BUYING TD5

[niloc1200]

Hi am thinking of buying a 2001 td5 is anyone using one of these off road wondered how they perform off road ? manys thanks colin

[mike142sl]

Have used mine for relatively easy stuff. Depends how much electricery comes with it. I have the hill decent stuff and adjustable rear suspension which is V useful, plus traction control. It's auto as well which makes life a lot easier. All the gizmos takes some of the skill out of it but it never gets stuck even with the fully laden Scout trailer behind it on a very wet steep field in North Wales.

Which model are you looking at?

[niloc1200]

it does not say in add ! its done 103,000 miles any problem areas to look at when buying ?

[Hightower]

The Td5 performs very well off road.

The only things it suffers from are the front bumper being too deep, and the big rear overhang.  You can cure the first by fitting a proper bumper (I have a Devon 4x4 one which gives great approach angle) but there is not alot you can do about the back!!

Traction control gets you through most things, but I have also fitted a centre diff lock which further enhances ability.  For extra clearance you can fit larger tyres, up to a 265/75R16 with a 2" lift before having to cut any bodywork.

The Disco is never going to be as good off road as a Defender, but for it's size it is good.  And more comfortable!!

[niloc1200]

just looked at your pics . yours seems to do the business looks great to !!!

[Jimbo]

it does not say in add ! its done 103,000 miles any problem areas to look at when buying ?

Head gasket may start to give you problems - unless it's been done already

At a tad over 100k miles, the auto box may be getting a little tired - depends on how regular/good the previous owner serviced it.

[niloc1200]

ok its a manual gearbox hope to go and see it on sat

[Jimbo]

ok its a manual gearbox hope to go and see it on sat

Make sure all the electrical toys work - window regulators (the winding mechs) can get a bit 'clunky', which invariably means that they are in the process of falling apart. The actual mechanical bits are about £15 from Paddocks, the motors are a lot more - but it takes time to fit them properly.

Sunroofs - some leak, some don't. Make sure if it's a high-spec motor (ES) that the electric sunroofs work ok.

Some models will have ACE - Active Cornering Enhancement, which makes the truck corner better at speed. There's no easy way to test this other than rag it around some bends/roundabouts  :shock:

Some models will have SLS - Self Levelling Suspension (all 7 seaters must have SLS). It only works on the rear of the truck, using air-springs instead of conventional coils. The idea is that as you load up the back/rear seats or 'boot' area, sensors trigger a compressor to pump up the air springs to return the rear end to the standard ride height. The system only works when the engine is running, and all the doors are shut - there's also a button on the dash to raise the rear end to 'off-road height', again this only works with the engine on and doors shut. Once the rear end has been pumped up - you get a little icon appear on the dash, you can get out and look. Press the button again (or drive over 20mph) and the truck will slowly drop back to standard height. The air springs can start to leak over time as the rubber perishes, IIRC one spring is about £200 (don't quote me !), fitting is relatively easy - the compressor is big-bucks if it runs all the time there's a leak somewhere, maybe just a pipe or fitting, but it could be the valve block, you can rip it all out and fit normal coil springs.

Let us know how you get on,

[Guardian.]

MY MATE CONverts loads of them back to springs, the airbags and stuff not as expensive as it usedto be, but most people round here put a spring kit on, save future problems!
only real snag with the td5 is the head / injectors megga bucks and do go wrong with time, heads leak internally i think just with wear and the injectors have pumps or something all part of them and costa fortune each, he sorts bucket loads of them with head problems .
but i think the td5 is a cracking lump for any landrover always have from the first one i everhad when it was a new model (defender).

[CNorman]

I had a 300tdi as my second car for off roading only, my mate had a td5. My dad also has a td5.

There are a few things to watch,

Firstly, i feel that the manual difflock in the 300tdi is better than the traction control in the td5 although i am not sure everyone agrees. Be interesting to hear from others??

One major point though! You will not ever seal the wheel bearings completly especially if you wish to go wading. Wheel bearings, which normally go on a year or two basis during wading and often much less will cost £15 on a 300tdi. You will blow £200 A CORNER ON A TD5. That alone was enough to stop me getting a td5.

I would buy a td5 for onn road and off road but if i was wanting to do heavy off road it would be a 300tdi it really would!

[niloc1200]

thanks for all your advise will let you know how i get on !!!

[niloc1200]

Have bought a td5 today  :dance: then had to go to work  :( will try and get some pics 2 moro !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CNorman]

I reckon you will be very happy with it, nice vehicles and rather quick for something as heavy as it!

What sort of spec millage etc?

[stuvy]

After reading the Td5 post particulary the bit about £200 wheel bearings, I just wandered how many people have had this problem, especially the cost involved?????

[CNorman]

Its difficult because if i really wanted a td5 and did a fair bit of on road then i would still buy a td5 and pull the bearings out and regrease them etc. But both the people i know with td5s have had troubles with wheel bearings and apparently they are much harder to replace than those of a 300 although i have never done it.

Me and my mate got into offroading and wading etc although neither of us really did deep stuff and had no snorkal.

I had a wheel bearing collapse on my 300 and replaced all 4 corners. The cost was around £80-00 for the bearings and a further £20ish for a stub axle.

My mates td5 was around £850 for bearings and then he had to have fault codes etc cleared at a cost of around £60.

That was enough for me although im sure if you have the time you could get into a routine of stripping the bearings and cleaning/regreasing them.

[Hightower]

That was enough for me although im sure if you have the time you could get into a routine of stripping the bearings and cleaning/regreasing them.

Ummm, AFAIK you can't strip / clean / regrease Td5 bearings.  They are a single self contained unit which 'simply' bolts on and off to the axles.  Looking on Rave and Microcat there is no breakout of parts, just the bearing units themselves.  This seems to back the theory up.

For info my Td5 is over 9 years old with 103k on the clock and I haven't had a bearing replaced yet.  I have done plenty of off roading including deep wading in it as well.

Having said that it has had a new engine (at Land Rovers expense) and a new gearbox though . . . .  :roll:

[niloc1200]

what happened to your engine and box ?

[Hightower]

Engine went when the oil pump bolt came off - supposedly a common problem on early Td5's.  Like I said, it was replaced at LR's cost despite the car being very much out of warranty.

Gearbox didn't die, but 2nd gear was getting a bit crunchy so I decided to have Ashcrofts replace it (only cost £800 fitted, so not too bad) rather than try and repair it.  With the abuse I give the car it's not that surprising that it started to wear out.

I wouldn't let these things put you off though.  The old girl has been rock solid otherwise.

[niloc1200]

my gearbox has the second gear crunch when cold if you drive it hard ! not major for a new box then

[james walder]

i think thats normal my fellow mud man

[Hightower]

my gearbox has the second gear crunch when cold if you drive it hard ! not major for a new box then

Try changing the oil for a good synthetic one first (Difflock Evo or Millers from Discoparts) before you think of changing the box.  It may well be that the oil is getting a bit tired.

[niloc1200]

ok will try that thanks