written by digger67 on 31/12/2013
We have owned a 2003 manual model for just over 2 years,now having 80,000 on the clock. It is mainly used by the wife(who loves it)to transport our 4 dogs around. I also drive it when I can and must admit also enjot it. Great driving position,good load carrier,very comfortable and reasonable economy for a large 4X4. Only one major repair during this period, a leaking fuel pressure valve dowsed the starter motor with diesel requiring both to be replaced. Other than that, normal service costs only. Good off road performance and quite refined at 70 mph on motorways etc and 60 mph on country A roads, personally wouldn't push it much further on tarmac. My x trail is now coming up for replacement and the TD5 has so impressed that I am now seriously thinking of getting a Discovery TD7 when I make the change.
written by on 12/01/2009
I had a 200 tdi for 7 years then bought a 2000 TD5 Millenium Edition March 08 for £5000. The TD5 drives so much better than the old Discovery. The ACE and ABS are a must. Would not consider one without.
These cars go anywhere and inspire confidence when they do.
written by PFOSSETT on 08/10/2008
I will run this car until it falls into bits.its been to morocco into the sahara with little off road mods.
classic landy.buy one
written by sharkey964 on 22/08/2008
Over all a great do anything vehicle. Comfortable, brilliant for towing, great off road, equally on road (with A.C.E.)
Well equiped.
written by bradform on 30/06/2008
Reliable, comfortable, great towing vehicle, relatively economical on fuel these days.....thank goodness for diesel. A great car and off-road vehicle. I'd buy another one.
written by on 09/02/2008
A cracking car, but the fuel economy is a concern with the current price of fuel.
written by pieter on 13/12/2007
Travaled through Africa, Europe and Middle East (so far) and expect to reach Australia in a year or two.
written by on 12/12/2007
Fantastic work horse and family tool for all walks of life... from shooting.....shopping (when the wife goes) and a European trawler for the skiing trip!
written by FranknLisa on 30/07/2007
The Land Rover Discovery is a grand vehicle, not one regret in ownership! I personally would not choose any other vehicle to be used as what could be classed luxury car that doubles as a quality off-road tool in comfort...........there is the Range Rover but we don't have mega bucks to spend!
written by monster2006 on 12/05/2006
Goes anywhere and the Land Rover Discovery tows an enormous heavy trailer like a demon. I have had virtually nothing go wrong in 45500 miles, of which 15000 miles were towing an average of 2.5 tons in all weathers through France. I bought this pre-reg left hand drive ES7 with delivery mileage new in 2003. It has satnav, rear aircon and all the top of the range ES refinements and cost only £24,500. With block exemption, I never use a main dealer to service th LR as they are far too expensive.
written by country boy on 13/10/2005
I imported my UK spec Land Rover Discovery TD5 Auto ES 7 seat from Holland for a hefty saving. For what I paid, I think I got a bargain. The ES in this model year had electric everything (seat adjust, headed seats & windows, windows, dimming rear view mirror, digital compass, 6cd autochanger, powerfold mirrors, 2 electric sunroofs), rear aircon, the all important curry hook - all as standard.
I've had nothing serious go wrong - the petrol filler flap kept popping open for a while, but this was trivial to fix, and one of the windscreen washer nozzles got blocked. One of the rear seats is getting a bit tricky to fold/unfold, but this only requires a bit of lubrication.
Our children love travelling in the Disco - they get a really good view, and on long journey get to listen to their own music or stories in headphones while Mum & Dad listen to the "boring" radio in the front (all standard features of the Harmon-Kardonn stereo system). In hot summers, the front and rear aircon gets the cabin super cool in no time - the aircon was specified to work in the deserts of the Middle East. Grandma is not such a big fan - she loves riding in the Disco, but getting in and out is a bit of a struggle for an arthritic 83 year old!
My diminutive partner was initially very nervous about driving such a large vehicle, much preferring her Scenic. These days I seem to get very flimsy excuses offered for "needing" to borrow the Disco. Another convert, I think.
Because I've had no major problems, the service bills always seem really cheap for such a complex vehicle. My local LR dealer is brilliant, they collect & deliver the vehicle and because I never get problems I guess they must be looking after it okay.
I seem to have a "good one". I know of other people who have had serious problems (oil leaks, blown engines, seized gearboxes, scrambled electrics). However, none of these folks are the type that I'd ever lend my own car to - if you get what I mean!
My performance rating is based on all round driving - off road and on. This isn't a sports car or a luxury saloon. It's the vehicle you choose if you need to drive across a soft, wet field in spring, or on packed snow or ice in winter. I love it. I hope to run it until it falls apart.
written by PC Wizard. on 20/09/2002
Despite numerous comments in the UK press and BBC's Top Gear etc, on reliability, we have had no major problems with our W reg Land Rover Discovery TD5 7 seater. It has towed trailers, broken down cars, boats; carried up to eight children (don't tell the Old Bill), bikes, five dogs (inc. a Rottweiler) all without complaint, giving 26-28 mpg. By no means is it a sports car, but the enhanced suspension improves the handling a great deal. Not cheap, though.
