Is The Land Rover Discovery a Forgotten Classic? I Bought One To Find Out | Fuel Up Classic
The Land Rover line up has long since been filled with British Icons, but one always seems to be left behind: The Original Land Rover Discovery
I’ve bought an early Land Rover Discovery 300TDI as part of my ongoing obsession with these British 4X4s, but it was bought on a whim and had all the potential to go wrong…
Watch the video and subscribe to the Fuel Up Classic Youtube Channel to find out why I think this Discovery is a truly forgotten gem, how it’s really impressed me, and why it is quickly becoming one of my favourites to jump in and drive – but will it ever beat the Defender and the Classic Range Rover?
Tell me in the comments your thoughts on the Land Rover Discovery and what you want to see next from the channel.
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It's a classic but definitely not forgotten
I need one!
Hopefully I'll get one too. There's one near me and it's on for sale for quite a while now but still I need to find the money to buy it. It will wait for me, it must be because I'm in love 😂
I always get a wave or acknowledgement from other Discovery owners here in Wales.
I went from a 2017 Ford Ranger pickup i owned from new to a 1999 TD5 D2 3 years ago and wouldn't change now. Its all original with no sunroofs, no aircon and on springs from the factory. Brought it cheap and spent a bit on welding and a few bits, but now my daily driver, and goes anywhere i need it to up the farm and the range.
Spot on review – I live in Australia and own a 1994 Tdi300 – The biggest trip l did was up to the top of Cape York and back – My Discovery 1 performed admirably and took all the harsh punishment that infamous part of our outback had to offer – Built like tank, totally reliable and amazingly comfortable – l can wholeheartedly confirm that the deisel powered D1s truly are the unsung heroes of Land Rover's otherwise checkered history
I have 2 Disco 1s, a 96 5 door and 97 3 door. Both manual 300 tdis, love them and rust free. Spain.
the 300 TDIs are BULLETPROOF reliable
My discovery 2 has 283000 miles now great daily
Hi, RC_cars_junkies
I had one of these about 6 years ago. not bad on the road, doing motorway journeys pottering round town etc. but I don't know about you but I wouldn't trust this to tow over a tonne
Just got my second D1 for $500 and couldn't be happier. A '96 SE7 4.0 that was very well cared for, even the leather is still in excellent condition. These cars are very reliable and easy to repair. The D2 and it's numerous issues it's what left many here in the states thinking that Disco's were inherently problematic. I got my first D1 nearly 20 years ago, and no other SUV has really "done it for me" since.
Discovery 1 😍
I've flirted with the idea of finding and buying a Disco 1. But I just don't know that I could, they are absolute rot-boxes and would need 1000s in proper restoration. And so many have been modified into some kind of monster truck looking things by the "one life, live it" crew… I don't have anything against green laning, or off road driving, I enjoy it myself, but a lot of the one lifers really abuse their motors.
It's a forgotten one for sure
Excellent review of the D1. I’ve owned a NAS 97 D1 for 20 years as my daily driver. It has required a fair bit of maintenance, upgrades, and repairs over the years, but nothing a reasonably skilled DIY mechanic can’t handle. I also have a 1988 NAS Range Rover that I’m refurbishing, and while I really like the RR, I still have a deep affinity for my D1, which I’ve used to shuttle my kids to school and other activities (sports, horse shows, etc.), family camping trips, days long backroad trail exploring, hauling things around town with the seats folded down, etc. My D1 has done everything I have asked of it with very few critical issues. I sometimes think it may be time to part with the D1, but I’m not sure I can bring myself to do so just yet. It’s been a great vehicle for me and my family.
I owned a 98 300TDI XS for 14 years ..Only time it failed me was the P gasket on the waterpump …Had to let it go when I moved to Ireland 🇮🇪..1100 euros a year road tax on it 😢😢😢..,Best vehicle I've ever owned….
I have had my 1997 Discovery since 1998, affectionately named Olive. She is a sibling to your Disco, however in Woodcoate Green. She has undergone x3 major overhauls in my ownership, with eye watering amounts of money invested into her. Many other cars have come and gone, but she remains
If ya don't mind asking how much did ya pay for it?
