D1 or D2 - First Car?

[Robin Masters]

Hello all - I'm hoping to get a sanity check on allowing my soon-to-be 16-year old son to purchase a D1 or D2 for his first car.

Background: I've personally wanted a D1 or D2 since they were new, but I never felt comfortable with the reliability stereotypes. Fast forward and now I have a 15-year son (who is turning 16 soon) who is a bit of a gearhead, likes cool older 4x4's, and doesn't mind to turn some wrenches and do some DIY mechanic work in his free time. He has identified the D1 and D2 as trucks that he'd like to consider for his first set of wheels.

I'm a practical person, so I'm a little apprehensive, but then again, I personally know the allure of these trucks. I've wanted one for over 25 years, and based on what I've read, they appear to be mostly serviceable by the home mechanic in our driveway.

Any general insight on this topic would be most appreciated. From the concept of daily driving one of these trucks down to D1 or D2? My only real requirement for him is that the vehicle have driver and passenger airbags for safety. I think most D1's even comply with this from what I've seen. Otherwise, I'm trying to let him manage this process, but I'd like to prevent him from really going down the wrong road if that's the way he's heading. Thank you!

 

[robertf]

This is a terrible idea

A D1 that falls within what I'd consider a 16yo first car budget is going to be priced low because it likely needs an engine and a good portion of the braking system replaced.

They're also really easy to flop on their side, stuff 12 people in, and have a large flat trunk area perfect for "sleeping"

 

[Tugela]

Robin, I take it the Audi and Ferrari 308 are off-limits?

Giving a kid a Disco as a first car is like making them learn to ride a bike on a rusty Huffy with the saddle too low and crooked handlebars. It's not going to be a good experience for anyone. If you want to promote a love of Rovers in your son, share experiences with him that will be memorable and rewarding - in a good way.

Better a Toyota Camry, Volvo wagon, or something equally practical and boring.

Say hi to the lads for me.

 

[Robin Masters]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. Alas, the 308 is not an option, although he’d love the GMC Jimmy that Magnum occasionally drove!

I’ve tried to counsel him toward boring, dependable cars, but he loves the idea of a Disco. I’m just not sure he really grasps what he’s biting off with a Disco….

 

[stu454]

Our 15 year old son wants to drive my '07 LR3 with 219k miles. It's fairly solid but he's going to have Uber on his phone.

 

[ukoffroad]

Mine wanted the DII, he got the Volvo XC90 that I was driving instead. X2 on a LR not being a first car for most kids. Maybe if they have been working on them for a while and already have a base knowledge, or you have a great mechanic nearby.

 

[StangGT5]

While I generally agree a classic Land Rover isn't the smartest first car, especially given their age now, I knew kids in highschool that drove them. A college girlfriend drove a gold D1 named "Brown Bear" through high school and college. Of course, that was 2006-2013. One guy I knew had a maroon 5 speed he drove through high school, college and beyond. Neither knew much about cars but, like your son, loved the discos. They both had parents with pockets.

I'm a D2 guy all day long but the D1 is simpler and usually significantly cheaper to buy. The axles and brakes are a little more complex to work on than the D2's though. You can still get mechanically good D1s for around $5000.

 

[pinkytoe69]

I sold my gold D2 to my neighbor for his daughter to drive Junior and Senior year of high school.

It got her thru that and I didn't hear about any horrible stories.

 

[ERover82]

D1/D2s are high-maintenance and pretty old now. For a student, I choose something simpler, more fuel efficient, and with better part supply. A student should be focused on school and developing relationships, not fixing their vehicle constantly and struggling to pay for fuel and maintenance.

 

[Robin Masters]

Thanks again for all the replies and help. It does seem like a bad idea, but on the flip side we also have an older Honda Accord as a spare car. That would help with actual transportation when the Disco is down, but I do fear that he could wind up with $10k-$12k invested in a car that’s only worth $4k-$5k in the marketplace. That’s a bit of a bummer - unless he’s passionate about Rovers.

 

[eburrows]

I think a disco is a fantastic car to learn to drive on. Slow acceleration, decent stopping power, no "curbing" problem, great visibility for parallel parking, etc. I have taught multiple family members to drive in my D2.

They are also great for learning car maintenance. Easy to change brakes, batteries, air filters, oil, etc. I taught myself car maintenance on my D2, and it's been 20 years and 350k miles.

