Disco 2 replacement- are Range Rovers a good buy for towing?

[Red Fred]

My old Disco td5 has finally given up the ghost with terminal chassis rot and I was wondering about the perennial problem of what to replace it with as a towing vehicle for getting the cattle to market in the Ifor. It has to have the 3.5T towing ability but I don't want/can't afford anything too modern which seems to rule out most trucks. I wondered about finding a yummy mummy school run Range Rover as you appear to get a fair bit for your money, or are Disco 3s a viable alternitive- My Land Rover contacts all seem to say they are money pits. Any ideas welcome!

 

[Bones]

Toyota

 

[Lincs Lass]

One of my neighbours bought a 3 yr old RR ,,in 2 yrs it spent more time in the garage getting fixed than it did on the road

 

[milkloss]

I wouldn’t consider it myself.

 

[dowcow]

I've heard the Range Rover Sports make better towing vehicles, as they use the Discovery chassis while the base models use a spot welded chassis more like a car. Seems a good excuse to get a RR Sport to me

 

[Lincs Lass]

Plenty of landcruiser amazons about ,bit thirsty but reliable

 

[JeepJeep]

Grand Cherokee WK CRD.. 05 onwards..

3.0 Merc Engine and Merc 722.6 Trans.

Rated for 3.5t

Edited.. Or the WJ model before as a 2.7 CRD.

 

[1594mac]

Evening if you have a big wallet go for it thats about as simple as I can put it. Ran an L332td full size range rover for 8 years after a P38 model and two discoverys a 300tdi and a td5. The all cost money to run but work out your costs and have a seat ready!

 

[Deereone]

Hi Fred,
I had the same problem so I had the chassis replaced down at Poole for a galvanised one.

 

[msheep66]

What about another Disco2, plenty about.

 

[Goweresque]

I had exactly the same dilemma 3 years ago when needing to replace my TD5, and ended up going for a Mercedes ML320, 55 plate just into the 2nd generation of the ML range. I got a 10 yo vehicle with 65k on the clock for £10k (3 years ago). Tows 3.5 tonne beautifully, far more stable than the Disco. Much more powerful, 220bhp, 7 speed auto box is very smooth. Fuel consumption is worse than the Disco, 20ish towing laden, low 20s towing unladen, high 20s running around without a trailer, over 30 (maybe up to 35 if you're careful) on a long motorway trip.

Only downside I can see so far is the off road performance doesn't seem very good, I nearly got it stuck once in conditions the Disco wouldn't have noticed. But as I use it 100% for road towing thats not an issue for me. Some models are badged as '4matic' which might indicate a superior off road capacity, mine is a basic model without that badge, so not sure of the difference between the two. It could also be down to the tyres, they've no off road capability.

The engines are pretty bombproof, the one thing to look out for is the air intake into the turbo, which sits in the V between the cylinders, if the seal on this intake fails it drips waste breather oil (thats fed into the air intake to get rid of it) onto a little electric motor directly below that controls some fuel/air valve and eventually this motor seizes up and you have to take the turbo out to replace it, its about a £500 all in job at an independent garage. Newer models may have better seals, but needs checking.

 

[Nearly]

@JLTate

 

[JeepJeep]

The engines are pretty bombproof, the one thing to look out for is the air intake into the turbo, which sits in the V between the cylinders, if the seal on this intake fails it drips waste breather oil (thats fed into the air intake to get rid of it) onto a little electric motor directly below that controls some fuel/air valve and eventually this motor seizes up and you have to take the turbo out to replace it, its about a £500 all in job at an independent garage. Newer models may have better seals, but needs checking.

4.7K Ohm Resistor fixes that , Fools ECU all is well... It's the swirl flap motor.

 

[Still Farming]

Isuzu the best thing since sliced cheese ant it?

 

[Red Fred]

Hi Fred,
I had the same problem so I had the chassis replaced down at Poole for a galvanised one.

We thought this might be a longer term solution for Mrs Fred's tdi Disco which she has kept in her shed since she took it off the road. The older ones seem a bit more rugged than the mk2s Might have to pop down to Andy's. . I

 

[Sprayer 1]

Pùtting my disco3 for sale next week under protest. Best car I have ever owned. Good at towing ,big boot and more comfort than any pickup. Mine has to double up as family car and family want an upgrade so will be after a disco 4 with leather seats and all that modern stuff.

 

[Will 1594]

R r sport at end of our lane for sale 09 plate immaculate school run taxi and 10 plate ml350 in local garage if you want any details of want some comparisons , we got an ml 350 like gower. Miles in front of 13 plate lt 90. But the old td5 90 with 290000 on clock still pulls like a train , but ml far superior with auto and comfort and extra 100 g g s ,

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

@robbie wife has a tidy disco (4 I think?) for sale.

 

[robbie]

Yep sure do. It's in the classified on here....or should be.

Disco 4 sdv6, 3lt, 143k miles.
Just been serviced and valeted.
Full heated leather seats.
Very good condition and has been a very good reliable motor.
£10500.ono no vat

 

[davidroberts30]

@boyo show him the towing beast