My 95 disco is my daily family transport of me, the Mrs, our 5 kids and the dog. It goes all over the UK. If I need a van, I just fold the seats down. What more could anyone ask for.
Tenho um 300 TDI! Para mim é sem dúvida o melhor carro do Mundo
Had a 96 Disco XS 3.9 V8 for 17 years.Loved the thing.Regularly serviced,it only let me down once which was fixed at the roadside by the RAC.Drank fuel like it was going out of fasion but was such a nice drive.Bastard tin-worm got it though with only 90k on the clock.If modern anti-corrosion technology was around then like it is now,i'd still keep it over a modern car any day.
I love my 300tdi Disco, they are most certainly under rated, the body roll comes from the ludicrous 205 pirelli scorpion tyres that were fitted originally swap them out for a 235 which is the next suze in the hand book and that stops the body roll, abd yes a lot if parts weee stolen stolen from the Leyland parts bin , and unless you have owned one like I have, so you wouldn't know but the Discovery hasa fair few Leyland Roadtrain parts especially plastic items. Nice review by the way.
I have a decent D2 facelift in Alveston Red. 125,000 miles on the clock and needs a pit of paint to make her right. I have gotten a few fair offers for her over the years. I happen to love my workhorse, It's actually my daily while my 500 Abarth is low miliage and being traded in on something battery powered next year (probably a polestar). I have no intention on getting rid of my Landy though.
very nice video! waiting for the Audi TT mk1
我擁有一部1995年的 Discovery Mpi，雖然他是二手車，又大又重，引擎無力，但他已經陪伴我超過22年（里程已達47萬5千公里），從單身到進入婚姻，我的家人在車上時，他一直盡忠職守不曾拋錨，我們一家都很喜歡他，我女兒說他想要接手這部車，要我好好照顧他，在引擎更換輕量化惰輪後，整部車變得更有活力，希望他能一直常保健康，繼續守護我們一家人！
Check out the first owner. I think that is a Land Rover company car?!
I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment that the Discovery is an overlooked car. I have a '99 Discovery 1 with the V8 (Unfortunately, we never got the diesels in the U.S.). Over here they are already rising in value, and it's becoming less unusual to see someone asking $10-15K for them, after years of them being worthless throwaway cars. I happened to find mine in 2021 for just $2,600, and even with all the maintenance and upgrades, I'm still under $7K total into it. And that includes $1,200 of new tires.
I had a 96 disco,no major probs for about 120k,now on an l322,not driven as hard but it does have a nostalgic feel!
It's missing the air-conditioning compressor….
Crapp the worst built car ever..
Great cars the Dicovery´s. Want to buy one.
Is it possible to get a disco 2 and fit it with a disco 1 300tdi engine?
It doesn’t have air con
On the contrary! It has both: The Character of the Defender and the Legacy of the Range Rover.
Just watched your video and agree with you 100%. But then I have a 1998 Discovery Safari with 95k on the clock. Needs some attention, but I love it to bits.
My D1 is my daily transport, had it 10 years and it has nearly 200k on the clock, any failures it suffered along the way have definitely been my own neglect, its a fantastic vehicle though, pulling 18 tonne trucks and recovering people in the snow, not bad for a parts bin
I’m about to drive a Land Rover discovery two from 2004
I'm in Australia. I have had about 30 Land Rovers ranging from my first – a 1954 86" Land Rover to my current Disco 2 Td5 auto. I bought this one as a sort of "pet" car so I could use it from time to time. I have now had it for nearly three years and apart from basic servicing and a diesel fuel pressure regulator it has been totally reliable. It had about 211,000 km on the clock when I bought it from its first and only owner. In three years it has averaged about 4,000 km per year. It is now in its 21's year but is showing its age remarkably well.
It has never been near beaches or salted roads and as a result it is quite clean underneath. I think I am going to have to have some very small oil seeps fixed soon but I think It will be a good second vehicle for some time yet.
Oh – our other car is a Subaru Outback diesel which is about five years old. It is a brilliant all round cruiser and shopping cart. It is also less thirsty but I love the Land Rover.
Mike in Oz PS Love the Disco.