Ok so my parents just trading in our Dodge Caraven for a new VW TDI. The problem is that we only have a one car garage that has been my cars home for a long time. With this new car coming in i'm going to get booted out of the garage....

I've wanted a winter 4x4 for a long time now and this year I noticed a couple of small rust spots begin to develop on the 350 so I think the time has come to completly store my car during the salty months. I've been searching for a Grey market Gwagen for some time but they are very hard to come by so i'm thinking about getting a Series 1 Land Rover Discovery as a clean beater (I'll repair it enough to keep it running and i'll keep it clean but I won't care if say the window regulator fails)

Any thoughts? The prices have really come down a lot over the past few years and I know that the drivetrains are generally a strong point on Discoveries. Also with the van gone it will be nice to have a Home Depot runner/trailer puller back in the driveway.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

try locating a used 4matic benz such as E class. FWD vehicles suck in the snow unless you get some snow tires or chains

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

Maybe an older toyota pickup? Anything can be a winter beater....just equip it with the right tires.

A used 4matic will spend a lot more time being expensively repaired than being driven....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

No real need for pickup. We used to have a Nissan pickup truck many years ago....talk about agrarian. And rust on that one got so bad that we were afraid to load dirt into it lest the side wall on the bed break off....

As for the 4Matic I was thinking the exact same thing. The problem with buying a Mercedes is that I would take care of it far too well. (Perfect running condition basically)

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I would pick up a first generation (1989-1994) Subaru Legacy and equip it with some good snow tires. Prices for these rarely exceed $1000. The ej22 engines in these are near bulletproof, the 4EAT automatic is a good gearbox as well if you want that. You get AWD and about 25 mpg too. You could haul a little trailer with a wagon

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1980 240d
1999 SL500

*cough* Sorry forgot to mention that i'm trying to keep at least a little luxury and comfort in the picture here

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

The Disco 1 is IMO one of the best "out of the box" off-road trucks available for the money. The Disco 2 is pretty good too, a little more inside room if you need cargo space and a better 3rd-seat (vs the sideways jump-seats of the D1) but unless you get a '99 or early 00 D2 you give up the diff-lock transfer case, plus more rear overhang is less off-road capable. You do get Bosch engine management in the D2 vs the Lucas in the D1. IMO '99 is the best year for the D1 although the dual-sunroofs were a Dealer-installed option that year (bought them and installed them myself) instead of a factory installation because the top trim level wasn't available in the '99 D1 (D2 was also available in '99).

Good on-the-road truck, mine was very dependable ('99 D1) other than a couple of leak problems (PS leak, front cover leak, intake gasket leak). Marginal mileage mine got 17mpg with the cruise at ~75mph, high trip mileage closer to 19 on premium and Mobil 1 (round-trip MI-Naples-MI).

Handles fairly well, PERFECT 50/50 weight distribution, magnesium-aluminum body and aluminum-block engine keeps the center of mass low, Coil springs, wider cabin than a Land Cruiser, lockable center diff and permanent AWD makes it much more capable on slippery roads or off-road than most trucks.

Also made a great "dinghy", towed it across the country behind our motorhomes.

Many jokes about British cars keep the value low, they are famous for electrical gremlins and oil leaks. Good maintenance is valuable, many of these trucks were lease vehicles by soccer-moms first. Mine was a very good truck and pretty good car, loved it and miss it, sold it with around 96,000miles so I can't comment on its longevity. It towed, was towed, highway and in-town, sand-dunes and mud too. Also lots and lots of aftermarket parts available (search for ARB), and check discoweb.org

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Good used LRs are hard to come by, I find that people drive them like lunatics and don't bother with maintenance.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

When I was more into them, I found that there were the soccer-moms that neglected them, the carless ones who abused them, and like the Diesel Mercedes, many enthusiasts who used them and maintained them properly, ... with pride and joy.

Go to the many websites, I used to frequent discoweb.org (if it still exists, seems like it doesn't) You'll find them all.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I'm going to go and look at a few this weekend. A 98 LE with about 157k and a 99 D1 that also has 157k and oddly enough an independent dealer that has 3 Disco II's, a 2001, 02 and an 03. I've driven every version of the Discovery at one point or another but this will be the first time that I get to compare all 3 versions in one day....Should be interesting.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Personally I like the early open diff with manual lock of the D1 over the traction-control of the D2, a matter of preference.

I drove the D1 like my quattro; in a corner too fast you keep the power on hard and pull the hand-brake to initiate a full-power drift. Can't do that in the D2.

They eliminated that in the D2, but the '99 and early '00 D2 had the lockable transfer case, just not the linkage to it, so all you needed to do was install the D1 shift linkage. Driving should always be fun.

Only 188hp IIRC though, peppy but not fast.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I'm with you on that one. As Jeremey Clarkson once said after pushing a button to activate 4WD on an SUV "How is electricity going to help? I want a lever to pull and a big "ka-chunk noise."

If I remember correctly the reinstated the manual lock for 2003-2004 models. (If I wasn't looking for a beater I would probably go for one of those)

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I looked at a minty disco II in Wichita shortly before the wagoneer purchase. It was being sold by a used LR specialist repair/dealer after a bunch of work was done. I think the price was $5950 with 110k.

I love my GW so much, but I doubt you'll be able to find one that hasn't completely rusted out, and they are kind of a different taste.

Are you too scared to give a ML a try? I know quite a few people with used Lexus RXs, one guy has 160k on his.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Sorry to quote myself but I found the clip

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8041007346093600149

The relevant part is at 10:00 but as in all Top Gear reviews the entire clip is great

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Too be honest i've never been a fan of ML's. I hate the driving position, your arm slips off the door rest, you can't see the corners or the front end of the thing, shameful panel gaps, the steering wheel is just wrong in every way......I could go on....

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."