Cheers all - I'm wondering if my manual transmission Discovery has become a collectible?

1997 Discovery SD
VIN SALJY1283VA724118
build date 03/97.

Thanks!

 

 

Looks nice. Ya don't see too many 5-spds around.

Hard to say on the collectible. Probably to a certain extent. Prices don't seem to be 'rock bottom' anymore, not quite what they once were. Just like any older vehicle, condition is king. And if you find the 'right' person looking for one. D1's have a terrible internet reputation on reliability, and the internet crackpot sites love to use D1's as a punching bag. Which is unfortunate given how robust they're built. And more and more these days, there seem to be few people willing to learn the skills or spend time/money keeping a Disco going as there once were. And quick to bail when a few problems crop up. You have to be your own mechanic to own one of these rigs, lol.

Once the new Ford Bronco comes out, that's probably going to suck a lot of air out of the older SUV crowd and perhaps depress values on a lot of older off-road-type SUV's. I've driven a couple new Bronco's and Ford really did their homework. Not for everyone, but I think its going to fill a niche and a lot of buyers are going to gravitate toward them ..and whatever answer Jeep comes up with. I think it might also bring Defender prices down too -- The Bronco can be outfitted a number of 'cool' ways and ergonomically it's light yrs ahead of Defenders. We'll see. OTOH, Bronco's (and new vehicles in general) have gotten so expensive, a guy might as well fork out $50 for a Defender than a new Bronco (??). Eventually Disco's that are in really good shape will climb in value to a certain extent. Unless this whole electric truck/SUV market takes off. Young kids these days, Zoomers are ready for electric vehicles. You ask any of them and a Tesla is their 'Aspiration car'. If they continue to take off, and more electric trucks/suv's filter in ...even with the limitations of electric vehicles, it could come down to just older owners out there who are willing to keep D1's running and don't mind pulling up to the Premium Pumps (while they still exist).

I have seen a couple super-clean Gen2 Discovery's sell for good coin on BringAtrailer.com. Which is encouraging. I think there'll be incremental value increases, and really good examples will bring higher prices. But I think good-to-average condition Disco's will tread a mildly increasing value curve.

 

Not many 5 speeds made it to the usa - dealers didnt order them as we are an automatic driving culture
maybe a few more made it to cn - not sure how many landy's made it to mexico (were there any dealers ?)

of course uk and row were primarily 5 speeds

yes there is a market for them today - if you want to see how crazy the market has gotten for d1's and other landy's take a look at bring a trailer - market is exploding

your d1 is going up in value so keep it on the road if you can - if the rust is bad may not be worth it

 

Judging by the paint, the "muddin", the jacked up radio console, the aftermarket speakers and an interior that is likely seen better days, I'd say you won't get much for it even if it is a 5-speed. Collectors want pristine or very clean examples. Yours is not. Yours is however cool and worth it to keep it running. In other words, don't expect someone to pay you $10-15k for it. How many miles are on the clock?

Edit: I just noticed it's an SD. Now, that is a bit different. DI's with no sunroofs are very desirable. Adding to that it's a manual does add value. Again though, condition is everything.

 

NICE!! You beat me. That’s the truck just posted on Facebook. As far as I’ve seen in 10 years of looking for the LAST 5-speed and 20 years of paying attention and owning them, this appears so be the newest I’ve seen. It’s so new I’m a little surprised this is still 97 and not 98. Don’t know the year/date/model year border is. Some of them were special orders from dealers who knew exactly what they wanted. I wonder if this is not one of those. Would be interested in it’s history. As I’ve said elsewhere… there are not many… high double digits maybe. I was given the info to contact Land Rover North America’s guy in charge of records a few years ago attempting to figure out actual numbers imported… but he was of no help. 20 years of message board back and forth from both educated and uneducated people leads me to believe there were only about 100 of them for 97. These were thought of as disposable for so long and cash for clunkers makes me suspect fewer than half of them still exist. It’s value will go absolutely nowhere but up. I don’t know how hacked up it is, but I’d slowly un-hack it and keep monster truck wheels off of it. I think they are totally undervalued …Parts are relatively cheap, they are easy to work on and they are simple..and the 5-speeds are getting to unobtanium. I’m a total dork for the manuals.

 

I think so. Land Rover brought under 100 manual SD's to the States for the 97 model year. I have one too. They're incredibly unique.

 

Very nice truck. Great to see in this condition.

 

Wow! Great looking Disco Robert. It sounds like you have quite the collection, I have to admit I'm a little jelly!

Cheers

Phil

 

I knew the manual cars were rare but I had no idea they were this rare! I pulled parts off a manual at a Pick'n pull in Sacramento. I was surprised to see it but should have felt blessed after reading this!. It was rolled but had a lot of suspension goodies on it from OME and even caster corrected radius arms and such. I would have taken them but since it was rolled the undercarriage was roached.