Please read if you know your Land Rover Discovery

[Johnny H]

Hi all.
I'm thinking about getting a Discovery TD5, just wanted to know what you thought about them, are they any good? is there any prob with them? ect?. At the mo i've got an Audi A4 Avant (04) and we have just had a baby and we think the Audi is to small for us now, we think the Disco would be alot safer and have more room in it, we don't live in the sicks but we do live out of town in a small village and we did get suck there when it snowed in feb.
It would be nice to hear what you guys think.
Thanks for you time.
Johnny

[dudleybloke]

thats one big baby if you need something bigger than an estate car!

[HereBeMonsters]

Does your baby like off-roading or something?

[Johnny H]

dudleybloke said:

thats one big baby if you need something bigger than an estate car!

You've not got any kids then i take it. Like i said they are safer cause they are bigger and sometimes i need 4x4 to get to town.

[dudleybloke]

Johnny H said:

dudleybloke said:

thats one big baby if you need something bigger than an estate car!

You've not got any kids then i take it. Like i said they are safer cause they are bigger and sometimes i need 4x4 to get to town.

get a roof rack!

[HereBeMonsters]

Johnny H said:

dudleybloke said:

thats one big baby if you need something bigger than an estate car!

You've not got any kids then i take it. Like i said they are safer cause they are bigger and sometimes i need 4x4 to get to town.

What's the biggest problem when driving in snow? Traction is one, but braking and stopping is a much bigger worry. Does a 4x4 brake better than any other car?

[joebongo]

Not safer - just feels safer. Google rollover and SUV and see what I mean.

Our first is coming soon and I was tempted to get something of that sort but I have to resist the marketing and look at the research.

[GKP]

There is a Land Rover section on PH, it might be worth posting your question in there. That way you'll get informed answers about your topic, rather than opinionated replies from people who think the solution to all life's motoring conumdrums to be either an MX5 or an oil powered BMW 3 Series.

[off_again]

Wife and I had two small children and made do with a Honda CTR quite nicely thanks. There is no reason to jump from an A4 Avant to a Disco just for children! Unless you have 5 of course! To be honest, find the real reason why you want a big, old-school, ladder chassis 4x4 and then you can sort out what you really want. But jumping from an A4 to a Disco will feel like you have stepped back 25 years in driving, handling and cabin quality. Its not to say that the A4 is so much better, but the Disco T5 is very old-school in comparison - they go anywhere, but not a typical jump in cars.

If you need the space why not look at a more practical estate (the A4 Avant is known to have poor luggage space). Try an A6, maybe an Allroad. What about a Volvo? The Swedes make do without 4x4 on the majority of Volvo's sold! What about a Freelander? Plenty about and have the 4x4 you are looking for but more of a car to drive.

Seems odd to jump to a Disco like this - whats the real reason?

[kentmotorcompany]

I have been usnig one all this year.

They certainly are a very good family car. Expect a few niggles, the bills that go with with them.

They are also quite thirsty. I get 23-24 MPG out my auto.

So good car, not cheap to run.

[havoc]

Drove a friend's Disco-2 V8 and, engine aside, it felt VERY like a Transit. Awful as a car, but great as an off-roader.

[toppstuff]

Brother has one. They are alright. It's old tech 4x4, great off road but pretty agricultural on the road.

In some strange way, I find the character of them and the way they bobble along the road quite appealing. Slow, noisy and thirsty mind you.

My brother loves his.

[The Wookie]

GKP said:

There is a Land Rover section on PH, it might be worth posting your question in there. That way you'll get informed answers about your topic, rather than opinionated replies from people who think the solution to all life's motoring conumdrums to be either an MX5 or an oil powered BMW 3 Series.

I have to admit, as a Land Rover owner and fan, the worse accident I've ever seen was a Series 2 Disco upside down on the M25, roof touching the dash, with childrens toys and paraphenalia strewn across the carriageway.

If I had a family, a last generation off-roader would be very low on my list of choices

[Busa_Rush]

havoc said:

Awful as a car, but great as an off-roader.

