Faults:

Clutch after about 6 months of owning.

Thermostat after about a year, which caused the head gasket to go.

Engine gave out at 196000 due to unseen mud getting between air con and engine radiators, and overheating.

General Comments:

I will start with the bad bit; when you are running low on fuel, this huge light comes to let you know, but when the engine is overheating, there are no warning lights at all, just one little gauge that you can't see behind the steering wheel. As a result of this, when my thermostat went the car over heated and the head gasket went. About a year later it over heated again due mud getting between the two radiators when off road. This time it piston 2 melted.

Other than that (which I see as 50% design fault 50% my fault), I loved every minute of owning it. It is the best car I have ever owned, when it left me it had done 206000 miles and still drove perfectly. The interior didn't squeak and rattle the leather, although yes it did have signs of wear, was much better than my BMW, which had done under 60k. Off road it was superb and on road, OK it was not a 911, but I never bought it to be. What it was, was very comfortable on long journeys. Much more than my 2000 Merc E220.

It used to do about 30mpg combined, from the 300TDI. The only reason I have put 5/10 for cost of running is the amount it cost to put a new engine in. General servicing and running was much better than my 1.8 Laguna.

The dealers were the most helpful I have ever dealt with. Good example of this I broke the remote locking key fob, I had a spare one by it wasn't tuned to the car and Land Rover Gatwick didn't charge to tune the new one in. Had the same thing with my Merc and they wanted £120 for about 10 min work!

It towed my 19ft caravan with ease almost forgot it was there.

Safety wise, I was traveling down a country lane with wife and two kids in car, when a Volvo 730 cut a corner and hit me head on. Every door in my Disco opened, everyone of my family got out stepped out fine, although Disco was a write off. The driver of the much newer Saab, although OK, could not get out and had to be cut from the car. I don't believe any other car would have looked after me and my family like she did.

Summing up, brilliant long distance cruiser, brilliant off road car, brilliant tow car and brilliant family car.

Faults:

How long have you got?

Head light dropped out, windscreen leaked, immobilizer had a life of its own. Rust bubbles and dodgy door seals.

General Comments:

Where to start.

With this Disco' I enjoy a love hate relationship.

Off road, only a tank is better, or maybe a Range Rover.

The front seats are comfortable and the visibility is very good. In the back however, it's a different story. The rear passenger access doors look big, but the gap between the door pillar and the seats is very small, and you have to be a bit agile to wriggle your way in. Once in the back, the leg room is somewhat limited and the seats are not the best.

The loading bay is very spacious, but the back door is enormous! If the wind catches it while you're opening it, be careful! It's like a huge metal and glass sail with a wheel bolted on. The Range Rover's split tailgate is better. The Disco would benefit from a similar design, either one up, one down, like the Range Rover or outwards like most vans. It should be fitted with stays too, to prevent it blowing shut on you. That hurts, A LOT!! Opening the tailgate on hills is a dodgy exercise as well. Just make sure that the car's leaning to the right or you'll never get in the boot.

The TD5 isn't too bad on fuel, but the performance is woeful; large warships will out accelerate the Disco' diesel. This makes overtaking a stunt form and not a pleasure. That said, once up to speed, the Disco' happily barrels along with everyone else.