RE: Shed of the Week: Land Rover Discovery V8
Discussion
I owned a TDi 10-12 years ago. It was supremely comfortable, the best I've been in. I once towed a caravan from Almeria, Spain to Dieppe in two days, driving 1500 miles. I could have turned around and did it again, it felt so good.
Took it off road in Cannock Chase once. Put it in low range and revved the nuts off it all day, coping with everything and every angle of lean/degree of climb thrown at it.
Would never in a million years buy the V8 auto though...
Took it off road in Cannock Chase once. Put it in low range and revved the nuts off it all day, coping with everything and every angle of lean/degree of climb thrown at it.
Would never in a million years buy the V8 auto though...
300 Tdi is a much less wallet busting alternative and more capable off road to boot, not throwing an electrical tantrum at the first sign of water. Had a fun couple of years off roading and competing in mine before the inevitable rust got it and I transplanted all the suspension and running gear into a defender.
I always wanted a V8 though, but it had to be a 3 door (to fit the rear wheels in) manual in a non old man colour which I never quite found! Even less chance of finding one now I'd wager.
I always wanted a V8 though, but it had to be a 3 door (to fit the rear wheels in) manual in a non old man colour which I never quite found! Even less chance of finding one now I'd wager.
Darkslider said:
I always wanted a V8 though, but it had to be a 3 door (to fit the rear wheels in) manual in a non old man colour which I never quite found! Even less chance of finding one now I'd wager.
Gtom said:
I had a v8 discovery 10 years ago. I threw most of the off road stuff I could at it - massive tyres, winch, snorkel (pointless on a v8, they hate water) heavy duty bumpers and loads of underbody protection.
It also had a cat back straight through exhaust that woke the dead.
One weekend it would be off roaded, the next it was fixed, this went on and on until one weekend I had water over the bonnet and it did the release bearing on the clutch. That, 1mpg while off roading and the 2008 recession put pay to my off roading so the engine went to a friend with a kit car, the off road parts to various people and the rest got weighed in for pence.
The most expensive car/hobby I have had but I would do it all again tomorrow.
In a defender.
Not sure it would be any cheaper though....I did the same for 18 months in a Defender and threw a fortune at it to keep it going. It also had a cat back straight through exhaust that woke the dead.
One weekend it would be off roaded, the next it was fixed, this went on and on until one weekend I had water over the bonnet and it did the release bearing on the clutch. That, 1mpg while off roading and the 2008 recession put pay to my off roading so the engine went to a friend with a kit car, the off road parts to various people and the rest got weighed in for pence.
The most expensive car/hobby I have had but I would do it all again tomorrow.
In a defender.
Can't see why you'd want a V8 Disco at all. Glacially slow, horribly thirsty and as you say, they hate water
I had a Series III. I'm fairly sure something broke, or fell off, literally each time I drove it. Even with the 2.25 petrol, 15 mpg would have been pretty fair.
I'd consider a Freelander as I think they actually rustproofed it (frankly astonishingly, as I didn't think LR had any idea at all what rustproofing is), but this, this, someone else can have.
Oh, and whomever you may be, best of luck to you. You'll need it.
I'd consider a Freelander as I think they actually rustproofed it (frankly astonishingly, as I didn't think LR had any idea at all what rustproofing is), but this, this, someone else can have.
Oh, and whomever you may be, best of luck to you. You'll need it.
Edited by kellyt on Friday 3rd November 11:22
I had a v8 manual 3 door in Dubai in 2002.
It was fairly knackered with 100k on the clock when I got it but fuel consumption was irrelevant over there and it handled some dune bashing just as well as more modern Wranglers and Land Cruisers.
Fond memories of that car but I wouldn't revisit it here unless it was in the form of a Range Rover classic
It was fairly knackered with 100k on the clock when I got it but fuel consumption was irrelevant over there and it handled some dune bashing just as well as more modern Wranglers and Land Cruisers.
Fond memories of that car but I wouldn't revisit it here unless it was in the form of a Range Rover classic
I had a 94 ( 300 series) manual v8is 5 door back in 98-2006 I loved it to bits.. the only thing i ever need to change was an alternator.
bunged a cam, modded ecu chip and some decent leads and it flew.. usually got about 20 from it unless i absolutely caned it.. the td5 that replaced it only gets about 25mpg..
after I sold it it carried on till well over 200k, until it met a tree one day :-(
bunged a cam, modded ecu chip and some decent leads and it flew.. usually got about 20 from it unless i absolutely caned it.. the td5 that replaced it only gets about 25mpg..
after I sold it it carried on till well over 200k, until it met a tree one day :-(
I do like a V8 but I really can't see that buying one of these is a good idea. It will offer similar economy and performance to an ocean going tugboat, disolve in front of you and probably expire in a cloud of steam every other time you drive it. I want to like it but it's a no from me.
At this age and that money this can only really be bought by someone looking to green-lane it or hack around a farm in.
I can't imagine any sane person considering using it as a semi-regular vehicle to potter about it unless their mechanical knowledge and wallet are limitless.
The only praise I've heard these garner is along the lines of 'Well mine didn't breakdown / rust / sink / float away / combust' which is hardly showering it in glory.
I can't imagine any sane person considering using it as a semi-regular vehicle to potter about it unless their mechanical knowledge and wallet are limitless.
The only praise I've heard these garner is along the lines of 'Well mine didn't breakdown / rust / sink / float away / combust' which is hardly showering it in glory.
Edited by DrSteveBrule on Friday 3rd November 12:36
2 GKC said:
Not sure it would be any cheaper though....I did the same for 18 months in a Defender and threw a fortune at it to keep it going.
Can't see why you'd want a V8 Disco at all. Glacially slow, horribly thirsty and as you say, they hate water
It wouldn't be cheaper. I wanted a defender in the first place but couldn't afford one so the disco was second best. Can't see why you'd want a V8 Disco at all. Glacially slow, horribly thirsty and as you say, they hate water
The discovery did go everywhere my friends Gwyn Lewis'd defender went, it also towed two stuck defenders whist acting as an anchor point BUT a defender is just way cooler.
And on the v8 point. You have heard one with no silencers haven't you? It's worth £5/mile to listen to it plodding round a field all day.
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