Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I've got a 1987 RR with 3.9V8, 5spd on duel fuel. I like it lot except for the manual gearbox and am looking at getting something with auto.

Possibly a 92? RR with lpg tanks underfloor, my current one is behind the seat.

But today I had a look at a 1998 Disco, deisel, 300tdi?. Its in very good nick, done 145k. The price is about 13k.

I've only driven one other disco, a V8 and wasn't impressed compared to my Rangie.

I'm happy with LPG but do realise if I want to do the 'Big Trips' I should be on deisel.

If I cross to the dark side and go the Disco will I be dissapointed in the long run?

In reality, a series 1 disco is simply a rebodied rangie classic, with coil springs.... Pretty much everything else is interchangable (including many mods). The only thing you may be disappointed about is the acceleration (or lack thereof ) of an auto 300Tdi.

However, if the only things which really bother you in your rangie are the manual gearbox, and lpg tank in the back, then why not spend a bit of cash on the rangie, do an auto conversion and have your gas tanks reworked.... The gas shouldn't cost too much, since you already have the bulk of the gear, just changing tanks over, then do the auto conversion and Voila!

If you swap your tank for twin under floors and fit twin sill tanks you will get the range of a tdi. Unless you are going to remote areas you will be able to get lpg most places and still have decent petrol capacity when you cant.

I guess its official! I'm a Rangie man!

This Disco is in very good nick. The only problem I could feel was a slight vibration as you accelerate through 2500rpm and several squeaks from the dashboard and rear door.

Performance was adequate, but not as lively as the 3.9 V8, (obviously). I'm sure I'd get used to it.
It handled very well, (sway bars, yaaa), but the ride was like a Nissan as opposed to the Rangie. OK that may be a bit harsh, but it certainly was no where near as good as my old 300k plus Rangie.

I did notice it has Polyairs in the rear so that may have caused some of the problem and the service book said it had a heavy duty tranny cooler fitted from new. So perhaps the springs were uprated for heavy duty towing and the ride would improve when loaded.

At $13k I'm sure its a good buy for someone, just not me.

So its back to looking for a 1992/3 auto, RR on gas with twin gas tanks underneath, sill petrol tanks either side, twin batteries, snorkel, swing a way wheel carrier on ARB stepbar, ARB front bar with Lightforce 170's, .............in silver.

good stuff welcome to the world of land rovers.

Michael.

Go the Rangie

I looked at a Disco (again, someone shoot me ) when I rolled Aquarangie, but I'm glad I remained a Rangie man. When I bought my Disco I thought I had done the right thing, it was comfortable, had good performace compared to the 84 Rangier I had at the time, was on LPG and so forth.

The big mistake was I drove a Rangie and instantly I wanted one again, plus the Disco I was never happy with they do feel generic IMO. Not that they're a crap vehicle far from it ( they're a Land Rover and that's the main thing), but Rangies have a certain 'feel' to them wheras Discos seem to lack that fell. it's weird but hard to explain.

Regards,

Trav

They always say, a Disco is a poor mans Rangie!!!

(ducking for cover)

LRH

defender

LRHybrid100 wrote:They always say, a Disco is a poor mans Rangie!!!

(ducking for cover)

LRH

My thoughts exactly

Trav