As a reliable daily driver and first road-trip car? Probably not so much.

 

[bri]

I don't see any reason not to have a D1 as a responsible kids car. Like any car, get it, bring it completely up to snuff and drive it.

If your kid is irresponsible and doesn't understand driving can kill you or someone elase and that it could roll if he tries drift it, maybe he is just better off without a vehicle at this time.

Seems like a great car for a 16 y.o. "gear head". That is where my last D1 went.

 

[ERover82]

If they disregard all the warnings here, don't let them bolt Terrafirma 4x4 BS on it. Keep it stock and just fix anything that is wearing out. Going down the 4x4 mods route, while alluring to a young guy, will just be an expensive, time consuming, safety compromising boondoggle for a vehicle that is plenty capable. If they absolutely can't help themselves, steer them towards an ATB or two in the diffs. I still say a Montero or similar is a better idea.

 

[jastutte]

two of my kids drove D2s through high school and college. we did the maintenance together including replacing all the hard and soft brake lines on an '01 Discovery.

 

[pinkytoe69]

D1/D2s are high-maintenance and pretty old now.

Given that he's from Tennessee, I don't think rust is a real big issue.

With that in mind...

If you address basic old vehicle stuff like the brakes and cooling, I don't really think these are all that high in maintenance just for someone to putz around to high school & hangouts for a couple years.

 

[StangGT5]

If they disregard all the warnings here, don't let them bolt Terrafirma 4x4 BS on it. Keep it stock and just fix anything that is wearing out. Going down the 4x4 mods route, while alluring to a young guy, will just be an expensive, time consuming, safety compromising boondoggle for a vehicle that is plenty capable. If they absolutely can't help themselves, steer them towards an ATB or two in the diffs. I still say a Montero or similar is a better idea.

I agree with all but the Montero. I love Gen3 Montero's but they all had more issues than a D1. If it isn't rusted it probably smokes. Valve guide seals, Head gaskets, timing belts, valve cover gaskets etc. plagued the 3.5 and the 3.8 just ate oil. I'd honestly take a 03+ Tahoe Z71 and budget for the 4lslippy to.be replaced at some point.

 

[Robin Masters]

Thanks again for all the different viewpoints - a lot of good points made. Another big issue is that I think a fair bit of the success or failure of this venture will come down to the exact Disco that he might end up with and how well it had been cared for over the years.

Regarding the front axle in D1 vs D2… is one style really preferable over the other? I’ve read a few things about them, but is there a meaningful difference?

 

[ERover82]

D1, Defender, P38, and RRC axles are full floating with closed knuckles. D2 axles are semi-floating and with open knuckles. D1s are easier for the home mechanic and have less rear-overhang off-road. However, they're slightly more prone it issues from age and less comfortable. D2s are more complicated, more prone to cooling and electrical issues, but more comfortable, more powerful, and have a larger cargo area.

The problem with keeping these running is that every component is aged, so you have a high probability of failure since it only takes one, and the quality of replacement parts isn't always great. It's doable, but one really needs to have the time, space, and money to really go through it and then keep up with it. Some of these components require significant disassembly and downtime. It can become a real drag for a person who needs to focus on other things. So either the vehicle needs to be so simple that nothing is that difficult to fix or it needs to be so reliable that the difficult fixes are few and far between.

 

[Matt Kendrick]

Try and find a low mileage D2 or one that's already had the head gaskets done. Beyond that semi-major issue, they can be a great 1st car. Both my sons drove my 1st D2 as a first car, my youngest son still drives it today (and he's away at college). Yes, you'll need to work on them, but once the HG are done, the rest of the stuff is not that difficult as long as you really stay on top of things. Don't know where you are located, but there are numerous Pick-Your-Part yards around here and trust me, we hit them all the time. D2's are at that age where they hit the junkyard regularly and can be a great resource for inexpensive replacement parts if you choose carefully.

 

[4Runner]

My kid is currently driving our D1 5spd. It’s been our daily for the past 12yrs. Will probably be passed on to my other kiddo. I have not had great luck with D2’s but I know other here swears by them, or at them. neither one of my kids want to drive anything newer than 2007. That is probably my influence but both of them will know how to work on cars and drive cars that don’t do anything for you. Good luck with the search.