Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Most popular vehicles
Popular New Cars
- New Acura MDX
- New Acura RDX
- New Audi Q5
- New BMW 3 Series
- New BMW X3
- New Buick Enclave
- New Cadillac Escalade
- New Chevrolet Equinox
- New Chrysler 300
- New Dodge Challenger
- New Ford Edge
- New Ford Escape
- New Ford Expedition
- New Ford Explorer
- New Ford F-150
- New Ford Focus
- New Ford Mustang
- New Honda Accord
- New Honda Civic
- New Honda CR-V
- New Honda Fit
- New Honda Odyssey
- New Honda Pilot
- New Hyundai Elantra
- New Hyundai Santa Fe
- New Hyundai Sonata
- New Hyundai Tucson
- New Jeep Compass
- New Jeep Grand Cherokee
- New Jeep Wrangler
- New Mazda 3
- New Mazda 6
- New Mazda CX-5
- New Nissan Altima
- New Nissan Maxima
- New Nissan Rogue
- New Porsche Cayenne
- New Ram 1500
- New Subaru Crosstrek
- New Subaru Forester
- New Subaru Impreza
- New Subaru Outback
- New Tesla Model S
- New Tesla Model X
- New Toyota 4Runner
- New Toyota Camry
- New Toyota Corolla
- New Toyota Highlander
- New Toyota Prius
- New Toyota RAV4
- New Toyota Sienna
- New Toyota Tacoma
- New Volkswagen Jetta
- New Volvo XC60
- New Volvo XC90
Popular Used Sedans
- Used BMW 5 Series
- Used Chevrolet Impala
- Used Chevrolet Malibu
- Used Chrysler 200
- Used Dodge Charger
- Used Ford Fusion
- Used Ford Taurus
- Used Honda Accord
- Used Honda Civic
- Used Hyundai Elantra
- Used Hyundai Sonata
- Used Tesla Model S
- Used Toyota Camry
- Used Toyota Corolla
- Used Volkswagen Jetta
Popular Used SUVs
- Used Acura MDX
- Used Acura RDX
- Used Ford Edge
- Used Ford Explorer
- Used Honda CR-V
- Used Honda Pilot
- Used Hyundai Santa Fe
- Used Jeep Compass
- Used Lincoln Navigator
- Used Mazda CX-5
- Used Nissan Rogue
- Used Subaru Crosstrek
- Used Subaru Forester
- Used Tesla Model X
- Used Volvo XC90
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Tire sizes: You're not talking much difference in diameter, and if you don't need to travel far I wouldn't worry about it. You're running a very similar setup to what I have. The diffs will compensate, so you'll have a continuous speed difference between the sides of about 4.5% which I seriously doubt will activate the ETC. It's a good concern though...
Tincup can you tell us the speed differential between wheels required to activate the ETC? And is there a road speed at which it shuts off?
One thing to consider, you can put that extra 5th tire into the rotation as you move your wheels around between corners of the truck, and gain an extra 20% tread life over not having it. But it will cost 25% more to accomplish this. Which is why I don't do it. *grin*
Take a look at some 265/75-16s. They'll look great and will rub only mildly with big articulation. A little lift to your suspension will help with that. Note these will require a lot of trimming to fit a DI.
Discovery Series I
235/70-16: Stock tire size.
205/80-16: Stock size in many other countries. same height as 235/70-16.
255/65-16: same height as stock
225/75-16: little taller than stock
245/70-16: little taller and wider than the stock size. reportedly, no need for lift, just minor trimming to fit those tires.
245/75-16: popular size for OME suspension lifted vehicles. require slight trimming on the rear wheel well fender, and may also call for adjustment on the steering bumpstops.
215/85-16: same height as 245/75-16. but narrower. seems to be preferred for the snow and mud.
265/70-16: about as tall as 245/75-16, but wider. will require more trimming and steering bump stops adjustments along with taller bump stops over the rear axle.
