manual or auto

[kiteman0]

hi to all looking to buy a discovery for green laning,which box would be best for green laning? and with so many discoverys to buy how do you decide which one is best to buy?i'm looking at spending £2.000 on a 1995 300 tdi. look forward to your replies, cheers.

[Ja1983]

for laning i would suggest spending £600 on a fair 200tdi, and spend the rest on bits  

[Range Rover Blues]

Yeap, £2,000 buys a nice one but you'll knock the value off by scratching it and you'll soon want more toys.

£1,000 buys a pretty good Disco at the moment.

I'd say that you really have to want an auto diesel to buy one, I don't think they are too common as the auto box robs a bit of economy, which is why you buy a deisel right? surely it's not for the lack of acceleration/top speed or the engine noise :?

Not that I'm having a go, I like the 200 and 300TDi, we have 2 in the family and one is auto, both go very well and the auto is loverly for towing the 'van (it's primary job).  But I think with the Disco you'll be looking at a lot of (very good) TDi manuals.

There's plenty to choose from so don't compramise, keep looking for the right one.  Oh, and don't pay the asking, as my mate would say kick them in the nuts, you'll often be surprised how much people will negotiate if you have cash in your pocket.

[kiteman0]

hi thanks for the replys,the ones ive looked at have been manuals,i will bw wanting to put some extras on 1 bigger tyres 2 snorkel 3 underneath protection, i will let you know when i get one and maybe meet up with some of you to do some lanes cheers

[Disco Matt]

I would say the manual is a better bet - I don't like auto boxes and they can't do engine braking for hill descents as far as I know?

[Range Rover Blues]

They can do engine braking.  By coincidence I was reading the workshop manual the other night.  Apparently there is a one-way clutch in the gearbox that free-wheels in 1st gear if the engine slows down.  By selecting 1st another clutch pack is engaged which stops this from happening, so giving engine braking.  
That's why you don't notice it happening in 'Drive'.

[mike142sl]

Yep mine is auto and I get engine braking by selecting 1st. You'd also get it by selecting 2nd or 3rd as well, the manual explains that those settings simply prevent the box from selecting a higher gear than what is selected.

Also got hill decent electrickery on mine but never used it as I prefer the engine braking technique - suppose it's what you're used to.

[Disco Matt]

Fair enough - still not keen on the way they tend to blunt the power delivery though.

[Ralph]

I have a manuel but would choose auto.
I had a pajero auto no gears to change smooth power delivery when stuck and hardly ever had to go into lo box.

[Range Rover Blues]

Fair enough - still not keen on the way they tend to blunt the power delivery though.

Horses for courses.  I think on the TDi that an auto would only be bought by someone who wanted an auto (new this is) and I can see the merrits of both.  Having hated autos when I was younger I think they are a lot better than they used to be (I had a 2.0 Auto Capri and it was a slug), my sister's is excellent with the caravan on.

As for the V8, the choice is somewhat helped by the manual boc on offer, I'm not a fan of the old Sherpa box of cogs, though the R380 is much nicer to drive but on my LSE I love the auto.  Blunt you say :?  well I for one can't change gear that fast.

[kiteman0]

evening to all,just to let you now that i have brought a manual, they had a manual and auto there but the manual was alot more solid than the newer auto,thanks for all your responses,cheers