Series vs my Disco

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  • bmohan55
    4th Gear
    • Sep 2008
    • 435

    Series vs my Disco

    Couple years ago my fan belt broke on the Disco going thru the "Big Tunnel" under Boston on a Friday night while on vacation. Dealer recently installed the belt incorrectly at the 45,000 mile service and burned up the the power steering pump which broke the belt and over heated the engine. I didn't get it back from the Boston dealer until the following Wednesday evening, ruining our vacation.

    Last night going home from work my fan belt broke on the Series. I carry extras and tools (of course) and in 20 minutes I was back on the road. It may be slow but it gets me where I need to go, and when it has problems I can fix them....gotta love these things!
    04 Disco, Gone-Disco died & so did mine
    '72 S3 88 - Leakey & Squeaky
  • LaneRover
    Overdrive
    • Oct 2006
    • 1743

    #2
    Helllloooooo if you had carried a spare power steering pump, spare, belt, tools, orange cones, coolant and the instructions on how to correctly put in a serpentine belt your vacation wouldn't have been ruined!
    1958 107 SW - Sold to a better home
    1965 109 SW - nearly running well
    1966 88 SW - running but needing attention
    1969 109 P-UP

    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...2&l=64cfe23aa2

    Comment

    • Jeff Aronson
      Moderator
      • Oct 2006
      • 569

      #3
      Your story with the Disco reminds me of the time back in the early 90's that I traveled from work on Cape Cod to Boston's Logan Airport for another assignment. My II-A sat in traffic in the tunnel that runs under Boston Harbor and suffered vapor lock. It would not start, blocking traffic quite effectively. It was an unnerving experience!

      Within a minute a tow truck had appeared and without any dicussion, pulled me out to a pull-off strip just outside the tunnel. As this was before cellphones, all I could do was guess at the problem. The heat when I raised the hood let me guess at the problem. I soaked a t shirt with water and wrapped it around the base of the carb, and waited a few minutes. The car then started up and got me to the airport.

      There, I discovered that the traffic conditions had delayed many flights, including my own, and I was able to fly off to my work destination later that evening.

      Jeff
      Jeff Aronson
      Vinalhaven, ME 04863
      '66 Series II-A SW 88"
      '66 Series II-A HT 88"
      '80 Triumph TR-7 Spider
      '80 Triumph Spitfire
      '66 Corvair Monza Coupe
      http://www.landroverwriter.com

      Comment

      • stomper
        5th Gear
        • Apr 2007
        • 889

        #4
        That is a truly awesome story Jeff. As we drive through life with our Ipods, cell phones, A/C, and GPS Navigation systems, I think we forget that the journey is just as exciting as the destination.

        I see people on the side of the road with a flat tire, waiting for a tow truck, because they don't know how to change it themselves. I never want to be one of those people. And that is why I love my Land Rover!
        Bad gas mileage gets you to some of the greatest places on earth.

        Comment

        • galen216
          2nd Gear
          • Nov 2006
          • 236

          #5
          Originally posted by bmohan55

          Last night going home from work my fan belt broke on the Series. I carry extras and tools (of course) and in 20 minutes I was back on the road. It may be slow but it gets me where I need to go, and when it has problems I can fix them....gotta love these things!

          When I left MAR last year my radiator was so packed with mud the truck was running warmer than usual. Fifteen minutes from home the original 1974 water pump let go from working hard. I drove the next 15 minutes home on the edge of red in the gauge and virtually empty on coolant. Put in a new water pump and has run fine ever since. Do that in a Disco.
          74 SIII
          96 Disco SE-7 5 Spd.

          Comment

          • brucejohn
            2nd Gear
            • Jul 2009
            • 215

            #6
            This thread echoes the reason I wanted a Series Land Rover. As much as I love the defenders and assume I will some day own one, the series is simple. Even a non mechanic like myself can understand every system on the series. I don't have a shop and most of the work I do has me laying in the dirt. Few vehicles lend themselves to that kind of environment.

            To paraphrase NickDawson: I love my series rover...
            1982 SIII 109 RHD petrol project.

            Comment

            • SafeAirOne
              Overdrive
              • Apr 2008
              • 3435

              #7
              Originally posted by Jeff Aronson
              ...There, I discovered that the traffic conditions had delayed many flights, including my own, and I was able to fly off to my work destination later that evening.
              Do you mean that they held flights because all the departing passengers were stuck in a traffic jam in the Callahan Tunnel due to some old broken down "Jeep", or was it air traffic delays?




