Need your help. I'm looking to start a new project. I bought a 2000 Disco II with 111k last week. Engine has misfire and it is all fixed. Full 60k service according your list. Even pulled both heads and performed valve job. Vehicle is super clean. I went and bought a 97 Disco I today with 70k miles. I'm also going to fix this up. ( The benefits of owning a repair shop in PA) My question is which one should I keep. I do not have much 4x4 experience. I want to turn one of these into a 4x4 machine. My everyday car is my 01 Range Rover 4.6L. Love this truck. Almost can't take it off road. It kills me to scratch it all up. Thats why I bought these Discos. Is one Disco better then the other for off roading? Any of your inputs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

Those of us who drive DIs will tell you the DI is better and those that drive DIIs will say DII. They pretty much have the same off road prowess, but for off road only the DI is electronically much more simpler, much less crap to fail. So in my opinion, better. But the DII has the traction control, etc. The deciding factor for me would be the CDL. I'm not sure if the DII has the CDL, but all DIs do and it is a HUGE help off road. Hope that helps a bit.

 

The biggest advantage of the D1 over the D2 is that it has the CDL shifter inside. Your D2 also has CDL but you have to crawl under the truck to engage it. The D1 is a little shorter and narrower than the D2 so it will fit down tighter trails than the D2.

 

CDL is huge, DII's do not climb as well as they should, I can tell you that from experience. That being said, you can buy a shifter to allow you to engage the CDL in your DII since its an 00, its costs about $400 new and fairly easy to install, some of our members on here have done it. That alone will change the off road preformance a TON. here is a link to one of the many options:

http://www.lucky8llc.com/Products.asp?ProductID=2185

As for which one to keep... with the CDL they are both pretty even off road, but the DII will require a little more work. For example, on the DII you will have to get rid of the SLS (i dont beleive the DI has that) if you're going to make it a serious trail rig. It all comes down to if you want to deal with the electrics in the DII. Yes you will have more luxuries and bells n whistles, but they have more of a risk to break. The DI is a very simple truck, if you look at the engine side by side you can see it first hand. So in other words... what do you want out of your off road truck?? Its really personal opinion... But I LOVE my DII!

 

The D2 also uses a Bosch engine instead of GEMS like in the D1. That, IMO, is a big pro for the D2. Bosch just makes good electronics. I have never had a problem with the GEMS motor in my 97.

What you need to do is go an drive both vehicles on the kind of off road trail you intend to wheel on and see which one you feel more comfortable with. We can give you our opinions all day long but you need to be comfortable with the truck you choose. By that I mean you have to be confident that the one you choose will do what you ask of it and get you home at the end of the day. IMO, the getting home at the end of the day is most important. It doesn't matter what your truck can do or where it can go if it doesn't make it home. I can tell you that during my off road trips I have never once doubted whether my truck would make it home. Even when I got stuck in a blizzard and had to live in my truck for 2 days I still didn't doubt its ability to get me home. And it has gotten me home every time.

 

Thanks for all your input. It's been a great help! Start rebuilding the Disco I today. Going to pull the engine this weekend to start resealing. Can't wait to get this one done. I'll post pictures when finished. Thanks again.

 

Bosch makes good electronics but the GEMS has a default setting for everything, as long as you have spark and fuel she will run.
Crank sensor goes bad...she will still get you home, she'll run like crap but you wont be walking.
One of the many reasons I prefer the DI.