Discovery Sport experience
New to caravanning, I am trying to decide which used 4x4 tow car to buy to pull a MTPLM 1439kg caravan. I have read all the bad press about the Discovery Sport 2.2 L (reliability, electronics, build, etc.). Can any members please share their experiences of the new Discovery 2.0L (SE Tech or HSE) to help me - good and bad. It seems to be much better on economy and I am hoping that LR have sorted the electronics issues with the new version? (from Sep 2105). Many thanks in anticipation.
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Been towing with a MY17 HSE 180 this year with the 2.0 engine. Overall very impressed a great tow car.
Tow bar fitting, this isn’t as straight forward as it seems. If you need to get a tow bar fitted and have the 7 seater it can get expensive as extra parts may be needed. The exhaust system differs between the 5 and 7 seater which is further impacted upon if it has a underslung spare or inside spare (as standard it comes with an inflation kit). It’s worth getting some quotes, but make sure the fitters give the quote on your exact model. We’ve got the factory fitted heavy duty electronic tow bar with the tow pack which is great.
Just some things to check out:
B Pillar rattle which if you get requires extensive work.
Oil dilution, pre June 2017 vehicles which have the service plan get free extra oil changes for the first five years. If used check it has the service plan otherwise it can get expensive. Check the in built computer which will show when next oil service is due.
MPG nothing like Land Rover say, I’m getting on normal drives 40 (ish) mpg with towing a 1550kg van and lots in the car around 30mpg
Small fuel tank, because of AdBlue tank?
Poor in built sat nav (it loves B and narrow country roads, well it is a Land Rover).2 -
Just to add something on towbars.
Recently bought a low mileage (prob ex demonstrator) 2017 Disco Sport.
Being old fashioned I definitely wanted a spare wheel. Some come with it, some do not. If a spare is supplied from the factory the exhaust layout is different, meaning it would be hard (and expensive!) to fit a spare later.
Having the spare limits what towbars will fit. Genuine LR will not as far as I can tell unless you have the one with a sticky-out lump on the back.
Two I found did fit OK and I went for one made by tow-trust. That needs a small bumper cut but not obtrusive and most of the cutaway is in the small clip on rear panel so not horrendously expensive if you slip.
Fitting is relatively straightforward but a bit worrying as all the rear bumper has to come off. If you have fitted a towbar before you will be OK. You will need an 18mm socket (pref 6 sided) and a LONG bar to undo 2 bolts that hold the towing eye on, These are done up very VERY tight.
Wiring is childsplay - just plugs in.
If you look round https://www.discosportforums.co.uk/ you will find links to youtube videos of a towbar being removed and installed. That shows a car with no spare wheel but apart from the exhaust being different the process is the same.
Tows our Abbey GTS 215 (1450kg) with little effort which is what I would expect.
Oil dilution from DPF issues is the only concern I have - time will tell on that one.
Mike
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just off topic but we looked at the Discovery Sport but chose the Kia Sorrento. This daily Telegraph review might be of interest :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AijVPpqlOtc
Basically buy a Kia with your head, a Sport with your heart.
The Kia's longer warranty (and more toys per £) together with biggest towing limit and Kia Volvo being this year most reliable makes according to JD power made us go with the Kia:
The brands that have topped the reliability chart this year are Kia, Volvo and Skoda, while Land Rover, Audi and BMW occupy the bottom three places https://www.carwow.co.uk/best/most-reliable-cars-0493
also the Sorrento's almost twin sister the Santa Fe comes with a substantial (up to £6000) saving using the club's offer see
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/membership/member-offers/Hyundai/
Which ever car you buy have you looked at the carwow website?
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Many thanks for all the posts. It looks to me that when it comes to towcars, if you base a buying decision on looks, comfort, reliability and price, nothing scores highly on all four! Land Rover on the first two and Kia or Hyundai on the last two! What a nightmare. I thought choosing the caravan would be the hardest bit! 😉
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In regard to carwow would also recommend that you take a look, I have posted re this before,as they can supply new, to order, or stock cars.
