Upgrading- GQ Patrol to Disco? Advice needed! :)

[TassieTroll]

Hi all!

I am looking to upgrade my current GQ TB42 as, I am afraid, she's a 89 Model and getting a bit long in the tooth.

I am looking around the $25,000 mark for the replacement and the requirements are 1999 Model at earliest, 100,000k's plus minus not much, manual.

I have looked through the Papers/Online and see that Disco's (TD5) meet the above requirements well within the budget.

Now the car will be used for Offroad (low range) work a lot with a significant amount of touring as well, so a good allrounder would be excellent!

Any tips on what to look for/pitfalls of this model would be fantastic!

Thanks in Advance!

[ISUZUROVER]

The year you quoted is the changeover between the Series 1 Disco and the Series 2.

The Series 1 was fitted with a 300Tdi and the Series 2 has the Td5. Both engines are 2.5L, but the 300 is 4cyl and the TD5 is 5cyl. Tdi is fully manual injection (i.e. simple and cheap to work on).

I would avoid the first couple of years of TD5 production - there were a few minor teething problems with flywheels etc... The last of the Tdis were the best of the bunch - a pretty good, reliable engine - just service the cooling system regularly.

Both engines can be easily tweaked for more power - the Tdi by turning some screws, the TD5 by changing chips (available)

The S2 disco has a bit more room (but this also means more overhang), as well as a radius arm & watts link rear end (some would say a retrograde step), and semi (?) floating axles. There are a lot of people who are very happy with both the S1 and S2 (e.g. Slunnie opn here for the S2)

Both had either the ZF auto or the R380 manual. Which are good boxes and by that time had no issues AFAIK.

[Mark2]

For 25k you can get an early GU with a turbo diesel 4.2......
I like landies (most of the time), I even own a couple, but I wouldnt spend 25k on one. Personally, I would stick with a large capacity, torquey, understressed Japanese diesel which will easily do 500,000 km plus and doesnt rely on electronics . A TD42 would fit that description.

But dont let me talk you out of it!
I would be considering an auto - they are an excellent box (4 speed ZF with lockup converter) and hide the lack of low down/off boost torque inherant in the small diesels. In my experience, better off road by far, even taking into account less engine braking downhill.

The problems associated with higher km TD5's are well known:
-oil in engine loom affecting ECU- $$$$
-corrosion in internal oil coolers $$$$$
- head problems due to plastic locating dowels $$$$$
-loose oil pump bolts
ABS models cost a fortune to replace the brake rotors and they only last 40-50k in city use.

[mroffroader]

Hi,

Im not sure how hardcore your 4x4ing is. But I own a S1 disco (3.5l v8 petrol) and the only problem I have had with it is that they blow diff heads!! Just something to remember if you want to run anything over a 31" or 32" tyre. I am currently putting GQ diffs in my disco now and I reckon it's going to be unstopable .

Sorry can't help you out with deisels as I don't drive one

James
New Zealand