265/75-16: almost 32" tall. Same as stock NAS D90 tires. Will require even more trimming.
235/85-16: same height as 265/75-16 but narrower. And seems to be the most popular size with OME lift.
255/85-16: about 33" tall...very few people have fitted this size. Lots of butchering for this one.
285/75-16: about 33" also... but very very wide.
Discovery Series II
255/65-16: Stock tire size.
255/70-16: Just a bit taller than stock.
265/75-16: Taller and wider than stock, possible to fit without lift. minor rubbing. Looks real balanced with mild OME lift.
285/75-16: even taller than 265/75-16, r requires a bit more lift than the regular OME lift. some have fitted OME751 from Discovery series I, and changed SLS sensor in the rear to achieve almost 3 inches. Gearing and shaft strenght become issues.
255/85-16: a bit taller than 285/75-15 but narrower. Gearing and shaft strenght become issues.
For traction control, from 0 to 31 mph,the ETC uses brake intervention to maintain torque distribution between wheels on the same axle. From 0 to 62 MPH ETC also uses brake intervention in axle pairs to maintain torque distribution between the front and rear axles.
I appreciate the info.
From those details I don't think I'd recommend running a different size tire as a spare for a DII. If it's trying to apply the brakes to that smaller tire as you drive, to slow it down to the same rotational speed as the other 3 wheels, then you can do significant damage.
Now, if someone were to pull the fuse that runs the ETC system and ABS system, I suppose he could limp home that way, but... it's not a very smart idea.
For the DI it's a different story... there's no ETC to mess with. You will still have differential speeds between wheels on the same axle but hey... that's what the diff is designed for, right? Just DO NOT lock anything... axle lockers if you have them installed, or the central diff lock. Then you should be okay for the (brief) drive to the repair shop.
Look her over... it should be pretty obvious what's up. Watch the tach carefully when you do this... your RPM shouldn't drop below 700 RPM or so.
Good luck, -Bob
Naturally, we run Mobil 1, Red Line ATF, and are obsessive about fluid changes, regular detailing (at $100 a car, why not every couple of months? You might not trade a clean, shiny car so often.), running better than OEM tires, good shocks, slotted brakes, etc.
Is a JGC a more reliable car than a Disco? Is it more fun? I suspect that the answers to those two questions believe it or not are culturally based. I think that one would say yes and no if you were in the States and, conversely, say no and yes, if you were a Brit. What do you think?
Sometimes I get annoyed when I hear it, and make it go "bang" on purpose to see if I can get it to bust - but so far, at 37,800 miles it's still just fine. Maybe "tincup" can elaborate?
Seriously. Discos have lots of drivetrain under there, including a gear-driven transfer case... I believe it's the only vehicle thus designed. Not having a chain drive, it cannot contain dampers to eliminate all slack in the mechanism. So any small play in any gear is magnified thru repeated torque transferances, down thru Hookes joints that also have their own play, down along driveline splines (having their own play) into your rear Hookes joint (with, you guessed it, its own play) into the pinions and ring gear of the rear end. It's cumulative, much the same as a locomotive starting out, taking up all the play in all the couplers ("bang bang bang bang") before he really gets on the gas.
My Anuqa does it too, and like RKoesler I can't break her either. I'd almost guarantee you can't break your transmission, so just give her lots of fresh lube and (try to) learn to like it. It kinda grows on you.
The squeak isn't doing any harm at all, it's just an irritation. My motorcycle does it. Basically it's a high-frequency shuddering of the pads against the rotor surface as it turns, due to a little brake dust causing friction between the surfaces and between the pads and the calipers.
How do I keep mine from doing it? Well, I'm in deep water or muck or snow every week or so, and that might keep 'em washed out. I'm not sure.
There's some goo you can buy that sticks to the back of the aftermarket pads when you put 'em in that's supposed to cut down on squeal. I've never tried it... though I suppose it would work.