              When I owned my Discovery, I found it difficult to get any component costing less than $200 to fail.
              --Mark

              1973 SIII 109 RHD 2.5NA Diesel

              0-54mph in just under 11.5 minutes
              (9.7 minutes now that she's a 3-door).

              Comment

              • Dashface
                Low Range
                • Nov 2007
                • 66

                #8
                Crossing my fingers... Since I have both Disco and Series II

                I have to say that the Disco has so far never broken down. Little things have broken, but never has it ever stopped running.

                The SII has broken down an untold number of times - but every time I was able to fix it and get home again.

                So - I like 'em both

                Comment

                • BackInA88
                  3rd Gear
                  • Dec 2006
                  • 332

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Dashface
                  Crossing my fingers... Since I have both Disco and Series II

                  I have to say that the Disco has so far never broken down. Little things have broken, but never has it ever stopped running.

                  The SII has broken down an untold number of times - but every time I was able to fix it and get home again.

                  So - I like 'em both

                  Same here!!

                  Steve
                  71 IIa 88
                  01 D2

                  Comment

                  • bmohan55
                    4th Gear
                    • Sep 2008
                    • 435

                    #10
                    Originally posted by BackInA88
                    Same here!!

                    Steve
                    don't get me wrong...I love the Disco also. The only time she left us stranded was100% due to Dealer error, they screwed up the 45K service and overtightened the belt. Land Rover Roadside assistence covered "most" of our costs, going beyond the $750 maximum (Boston is VERY expensive!)

                    The fact that the wife loves her Disco so much and won't allow me to "take it playing" anymore was the rational for my Series purchase.
                    04 Disco, Gone-Disco died & so did mine
                    '72 S3 88 - Leakey & Squeaky

                    Comment

                    • ivarra
                      Low Range
                      • Apr 2007
                      • 66

                      #11
                      Originally posted by bmohan55
                      The fact that the wife loves her Disco so much and won't allow me to "take it playing" anymore was the rational for my Series purchase.
                      Sure, blame the wife. I wonder how may other spouses are out there not knowing that they are the reason we purchased our series When my wife said she would never drive it if I bought one, I thought 'OK then, I have to get one'. So yes, its her fault too.

                      Ivar

                      Comment

                      • stomper
                        5th Gear
                        • Apr 2007
                        • 889

                        #12
                        My wife claims she will never drive my series either. I have a feeling that will change this summer though. Once the top is off, and the weather is warm, I will probably lose it, until it needs gas again.
                        Bad gas mileage gets you to some of the greatest places on earth.

                        Comment

                        • kbar-04
                          Low Range
                          • Nov 2009
                          • 11

                          #13
                          I've been fairly lucky I guess, my 99 Disco I has never broken down or caused me trouble and Ive worked that poor truck to death. My series III has had some minor issues but has never broken down on me. The series is my favorite though. I live in Amish country and have even had Amish farmers swivel their heads to look at it as I drive around..
                          Retired O-4 CJSOTF-S Afghanistan
                          Rh Regmt 1978-79
                          1999 Disco I
                          1972 Series IIa 88

                          Comment

                          • MJL
                            Low Range
                            • Oct 2007
                            • 82

                            #14
                            Don't have a Disco but I do have a Series III and a Range Rover Classic. To be honest I have never driven more than 40 miles from home in the Series so touch wood I've never had any problems.

                            The Range Rover is my 4th. I've had one since 1989 and one time was the proud owner of 3 of them. In all that time I only had 2 breakdowns that I couldn't easily deal with. One was trivial - a burst hose but I was many miles from home without any tools. The second one was a blown transmission - doubt you could even drive a Series w/o a transmission

                            Bought a Range Rover Sport last November - so far it is behaving. Drove it from NH to Washington DC and back last week. Didn't miss a beat - a real joy to drive. Hate the thought of ioty breaking down though.

                            Mike
                            2006 Range Rover Sport HSE
                            1994 Range Rover Classiv SWB
                            1872 Series III 88 "GROMIT"

                            Comment

                            • ivarra
                              Low Range
                              • Apr 2007
                              • 66

                              #15
                              Originally posted by MJL
                              Mike
                              2006 Range Rover Sport HSE
                              1994 Range Rover Classiv SWB
                              1872 Series III 88 "GROMIT"
                              1872 Series? Show us some pics!

                              Comment

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