Old vs New Land Rover Discovery: Can Old Gear Beat New Tech on Gold Mine Hill? 

@WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot like the check engine light, the three migos is pep boys

I agree, everything is starting to look very similar in a crossover small suv way. That boxy look separates it from the crowd. I am sure I am missing one but it seems only the 4runner is distinguishable from the rest keeping the look while being more "refined".

Alpha namens All the new ones have this "soft" look. I guess because it appeals to more people and sales is the game.

I just got given a Ikea version of a 1961 ex army series 2. Way better than these two combined!

AnthonyJ350. They all look Soccer Mommy now and too scared to go off road.. Green laning.

I wonder what went wrong with land rover. Even the Discovery 3 was just out of warranty and the wife wanted to burn it on the lawn in front of the factory in Solihull. She got a series 3 109 ex RAF that will get disability adaptions like left foot accelerator and 300tdi with ZF4HP22 automatic.

Aye they are the perfect lifer car, something breaks replace it, don’t work how you want upgrade it. That laptop on wheels breaks you’ll need a degree in software development

Tim Fox well said

I pulled up next to one at a stop light in my LR4... there’s no comparison. Take the badges off it and you’d swear it was a Cherokee variant lol.

I agree, it is iconic, I have a 14 Disco 4 HSE, I still love the look of it over the new shape, at least it stayed true to the old boxy look!

On the final stage I didn't think it would make it given the huge off-camber conditions and many other similar sized SUV's don't make it through there, and it made it with ease and very little wheel spin, goes to show Land Rover's traction control system works very well, course it helps having that rear locker too...even the Discovery 2 had very little trouble with that stage without any lockers. I figured the new Land Rover would have trouble mainly due to the regular all season tires, but that didn't seem to hamper its capability at all. Just wonder how it'll hold up, the older ones seemed to be plagued with some issues sadly.

James Hall facts

Well said

Yeah, I agree. I don't quite get it. I mean the market seems to want to be able to say that they have a Land Rover to be able to say "I have a Land Rover" with all the capabilities of one rather than say, a soft-roarder BMW M5 or something, but they want to pay big dollars to force Land Rover make it look like a Carrera at the same time. It's a really silly, shallow consumer-led engineering exercise I guess.

I bought out the lease on my LR4 because I could not stand the thought of upgrading to the new Discovery Minivan

Facts

@Paul Boobier indeed the new one has just been released can't wait to see it in australia

Nathan Rohrbough is it reliable enough lol. I’m planning on getting one as a project car.

Make sure the body is not rusted out and the frame also. Body's floor and rockers along with the cab seems to be most at risk. If in NE USA beware ;(

Nathan Rohrbough Haha I’m in the rust belt of the USA basically. I’ve seen so many of them rusted out horribly. I just love the look and the heritage sooo much.

Had a 96 v8 for 15 years but the dreaded tin-worm finally made it beyond repair for someone like myself that can't weld.Was a shit because i loved that car and it only had 96 thousand on the clock

That's low miles...lol dang that's sad.

I would take the new one sell it and buy the old one

mike W You just took the words out of my mouth.

mike W hell yeah box all the way

OLD SCHOOL ALLLLLL THEEEE WAYYYY!!!!!

Well said

LOL, try putting new electrics underwater up to the top of a snorkal - nuff said - lol

I’ve got a 1968 series 2a. Battery failed, was faulty on purchase. Just started it with the handle... reliable as hell

...or a Landcruiser

A2bPhotography I live near there too. Whereabouts are you from? I live in Chelmsley Wood...

John Collings I haven't lifted mine yet, but will be.

The new Defender due for release at the Paris Motor Show in September is the one that will carry the rugged, traditional, flag for all the old school folks. For now, the Disco has to compete with BMW, Audi, Volvo and Merc, hence the soft rounded look. Underneath its still hard-core though so anything you could do in a Series 2 Disco, or a Jeep Wrangler, you can do in the latest Disco,.

John Pitcher I realize the new disco has a lot electronic goodies, but eventually that gets to a point where they cannot make up for lack of wheel travel and articulation. Stock for stock it may keep up with the Disco Series 2, but it's not keeping up with a Jeep Wrangler, especially not a Rubicon.

