| Author | Message | ||
     Dave C (Trooperdave) New Member Username: Trooperdave Post Number: 1 Registered: 08-2003 |
first time poster with a few ???....i'm interested in a '97-'99 Series II SD. Is high milage a concern? What options are desireable? What should i be wary about or be looking for while shopping for one. Any and all input is welcomed...I am mechanically inclined if that helps. : ) thanks, Dave | ||
| Glenn Guinto (Glenn) Senior Member Username: Glenn Post Number: 733 Registered: 02-2002 |
Dave, Series II Discoveries (or D2s) weren't available until 1999. Series I (or D1s) were available from 1994 - first half of 1999. If you do a search on this topic, you should find a lot of information. It's basically a matter of preference. Here are some of the few factors: D1s - less electronic stuff, simple mechanics, the infamous CDL (Center Differential Lock) standard, more rugged. D2s - Better on-road handling, more civilized than a D1, ETC (elct traction control), early D2s (99-mid 01) have the CDL nut on the t-case - hence can be fitted with the CDL lever. There's a whole lot more info about this on the archive. Do a search. It's a buyers market for Discos right now, $10-$15K will buy you a really nice late model D1 and $15-$20K will buy you a nice D2. YMMV. Glenn | ||
| Dave C (Trooperdave) New Member Username: Trooperdave Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2003 |
Thanks Glenn, see...i learned something new! which would you recommend? it will be a daily driver, about 40 mi. each way. i have a Jeep Cherokee for the off-roading stuff. i guess i answered that one. thanks, dave | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1008 Registered: 09-2002 |
Dave, go to Hertz and rent a Discovery for a couple of days. You'll sort it out for yourself. | ||
| Steve R (Barton) Member Username: Barton Post Number: 162 Registered: 02-2003 |
Dave, I owned a Jeep Cherokee for just over a decade, I never really did a whole lot of serious offroading, but always felt it had great potential if it was built-up a bit. I've always wondered how a Cherokee would compare to a Disco, they seem so similar in size. What are your thoughts in comparing them? | ||
| Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp) Senior Member Username: Mike_rupp Post Number: 258 Registered: 02-2002 |
Steve, I've owned a Cherokee and now I drive a Discovery. I did some light off-roading in the Cherokee. The Cherokee can be made to be a highly capable off-road vehicle. They have a lot more flex in the front than a Discovery. The problem for me was that the Cherokee felt cheap to me as compared to the Discovery. When off-roading in the Cherokee, it would moan & groan when the suspension was being flexed at all. Flex up the suspension on the Cherokee and then open a door, if you can. Do the same on a Discovery. You can be fully cross-axled; the Discovery frame doesn't move a bit. I couldn't bring myself to spend $$ on a base truck that has a unibody. | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1012 Registered: 09-2002 |
Mike, is it you or me smokin' something? Since when an XJ Cherokee has more flex in the front that a Discovery? With sway bars disconnected on both, Disco will have nearly twice the wheel travel than the Chero. Just look at the length of trailing arms. And, given with a beauty of slip joint in NP231 and the length of a rear driveshaft on a Cherokee, it doesn't really have much axle travel in the rear, either. I've owned an XJ for three years - nobody wanted to ride with me, it was so noisy and bouncy-riding. With one wheel on the curb, the tailgate wouldn't open or close; the slop in the drivetrain dwarfed that even in my 89 Rangie. I still consider an XJ the best american-designed and made vehicle in the last two decades, but there's no comparison between the two (except for wheelbase and track width). | ||
| Kyle Porter (Higgins) New Member Username: Higgins Post Number: 18 Registered: 03-2003 |
i have a disco I and watch out for water build up around the body. Under the rear mat, poke the rubber around the small top rear windows for corrosion and the inside of the door jams on the back doors. The disco II has better lines and design for water flow so there doesn't seem to be a build up problem. Also I'm sure some people in here have a thing or two to say about the wiring. I'm looking for a 2000 disco next. If I wanted reliability I'd go somewhere Japanese but I just won't sacrifice the style. | ||
| Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp) Senior Member Username: Mike_rupp Post Number: 260 Registered: 02-2002 |
Peter, just an occasional Montecristo #2. I've got my front swaybar disconnected on my Disco and still get pretty poor articulation on the front. From what I remember on the Cherokee the front trailing arms aren't connected to the frame the same way as the Disco. I thought the Cherokee arms are have more of a hinge mount and can swing more freely. I'm not sure if the bushing mount on the Disco limits front axle movement or if it's the shock travel, but most Discos I've seen don't have great travel in the front. All I can say for sure, is that I've seen some Cherokees off-road that have a ton of front axle articulation. All that being said, I just can't get over the fact that the Cherokee has a unibody and twists like crazy on the easiest of trails. I'll take the Disco any day of the week. | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1017 Registered: 09-2002 |
LOL I think the difference between hinged connection on an XJ and flexing chunk of rubber on a Disco is overcome by all the extra the weight in a Disco. I know people build really neat trail rigs out of XJs (check SoCalXJ - there are some really amazing rigs and good drivers), but it nearly always involve replacing trailing arms, CV'ing the front driveshaft, and 260X U-joint in the D30 front. | ||
| Dave C (Trooperdave) New Member Username: Trooperdave Post Number: 3 Registered: 08-2003 |
all arguing aside...what are somethings is should be wary of when purchasing a Discovery? As far as the Jeep to Land Rover thing i couldn't tell you...my Xj has a 4" lift with "31's, and i've been stuck only once...and i have never seen a Land Rover 4-wheeling when ever i've been out. Dave | ||
| Glenn Guinto (Glenn) Senior Member Username: Glenn Post Number: 735 Registered: 02-2002 |
As Kyle Porter stated above, there are some rust prone areas on the D1 that you should look out for. LR warranties corrosion for 6 years (I believe it's transferrable) on their trucks so if you get a 98 or newer, you should still get coverage for rust. Also on D1s, look out for sticky valve issues, they are known to have it (especially neglected ones). If you can avoid the sunroof, avoid it - they rattle. Look at the CDL lever, off-roaded ones should be easier to switch from hi to lo gears. The ones that never left the pavement are likely to be really hard and possibly stuck. Can't help you much about the D2s as I own a D1. As far as your comment about not seeing a LR 4 wheeling yet, go here and buy a few videos to help the site (I know, shameless plug  ). Also, if you get one, do not modify it yet and take it to the trails you're taking your modified XJ and you can find out the pros and cons of the Disco and the XJ. Finally, the most important thing, when you finally get one, take pictures and send them to Ho for your very own discoweb gallery. Goodluck! Glenn | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1024 Registered: 09-2002 |
That says something about your wheeling, Dave, and that says something about where you live. neither of that says anything about Land Rovers |