You really should try doing your own brakes. It's a cinch, and it's really sorta fun! Seriously, I can do mine blindfolded now... they're that simple. If you do decide to give it a try, DO NOT push the old nasty brake fluid back up into the brake lines when you push the caliper pistons in. The pump does *not* like that. Just crack the bleed screws and let 'em squirt when you push the pistons in.
Let me know if you want more details... it's a great, fun job.
Take a peak at http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_mids- uv.htm#99009 - crash test data for mid-sized SUVs. Lots of marginals for the Jeep, one poor for the Disco, although the Disco scores higher.
Just another datapoint for you two to help make your decision.
On a sidenote, the new Ford Explorers have climbed to the top of the ranks. This could be fallout and tighter focus on quality engineering/assembly after the Firestone tire problems they were having. Either way, that should translate into goodness for Rover products assuming Ford shares best practices internally between auto groups.
Thx, wasko
jb.
- Starting point was invoice + 4%
- Subtract $3,500 for the manufacturer to dealer cash
- Subtract $2,000 for owner loyalty (I owned a '96 Disco)
- Subtract $1,000 for an end-of-model-year X-Plan kicker
Total to take off the base X Plan was $6,500.
The owner loyalty and X-Plan kickers were due to expire 30 September.
Bottom line was that after my Disco trade-in and the X-Plan, I got a rippin' deal for an awesome vehicle.
Go for it!
All in all, if you want to have a little fun and recognize that nothing is perfect, the Disco seems the place to be: not so much money going in, lots of potential fun, and no major coronaries when you're done.
Some scream LEMON!!! at the first drop of oil on the garage floor... others just think of it as an opportunity to get under the truck again and turn some wrenches.
I'll tell ya what, my Disco works absolutely flawlessly AT LEAST 99.5% of the time. The PC I'm sitting at works nowhere near that well... nor does my camping gear or my mtn bikes or my watches or my appliances or my wife's car (snicker). Get the drift? These are amazing machines when you look at them in perspective.
Best regards to all, now I've got to go outside and do a snow dance. I want some SNOW!!!!!!!!
-Bob
So, if I buy one to run around New England in good weather and bad, some modest off roading, and want to keep it for 10 to 15 years, what do you recommend I do?
1) Aftermarket/performance disc brake pads to increase longevity?
2) Does anyone make slotted and/or drilled rotors? If I UPS Next Day Air a set up to Nanuk, can he drill some holes for me?
3) Do I not order it with a sun roof to avoid potential leakage problems, just have the local dealer put in one (aftermarket) to avoid the potential problem of two roofs, or just get the two OEM roofs?
4)Tires. Not going to lift anything more than a cool drink after I buy it. Not going to off road that much. I am concerned with highway handling doing 75MPH on I95 and being able to cross some sand dunes in summer. In winter, the truck will be used for light commuting in the six months of crud that we get, deep Boston pot holes, and the occasional fire road, logging road. I do want to hear myself think though while on I95. What do you recommend for an all season tire? Then, I should throw on Artic Alpins, Hakkalapettas, of Blizzaks come winter? Can I negotiate the OEM tire that comes standard? (Sure I can!)
5) The winter package with the heated windshield really appeals to me. But I have heard that on other older, non LR cars with heated windshields that they were expensive to replace when cracked and had problems. What is the Disco history?
6) Recently, I've put PIAA Bright bulbs in our cars with good success. Are the Disco bulbls standard such that PIAA has them? How soon until xenon lighting as standard?
7) Anyone mind if I use Mobil1/Red Line ATF/synthetic rear end lube right away after breakin? Whats the good long life coolant? Has anyone cut open an OEM filter to compare with Wix? (Synthetic oil and good filters are cheap; what I can't afford is the alternative)
8) The English talk about Waxoly (sp?) and now Zeibart is back in business. Don't laugh, but how good is the factory undercoat? Should I have it done in the aftermarket?
