Monday, Oct 18, 2010 at 11:26
As a touring vehicle our D2 has proven to be outstandingly comfortable and capable both on and off road, and most of us find Discos far more enjoyable to drive than most competitors. I would not claim that they are more reliable than Japanese vehicles for which I have a healthy respect, but ours has been pretty reliable except for a catastrophic engine failure at 160,000 km (two cylinder liners slipped). That problem does not exist with the TD5.
Ours is a V8 with coil springs and ACE. The new engine is a 4.6 litre with considerably more torque than the standard 4.0: about the same as a chipped TD5. The handling etc will be the same as a TD5 with coils and ACE. If the TD5 has airsprings, then it would probably handle a little better than ours as long as it also has ACE. Without ACE it will tend to roll a bit.
Although the D2 is rated to tow 3.5 tonnes, the tow ball limit is 250 kg, which means that the theoretical limit with a caravan type of load (as distinct from a 4 wheel trailer) is about 2.7 tonnes.
My wife and I tow a 2.7 tonne dirt road van with our Disco 2, but while it is perfectly fine up to around 90 kph, which is where we normally tow, stability decreases quite noticably above that. It does not sway, but all steering inputs at higher speeds need to be very smoothe to avoid significant oversteer as the van tends to push the vehicle tighter into the corner. I believe that this is largely due to the short wheelbase of the D2 and the difference in vehicle and van weights.
Up to around 2.5 tonnes you would hardly find a more enjoyable tug with the van on or off.
They are starting to get old now, but ours with 215,000 km is still going very
well, and there is no problem getting parts if you need them. You do need access to a mechanic who understands Land Rovers, however. They are a little different from Japanese vehicles in some ways. Above all, if you are seriously looking for one, check the service history thoroughly. If the seller cannot demonstrate regular servicing by a reputable Land Rover friendly garage,for the complete life of the vehicle, walk away.
In summary: great tugs up to 2.5 to 2.7 tonnes, but no more.
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