I had a 1996 Discovery 5spd and I loved it. I loved it until I lent it to someone and when I got it back the engine had overheated and was destroyed. I'm no longer associated with that individual. That's also not including the multitude of issues I had with the V8 even when it was running; stuff like getting stranded in the desert because the computer thought I'd been in an accident and shut off the ignition and fuel pump and I had to be flatbedded back to a dealer.
I've never had an issue like that with my 200tdi. Even when I hydro-locked the engine I was able to drive it 500km back home with smoke spewing out of it. That engine is still running strong 8 years later.
The 3.9 v8 costs me > $100 every time I fill the tank. I don't drive a Land Rover to be fast. If I want to "enjoy driving", I can drive something else. Actually my Discovery brought a smile to my face every time I drove it, except when filling it up. Having lived through the overheating -> cracked head -> exploding v8 issues in the past, and since I have to do extensive work to get my 3.9 v8 running anyway, and since I 100% know I'm fine with the performance of a 200tdi, and since I have a 200tdi Discovery sitting here ready to donate its drivetrain, I am comfortable with my decision to do the swap. That's not to say someone else might want something else.
And for that someone who wants something else, let me know if you want my old 3.9v8/ZF combo once its out of my Discovery, since you v8 fans are out there. I'm just not one of them.