9)Shocks. I do dislike the body sway. Should I put on four Bilsteins? Another brand? Leaving body lean aside, are the OEM shocks any good, or should I replace them fairly soon with some aftermarket ones?
10) How foldable/removable is the back seat? If removed is the floor then flat? I'm never, ever going to use it and it would look nice in my garage. Spare tire. Should I leave it where it is, bring it inside against the driver's side rear glass, put on roof?
As you can see from the above, I'm interested in doing it right from the get go, and doing it for longevity and handling.
Thanks.
I’m don’t think the ETC is aggressive enough but maybe I don’t understand what it takes to engage.
Thanks...
1) Dunno about rotor longevity or if they've changed the metallic compound. I use soft pads and replace them often to extend the life of the rotors. It's like $40/axle to do the pads, maybe once a year.
2) See above (but don't look too close)
3) Don't do the sunroof. Drive to where you want to be and park it and get out to enjoy the sun.
4) Avoid the Alpins and Blizzaks, they use a soft compound that wears really quickly. Try the Nokian Hakka LT-10s. I'm happy as a clam at high tide with mine. Consider a slightly taller tire to get more clearance. I did so and it brought my wildly inaccurate speedometer spot-on. They're wonderful on the highway and great in deep snot. DEEP tread pattern to let the goo out from under your tread.
5) No idea. That's why God made ice scrapers. These trucks heat up so fast anyway that a remote starter will have it warm and de-iced before you get out there anyway. Cheaper than new glass too.
6) I tried PIAA and IPF bulbs in the DI with mixed success. They burned out at 1 year consistently. I finally went to Osram 100w/100w clear bulbs and I can see *really* well. No charging issues, no alternator issues. If you want more you can always mount up some driving lights on the bumper or an A-frame.
7) Do a google search for oil filter comparison, including the search term "mopar". There's a great site somewhere that has photos of all the filters cut open and discusses. By all means use synthetics! Note: it doesn't want ATF in the diffs. Just in case you're not quite sure. Coolant: use whatever's called for and change it every 2 years.
8) My truck is aluminum and coated steel beneath, and the boxed frame railed have a wax coating on the *inside* to prevent internal rust. At 84k miles and plenty of offroading I have many gouges in my rails but zero rust under there.
9) OEM shocks are the BEST! Assuming of course you're talking about Old Man Emu (grin). Seriously the stock shocks on the DI were fantastic shocks. My brother runs Rancho 9000s with the adjustability and he loves them. Quick to adjust too. Body sway is an artifact of soft springs and long travel suspension, which is what makes these beasts so darn good offroad.
10) My back seat folds forward flat, then again forward so it's up against the back of the driver's seat. Dunno about taking it out. I believe the floor is indeed flat in a DI with the seat folded up and forward. I left my spare where it is and I can then get 2 mtn bikes inside the back with all gear and I can lock it when I leave for awhile. You can get an amazing amount of load in there, both for volume and weight.
Regards, -Bob
She recently replaced the compressor and alternator. I am wondering with this mileage are there any other major repairs I can expect to have to make. I once knew of a Land rover Discovery owner who said that a new transmission would cost $12,000.00. Is this the going price for replacing a Discovery transmission and at what point would a transmission need to be replaced? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Jamia
I use a T-50 torx wrench on a 3/8 socket to remove my left side back seat when on long fishing trips. If memory serves me correctly, there is one torx behind the seat, when folded forward, and two in the front, sort of under the floor mat. The two front ones are on a spring loaded hinge. I did not have much trouble removing the seat, or reinstalling it. The floor is flat when the seat is removed, up to the little well where your feet would go. Does very nicely for laying 9 foot flyrods or hamstick radio antennas or canoe paddles flat.
Re long highway trips - we have taken two one from Denver to Florida and back, and the second (the fishing trip) from Denver up thru Montana to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and back. The Disco was quite comfortable on both trips.
Upon returning from Florida last winter we ran into the beginning of the 36 inch Colorado snow storm. I can vouch for the Disco's ability to handle at least 12" of snow with the Original Equipment Goodyear 18" tires.
