[buck]

Hey all,

My son has gotten me interested in off-roading. He has a Jeep Wrangler that is basically stock but is quite capable. I am interested in a vehicle that I will use as a daily driver but on the weekends I will do some moderate off-roading as well as use it as a hunting vehicle. The terrain will include woodland trails, muddy rutted trails, some hills, crossing dry(partially dry) creek beds, some sand/loose dirt.

I want a vehicle I can drive across country but still go almost anywhere. I am not afraid to turn a wrench and actually enjoy it, but don't want to spend more time wrenching than riding.

I am looking at a full-size 85-96 Ford Bronco/Chevy Blazer vs a 94-98 Disco. I live in the sticks but there is a major city about 60 miles away that has a Land Rover dealership; consequently there are used LR's available from dealers and private owners.

The positives for the Ford/Chevy are reliable drivetrain, availability and relatively low cost for parts, availability of build-up parts, and for me at least,
familiarity.

I am sure the Disco is more comfortable on road, plus the advantage of 4 doors in a similar sized vehicle.

What are the advantages of the Discovery in off-road performance and in the 94-98 series which years are best?

 

[01001010]

Well, for one, broncos and blazers have leafsprings, which minimizes axle areticulation in the rear, even though you said you would only be doin moderate off-road driving but you want to have a vehicle that will handle just about ANYTHING you can throw it at. I'm at work right now so I'll be right back with more...

 

[Quicksilva]

Last real truck

with a v8 fuel injected motor....Coil spring suspension..frame and body ....solid axles...full time 4wd....add lockers and you'll be begging folks not to follow you for fear of them getting stuck... Oh....Rovers are better than trail rated....we do expeditions and safari's

Marcus

 

[SCSL]

Best 4x4xfar

You will get far superior off-road performance with a LR than with a Blazer/Bronco in stock form which will put you in a league of your own in the backwoods. There are plenty of after-market suppliers of parts & modifications.

For parts check out www.atlanticbritish.com or www.roversnorth.com

For off-road check out www.safarigard.com or www.rovertym.com to see the possibilities ! :drink1:

 

[rov'n]

im a big time chevy guy, but i def would put my land rover agianst alot of lifted trucks/blazers/broncos anyday...its an offroad monster with the capeablity/reliablity to drive across the world. :drive:

 

[buck]

I am interested in the 94-98 Discos because of the reasonable prices and because of the manual locking center diff. Which if any of these years are better/worse?

So the Disco stock with maybe suitable tires will hang with the lifted Broncos and Blazers? That would be a plus because it seems that it is routine to lift the Fords and Chevys which raises center of gravity etc, and reduces daily utility.

I am aware of the Land Rover rep as a world class off road vehicle but just wondering how it compares.

What types of front and rear diff lockers are available. I am thinking
automatic mechanical locker for the rear and maybe limited slip for the front.

 

[SCSL]

In terms of off-road comparison between DI & Ford/Chevy,,, no comparison in stock or lifted form. Rovers have been designed for off-road driving and DIs have a strong track record of off-road performance around the world. ARB seems to be the most popular choice for locking Rover diffs but some swear by Detroits. There are other options as well. I think this is more a matter of personal preference and what % of time your Rover will spend on-road vs. off-. Unless you engage in frequent, heavy off-roading, I think you'll find that DI in stock form is a very capable off-roader. :buttrock:

 

[02disco2]

Good question to ask. I've owned an 89 Ford Bronco XLT, a heavily modded Jeep Cherokee (which frequented Moab), and now the Disco.