Written on: 20/12/2002
Helpful and funny
Written on: 16/04/2007
The disco II, my friends has just got to be the most charactered 4x4 around. Listen to the cleanliness of those 5 ylinders and tell me that you'd prefer to hear a disco 3 sing to you. If you could judge the car for all it has done for all it's owners here there and everywhere around the globe in nearly 20 years of existence, and clearly depending on personal use, I would say that the car is very acceptable in any area of our life at anytime. I've driven disco's for 8 years 300 TDi and 2 TD5. Only on road, never had a serious prob with any of em!
<br/>Just do your regular maintenance and they'll serve you well.
Written on: 11/06/2004
With all due respect Mike Dutton, off-road ability has less to do with brand names and more to do with the tires used (rock grabbers, mud sluggers, sand tires, etc.), the ground clearance, and in woodland terrain of course the width and height of the vehicle. For example a Hummer is great in a desert but it wouldn't get very far in a forest. I drive a 1987 Mitsubishi Pajero with 472800km on the clock, and it has never once left me stranded, on-road or off-road, and I drive in arctic conditions for four months of the year. That's what I call reliability and trustworthiness. I have not heard the same about pre-TD5 Land Rovers. That said, I do enjoy my Land Rover Series 1 (1952) for summer drives, but I am rather reluctant to take that venerable veteran into serious off-roading!
Written on: 04/06/2004
It was reported in the Birmingham Post on 27th May 2004 that Ford’s senior management have given the Land Rover plant 8 weeks to come up with a "road map" to address the quality issues at Land Rover and bring its competitiveness up to Global standards in 5 years. Land Rover's chief executive described this as "crunch time" for Land Rover.
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<br>- US JD Powers vehicle dependability survey for 2003 published 8th July 2003 places the Land Rover marque second to last. The 2003 JD Powers Vehicle Dependability study is based on responses from more than 55,000 US based original owners of 2000 model year cars and light trucks at three years of ownership [1] (http://www.jdpa.com/pdf/2003050.pdf)
<br>-Land Rover Discovery 6th from Bottom of 100 models for reliability in Auto Express 2002 survey in the UK.
<br>- Joint 16th from Bottom in 144 car 2002 JD Power UK based ‘What Car?’ magazine Customer Satisfaction survey
<br>- Landrover had joint highest average cost in warranty claims for cars up to 10 years old in 2002 UK Warranty Direct index – no subjectivity here whatsoever these data are based on full maintenance leasing claims.
<br>-Land Rover Discovery was Joint second bottom in 2002 UK Which magazine reliability survey of cars up to 2 years old- however only 35 cars in the Land Rover sample.
<br>Land Rover 3rd least reliable of 31 makes of car in 2002 UK 'Which?' magazine reliability survey cars 2000 - 2002
<br>-Only 89% breakdown free in 2003 UK ‘Which?’ magazine JD Powers survey
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<br>Oh as for my off road driving ability I live in South Africa, have been chairman of 2 4x4 clubs and drive thousands of km per year on self supporting safaris over the harshest off road terrain. Just this year Ive done the Kalahari, Namibia, Okavango delta, Chobe. Indeed in Botswana Land Rover is practically a swear word!
Written on: 03/06/2004
May I recommend Mr J D Powers takes a Land Rover driving lesson, I have had a Discovery for 2 years. I have had no problem off road.
<br>Indeed Ive had to help many foreign imitation Land Rovers out of the mud, that the Discovery has just been through
<br> Mike Dutton
Written on: 11/08/2003
The reputable JD Powers Survey of 55,000 owners from the US published 8th July 2003 suggests Disco Reliability is still absolutely dreadful. This is reflected in similar data gathered in the UK. The US JD Powers dependability survey is available here http://www.jdpa.com/pdf/2003050.pdf
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<br>Despite the correct and alas all too rare solid front axle on coil spring configuration the Disco is terrible off road, a slight axle twister seeing them battling. Rough terrain will show up the poor departure angle the vehicle is totally and utterly incompetent in sand dunes. 2003 models have at least returned the centre diff lock - a tacit admition of the off road failings by LR. However for vehicles with serious off road intent traction control reacts too slowly and will be left for dead by a conventional diff lock equiped 4x4.
Written on: 29/07/2003
Possibly those who encounter many problems with their Discovery have pre TD5 models that were considerably more susceptible to defects prior to BMW ownership of Land Rover. BMW engineers fixed tens of thousands of "features" of British engineering. Consequently anyone buying a TD5 today should not encounter serious defects. I hope now that new owner Ford understands not to mess with something BMW fixed and that ain't broken!
Written on: 10/02/2003
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Acgmarketing's Response to pieter's Review
Written on: 06/07/2008
Re difficult to start after fuel interruption - has an electronic fuel purge system - turn key to on, pump go fast pedal 5 times and hold down then turn ignition to start with pedal held down. This instructs fuel management system to go into maximum fuel supply mode and should start pretty quickly (crank for no more than 30 seconds and repeat if no immediate start). This has worked well for me when I replaced in tank main fuel pump.