John Pitcther Independent front and rear suspension with no droop compliance to speak of cannot always be overcome with electronic traction control. The Disco didn't have to compete with bad-weather road cars from premium European makes. They could have made it compete with the 4-door Wrangler. They chose not to and it really doesn't. It might be impressive for what it is, but it at the end of the day, it is what it is. It isn't a body on frame truck with live drive axles and an aftermarket supplying traction-aiding differentials, lifts, taller tires......... The Series 2 Discovery is that kind of vehicle.

most UK & European old discos were diesel, not so fast but never stopped easily - the reason you bought the disco then

could have not said it better plus only $5200 versus 5 figures

Couldn't say it better myself

Peter Mavus to be fair one is brand new, one is 14 years old, its not exactly a great comparison

Yes, I like your comparison. It is very clear to untrestand, I have a mom too.

Jose C. I like your cimparison. It is very wise.

No matter about the new one's superior design and driving dynamics and monocoque construction, you'd still go for the old 'Postman Pat' model? www.amazon.co.uk/Postman-Pat-Royal-Mail-Van/dp/B00BB8YASS

Huw Williams Yup! I've driven them both and I prefer the seating position, headroom, steering, cabin noise levels, exterior design, and driving dynamics of the late discovery 4 to the new model. I don't care that the 4 looks like postman pats royal mail van, the newer one doesn't have enough headroom and it feels less solid in interior materials, not to mention it is harsher over bumps. I also think that the new one is just too bland and inoffensive styling wise. Where the 4 was obviously and unashamedly a discovery, the new one could be an evoque/velar/RR Sport/Range Rover if you squint at it.

The Discovery 3 shape had an enormous amount of criticism when launched because it just didn't look like a Discovery. So that just goes to prove that anything new and innovative will garner criticism from a hardcore of diehard old-model fanboys. New designs do take a while to grow into, but eventually most new designs do turn out to be substantial improvements on the old ones. There are few exceptions. If innovators didn't dare change and improve their products we would still be offered Series1 Land Rover and the pre-wrangler Jeep. Each new model has been roundly criticised by a certain type of person who either dies off eventually while running antique equipment, or comes to see the light and become a fanboy of the new model they initially hated. Or they change brands.

Huw Williams I acknowledge your criticisms, but my particular needs fall out of the 95th percentile. I am very tall, and I do not comfortably fit inside of the new model. I also don't even fit the range rover sport of the old model with the seat at the lowest setting without my head tilted on one side! Going over bumps is very uncomfortable when your head hits the ceiling. My opinions on which car I like is valid for single case use scenario, aka myself. I am not criticising the new model for anything more than "I prefer the old design because I like boxy angular cars." Most importantly we were asked in the video which I preferred, and I answered! You can take your continual questioning of a perfectly valid opinion and thrust it up your arse; I like what I like, and I was asked what I liked.

Phil Atkins Your explanation is perfectly valid even though your moronic abuse shows you up for the cretin you obviously are.

Mr. Cairo, funny how they have all the good parts all spread out but not all put together (EX: ford ranger, old and new as the older one had four full doors.)

I've had the diesel (Mr Cairo, the diesel was a 5 cylinder Td5. The series 1 Disco, which I don't believe was generally available in the States was a Tdi.)in Africa. Over 100 000 trouble free km. It had 130 000 when I bought it. Loved that car... I've still got my 1994 Disco 1 300 Tdi, at 330 000km still going strong, still awesome offroad. My daily driver is a Defender 110 Td5 with 280 000km. Puts a smile on face every single time I climb in.

And front and rear locker ....

If only the old one could tow 8200 pounds.

obcRadio I wish Rover had decided to take the Chevy 350 and called it a day.... we would have much better vehicles because if it 🤔

Disco Paul it’s funny that the V6 version of the engine went on to become known as one of the most reliable engines ever made (3800). Perhap’s the difference came down to manufacturing quality control?

I have a coworker who has a 1996 Discovery D1 (daily driver) and a 1996 Buick Regal with the 3800. He does all the work on them himself. I believe he said the alternator bracket is the same on both.