The one I drove was similar, never have one on the road but if I was a farmer or lived in the north of Scotts Land I'd have one tomorrow.

Try an A6 or a Volvo V70, the boot is like your garden shed and they are still quiet, comfortable and as safe as it gets.

[Ricky_M]

I've been raising my child out of a Ford Focus Hatchback, BMW 1 Series Hatchback, Nissan Micra 3 door and Ford Puma.

An A4 Avant is more than big enough!

I wasn't impressed with the Discovery, felt like a van with leather seats.

[Bluebarge]

Johnny H said:

dudleybloke said:

thats one big baby if you need something bigger than an estate car!

You've not got any kids then i take it. Like i said they are safer cause they are bigger and sometimes i need 4x4 to get to town.

I've got kids, and take it from me, you won't need anything bigger than an estate (or even a mid-size hatchback) until you've got more than 2 kids. Old-school Discos perform much worse in a crash than a modern car with a monocoque shell. There's some video on the internet of a crash-test done (I think) by 5th Gear which pits a Disco 2 against a Renault espace - the Disco comes off much, much worse.

Discos are great for off-roading or towing, but worse for on-road driving, crash safety, and fuel economy than any decent modern car. If you're getting stuck in the snow, buy some winter tyres for the Audi; if you think the boot is too small, buy a roofbox. You'll have plenty to spend your money on when baby comes along, don't waste your hard-earned on a new car which will give the illusion of greater protection.

And if your missus is getting really over-protective, buy a volvo.

[Thorny]

Basically whatever you have you will fill, definitely the bigger car the better for a baby, and 4x4s are good IMO as yes they are safer and bigger and you get a higher/better view of the road in front. If the OP wants a 4x4, let him get one.

We have a freelander 2 which is full to the brim wherever we go... Great car though.

[Bluebarge]

Thorny said:

Basically whatever you have you will fill, definitely the bigger car the better for a baby, and 4x4s are good IMO as yes they are safer and bigger and you get a higher/better view of the road in front. If the OP wants a 4x4, let him get one.

We have a freelander 2 which is full to the brim wherever we go... Great car though.

They are not "safer", they are just heavier. Any 4x4 with a separate chassis will be worse in a crash because there is a risk of the bodywork separating from the chassis. There is also an increased rollover risk. Check out the Euro-NCAP results, all the top performers are not 4x4s; the Nissan Navara (on which the Pathfinder is based) couldn't even scrape 2 stars, and I bet many of those are bought because they look "tough".

If you want a great view of the road ahead, either buy an MPV or don't ride on someone's bumper!

[Thorny]

Bluebarge said:

Thorny said:

Basically whatever you have you will fill, definitely the bigger car the better for a baby, and 4x4s are good IMO as yes they are safer and bigger and you get a higher/better view of the road in front. If the OP wants a 4x4, let him get one.

We have a freelander 2 which is full to the brim wherever we go... Great car though.

They are not "safer", they are just heavier. Any 4x4 with a separate chassis will be worse in a crash because there is a risk of the bodywork separating from the chassis. There is also an increased rollover risk. Check out the Euro-NCAP results, all the top performers are not 4x4s; the Nissan Navara (on which the Pathfinder is based) couldn't even scrape 2 stars, and I bet many of those are bought because they look "tough".

If you want a great view of the road ahead, either buy an MPV or don't ride on someone's bumper!

Regardless of NCAP etc and yes I know that modern cars are safer in terms of technology (I've seen all the 5th Gear crash tests) - a bigger heavier car is going to be safer in a crash than a smaller lighter one of the same era, simple physics.

[wolf1]

Can't believe how we managed with a 2 door Vauxhall Nova and 2 kids. OP if you just want a big 4x4 then say so no need to use the more room for a baby excuse like the rest of the school run do.
I like big 4x4s and will probably have another one at some stage (only if it comes with a big V8 though) they're not exactly safer though are they as yes they have the weight but don't exactly endear themselves in the handling stakes.