Help - quick - which one?

Get a disco, they're great...

greydemon, personally, I would buy a xxxxx with 120,248 k's on the clock.........:-)

OK Greydemon, I'll bite. What part "has just died". Cos if its just a headlight bulb blown or the drivers seat is in the wrong position, there are quick and cheap remedies vs changing the whole vehicle.
Do tell about the catastrophic death of your Disco!
Cheers
Chris

Hey Nick,
My only advice to you is My sister and brother in law bought a 2003 Jackaroo with 80,000 kms, petrol. He spent a long time reserching his purchase and could not find anything to tell him not to buy it...It has proved very capable off road going all places the L/C'S and patrols go, He wound up the front torsion bars for a bit of lift fitted bigger tyres and it goes like a cut snake. I am lead to belive the 3.5 V6 has a very good rep for reliability. Plant your foot all the time and you will pay for it fuel wise. But figures of around 12l/per 100 km is possible on Hwy not towing (I am sure I will be corrected here)!!!....I am also led to belive the petrol Jack is the pick over the oil burner....Just what I have learned from ONE owner....Hope this helps

Cheers Stefan

if l had my time again l would go for a Diesel of some discription. Nissan, Toyota, Landie...get another Disco as you can get them cheap with heaps of options fitted.

lve just spent $9000 since april getting my 80 Series up to spec and can easily find another $9000 to spend if l had it. Still haven't got a snork!

cheers Barn

Hi Greydemon,
How dead is your dead Disco? Is it resusitatable (if there is such a word)? V8 or TDi or TD5?

It may well be worth rebuilding rather than going out and buying someone elses castoff.
You will know what the Disco has done, where it has been etc and every little thing about it and probably not a lot about the new purchase.

If it's terminally dead, it will be worth nothing more than wreckers price so either way you will be up for a fair amount.

My suggestion (for what it's worth)would be to rebuild unless you are so peeed off with L/rover that you never want to hear or see the Disco again.

Again, IMHO, the alternative vehicles will leave you just a little disappointed with them.

Good Luck which ever way you choose to go.

Disco

Go The Paj! You wont regret it, only thing you'll miss is seeing the underside of your car as it sits up on the hoist!

Thanks for your help everyone. For those who asked for the sad details ...

Going up the scarp behind perth the head gasket went, cooking the engine before I realised - distracted by the radio and mulling over the game of Touch I had just lost I didn't see the temperature guage climb until it was too late. I was warned that it would be around $2500 if 'just' the head damaged, or around $8000 if the block had warped. The head came off today and it is not just warped but destroyed, the guy at Rovertech reckoned that it probably has always had a slight flaw which has been eaten away over the years to now become an unweldable cavern. The block is badly warped.

Options - New head and recondition the engine - around $11,000
- 2nd Hand engine, not reconditioned, could have it's own problem - $8000
- Walk away. They give me $2000 and no charge for work done.

This vehicle has cost me heaps since I bought it 4 years ago. It needs $1000 to get the heater working again, and most of the door locks play up. There is a bingle in the back where a tree grew incredibly quickly when I was parked for 3 hours, I am sure it wasn't there when I parked.

I have dearly loved this vehicle and all it can do, I believe it to be just unlucky, though it didn't let me down around the Kimberly for which I am grateful. I am going to miss it's 10lites/100kms (Diesel) It was a 1996 model. I would love a Defender but really don't want to see another Land Rover garage for a while and would like to be able to easily find parts for a change, and fit a bog standard roof rack!

Than ks again for your help, I am going to try to find a dual fuel vehicle, I had a converted 1990 Pajero which was great but too gutless to tow. Whatever happens tomorrow I doubt that I will come off the winner against the dealers!

Paj (I'm not biased;-))

Get a good 2002 3.2DID for around mid to low 20's.
The 3.5 petrol is also good. NM Pajero's have a very good mechanical reputation. Very few 'typical' problems. The auto tranny is one of the best around.
I prefer the coil spring front end over the torsion bars, can do more with them upgrade wise.

Happy hunting....

The best selling mid size of that time was the 90series Prado. Prices of the V6 have come down a lot - nthey were well built, reliale and had good clearance for offroading. For extra money you can get the TD - it was released in March 2000. The GXL models are the pick IMO - good compromise between the nice accessories like remote CL, Cruise Control and had the good steel wheels and flares. VX/TX and Grande had mags, ABS and airbags.

Crazie's Jackeroo is for sale in the Trader section, it's already well set up!

I think the dealership is pulling ya leg mate . I bought a td donk for a customer 2hd less than 4k bloody good donk to. i would get a second opinion first before replacing the truck.

Hi Nick - I bought a 1996 tdi new. Couldn't afford to keep up with the repairs - $7500 rebuild after crankshaft chewed up. Best mate also bought a TDI - head gasket blew - recon motor $8,500 in Brisbane this year.
So - we now have a 99 GU Patrol 4.2td. Mate has a 3.5 V6 Paj (cost $13K). Brother-in-law loves his Jackaroo.
Even saw a Subaru Forrester at Coongie lakes this year out west of Innaminka, with the Cooper in flood (which he had to cross).
I would recommend a change. Like you, I never want to see another landrover in my garage. Lovely vehicles - just cannot afford upkeep - my experience.
So - plenty of options.............................Keith.

When you have the best ,why change?????????
Every vehicle has their problems
You had a Disco , you know what they are like to drive , just don't get one thats been flogged. I wouldn't swap my disco for quids , excellent town car and brilliant in the bush not to mention tows more than all the Jap stuff at 4t legal (do I sound bias or not) go with your heart because regardless you will have to put your hand deeeeep into your pocket at some stage with any 4WD

I really do have to laugh at these Landrover types that insist on repeating that the Landrover is plated to tow higher weights than a Patrol or a Cruiser.

I used to work on Landy's and they are nowhere near as strong in the transmissions or the chassis as Jap 4wds.

By way of example, my missus used to work for The Marine & Harbours Dept in Fremantle. The marine inspectors have to tow large aluminium boats around behind 'em. These are big mothers of boats and heavy with it.. Now they used to tow 'em with 4.2 diesel Nissan Patrols and never had any problems. Then a few years ago all this stuff about Nissans oinly being plated for 3.2 tonnes came up and they HAD to switch to Landrovers. Then the problems started. The Landrovers were so understrenghth and underbraked that 2 of the inspectors were forced off the road when their boats and trailers decided to push the "tow vehicle around". They both ended up in tangled heaps in the bush on the side of the Albany Highway. Other inspectors complained of the similar close calls. But they had to stick with Landys because of the legalities. They now take twice as long to get anywhere.

The issue with the plated weights on Landrovers is shrouded in mystery, but SOMEHOW they got the increased weight plating. How, I don't know but any mechanic or motor engineer will tell you at a glance which the stronger vehicle. Just use the old engineers' maxim -"If it of looks right, it usually is. If it doesn't, then it usually isn't".

And THAT is the reason that I wouldn't own a Landrover. I tried to get to the bottom of exactly how they got that weight when a Nissan or Cruiser couldn't. I got lost the in red tape jungle and nonsenical government mumbo jumbo. In my book, it's a con job.

Just my thoughts and experiences on the topic.

Bilbo