Depending on what type of off-roading you are going to do, I had tons-o-fun with my Bronco as I lived in Bozeman Montana at the time and did a lot of off road adventures in the mountains. Never an issue. As a matter of fact, I put 187K on the odometer with only the timing gear having to be replaced (oh, and the drivers power window switch too). I beat the snot out of it for lack of a better description and it was a blast to remove the fiberglass roof even though it only allowed the rear passengers to enjoy top free driving. The Jeep that I had was the most capable. But, I spend a pretty penny making it that. Fully locked and lifted, it proved to surprise even me out in Moab. The Disco, well... I am hesitant to beat on it too hard because I am mostly afraid of the repair costs associated with it. I'd rather use that money to purchase another rental property since I won't be getting Social Security when I retire...(that is totally another topic). My Disco is bone stock (except for tires) and I find it quite capable off-road, although to be 100% honest, I haven't run it through it's paces as I did in my previous SUV's. I love the Disco and the history of Land Rover and I have a ton of respect of it's history. However, this will be my last LR because I find it too costly to maintain and have grown tired of the stupid little things that break all the time. Granted, all of them are covered under warranty (which I am thankful for) but I have better things to do with my time than be in transit to the dealer for repair every month. I hope I didn't offend anyone here as I know some do get offend quite easily when someone posts about issues associated with either gas mileage or repairs. I just wanted to be honest and be truthful about my experience so far (2 years and 40K miles). My next vehicle will be a GMC Denali mostly because it is better suited for my families lifestyle (I.E towing capacity and cargo room) and plus, parts are extremely inexpensive and almost anyone can service it, the complete opposite of the Land Rover.

But again, with the Land Rover, you won't be lost in the masses like the other SUV's out there, there is something about being unique that still appeals to me. Bottom line, get what ever vehicle YOU find that suits your needs. Good luck in your quest.

 

[Quicksilva]

Buck

I bought my 97 se with 87 thousand miles on it....yesterday I crossed 107000 miles...Had everything on it that I post in my pics.. so far I have had to replace a alternator...starter an 2 headlights and do a full brake job...not somethign outta the ordinary for a truck of this vintage...
Spin the wrench all the time myself...so cost is only in parts...
I have no reservations about pointing this truck in any direction ad getting me to my destination...thats what a rover is all about..

M,

 

[Militant-Grunt]

I am interested in the 94-98 Discos because of the reasonable prices and because of the manual locking center diff. Which if any of these years are better/worse?

So the Disco stock with maybe suitable tires will hang with the lifted Broncos and Blazers? That would be a plus because it seems that it is routine to lift the Fords and Chevys which raises center of gravity etc, and reduces daily utility.

I am aware of the Land Rover rep as a world class off road vehicle but just wondering how it compares.

What types of front and rear diff lockers are available. I am thinking
automatic mechanical locker for the rear and maybe limited slip for the front.

The 94 model range was the facelifted body off the original discovery, differences between 94 and 95 is that there is a extra structual bar in the door of the 95 while the 94 doesnt. Hmm 95 vs 96, turn signal was placed in the main rear assembly instead of the bumper turn signals, as well as an upgrade to 4.0L from 3.9L. Honestly, it all depends how the car was driven over the years, if a person meticulously kept it serviced and etc. Then you should be fine with 95-98. If you buy one of these that was not kept well, it will be a financial black hole.. so you really need to be careful when buying on of these. OFF-Road it wont fail you. Like someone mentioned earlier these are better than trail rated, No silly leaf springs.. Just massive coil springs. Good luck..

 

[300bhp/ton]

I am interested in the 94-98 Discos because of the reasonable prices and because of the manual locking center diff. Which if any of these years are better/worse?

So the Disco stock with maybe suitable tires will hang with the lifted Broncos and Blazers? That would be a plus because it seems that it is routine to lift the Fords and Chevys which raises center of gravity etc, and reduces daily utility.

I am aware of the Land Rover rep as a world class off road vehicle but just wondering how it compares.

What types of front and rear diff lockers are available. I am thinking
automatic mechanical locker for the rear and maybe limited slip for the front.

Being English and living in the country side I breath Land Rovers and between me and my family have owned nearly every single model produced at one time or another.

Pros of a Land Rover
-looks & style
-very classy indeed and exclusive
-very easy to work on and maintain
-massive aftermarket parts and upgrades
-ability as a stock vehicle

Cons
-they all leak water inside
-they will all drop a bit of oil

If you want a rugged off roader, go for an earlier TDi or V8 Discovery the latter Series 2's where just as capable but did not any longer allow use of the centre diff, they did have a very sophisiticated TCS system, but if it goes wrong it will cost loads to fix all those electronic gadgets.

As for diffs why bother, a standard Discovery will go almost anywhere (as long as the centre diff lock is engaged), air lockers may get you a bit further but when you get stuck with them you REALLY get stuck.

"The Best 4X4XFar!"