coil sprung.
Real pedants will point out that the first Defender was the 1990 tdi, and that previously it was 90 and 110 instead...
£1,000 won't get you a nice one. If you like tinkering with spanners then great. 'Reasonable comfort for 4' is seriously questionable.
Road tax exempt vehicles are pre-1973.
If you are set on the LR brand, then an old D1 (or even RR) will be cheaper to buy than a similarly aged 90 / 110.
You can get cheap high mileage defenders /90 & 110s from auction at Brightwells in Hereford, but I guess that's a long way to travel for you. Quite a few early ones don't get sold and can be bought 'off list' if you want to (and, more importantly, know what to look for in a high- mileage LR).
Old 90s are desirable for off-road enthusiasts, so a similarly - specced 110 will be cheaper.
Back to the question in hand - what to go for?
I would actually set my sights a little differently.
I would look at the last of the RR Classic - around the 1990-1992 vintage.
This would give you a lot of comfort, and not too many electrical 'features' prevalent in the later models which could cause problems. They seem to be very cheap at the moment, particularly the petrol ones (wonder why?)
The reason I would recommend these is your proposed driving - limited mileage and moderate speed cruising up the A82. If you can get an LPG- converted one, then that would be a bonus! Other things to consider would be a V8 D1 or a petrol (2.0 mpi) (a very unloved model and therefore cheaper to buy).
Any diesel LR of that kind of age in your broad price range will be absolutely knackered - or at least there is a high risk of buying one which will soon turn out to be so. If it has to be Land Rover, then consider a petrol one (and share the fuel bills with your passengers!)
In your position, Discovery 3 tdv6 7 seat Buckingham Blue
Had it since new - sold Jun 17 after 12 years and 214,000 miles
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| 9th Aug 2006 8:13 am |
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disco
Member Since: 28 Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 217
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Range Rover Classic (hunt for a nice one) would get my vote.
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| 9th Aug 2006 8:38 am |
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MJ
Member Since: 25 Jan 2006
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 54
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Old TDI Disco - Go for it!! They are no less reliable than anything else of the time, and cheap to repair, especially compared to the Jap 4x4s. I know several friends who have bought 300TDI Discos for between £2K and £3K recently, and I wouldn't be disappointed with any of them. I know of a 200TDI going close to me for about £750, and it's not that bad either. Arctic Frost TDV6 5-seat
Terrain response
Climate control
Xenons
(Yes, it's an odd spec - but I like it!)
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| 9th Aug 2006 8:25 pm |
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dylansdad
Member Since: 04 Apr 2006
Location: Solihull
Posts: 745
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Thanks KL told you my theory would get disproven
although...... according to DVLA vehicles exempt from tax include mowing machines.....so..... hook up a blade underneath the D3 and away you go 8).
http://dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/exemptions.htm 2004 TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
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| 9th Aug 2006 8:58 pm |
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DJRichard
Member Since: 08 Aug 2006
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 2
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Thanks everyone.
While driving about 100 miles today whilst working I couldnt believe the amount of 4X4s on the motorway, they were everywhere! I hadn't normally paid much attention to them before.
Im still rather confused. I think I will get myself around a few garages this weekend and have a look around, read some more info from this site and learn what to look for and what to avoid. I hate going into something without knowing what Im letting myself in for!
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| 9th Aug 2006 10:03 pm |
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KL
Member Since: 16 Jun 2005
Location: Gilling, nr York
Posts: 713
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dylansdad wrote:Thanks KL told you my theory would get disproven
disproven perhaps, but I'm certainly no more qualified on such matters! Discovery 3 tdv6 7 seat Buckingham Blue
Had it since new - sold Jun 17 after 12 years and 214,000 miles
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| 10th Aug 2006 7:52 am |
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Alex E
Holy Bratwurst!
Member Since: 22 Mar 2006
Location: Club Tropicana (the drink's aren't free)
Posts: 869
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Richard,
i have a old disco and it's great, it's comfortable i can fit 7 people in it, it has a few modern toys in it and it's a landrover.
you will also get a lot more disco for your money than if you buy a 90/ 110/ series 3 etc, a 200 series tdi is probably right down your street but if you can push to a 300 tdi that would be better, in my opinion they look nicer the engine is a lot better.
my first 300 tdi had nothing done to it and i had no problems with it, (athough i only had it 6 months) i now have a V8 300 series and it does a whopping 9mpg so i'd steer away from them unless you need the grunt.
they tend to be very much cheaper than a diesel to buy but you have to work out how much milage you will do to see if it's worth it, or you could find a lpg one. 
hope that's a help.
oh and i've found that my V8 will go anywhere the D3 will, and more. cue backlash!
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| 10th Aug 2006 10:27 am |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
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Alex E wrote:
oh and i've found that my V8 will go anywhere the D3 will, and more. cue backlash!
Bet it would'nt get to Courchevel and back with 8 Snowboards on the roofrack doing an average ......MPH  In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 10th Aug 2006 10:51 am |
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Alex E
Holy Bratwurst!
Member Since: 22 Mar 2006
Location: Club Tropicana (the drink's aren't free)
Posts: 869
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AndrewS wrote:Alex E wrote:
oh and i've found that my V8 will go anywhere the D3 will, and more. cue backlash!
Bet it would'nt get to Courchevel and back with 8 Snowboards on the roofrack doing an average ......MPH
I bet it would as i have a really good mate who'd tow me there 8)
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| 10th Aug 2006 12:23 pm |
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dylansdad
Member Since: 04 Apr 2006
Location: Solihull
Posts: 745
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Its the more bit that interests me...... so where will it go the D3 cant?  2004 TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
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| 10th Aug 2006 12:35 pm |
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10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
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I think he means 'more' stuck and 'more' bits ripped off - oh, and 'more' often at the filling station
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| 10th Aug 2006 12:44 pm |
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