Outer Limits 4x4 Board

this is also posted over on AULRO as well so appologies for those who read it twice
i need some landrover supporters to try and talk me out of a very hard and somewhat painful decision....
in all likelyhood my disco engine is dead in the water and i'm looking at my options (see post in tech entitled 'i know it's an old question) without exception the guys i drive with are telling me to f the disco off and get a GQ (in reality they have been telling me to do this for years) and they have very strong arguments. I LOVE my disco and would love to keep it going but it doesn't do what i want in it's current state.....it's not powerful enough and it's driveline is not strong enough....my plan before the engine cracked the ****s was to replace the diff centers, axles etc with maxi's locked and change the ratios to 4.11's to run 33's on road and 35/6's off with a LRA body lift and all the other normal stuff relating to that....as we all know that takes a bit of cash in itself but i looked at it as a long term investment with the intention of doing that now and then when the time came and the old 200TDi was nearing the end of it's useful life dropping a more powerful engine in. now that the engine has most likely died before i have done the other work it throws my equations out a bit??? if i was to throw a new engine in it is going to cost me at least 10 grand???? i would imagine and after that the truck may well have more power but the rest would probably still prevent it performing to the level i'm after and in all likelyhood would end up braking stuff with a more powerful plant behind them. I could throw everything at it and upgrade the drive line as well but would not see much change from 17 or 18 thou in total and then i'm still minus a winch bar winch etc. whereas i could pick up a GQ for 5 or 6 grand (probably with a winch aleady fitted) and throw 5 or 8 grand at it and it will be as tuff as i need/want
please find a rational argument to talk me out of it as i LOVE my landrover
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I would consider an Isuzu 4bj1T ( 2.8 tdi) fitted with an adapter kit from the UK if rebuilding the 200 is uneconomical or you cant find a cheapish 300tdi.

GQ is very rational choice but needs power - so you have to mod engines.

If you are going Rover, you have to mod drivetrains etc to handle big tyres

Either way - the advice is simple: Buy an already modified truck it will save you huge amounts of money!

Either way you go with this one its going to cost ya. You could go out and buy a nissan but they break just like anything else so you will have to throw money at one of them anyway. I would look at buying a truck that is already modified that way you are only spending on repairs instead of getting it up to scrach while breaking it along the way.

Buy an old modded rangie, these can be picked up pretty cheap with lockers and winch etc...mid to late 80's would be good. It won't be a diesel but v8 on gas should still be a good thing depending on what range you want (can't beat the sound of a v8), may even pick one up with a 4bd1t in it if your lucky.

browse a few of the land rover wrecker's/auctions. surley you can pick up a running 200tdi wreck for 1-2k ? get your pump tweaked and dyno'd another 1-2k? and a couple of weekends of tinkering, or am I well under the mark?

If you've got time to burn you may even find one with the diff's your after.

On the other side of the coin, have you spent much time driving a GQ? after a few hour's in a disco a gq feel's like an old leaf sprung heep.

I spent no longer than half a trip to Gembrook in my mates GQ which had new suspension and castor correction and all and i WANTED TO GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE.
I also was considering this option at the time and was happy i went for a bit of a ride in the bush in his. I will not consider getting rid of the rangy for one of those rough ridin junkers.
I bought my rangy with new 3.9 and had to change the transfer case (borg warner )and changed it to ZF box and am just finishing the 80 series and ptrol diff swap and soon to make it all one colour.
Your cant beat the comfort from the landy and also you cant see what is going on around you as much in a jap junker i love how you can see over all the panels and where you are placing the car not just looking at a dash mat.

Anyway good luck with a decision (STAY ROVER)
Cheers Damo

I know a few people who have "upgraded" to a GQ because of this kind of advice and been pretty disappointed.

They have their positives but the advice-givers tend to overstate them, they are just another 4WD and as someone else said pretty agricultural to drive.

That's not an answer to your question but just a comment from someone who drives a GQ.

I purchased a Series 1 Tdi Auto Disco about 3 months ago and it was the best thing I ever did. This is my 1st 4WD.

I have always liked Nissan products, and a Patrol wagon is big, and the amount of aftermarket stuff is beyond comparison. They also have a good reputation for tough drivetrains.

However, in my experience looking for used 4WD's, I found it impossible to find a GQ Patrol with low milage. As I am a diesel mech by trade, my preference is for anything Turbo Diesel/Auto, and you just cannot get a 4.2 T/D Auto Patrol.

There is something special about Land Rover fourby's, they grow on you. The other good thing about Land Rovers is the LR community itself. Look at how many Land Rover magazines, clubs, and websites there are. Just remember Land Rovers advertising slogan. Best 4x4xfar. Don't stray from the flock.

You say that you could pick up a GQ for $5k possibly with a winch attached and throw $5 to $8k at it......
If your thinking of that much money but want a Disco, why not think along the lines of a secondhand 3.5 or 3.9 Disco for around the same money and use the rest for a LPG duel fuel conversion (around $3k but you get $2k government rebate) LRA lift kit (around $750) 2" suspension lift (Iron Man $700) and Maxi drive axles (around $2k each) you'd still have change for the tyres you want and shouldn't need the winch, or buy a bull bar and fit a 9500lb winch from Iron man for around $800????
You would have a disco that has the extra power you want and a tough enough drive train!!!
If you break the Disco you have you'd recoupe a bit too...
As I said, it's just a thought...
Oh and if you do go for the GQ check the roof gutters for rust (seems to be the first place they go esspecially around the rear) and around the rear side windows under the rubber!!!
Good luck with the decision...

I`ve actually went the opposite way. Having had Rovers I bought a TD42 GQ three yrs ago. They are better built and more reliable than Rovers...........obviously. Was thinkin to Turbo the 4.2. But...........the money it would cost to turbo it is half of what you can pick a Disco up in Uk for. They are cheap now for a basic model that needs reworked. MMMM

I prolly look as out of place in Uk with Patrol as you guys are with Rovers

Alex

Each to there own I say. I'm a Land Rover bloke til the day I die. If we all liked the same vehicle it would be pretty bloody boring

Still I say stick with Rover. Reliability is what you make of it and how anal you are I guess. I've owned 6 Rangies and all older (and near rooted examples too may I add ) and I have barely been stranded roadsise. Have broken down a few times but only a couple of times that I've been stranded (a blown gearbox and a rollover, both tow jobs ) but can get the old dungas going again

Trav

I don't know I went the other way from a Nissan to a rover if you love your rover that much buy another but I personally would recommend a V8 perhaps Series 1 Disco that way you have a donor car for parts also and you'll pick one for the same price of GQ

If you like your rovers stay with em. In fact you can buy mine. It's a series 1 with a 4.6, highmount winch, 4.11 ratios, diff locks, bigger axles etc etc. go on you know you want to.
My only problem with it, is it is getting to small to take a growing family away camping in. Otherwise it is a great car and goes just about anywhere. It is also in really good condition and has done very little hard work. It does a few kms around town each week end and gets driven in the bush about once every 2 - 3 months.

Jamie at All Ranges in Bayswater Melbourne 03 9762 2600 might have the 300 TDI out of his Disco for sale soon. Could be a good option.