Jeep Cheroke or 300tdi Disco

[The Sporting Agent 0]

Does anyone know much about the old shape Jeep Cheroke?

 

I'm looking for a 4x4 as a 2nd car for the Mrs, needs to have a second row of seats, be reletivly "economical" (between 25-30mpg) and be able to eat up miles as it will go on the odd long run up and down the motorways picking up and delivering dogs for a rescue..............oh, and be no more than £2k really.

 

Been concidering either a 300tdi Disco, plenty in good cond with high miles and I know they will do over 250,000 miles if looked after; but also tempted by the older square shaped Jeep, I've looked at a few on P/R reg plates, all clean and tidy 2.5tdi's, all with about 150,000 miles on the clock .......................

 

............whats the score, is the engine as reliable as the 300tdi? Any advice?

 

Thanks

[DDD 4]

I'd be wary of the Cherokee's, normally not looked after due to high service price, plus the cost of spares is unbelievable. As an example, the rubber intercooler hose (which is dealer only) works out at £185+ Just for a rubber hose with 3 odd bends in it - some will say that you could replace it with silicone but due to the odd bends it wouldn't work out. Further to add to this - generally if they are a pain to start it will be No 1 glowplug - no one ever changes them as you have to remove the fuel pump complete very poor design.

 

As for the disco's, cheap, more often than not reliable, spares are cheap & as long as you find one that has been looked after you should be fine. the only thing that lets the disco down is the bodywork, on 5 doors check the underside of the wheel arches inside the door as the all go there, plus the rear floor. Also prone to inner wing corrosion.

 

If you are handy with a rivet gun or tig then go for the disco. To quote the old rover saying - "It's never over in a rover"

(personally I think they mean the running repairs that have to be carried out ).

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Dave

 

P.S. If it's a large 4x4 you want & if you can find someone willing to part with theirs then source a Toyota 4runner

[Lost Generation 93]

I'd be wary of the Cherokee's, normally not looked after due to high service price, plus the cost of spares is unbelievable. As an example, the rubber intercooler hose (which is dealer only) works out at £185+ Just for a rubber hose with 3 odd bends in it - some will say that you could replace it with silicone but due to the odd bends it wouldn't work out. Further to add to this - generally if they are a pain to start it will be No 1 glowplug - no one ever changes them as you have to remove the fuel pump complete very poor design.

 

As for the disco's, cheap, more often than not reliable, spares are cheap & as long as you find one that has been looked after you should be fine. the only thing that lets the disco down is the bodywork, on 5 doors check the underside of the wheel arches inside the door as the all go there, plus the rear floor. Also prone to inner wing corrosion.

 

If you are handy with a rivet gun or tig then go for the disco. To quote the old rover saying - "It's never over in a rover"

(personally I think they mean the running repairs that have to be carried out ).

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Dave

 

P.S. If it's a large 4x4 you want & if you can find someone willing to part with theirs then source a Toyota 4runner

 

 

Disco reliable! That's a laugh, most people who own one seem to spend more time under the bonnet than they do driving the things, and you'll permanently need a tray under it to catch all the oil it will leak , why not get a LWB trooper, shogun or landcruiser instead

[Chid 6,537]

i agree with lost generation. go for a jap you wont regret it

[Stabs 3]

Never had a problem with a disco

cheap and easy to fix

 

Stay clear of the Jeeps unless you are loaded

[The Sporting Agent 0]

Thanks guys; much as I expected. Everything I read seems to suggest the Jeep is the better buy, but everyone I speak to says the Disco.

 

Had considered a 4Runner/Surf, may have to look that way. Shoguns for the budget temd to be shagged from what I've seen but I'd certanly consider one if I saw the righ one. As for a Land Cruiser, I just can't see any decent ones for £2k, to be fair they just hold their money too damn well!

[Devon 26]

The Jeep at that mileage will need to have had the head gasket done as they are notorious for going after 100k and are mega bucks to sort out.

DDD is spot on about body rot on the Disco too, so make sure you check long and hard.

I'd recommend a Frontera too, everyone will slag it even though they are a good vehicle. For 2g you should be onto new shape and either 2.8 Isuzu lump or the V6. Both of these are excellent and reliable as hell.

[Lost Generation 93]

The Jeep at that mileage will need to have had the head gasket done as they are notorious for going after 100k and are mega bucks to sort out.

DDD is spot on about body rot on the Disco too, so make sure you check long and hard.

I'd recommend a Frontera too, everyone will slag it even though they are a good vehicle. For 2g you should be onto new shape and either 2.8 Isuzu lump or the V6. Both of these are excellent and reliable as hell.

 

I have no idea about Jeep running costs or reliability but I know the Jap wagons reasonably well and although Landcruisers will be out of your £2k budget, you might find a Shogun for that price if you look around, although it might be a bit ratty. You definitely should be able to get a decent LWB Isuzu Trooper for £2k - a mate of mine recently got a 130,000 mile LWB Trooper in decent nick for just over a grand. As suggested above, the Frontera / Monterey (rebadged Trooper) would also be well worth thinking about.

[Guest ROOSTER]

what about a pajero, when i asked all said great,i looked at a few not to much money either.

[jedandlevo 8]

go for the disco mate they are propper work horses in fact i just happen to have one fore sale pm me for more info

[macberran 2]

Driven the Jeep, had disco for 150000 and the Pajero which I just sold. The Disco as I said earlier was great..fantastic , just watch the rot . 30ish the gallon which the pajero will never do. Comfort has too be the disco , good kiddie loading height , the jeep is a crouch and the pajero is for the shorter sporters and NO room. The thing that swings it for me would be the visibilty and room......Disco by a mile ace to drive (non td5 ). Just keep an eye on the rot

[Lost Generation 93]

Driven the Jeep, had disco for 150000 and the Pajero which I just sold. The Disco as I said earlier was great..fantastic , just watch the rot . 30ish the gallon which the pajero will never do. Comfort has too be the disco , good kiddie loading height , the jeep is a crouch and the pajero is for the shorter sporters and NO room. The thing that swings it for me would be the visibilty and room......Disco by a mile ace to drive (non td5 ). Just keep an eye on the rot

 

There's a hell of a lot more room in a LWB Trooper or Shogun/Pajero than a disco and the Jap wagon wont breakdown all the time.

[The Sporting Agent 0]

Looks like I might have to concider the Disco or a Jap one then. I don't really fancy an import for a number of reason. I'm guessing that waxoil or similar on the sills and wheel and door arches of the Disco would help if I found one in decent cond?