You guys are forgetting the most important part of the 3.8 story,. Not only was it derived from the 215 Buick engine that lard Rover ended up using for decades but the 3.8 v6 used to come in the Kaiser Jeeps. It was called an odd fire v6. Then in the 1970s gm purchased the engine back from what was now AMC and they redesigned it to become an even fire v6 and it went on to sell 25,000,000 of those engines... So in a way Land Rover has a Jeep engine in it.

Landrover gained an engine that was thrown out by Buick for being no good, then landrover reinvented it for rovers cars SD1 series vehicles that then went on to sports cars using it, then TVR reinvented it yet again for its own build in sports cars. Landrover got by chance as it was within the rover group but found the original car derived 3.5 litre engine underpowered in 2 tons of landrover so it began growing bit by bit until what you see today. the army used the older designed v8 due to the need to push the heavier defenders along.

A disco 4 then..

I love that term 4 wheel drive laptop!! 😅

James Croteau that's exactly what they said 19 years ago about the D2 and look at them now. Yes they have their problems but they're fixable :)

But now there are so many tech gadgets that look will look outdated.

James Croteau While the creature comforts are awesome, it is also scary because being obsolete or systems crashing is right around the corner. But it’s the same with nearly every new vehicle these days. Its going to get much worse. It’s getting to where nothing is a “keeper” anymore.

Teddy's Lift World well the speedometer gauges, window buttons, gear levers, dashboard and everything else (except for the seats) look outdated on every Discovery nowadays except for the new one. That's just how development works

old discos 10- new disco 0 or very little- try putting all that electrics underwater and still keep driving - lol

im assuming ford still owns it. smh

@@billydarley6925 nope, half Chinese half Tata motors from India.

You spoke my mind

2 gen

I’m a proud owner of a mint gen1

I'm a proud owner of a disco 1 and couldn't agree more that's what they should have used in the video

bernard_hossmoto ha! Yes!!

U can put all the spare landrover fluids in the civic 🤣

bernard_hossmoto at lease the head gasket won’t brake still

Yep . I have a 2001 s2 v8 and it does me it is more comfortable than my x type jag.

COYOTE ADVENTURES The old 200tdi and TD5 engines available at the time worked fine too.

yeah, but I don't think we ever got those engines in ours here in the USA. None that I have seen anyways. IF we did, they are rare as hens teeth! I HAVE seen several that have been converted to the Mercedes OM617 turbo diesel. I had a complete 300TD Mercedes back in 2014 and wish like heck I had kept that car just simply for the drivetrain to put it in a more worthy body!!!!! Sold the whole car, in GREAT running shape with ice cold working A/C for $1000. :-/ Live & learn! :-/

I sold one of my favourite cars for next to nowt because didn't have space at the time so I feel your pain! I'm on the look out for decent Merc engine too for my series 2a landy.

TDV8 from the RRS in a D3/4 would be SCARY!!!

Agree

I have a 2004 Disco. Trust me. You dont need them. Have walked up hills that twin locked vehicles have struggled with. Huge advantage is the ability to maintain steering and correct wheel movement

Greg Clarkson I wouldn't be inclined to run lockers in a 2004 Discovery, either. I've seen the traction control system on those things in action and I'd rather have that, fully functional, than fully-mechanically locking differentials.

@@jerroldshelton9367 tho steep, that was a good, firm surface for grip. in swampier conditions, lockers can help. but so can light brake pressure to stop the loose wheel spinning whilst you crawl through whatever you are in ( old school techniques)

@@maddogmcfly5504 I know all about "old school techniques." For most of my adult life, I had access to the basically stock Willys MB and Ford GPW that some uncles of mine kept in the barn at our family hunting camp. It doesn't get more "old school" than running trails in a stock flat-fender. The first time I went across California's famous Rubicon Trail, I was a six year old boy riding in the passenger seat of one of those WWII relics my uncles owned. No lift, no lockers, no problem. But, it was a different world back then. Our point for being on the Rubicon Trail wasn't to test the performance envelope of man and machine. It was just a trail, like so many others I traveled on, that allowed access to hunting and / or fishing spots.

@@jerroldshelton9367 cool, sounds a bit like when i took my landie round europe and morocco solo with lots of off road / off piste adventure. it never missed a beat and i had total confidence in it. happy times :-)

Our 1997 Discovery Series 1 will never have the 3 amigos, that was only a Discovery 2 problem. While looking similar, the Series 1 has very few electronic problems compared to the Series 2.