With no idea of your budget can't say if they will be able to get near secondhand prices but my new Q5 was less than my nearest dealer was asking for a s/h model with a lower spec.
We knew what car the and minimum spec we wanted so it was just a case of getting the best deal.
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Don't know the pros or cons of Discovery Sport just thought you may like to see this snap, at least the cars still on four wheels.
Steve
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Looks a touch windy judging by the fella crouching down behind the door, probably fortunate it was a LR rather than some of the other 4x4's out there.
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Surely the size of the tank isn't that relevant 😞, it's the range that's relevant. One of my cars has a 35 litre tank with a range of around 300 miles, another has a tank size more than twice the size but its range is only around 450 miles
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have you ever waych the program "motorway patrol" about the job the police do. I remember one, that the police got a call that a car had broken down in the 3rd lane of motorway, when they got there it was a lady in a LR evoque and said she had just picked it up from dealer brand new 30mins ago and was on her way home when everything just stopped working and shut down. she got out the car and shut the door and nobody could get back in again even the dealer so the police had to drag it across the motorway with no steering and wait for a truck to lift and take back to dealers to sort. 30 mins old. WOW.
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have a look at
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Had 4 land rovers so far and you are correct, the Sat Nav is diabolical.
Ktansdell
Have you looked at the latest Skoda range, not the cars they used to be. The newer 4x4's may give you all you are looking for. I have been on sites this year where Skodas have been the very popular choice of fellow caravaners.
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Hi, thanks to all for your helpful comments.
Lornalou1 - yes, this is precisely why I was asking for advice. The LR salesmen say that it was the pre 2014 Discovery Sports which had electronics problems, and that they are sorted in the newer model. Sales talk or truth?
Bluemalaga - yes, I even looked at the new Skoda Kodiaq. Gets a good magazine review. Not sure how well it would do on a caravan site tough - more like a big estate car.
All - interesting that I have now found two separate Landrover mechanics who tell me that if I want reliability I should be looking at 3 litre Discovery 4s. The search continues!
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thanks for posting back ktansdell. Good hunting
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I have a 2016 model 2.0 Auto with factory fit detachable towbar.
I tow a Coachman 640/6 and the car is an absolute rock as a towcar. The most stable car I have ever towed with.
The small tank can be a problem if you forget to fill up - nearly ran out of fuel up in the Highlands. There are not many fuel stops between Glasgow and Onich !!
My main gripe with the car is the useless auto box when driving solo - the old lag and sudden boost scenario. It is suppose to be a modern and technically wonderful box but I beg to differ.
Reliability has been good,build quality ok but you have to constantly fill up the Ad blue.
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How backward for a modern car to have to fill up the Ad Blue between services.
With a Merc the tank is sufficient beyond services, the Ad Blue is included in a Service Plan.
If you need to fill yourself this is a good tool to locate filling stations where you use an Ad Blue pump in place of decanting bottles:
http://uk.air1.info/en/adblue-supply/adblue-filling/
Put your postcode in and bob is your mothers brother0 -
Until changing to the Discovery Sport (180hp 2-0l) I towed a t/axle with the Discovery 4. Both cars are superb towing. I even had to tow a large motorhome off one wet CL. They are rock steady and effortless on hills. I averaged 30-32mpg solo and 26mpg towing a 1750 kg caravan with the D4. The running costs, especially servicing are higher with the D4 than the Sport as you would expect. I am on my 5th LR over 15 years and all have been very reliable, just the usual service costs plus tyres and brake pads etc. I can't imagine changing to another marque whilst I'm caravanning.
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Thanks everybody. I have taken delivery of my Discovery 4 and I now await the towing course and delivery of the caravan. Definitely a case of overkill, as the LR salesman said that when Birmingham had all the snow recently, an articulated lorry arrived to deliver a load of cars, got stuck and Land Rover towed the lorry out with a Discovery! (hopefully not mine!)
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Thanks for posting back. Enjoy your car.
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