By Matt Rigby (Mrigby) on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 11:36 am: Edit

I drive a 96 NAS D1. When I bought it the salesman said something about only driving in "D" when on the highway and using "3" when in the city to "keep the revs up because it is an aluminum block". Does this make sense and should I be doing that? Thanks in advance.

By Jon on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 12:23 pm: Edit

I don't see where it makes a big deal of difference. The small amount of driving I do in the city where the speed limit is under 45, I leave it in "D" and drive around with no problems. I tried driving around in "3" sometimes, and 'keep the revs up' it does. I was turning about 3000 rpm going 40 mph (or something like that, I don't remember exactly) which seemed a little unnecessary to me. I don't know, it's up to you, but there's no real need to drive around town in "3" unless you just like hearing your engine run fast. The transmission will shift into 4th around 30 mph under normal throttle, and still the engine turns fast enough to move the truck with the traffic.

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 12:32 pm: Edit

For stop-and-go city traffic, keeping tranny in "3" vs. "D" will increase engine braking which will will ease up use of the brakes a little bit - of course, you'll be easing up on the brakes at the expense of the engine...I've found that driving in "3" keeps the Disco a little peppier in quick city traffic maneauvering - tranny doesn't have to downshift all the way from fourth when you step on the gas to make a quick lane change (the Disco can use any extra peppiness it can get!).

By Ross on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 01:23 pm: Edit

I watched the video that came with my "new" 97 Disco LSE. They recommend manually downshifting to "3" when entering traffic etc. b/c of the long throttle. I was surprised to see this in the official Rover literature and have used it many times since then. It keeps you from having to stomp the gas when in need of "quick" acceleration.

By RonL on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 01:31 pm: Edit

"aluminum block" has nothing to do with what gear you should be in.

By AssWupp on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 01:37 pm: Edit

Your salesman needs some AssWupping.

By Eric N Grnrvr on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 01:48 pm: Edit

I wouldn't always listen to the sales guy... I over heard one telling a customer that it was "OK to turn the diff lock on and drive in a straight line on the street. Just don't make any turns".. I'm sitting there thinking that this guy is going to do it and then try and figure out why it won't unlock... Hope he has a lift or a good floor jack to get the rear off the ground so that it can unwind.. That or go in reverse and hope you get lucky... Of course this wasn't a Land Rover dealer though...

By Matt Rigby (Mrigby) on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 01:50 pm: Edit

Thanks for all the help. I don't think I'll worry about it much then and just use "3" when I need to keep up with traffic.

By Jon on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 02:12 pm: Edit

Why would said dude have to hope he gets lucky backing up to unlock his center diff? That's the way it's done when the transmission is wound-up, and neither I nor anybody I know has ever had a problem unwinding the transmission in that situation.

By Eric N Grnrvr on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 05:00 pm: Edit

Jon, I have seen center diffs get locked and driven on the street 50-60 miles and hour. They got so wound-up that you couldn't disengage the center diff lock.. You can try going backwards to get it to disengage but, some times it's locked up so tight that it just doesn't work. You would then have to lift the whole rear (or the whole truck) and hope that it unwinds.. I didn't say it gets wound up like that all the time.. But, some times it does..