Peter Mavus it was bought in Texas

Yeah don't they base in Colorado where is it registered? No temp plate

understandable! (but still not a good-enough excuse for LR to avoid fixing their reliability 😂)

I would choose the Discovery over a new Land Cruiser, whether 150 series or 200 series. Toyota badly need a couple of new models now. They have been facelifting for too long. Neither LR or Toyota will be cheap to run. I know that because I still have the Land Cruiser 100 and it currently needs about £4000 worth of repairs to the braking and suspension system, which I have been putting off for a while. It is currently siting unused in the corner of the yard but the annual safety inspection is coming up in the next week and I'll either officially unregister it for road use temporarily or need to get it repaired.

of course most “new model” vehicles are better (comfort, technology and autonomy) but now “new model” vehicles are made to bad in order to buy a new one 4-6 years after new.

New vehicles last longer than ever before. It is amazing just how much build quality, rustproofing and mechanical reliability has improved over the last 40 years. Engine overhauls every 50,000 miles and constant battery and exhaust failures, starters, contacts, rust, gearbox failures at low milage, all used to be commonplace on even young vehicles up to the late 1980's. Today's vehicles inspire great confidence and a whole lot of whoo-ha is made about the slightest fault or trim misalignment. How things have changed!!

As somebody that does some serious off roading all over the western USA I will stick to my 1987 Range Rover, it isn't fast but it doesn't need to be, it flex's it's mite on the trail with it's coil spring suspension, diff lock and extremely low torque curve that the old Lucas injected Buick engine provides.. Thst full frame is ridged and thick I can't see it rusting away to easy but ai wash my cars and rinse salt off them as soon as the weather clears up and not to mention I spray rubberized undercoating on every thing.. on the subject of the frame it has a factory class III hitch on the back that works as a great recovery point. The only things the truck needed to make it a killer trail rig was, upgraded rear control arms (I made them because I am cheap), a front locker to pull it through when a wheel leaves the ground and a set of 265/85/16 BFG all terrain tires on some discovery wheels (because three spokes are damn ulgy. Now that being said wear items like alternators, starters and injection parts are damn expensive. And the milage is terrible, it was bad stock, but with a confer roof rack, shovel, roof mounted spare and a highlift jack that I have yet to use and a custom steel plate front bumper he Rover is hesvy, it could probably use gears the 3.54 ratio just doesn't seem to pull it the way it should.perhaps 4.10s to 4.30ish would bring back the milage and get it's trans in a happier range at mid level speeds. At any rate the new one is refined for sure, but the old one actually can do serious off roading and is made very well (213,XXX miles so far on mine).

Huw Williams it's the lack of door keys for new cars that sense your presence that will break. Systems like infotainment centers and electonic parking bakes, and other electronic devices that will nickel and dime you as the car ages,. The average age of a car in the USA is 11.9 years currently but gadgets do she and new cars are loaded with them. I was a professional mechanic for quite a few years and while engine tolerances have gotten tighter so they burn less oil and tend to last longer there is a lot of systems that become glitchy with age. A infotainment system that was 3-g and high tech 6 years ago is almost totally useless in today's world and you will want to smash your fist into it. Another example that we all see in our daily driving is LED lights that are burnt out, these are generally extremely expensive to replace when you have to pull them out of a circuit board and soldered new ones in. Also you are correct that new cars hsve better rust prevention but they also have lighter-weight (gauge) sheetmetal and almost every new vehicle sold today is unibody with tons of pockets to collect salt, snow, mud and grime so they still rust out just like they did in the 1950s or the 1980s not to mention if you just look at them the seem like they ding where a car such as a 1977 Lincoln you could sit on the hood or trunk lid or lean on the fender... So not all is good in the new car world and we haven't even touched on depreciation that all late model cars suffer from.

forevr2wheels 🤣🤣🤣🤣😄😄😄🤣🤣🤣😂😂

Ohh they're good in bed....but the next day you gotta take them shopping and some pampering

Nothin' like a big bouncy ride and they never run out on ya ! ;)

forevr2wheels I would say that they are more like a super hot girlfriend who also has a raging drug problem. High maintenance!

Teddy Sapp I can confirm, I drive an old one like in the video