Damn that is a long thread!
Anywho a bit about me.
I have owned 3 BMWs, 88 E30 convertible, 90 E34 535i/5 speed and a 96 E38 740iL. Amazing cars. Also owned a few Jeeps. Lifted 95 with a bored and stroked 4.0 HO that could chirp 3rd with 33s and a 2.5L beater.

I asked about Discoverys on the BMW forum and got the response from people who have never owned them and the "I have heard..." that they are POSs. So I figure I'd get the owners opinions on them.

How rare are the 5 speeds? Can the transmissions hold up off road? I do plan on off roading quite a bit with it. What are the weaknesses? Anything else you can think of would be great!
Thanks.
I have found 2 for sale locally:

1995 Land Rover Discovery
"Spend 3.500$ last 3 years,Got,New clutch at 100.00,newly tires,muffler , brakes pads,rotors,all heavy duty suspension springs and shocks and searing dumper by old Man Emy expedition duty, total 3'' lift,,gas tank,plugs,cap,rotter,ignition coil and wires,K@N filter,ball joints ,valves breather filters ,gas filter,all fluids, all steering pump houses,oil cooling line houses,gear boxes oil,all drive shafts lube....leader,cassette/radio Alpine stereo rear buffer,Towing package, year 1995 , 125 mi manual ," Asking 2500$


2. 1998 Land Rover Discovery
"Original red exterior with clean plush interior, 4x4, 5 spd manual transmission runs very well, very well maintained, recent tires, call anytime to see and drive" 1950$, I think this guy is a dealer cause has like 5 of them listed.


EDIT: For got to add, in my state cars before 1996 do NOT have to pass emissions inspection, just safety.

 

I am a fairly new Disco owner and have owned 5 BMW's. 80 320, 84 533, 99 M3, 01 540 Sport 5 sp and currently my wife drives a 95 525 with 168k on the clock. I have always done all my maintenance on the Bimmers and find them easy to work on. The Rover forums are every bit as good as the roadfly forums. I find the Discovery as easy to work on as Bmw's and there are plenty of sources for non dealer parts, just ask the forum. There is plenty of knowledge here and it is shared freely. I have not seen a manual tranny for sale here in Texas in 8 months, so I bet they are rare. There are plenty of guys on here that do serious offroad, so I will let them comment on that area, but if you do your BMW maintenance, you can do your Disco maintenance.

 

The auto transmission is better for off-roading. No clutch to worry about slipping to get started on steep hills and burn out. The clutch is the weak point in the drivetrain.

 

The 5 speed was also only available in the Series I Discovery, in the states anyway. I looked and looked for a 5 speed when I was shopping. I found one, but it was in such deplorable shape that I just passed on it. I really wanted a Series II, and I ended up with an '03. In my experience, manual transmissions are great for the street, but crap off road. AK has a point, if you get stuck on a hillside with a manual, you are probably gonna need a new clutch after that off road trip. I'm not sure about the Series I auto, but my Series II has a mode switch that allows it to operate like a manual when in low range.

 

No the auto D1 doesn't have the manual mode....

Everything depends of how you will use the truck, daily driver, off-road rig? If you plan to go off-road a LOT and absolutely want a 5 speed, I would go with the blue one since it's lifted, and seems to have some off-road accessories added to it.

What is the mileage on the red one? Because if it is up to date with maintenance, and has less milage than the blue one, I would definitely go with that one. It has the 4.0L engine with the coil pack. It is more recent, and I prefer it red since scratches and dents show less on red paint. Plus even if it is not lifted it still has amazing off-road capabilities.

But again everything depend of how you will use this truck, because in the end I think you bargain to have either of them for fairly the same price. These trucks REQUIRE premium gas, and if you keep up with maintenance you should not have any problems with it. These are great truck on and off-road. But if you plan off-roading I would go with the auto trans... which will give you more choices. Remember to check all of those trucks closely and test drive them at least for half an hour before making your choice. You will know when you find the one you want. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

 

The drivetrain on a Discovery is world class, you wont find a better built drivetrain.
These trucks stock will keep up with the best modified truck out there off road.
The only problem with them is the previous owner, if he let things slide then you are in for a world of hurt.
A 5 speed would be nice for the MPG, but I would still prefer a auto box for off road.
The only downside to a auto is that you cannot start from a stop in a higher gear to prevent wheel spin, but you can still hold a lower gear for high descents.