A great vehicle that seems purpose built for Colorado mountain country. The comfortable long range cross country drive was an unexpected plus!
pewee
That's an adult Golden Lab in the foreground.
Seriously, do you run a block heater?
I've been looking at a discoI myself now for a couple of months(MY wife has fallen in love with my discoII)--
The best lesson I've finally learned about my discoII is to just drive it and enjoy it until something actually stops working---I used to worry sick about potential problems that still haven't come at 60k--
Don't be scared by the mileage--the maintenance record is a lot more important.
As far as future repairs...well you have the compressor and the alternator out of the way---I've heard NANUQ SAY THAT ABS PUMP,STEERING PUMP USUALLY GO AROUND THAT MILEAGE--
I have been told by many discolovers again like NANUQ that the powertrain on discos are made to last a long time--even if you needed a tranny down the road I think it would be about $4000.
Block heater? I have one, but I've never needed it. Even on campouts with my BSA troop at -40F waaaayyyy out 1/2 a mile from the middle of nowhere, she has *always* started right up the next morning. I prepare for that by running 5/50w Castrol Syntec in the winter, and I don't actually drive her anywhere until she's making enough heat to defrost the windows on her own.
But she is quite the crotchety old coot until she gets a few miles under her in the morning... when it's cold like that all the lubes are cold and stiff and she grumps along stiff and slow for a ways. Granted, she's running like a top... it's just that she's stirring the rest of the drivetrain too, and those lubes are about the consistency of cold molasses with no good way to warm up.
Here's another picture of Buster the Mudhound, ample evidence of why God created pickup trucks... so the dog can ride in back!
Hope this helps. -Bob
ps: as long as your hands are grubby anyway, why not change the transfer box and autobox lubes too? Maybe the swivels and diffs? It's a really easy job and makes the beasts run nearly forever.
I visit this board often and really appreciate the Land Rover "brotherhood" that exists here. Despite some of the negative comments I've heard about Land Rover products, it is because of reading the comments on this board that I've been convinced to purchase and feel confident about my decision.
I'm looking forward to enjoying many miles in this vehicle and it's nice to know that if I do have problems I have a great resource and wealth of Land Rover knowledge to draw from.
Thanks again,
Jamia
So, why doesn't every one north of the Mason Dixon just chuck the good ol' 10-30 their fathers used?
Thanks for the assist. The service engine module was, in fact behind the right kikck panel, and though it wasn't as easy to reset, I did manage it. There are actually two holes in the top of the module. The center one does nothing. And I didn't find the other one until I had actually disassembled the module. After that there was no problem. I was actually considering taking it out altogether, since it doesn't seem to perform any other purpose than to be a timer for that idiot light. I was wondering why there are so many wires going into it, so I figured it sent signals to other places as well. I wouldn't want to screw something up, so I put it back in. Thanks again for the advice. Saved me some $$ and an unnecessary trip to LR.
Charlie
www.reliabilityweb.com/excerpts/excerpts/oilchange.pdf
Charlie
I posted a while back about a shuddering/slipping I was feeling as the truck was shifting between 2nd and 3rd, or 3rd and 4th gears. I brought the truck in this week because it was happening with more frequency. I dropped it off, took their loaner and told them I was not coming back until they had figured something out.
I was told yesterday that the techs were able to reproduce the problem and what they determined wwas that there were 4 loose bolts where the drive train meets the parking drum. Does this sound like a plausible explanation? If so, should I now be concerned that these parts were malfunctioning thus causing irregular wear to them?
I plan on talking to the dealership manager about this as I am concerned about a major transmission failure after my warranty expires, I have 26K miles on it already and have been complaining about this from the first day I owned the truck. LR has only opted to do anything about it when I told them to keep it until it was fixed.
