I have a '98. I think if you just do the regular maintenance, the problems you would experience with a used D1 will be minimized. Then there will be times something breaks and needs repairing, but generally these are not items that will strand you. Just annoyances that you need to get corrected. The big question is can you do your own maintenance and repairs? If so, you can correct the problems usually pretty inexpensively. One thing many people don't say too often on these forums is that L/R Discoverys are easy to service, especially the D1's. In addition, the manual can be downloaded from the internet and the manual is very clearly written so that a do-it-yourselfer with reasonable skills and modest tools can make the repairs. The D1's use a lot of cube relays for the electronics and these tend to crap out after a while, but they are easy to ID and replace. Another nice thing: Toyota is one of the best companies there is in terms of replacement parts availability. You can buy a thrust bearing for a manual transmission for a 1979 truck transmission, for example. Land Rover might just be next in line. The smallest parts are still available from the dealer even for older vehicles.

Out of the box they will off-road pretty well, best for trail riding. Awfully bouncy coming off rocks and ruts. They are not generally as stiffly sprung as a Toyota. If you want to do more extreme trails, you'll have to perform mods like a lift. The clearance isn't as good as Toyotas, especially the rear overhang on a DII. You'll have to plan on lifting a L/R. If you go with large tires, check with others on the limits as I don't have confidence that the axle shafts are as strong as Toyota's. You may want to beef them up a little. The rear axles are floating, and that's a nice positive. Shaft replacement is a cinch. Let's see... I forgot if the front axles use Birfields or not. I haven't had mine apart, I think they do. As a Toyota owner, you'll know all the concerns and limitations about these. If you haven't done so, pick up a Land Rover Monthly magazine at Barnes & Noble or your large bookstore. In there you will see some of what is available for L/R mods. Then you gotta find a source here in the US. Parts to mod up a Yoda are very plentiful. Disco's, well you need to plan it out a little more.

One last thing: I have a Toyota truck (older one) and it's not like it never required any repairs. I've had to do my fair share of fixin' on that beast. Toyota has had bad designs that lead to premature failure on transmissions, rampant head gasket failures, horible rusting issues and a few others. No company is 100% perfect. Of course, electronics is one issue that almost never burps on Toyotas, that seems to come up on Discos now and then. Well, I just thought I'd add my .02.. Good luck!

 

i dont think its expensive to fix, and its as reliable as you are. if you do the preventitive maintenance she will pay you back. forget her and she will screw you.

 

1+ hilltopper my 01 has never broken down on me to the point where i couldnt get it to my shop or house to fix her.now she has 188k and still going strong,i do all the maintinence when it is do and she takes me to work 120 mile round trip every day six days a week,so hows that for reliability.All ive had to replace that was not maint. related was the powersteering pump at 170k so come on with the reliability issuesoh and i bought it with 40k on it about 4 years ago for 8 grand so i think i got my moneys worth out of it

 

Reliability of a DI? I am taking mine on a 2500 mile trip at the end of the month and all I need to do to get her ready is change the oil and check the fluids.

RR's and Disco's are 2 entirely different animals, especially the P-38.
I was going to buy a P-38 but then after my research bought the Disco instead.

 

where ya going spike, out west?

 

Ft Worth then on to Ok City then back home.
2500 miles in 3 days all to go to 2 heavy metal concerts of a band I have never heard of before.

 

wouldn't it be easier to just download their CD off itunes? which band?

 

What are you crazy man? MP3's suck and besides, whats the fun in that?
I have no idea who the band is, a friend wants to see them and I am always up for a good roadtrip.

 

I agree completely with the first statement, the second one's tearing my heart out.

The reason I bought my DI was because I loved my '96 p38.

It was also a 4.0

The famous air suspension took me (4) hrs to rebag all for corners including (16) new orings.

A nerd on another forum had reverse engnr'd the software, which I downloaded (free) and reset the air system while sitting in the driver's seat.

Everything else was very similiar to the DI, except I loved the viscous coupled transfer case.

so there

luck,greg

 

Thanks for the helpful advice.
maybe il keep my runner as a backup.

What's the gas mileage like on these things? I get pretty good gas mileage on everything I touch.

22mpg 4.0 07frontier
19mpg 97 4runner 6" lift and 33"s

also how much Will a decent lift set me back on these things? If it's solid axle I'd like around 4-5 and my 285/75/16s