I'd love a Disco, always been a fan of the off road practicality like a defender mixed with the upper-market styling of the RR.

 

£55k is a bargain really compared to the 80k plus of the Range Rovers.

I spec'd up one of those Range Rover SVRs , managed to get it to £112k with nearly every option ticked

If you want a ultility vehicle you get the Defender.  And put up with the noise and lack of any decent ergonomics in the cabin.

The Discovery is almost as "posh" as the Range Rover these days and both make good workhorses.

Just because it says Range Rover on the bonnet doesn't mean it's all show and no go in that regards.

 

The issue is usually tyre choice.

I had a 2008 TDV8 Range Rover and it was a good workhorse.

Did everything my Defender did, as I didn't need to go through great big bomb holes.

 

My old Discovery in the mud, six months old at the time.  Just as capable as a Defender here...

 

 

I used to be a huge Land Rover / Range Rover fan.

But realised that most of the time unless you had to go extreme offroading or pull heavy trailers they were a bit pointless.

 

Also phoning up the local taxi firm and they answer by saying "Are you going to the Land Rover garage again today?" gets a bit annoying.

Visiting them for silly faults every few months got old.

 

They are just not reliable enough to justify the cost.  And the modern ones have fallen behind other makers in terms of the nav/tech/screen display.

I tested the new 2012 Range Rover £77k+ when it came out and the screen reolution and user interface wasn't up to the standard as my Yeti.

Poor state of affairs IMO.

I went round the LR experience in a Disco4 in december and as mentioned above, they really aren't far away from the Range Rover in terms of quality and refinement. They were also just as capable as the defenders (although the Disco 4's had every off road option specified). The tutors there also told me they have never gone wrong doing the slow but tricky stuff every day, all day.

I then spent the afternoon in the very latest Range Rover and lwb Range Rover specified with some simply amazing kit and came away suffering major 'wantage' but realised there was now some gap once again between the disco4 and latest RR! Then again, at 120k, I guess there should be!

You could get a fully spec'd Mitsu Shogun LWB for less than that! Granted it won't have TV's in the seats. But it would do everything else just as well. 

You could get a fully spec'd Mitsu Shogun LWB for less than that! Granted it won't have TV's in the seats. But it would do everything else just as well.

...apart from interior build, interior materials quality, noise, vibration and harshness, handling, ride quality, performance, optional equipment availability, image/class... Just to reintroduce some balance. But then the current Shogun is getting on a tad at 10 years old and they still want over 40k for that high spec one!

...apart from interior build, interior materials quality, noise, vibration and harshness, handling, ride quality, performance, optional equipment availability, image/class... Just to reintroduce some balance. But then the current Shogun is getting on a tad at 10 years old and they still want over 40k for that high spec one!

 

The newer Shoguns really aren't at all bad. Build quality feel a little cheap in comparison to a Disco but it's pretty robust. handling, and ride is much better then it used to be. Unless you have the Short Wheel base model, which doesn't like to place it's centre of gravity well. As for performance, image and class. If those were what you were after wouldn't a Range Rover be what you'd buy? 

 

The Disco used to be family 4x4 territory, now it's flirting with prestige, or luxury 4x4 territory.  

 

In all honesty, If I was to spend £55k or there abouts on a 4x4 for day to day use, I wouldn't look past the Jeep Grand Cherokee, especially the SRT version which can be had for around £60k. 

 

But that my opinion. I just feel Land Rover as a whole are a bit over rated. But then again, I'm probably biased having experience of them constantly falling to pieces and dealing with the punishing ride quality in Defenders.

You could get a fully spec'd Mitsu Shogun LWB for less than that! Granted it won't have TV's in the seats. But it would do everything else just as well. 

Not quite the same quality and you will also be lucky to get more then low 20s mpg around town and around 30mpg on a run.

Jeeps are a bit madly priced new. Maybe not a bad deal 2nd hand since the depreciation will be biblical on them.

 

I have a soft spot for the Wrangler even though I know it's probably crap.

whereas the Disco can carry enough luggage for a trip round europe camping.

Hmmm. I can just imagine me forking out £55k on a Disco and then slumming it in a tent!

Hmmm. I can just imagine me forking out £55k on a Disco and then slumming it in  tent!

 

Not going to lie, 

 

Would love a truck like this,

I'd love that too, but the only thing I would worry about with a roof tent would be that bleary (beery) eyed 3am "I'm just going to splash my booooooootsTHWACK". Moment

You could get a fully spec'd Mitsu Shogun LWB for less than that! Granted it won't have TV's in the seats. But it would do everything else just as well. 

 

Yeah the Shogun and Cherokee make the Discovery look very expensive... surely there's not much the Disco can do the other can't for some £15-20k less?

The discovery has long since moved away from its roots. We've had two from new as farm vehicles. But we wouldn't have another now.

Back in 2004 the top spec ES model was £30k, now it's nearly double that! I think we're having a used BMW X5 next.

Hmmm. I can just imagine me forking out £55k on a Disco and then slumming it in a tent!

Its a life style choice.  The inference from the picture is you can go where you like, especially where other people can't.

I'd rather that - I might actually use the facility - than the folk you see with a big merc and a dual axle caravan, who spent at least 2x the cost of a disco.

Just as well we're not all the same.

The newer Shoguns really aren't at all bad. Build quality feel a little cheap in comparison to a Disco but it's pretty robust. handling, and ride is much better then it used to be. Unless you have the Short Wheel base model, which doesn't like to place it's centre of gravity well. As for performance, image and class. If those were what you were after wouldn't a Range Rover be what you'd buy?

The Disco used to be family 4x4 territory, now it's flirting with prestige, or luxury 4x4 territory.

In all honesty, If I was to spend £55k or there abouts on a 4x4 for day to day use, I wouldn't look past the Jeep Grand Cherokee, especially the SRT version which can be had for around £60k.

But that my opinion. I just feel Land Rover as a whole are a bit over rated. But then again, I'm probably biased having experience of them constantly falling to pieces and dealing with the punishing ride quality in Defenders.

We use diesel automatic Lwb shoguns as police vehicles and they are rubbish. The freelander twos are better to drive, handle better at speed and as just as good off road. The shoguns are just pants, even our new 64 plate one is rubbish and our 08 freelander a with 170k on are better cars.

We use diesel automatic Lwb shoguns as police vehicles and they are rubbish. The freelander twos are better to drive, handle better at speed and as just as good off road. The shoguns are just pants, even our new 64 plate one is rubbish and our 08 freelander a with 170k on are better cars.

Yup, but its fashionable in certain quarters to rubbish anything LandRover ish, as per the recent anti Evoque thread and the me too ers. 

I doubt any of them have ever sat in one, let alone driven one off road.  They are good, bloody good, but the were "designed" by some footballers missus and shaped so people with the right amount of cash would buy them.  

I might not buy one (no cash), but I would hang onto one if it was given.