Thanks in advance for your advice,
Dave
Back to the original question. The only reason to put Kevlar pads is to prevent overheating from breaking down the pad material. Since the main reason to put these rotors on your Disco is to keep the brakes cooler, therefore improving braking, there is no reason to buy high temperature Kevlar. The guy is trying to sell you more expensive pads.
If there are any other opinions on this I would More than welcome them.
Slotted rotors on the other hand seem to have full acceptance.
Seriously, the holes/slots relieve the high pressure gasses that build between the disc/pad under heavy braking as the pad material burns away. They also provide escape points for water or mud that gets in there, so your brakes clear of the goo quicker after you've blasted a snow berm. Likewise, they keep your pads and rotors scraped nice and clean. It really is a win-win.
I used to have a set of formulas that let you lay out a gorgeous set of spirals on your rotors, then you could drill them with a press and chamfer the edges. It really did work, amazingly enough. Great for motorcycles.
Have you ever seen the pictures of Le Mans racers where they dive into the turn at the end of the Mulsanne straight? The discs glow bright red and pad material sparks and burns off. And that was happening long before Kevlar.
(photo credit to Warren Sheehan)
As for the transmission shudder, I bet the 4 bolts were maladjusted too TIGHT, and it activated the parking brake drum when you didn't expect it. Or they were too loose and it let the brake move and rub against its drum unexpectedly. This feels like transmission shudder because that's where the parking brake activates: at the transmission in the middle of the drivetrain. That way it can lock all 4 wheels at once. I wouldn't sweat it, if you only felt it rarely then there is probably almost zero wear on the brake material.
When I pull my parking brake on snow it moves up maybe 1/3 of its travel before I feel it begin to "bite". Then it locks up solid. If I pull it halfheartedly then it shudders as it sorta pathetically half engages. If you have less free travel than that, chances are it was too tight.
Note, this is an EXCELLENT way to play in the snow and set it up for powerslides and cool fun like that. BUT take that with a grain of salt: you will roll your truck if you're in a lovely 4-wheel full throttle drift and hit bare pavement sideways. It's also REALLY hard on your transfer case and brake. So don't do it. (wink wink)
Regards, -Bob
Were you able to find anything on my history? Vin # SALJY1248TA532011 I am curious because of all I have heard about the sticking valves and all. I am not sure the guy who previously owned my Disco did anything besides take it to Jiffy Lube for oil changes. When I got it the guy had actually never even taken off the cross bars on the roof rack. And it looked as if there was crap growing on the paint. I knew it was just poor upkeep. He took it to the car wash instead of washing it himself. I am in the Navy and I looked at it before I deployed overseas and came home to a "Surprise" I did find something in the glove box about him having work done for a jammed rear door lock, and the tire waranty was there too. I'm not too happy with them, but I will try to stick with them until the need replacement. I actually prefer Pirelli Scorpion AT's as they have given me excellent Performance on and off road in the past with other 4X4's. I am concerned about what was done on it and if I need to really look out for some things. Right now it has 83K and running strong. I don't have any of the problems I have heard of here or other places other than a light Power Steering fluid leak. But it's so minimal I'm not going to bother with it right now. I put cat litter on the floor of my garage (I don't even have a cat). and sweep it up once every month or so. I do most of my own maintenance/repair work, I do need to get some bigger wrences though. Seriously let me know what you come up with. I would really appreciate it.
About your power steering leak... look at the hoses coming from the underside of the catch tank, with the "ZF" molded into the cap. My hoses there get loose regularly and I just have to tighten the clamps a bit. Note, you want to refill with ATF, not power steering fluid.
It will probably help your DI to change all the fluids. Chances are he has never changed the transfer case or swivels. Any wading can draw water in thru the seals as the swivels suddenly cool from the water, and contaminate the gear lube. They're all real easy to do but you'll have a ton of lube to recycle when you're done. Don't worry about using Hylomar on the diff, transfer or swivel plugs when you close them up... mine aren't sealed and they never leak.
Rover on!
Odiopus
Planning to call Land Rover service...