FYI...The D2's use exactly the same flex coupler on the rear drive shaft as the D1's. The idea is supposedly that it was supposed to absorb some of the driveline vibrations. (IIRC, some BMW's use a similar flex coupler.)

 

I have owned Series LR's, RR's and two D2's. The RR Sport is a great vehicle but too 'pretty' for general use and is really a 'shopping trolley'. I owned a 1 year old 4.0 D2 HSE 2000 model but for a couple of years (it drank petrol wherever you go) and then changed it for a new 2003 D2 Td5 ES7. I have to admit that the D2 is the most useful towing vehicle I've ever driven. I've towed box trailers with a mass of 3.5 tons for thousands of miles at speeds of around 80 mph without any problems. The D2 is also great for carrying building materials for renovations even without the trailer. On a motorway it's easy to cruise at 80mph and some more but it's very economical at around 70-75mph (about 29mpg) I've considered changing it for a 3.0 TD D4 but it would be a shame to use a newish truck for hauling building materials so maybe that's for later.

 

Changing out the stock front driveshaft is a really straight forward easy job on the D2. The D1 also has a nortorious drive shaft issue which many people tend not to mention on these forums! The rear rubber coupler design was faulty. DAP has some examples of a failed rubber coupler off a rear D1 shaft and let me tell you that was scary! RoversNorth sells a updated design rear shaft which corrects that fault

Regarding the CDL. I do believe that early D1 models did NOT have the CDL, just as 2001-3 did not have them. But Early and final year D2's do have the CDL so you guys really can't use that as a con aginst the D2.

The D2 has a crapy placement for the crankshaft poistion sensor which when touched by water god forbid... And the 3 amigos. The average cost of fixing the amigos what $200-400? Well the D1 has a ****ty power steering gearbox which is notorious for failure. Price for a new one starts around $400-800! And they are a BLOODY pain in the *** to replace due to lack of space.

Both models use same crappy unreliable engine though the D2 gets more liters. So your still gonna have to deal with overheating and headgasket problems. But I've heard the radiator replacement for the D2 cost much less than for the D1.

The point here is that the D1 is not better by a long shot, nor more reliable. Their about tied.

 

Oh and let's not forget those nimble blinkers that have a tendency to "disappear". Apparently LR felt a simple spring would secure the blinkers to the body securely.... And of course the rear bumper end caps which love to fall off! As a former D1 owner I don't miss the daily walkarounds I had to do each time I got out of my vehicle, just to ensure the front blinkers and rear bumper end caps where still attached... God forbid if a cop noticed something missing........ the D2 took care of all that though so I can focus more time on amigos

Also forgot about the rear wells which had the tendency to rot right through, making them a instant fail on NH state inspections! Don't know how but it appears that the wheel well rot issue was also addressed on the D2.

 

They don't mention it because it's not anywhere near the same level as the D2. Little different than any other u-joint.

Not a faulty design. It's a very common design to reduce shock loading and/or vibration. It does have it's weak points, but that doesn't mean it's a bad design.

All D1's had a CDL.

Prone to leaking, which is really different from failure. They aren't a big deal to replace.

True, because the D2 radiators are crappy Al/plastic radiators.

Odd. In 12 years of D1 ownership I've never lost a indicator light assembly. I did have one get broken when a large rock fell off a truck and hit it and broke it. You're the first person I've ever seen, in the last 19 years, complain about them randomly falling out. Doesn't sound like much of an issue to me.

The bumper end caps can be an issue when off-roading, and get ripped off. That's the only time I've lost one.

 

I watched a video on YouTube a while back, some off road exports were testing the early UK Discovery models off road and though the vehicles capabilities were reconized they said the vehicles should be fitted with diff lockers - which implied to me that early models were not yet equipped with cdl. Keep in mind the Disco has been out since 1989 in the UK. Early UK models differ A LOT from anything you or I have access to here in the states. Roof rails and runroofs were not yet fitted and the interior was just cloth. The typical color was radar blue. A cool ice box between the seats was also common on early models along with a handle bar on the dashboard for the front passenger. Also used different engines and settings then was ever seen here in the US.

The blinkers or indicators (whatever you call them) are the big Orange lights positioned next to the headlight assemblies and they DO fall of easily over time just like rear bumper end caps. Mine fell out during normal driving. Also there are a respectiple number of D1's around the local area and most every one of them have hanging rear bumper end caps - guess the owner has not figured out how to re secure them.

The power steering system is known for leaks all over but the power steering gearbox was also a fault design according to DAP. Least that's what they told me when I called about getting mine replaced. The boxes are pretty dam heavy and there is not much room for wiggling it out from the engine bay. For you, perhaps its all easy stuff since your an expert and your D1 is in tip top condition but for the average newb, it is a very time consumeing job. Also noted on the show "wheeler dealers" they bought a cheap old D1 and guess what it needed replaced? Power steering gearbox! They are expensive even for a used part.

A rubber coupler that looked liked a dog made it his chew toy, does not sound same at all to me. Still recommends to replace with the update shaft - if it was not a big deal then why would RN be offering it?

I'll get back to you about the 1989 UK Disco and the cdl. Have to try to find the vid or another source.

 

I will have to assume what they meant were front and rear differential lockers not the transfer case.

 

Yes, they were talking about axle diff lockers. I've been driving Land Rovers since '75, I know when the Discovery came on the market.

Like I said, you're the very first person in 19 years of Discoveries in the US, and longer in the UK, that I've seen complain about the lights falling out. I'm not going to say you're the only one who's had it happen, but it's not the problem, in general, your anecdotal experience has convinced you it is.

Even when totally puking oil the steering gearboxes keep working. Also, if you're pulling them up out of the engine bay, no wonder it's a trial for you.

If you use the roto-flex longer than it's design life it will fail (or a poor quality aftermarket one) and look like a chew toy.
Many people offer the cardan u-joint conversion because, like I said, they both have pros and cons. Many people, like me, prefer a cardan u-joint for off-roading. If I didn't ever off-road, or did it very little, then the roto-flex would be fine.

 

04 DII all the way but it hits the limit of my mechanical prowess (otherwise I'd have gone with an LR4!). It has the CDL, the most power available, better headlights and all the best refinements Disco's had to offer. It's be a long list of times I've said "Why the @#$! did LR do that?", but in reality, nothing ended up being complicated to fix. Stupid maybe...more difficult than necessary, certainly! But not complicated, which I can live with.

 

Sadly Dan7, the RR and Discos are seen as status symbols in many places so the shapes and technical wizardry is ever increasing to meet the desires of the 'celebs' rather than a 4x4 workhorse. In the UK something like 95% of Landrover Discos and RR's sold in the past 20 years have NEVER been off road and many reside in the city centers. In the UK these 4x4's are nicknamed 'Chelsea Tractors' or 'Shopping Trolleys' as that's what they do and where they are kept. Waste of good 4x4's unfortunately .

https://www.google.fr/search?q=jorda...w=1163&bih=593

A typical example .